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retiredat44
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Posts posted by retiredat44
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Why is the VA so frakked up? I really want to use the 'F' word..! Yesterday I go to take some stupid lessons on how to inject some meds through my muscle and fat....
I didn't feel the needle at a, so that went ok,,, I went to some stores for some shopping when I picked up my wife on the way home. Today I wake up and my leg feels like it was kicked by a horse where I injected testosterone, (they said my tests show the level was to low.) I always do as my doctors tell me. I am always open to them, I have never lied... but when the nurse calls me, she is telling me they will not send my monthly pain meds unless I sign some form saying I will not abuse drugs.
She says I have to get my last doctor who prescribed my drugs to sign a form, a release saying I will only get pain meds from my VA doctor. I told the nurse that I have only taken meds form the va for the last 20 years. That I was getting my pain meds from my VA primary care doctor where I used to live, at the VA clinic. She says they thought I was getting drugs from outside doctors. I have no frakkin idea where they get this bogus info~... ! They have all my VA records, why don't they read them!!! Arrrgh.. then they tell me my last drug test,, actually I think they just took one of my usual blood tests that I get quite often and used some of the blood to check me, to spy on whatever is in m y blood She was saying something about the VA checks for drugs in your blood. Anways, my blood test are ok and they are consstent with what the va prescribes me. I could tell them that, I only take what the va gives me. Anyways, then she tells me I have to sign a form before they send my pain pills. I drove there yesterday to my primary care was there 45 minutes. Now she says I need to sign a form, but they didn't ell me when I was there! It is a 150 miles, round trip! She says she will mail the forms, then says they don't have my P.O. Box, we don't use a mail box. I tell her well they have to have both my physical address and my P.O. box because the VA sends me meds through both my p.o. box and by ups to my physical address. So, they will send me the g___dam form, I will sign and return it to.. get the drugs that help contro my severe chronic pain, the ones that they are dropping my dose on, saying my pain meds were above the level they would allow! Meanwhile the pain doctor had me go through many appointments and another MRI just to get my spinal shot, that I was getting every three months in San Diego, but she stopped them here and I am suffering so bad I am ready to crawl too get around! The San Diego VA was sending me notices saying hurry up and get my spinal shot, yet the pain doctor stopped them up here! I did everything they ask, yet they have bogus info, assume wrong info , and refuse to listen, and then spy on me to see if I am doctor shopping!
I hope some reams there asses! I hope someone is listening who can helps us poor vets are getting FD..ed every which way. They are really crazy whoever is running the VA! The San Diego treated me very good, up here they are totally screwed up! again, I don't take illegal drugs, I only need to continue the excellent treatment I got down south... is that to much to ask!!?? Not all doctors are messed up or nurses but something is totally wrong up here they can't seem to get their records straight, refuse to read the VA records a vet has from other va clinics.. and refuses to continue ongoing treatments without putting you through hell!
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the va is pulling all kinds of b.s. up here in Oregon, with me,, they totally screwed up the good thing I had going with the va in San Diego... wherever the medical school is that is sending these doctors out needs a good ass kicking... don't get me wrong, there were very good to me in the past, at a different va, but some of them up here in the North are messing up people whop were doing fine.. even with chronic disease, I miss just the crhronic disease, and having someone making me suffer even more is intolerable... thing is who you gonna tell? Who's watching the watchers?
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I have a dead brother from dugs.. I know.. I know lots of people who are either in bad shape, or are dead.. the dea is a bunch of nincompoops.. regardless.. I am being put into a position where I need pain control because of the dea b.s...
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will a va doctor fill out an Oregon Marijuana form 'attending physician's statement' ? (My doctors at the last VA in California who cared for me were very good and had taken care of me), but the new doctors like at the new pain clinic I now go to in Oregon are going to screw me up badly on my pain problems. I don't want to take any Marijuana, but they are going to force me to look for additional pain relief when they cut my pain meds. ()starting March 2014 (they doctor said I am over the Oregon legal limit for morphine (I hope those scum get some rotten disease that makes them suffer, whoever makes up rules..). Will doctors at the VA fill out an Oregon Medical Marijuana Form, so I can submit it for some 'm" ?. Again, I really have no desire to take any more drugs, but the pain will kill me if they start pulling pain meds.. the pain clinic here is crazy if they think I can live with a dose I have lived with for 20 years. I can get many boxes checked for extremely painful diseases I suffer from, so that isn't the question, I just want to know if VA doctor will sign this Oregon pot form.. I have no desire to get stoned,, but I can't live in horrendous pain, as it is right now I am back to losing too much weight... Thanx
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if the link will not work, only other thing is offer the heading on Newsweek (the url is basically the heading.. am tired of trying to copy this text, ggggrrrrrrr :( )
"08/29/12" updated 03/20/13"
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it would not copy and paste, at all, tried and tried used word, notebook, etc,, not working,, manually typed , linkl still does not work
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I keep trying to post a link to a breakdown, but this forum keeps rejecting the link
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Is there a breakdown of the states backlog numbers or percentage for each state. Compare the amount of backlog for each state. Most of my claims were filed in California and denied. But then I moved to Oregon. Wondering if the wait is shorter in Oregon, than California.
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I suppose it will be around April or May of 2014 for a TDIU decision (that would be around 200 days), after that the rest of the claims will finally go the appeal stage... but until all claims are either ok'd or denied, they will not move to appeals... in a way it is my fault for having so many open claims that were denied.. the later claims holding up the early claims,, as they all must be in the same stage of the process. So, as soon as TDIU is determined (officially filed November 2013) then all of my claims can move to the next step where they can bundle them for the appeals board. Also, my claims originated in Southern California. The TDIU is the first of my 8 claims that is in another state. But having claims filed in more than one State should have no bearing. Not sure what the backlog is for Oregon. it has to be better than California, one would think.
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my case is so complicated...... I did file for hardship, because the disease(s) I suffer from are not only intolerable... but also can kill a person without notice or just let them linger... but to much to re-hash... the only reason is my case has not gone to appeals is because everything I filed tied up at regional office.. then I moved to another state, and my ne claim rep sees things a little differently then the old claim rep... so they are looking at the outcome of TDIU,,, which they only decided to file after 5 years of in the appeal process in another state... short answer,,, I suppose is yes... but the VA never acknowledged it's hardship... but the doctors and surgeons at the VA definitely did...
My prognosis while hospitalized and at release: 'poor'
when they released me they state your overall health... they said they could no longer do anything for me, and only time will till what's next...
I lost the ability to work in early 1990's...
SSDI was granted 1995.
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how long for TDIU decisions? 3, 6, 9, months longer? depends on the workload of each office and state etc? thanx
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I transferred all my appeals and new claims to Oregon from San Diego... my new service officer says she does not know how they handle transfers, but says she will let the appeals process figure it out.. not one of my appeals had made it to the BVA yet after 5 years...
update:
BVA Portland Oregon still hasn't made a decision
09-16-19
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My new claim rep put my TDIU claim in. After I moved, I got a new representative in Oregon. I signed a new POV with them in Oregon. I used to have American Legion in San Diego. I have many issues that are still in appeals and have yet to go through the appeals. The new claim rep says it's time to put that in and she says it should have been put in before. The old rep didn't want to. So, as it stand I have many issues on appeal ands TDIU now has been added. Not sure if anything moves faster in Oregon, but California was a nightmare. Actually the new rep's office is at the States Veterans offices.. and they took over the American Legion's claims a while back. So, the wait continues, just in a new state. So I still have about 6 outstanding claims with many, many complications mixed in. Extremely comp0licated.
A side note: my care has continued here. They don't have many facilities outside of Portland so I get almost al my care in Portland. I get a ride with DAV most the time. It's almost a 3 hour round trip, not counting the wait for when there are later appointments. The DAV ride must Portland VAMC leave by 2 p.m. so it is a full day when I do have to go to al the appointments. The necrotizing pancreatitis is slowly getting worse. .. although I am still functioning, eating, dinking, take massive amounts of meds and pain killers. But.... it's a day-2-day thing. So, just waiting and waiting.. in a couple weeks I hope the new spinal appointments will get me back to my spinal injections. I had to go 5 weeks (MONTHS) made a mistake and wrote weeks.. without an injection for pain in the spine because of my move and waiting for new doctors here. So, I am starting to get the hunchback and terrible pain when I don't get the spinal injections in time.
We had snow at the house a while back but it finally melted, and it may snow again pretty soon. in any case at least we get decent rain. I get peace here I could not get in California. I can rest good when I need it.
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I got the letter from it,, I never knew that existed until now... it really doesn't say anything different then the award letters when you win a fight for an increase.. except they package it up into a nice looking letter,, its a bit bloated though... and while official looking, it isn't like a birth certificate in the way an official birth certificate (For Example) has stamps or embossed to show it is original, this is just printed and can be black and white or color, depending on the ink you choose on your printer. I am pretty surprised no one told me about certificates until now. I would not call it a certificate, myself, if I had named it, I would only be called it a letter. IMHO
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I am trying to go on file as disabled veteran with the county tax assessor for the tax benefits of being a disabled veteran. And, the county assessor called me back and told me I must send them a Veterans disability certificate. I sent them my papers from the va showing I am service connected and at what percent. They insist I get a certificate of disability. I never heard of a certificate. Neither from the VA nor Social Security. I have been officially VA disabled since 1997. The DMV accepts my usual award papers. is Oregon different? Also, I called the VA here in Oregon, and left 2 messages and they didn't call me back. I then sent a form on their website asking about the certificate.
Thanx
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My new Service Officer (new one here in Oregon) says I need to file for TDIU, even though I am stuck at 60% until the appeals go through, meanwhile she says I need to file, and I told here I tried to get my last Service Office (American Legion) San Diego, refused saying I didn't qualify at 60%. I told the original Service officer that although the books say 60% to file TDIU, that is only a guideline. The new Service Officer wrote up the Papers immediately. I was pissed and still pissed when the last S.O. refused and I lost all the time. But at least it's being filed. When she said do it, I said yes, please send it in!
I know no one can possibly now any outcome in advance but I have way more than enough to wins more claims anyways. But, no one can see the future of what will happen. She still has to get the C-File, even though I told her I have copies of everything she is ordering here own copies. My case is huge amount of documents and medical issues, but hope she will be able to grasp everything, since it's so screwed up. I can tell you when I go to office here, there are not many people in line.
Another thing, is the medical is to crowded here in Oregon. Also, having to go to Portland sucks, they just don't have many places to get the specialized treatments and tests. There are long waits to get a doctor close to me, my primary care is at least one hour away. I do use the DAV for rides, when I can.
Travel was confusing, even though I have had direct deposit from the VA for many years, the travel office sent me a check when I turned in mileage. I sent a new authorization in even though I am already on Direct Deposit for my VA disability checks. We have had the same national bank for 20 years. Maybe when you move they make you go through reauthorization? I have only turned in form, the waits for the Portland travel office are crazy long with people in very long lines. I just can't sit in lines for hours. For something so simple. First time was primary care, second time was emergency x-rays for a bad fall.
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B.S.
B.S.
B.S.
liars...
like me, how many of you have had their claim in there for 4 years waiting for appeal...
sorry, but I came back to read a bit to see what's new, and I see that the V.A. is lying on their backlogs...
It only hurts when I read what's new. I am not blaming the messenger, as the only news the V.A. has is that they polished the TURD to make it shiny. Everyone that sees the headline says, what?? they halved the backlog??? they they say,, that's strange,, my claim must not have been included for some reason. Someone cooked the books. Like when there is a survey,,, you always say,,, no one ever asks me.... Does anyone acutally know someone that has actually won the Publishers Clearinghouse scam? Same B.S.
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this kinda irks me, I spent years soaked in chemicals dying form diseases form chemicals, and the VA fights me,, yet some people say they drank water while tdy there... I wil die and blow a gasket if people who sniffed fumes get prioroty and more belief and results in claims than thos eof us that were soaked in chmicals daily with solid written records of daily exposure on the job, while they deny deny until we die and then give out awards to people whole touched the water a few times..
I would really really be pissed!
I know some of you wil be pissed at me, but put yourself in my shoes and al of us that weere soaked in chemicals and being denied while we die.. a horrible death....
The rotten dirty scum at the VA vetter take the people who worked witht he chemicals as serioui as they are witht he people who say they drank water that may have been contaminated...
the peoppe that worked with chmicals were soaked in the chmicals,, not just a brief encounter saoked every day for years and years... in the course of your job and duties,,, and reporting the illnessses on active duty from those chemicals, yet we go through years of hell being treated like scum......
we better not be pushed to the back of soime line full of people who had lite contact, at best.. there will be hell to pay by the VA if that B.S. crap happens!
if some people truly got sick fromm casyual contact, I feel for you, but you have no frakkin clue what it's like to actually be soaked and be dying from the dieases associted with those chemicals
I had to get this off my chest,, I see some type of lobby foriming pushing another agenda to the front of the line...
please, I don't mean disrespect but see something that is pissing me off.. I don't have the time and luxury of waiting around to be pushed back in line...
pleaase don't hate me for speaking my mind..
thanx..
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Neurologist is sending me to movement disorder specialist..
. As some of you know, from a while back, I have claims in from chemicals on active duty and several diseases. My neuroligst has decided to send me to a movement disorder specialist, he can't decide whether I have one or more disease, parkinsons, dystonia,, I have already filed many claims for neuoroligical disorders, and am in appeals, my care is ongoing. I take lots of meds for uncontrollable body movements, weakness, tremors, and much more...
That is only one of the many updates. My necrotizing pancreas disease is still killing me slowly... and I get regular shots in my spine. The diabetes symptoms contiinue, but they keep telling me my blood tests look good,, the eye diseases continue, but no significant changes.
btw, after I got 10% more for my left knee, I finally got rid of our old Toyota Corolla that had 400,000 miles on it and we got another used car. The appeal wil come through someday,, until then,, cya later..
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New attorney (so far, they are are intrested and researching, very knowledgable, and my wife likes them too...) attorney was working Late last night to help me.. dedication!
I need to get him some copies of some forms from the VA... (the Form 9 forms that were officially turned in.
He wants me to get new x-rays for my knee with ' Chondromalacia patella '
When I got very sick with the pancreas disease, I stopped treament on many other diseases... so he needs new x-rays... for my evidence. There is no cure, these parts wear out and they do not fix themelves, so I still have the disease, but much work that whenit was diagnosed 30 years ago on active duty. While jumping in and out of trucks, my left knee went bad. Yet, they denied that too... so a new x-ray is needed to show it to them again.
He liked my IMO (actually at first he said it was to complicated, but after he studied it he liked it). The only problem is the want's $350 an hour to do any additional work on her report, if the attornies want more. They can also send me for more IMO's at their request, on their dime. The attorney see they left out extremely important evidence and is working on a plan to get the VA to stop ignoring all evidence. He said they ignore evidence all the time, they just will not ackowledge it. Once something is written and submitted, no amount of evidence will they consider that is added. They just stay on the original claim wording.
So, whoever writes up the first claim, if they do not do it with everything needed the first time, you maybe screwed, and it may either take a long time to fix, or never. My first VSO didn't put all the evidence in, so now it is causing me all this grief. They just thought they were so good at their job, and it turns out they thought they were good, when in reality they screwed up. I told them my story (gave documents), and when they wrote it down, I was naive and signed it thinking they knew what they were doing, because a bunch of other people praised that VSO.
At the BVA level they dig in deeper and fix problems that were from the local level. And often send it back to be fixed. (yes, I know I read about that stuff in these forums).
The attorney has worked as a DRO, so that is very good news and help for me.
I can only hope they do choose to represent me.
btw, I went by my VSO's office, because I was close by, and now they have a sign up saying they are only open between 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
I hate that office. When the day comes I never ever have to go there again, will be one of the greatest days ever. Now I have to drive an hour each way to go back. Myabe that office is swamped and can't handle the workload? Which I thought a long time ago. They can't handle the workload, and all the poor sob's who walk in are screwed.
The attorney explained to my wife what happens with my claims if I die. I needed her to know who talk to and what to do if/when the pancreas disease get's gone making me miserable.
I would gladly pay anything to win and never have to suffer though this horrific process again.
I am hoping so bad they take my case..... I can't deal with having amateurs holding my life in their hands.
My advice is if you think your case has any chance of being denied get professional help. Don't try to save money. Don't trust anyone that isn't a professional.
Maybe 30 and more years ago, the VA was fair, now it's all out war against all claimants. A fight to the death.
IMHO
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Stopping by, update, appointment with new attorney for claim appeal in a few days. If I find out he accepts my case, and I dump my current VSO, I will update... Not sure how long it will take after the appoinment for his decision. My health deteriorates... slowly... very difficult to walk more than down the street and back... cannot get around the block without getting sick.. skin showing more signs of internal disease... more skin problems (history of skin issues).. GI doctors wanted to go back with special x-ray scope like endoscopy, to check for cancer in pancreas.. (typically people with my condition usually get cancer within a few short years.., the doctors told me that jaundice does not always appear when cancer of th pancreas does.. so, looking for jaundice signs does not help much...). I must rely on blood tests...
Still eating and drinking food... not many fevers, just one every couple of weeks and only last a few hours...
Biggest hope, that I get a new claim attorney to take over my case... I am very worried my vso hasn't straighten out some problems that were created by the first VSO who initiated my claims... the new attorney told me, he is familiar with my disease, and knows how to repair claims that were not initated properly...
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the 1151 was for the surgery and pancreas disease,, I didn't have necrotizing pancreatitis until after the pancreas surgery..
up until that time I only had a cyst (5 inches). Immediately I developed too many complications of pancreas disease to list..
I was told I should file 1151 for it, and I did..
oh well,, the vso said it was ok, then I turned it in...
I am so tired, so sick,,, I am going to rest,,,
Thanx for the help,,, I appreciate it,, if something is wrong oh well,, I just have to wait until I get a lawyer,, and if the lawyers take months to look at files to give a yes or no,, I guess I am just going to be waiting a long time anyways..
I am just going to disappear... this is all to depressing and everything I try to fix or get done is either wrong, or something... or the scum at the va doesn't read it.. just problems and more problems..
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sorry,, it' done, at least I ran it through my vso, and got her opinion before I turned it in...
I told them exactly all of the health issues from my time in service, the treatments, and the treatments and surgeries up until now...
I listed the surgeries that went from years of complaints of pain to having diseases, some that are often fatal with no cure...
from asking for help, and years passing while cysts grew up to 5 inches, while the VA stood by and refused to investigate with the proper tools, only to find out that I wasn't making up stories, I actually had things growing inside me.. failed surgeries.... and new diseases with failed surgeries...
I reminded them about my command going against doctors orders and forcing me to work with chemicals, and ignoring the evidence again and again..
my VSO also helped write some new support documents asking why they contune to ignore evidence that has been presented... she asked who wrote my first claim, and I told her, my first vso didn't list all the evidence, and every time I write a claim paper I ask why my evidence as presented at the hearing is not listed in the decisions and ignored, again, and again..... she looked and finally figured out the evidence was ignored.. it took her long enough..
my vso liked my IMO, all, except the last bit on the summary page, she was unhappy with the toxicolgist, and the way the IMO was worded... I am unable to do a damned thing about my IMO.... if I had money I would go get more..
One of my big problems is I try to explain my jobs I held and explain all the chemicals, and people just don't get it.... the decisions only list Jet Fuel.. they ignore and never show the leaded gasoline, diesel fuel, and trichloroethylene ,, everyone thinks the last chmical was part of the list of fuels, it is not, it is a cleaning solvent.. the VSO is totally confused and doesn't understand these are all carcinigens..
I just happen to be one of those people who when they come in contact with any of these my body swells up and turns red..
my vso told me she has one other case where some GI has a claim with Jet Fuel.. but she didn't say much excpet it is on appeal too,, the big difference is,, my daily contact was with 4 chemicals.. often all in the same day... where as when most people get sick and claim jet fuel got them sick, that was the only chemical and they were exposed from the engines on aircraft,, my exposure was from transfer, and pumping it through hand help pumps, while splashing on me and soaking me.. other wise, these people I have helping me have no clue,,, and the VA claims people are being totally dishonest and not reading the eidence, my VSO finally cuaght on and sees it being ignored,, which got her writing some new evidence papers asking the claims people to explain why they ignred most of the evidence... after several years of me complaining they ignored evidence the vso finally understood... why it tioook so frakkin long I have no clue I bitterly complained about the evidence not listed int he decisions...
I wish someone would bust that office wide open for being liars and crooks while ignoring evidence that was given under oath...
Anyone out there that actually cares about sick GI's and crooks at the VA ???
New Va Pain Medication Policy
in Medication – Prescription Drugs-Health Issues
Posted · Edited by retiredat44
yay,, I was informed the person who supposedly makes the pain shot in the spine appointments is going to be back next monday and I have to call and ask where my appointment is,, and why It is 4 months late!!?? Meanwhile I suffer greatly while they have one person in control who is not at their desk for several weeks at a time! frkkin VA!!!! Then I will finally get my spinal shots that let me walk upright instead of intense spinal pain while I drag my knuckles like Charles Laughten did in the hunchback movies!
Why is it they only have on person in control and they are only there once every 29th blue moon?!
I can go on but find this all a sucky experience with the VA!
I never even got to tell anyone here about the other crazy crap the us gov puts me through! I have stories to ell about the crap they do to me and the messes I have to straighten out with my own limited money and resources, guilty until proven innocent here in the usa ! If anyone wants to hear about my other experiences let me know I have some good real life experience stories about the us gov screwing us! I have a story about my Fema nightmare. I won, though I do get most of my money back, but they will not reimburse me for the engineer I had to hire to prove I am not in a flood zone and have my property designation changed to not in flood zone, to stop them from charging me flood insurance for property on a small hill. Water runs downhill. Duh!!!
while that one thing by itself has nothing to do with pain, it is additive and when you suffering al the normal life things are still there... needed work and attention,,, while you are suffering from pain problems, while someone at the va isn't at their desk for weeks, months, whatever... si it affects all aspects of your life,,, and when it has other gov agencies involved it is a big cluster F*(((&^