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Phillies44
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Posts posted by Phillies44
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I do believe it is posted somewhere, but I like that you mentioned it in this forum, if anything to just remind us that these exam worksheets are available. The one I made not of in my case was for mental disorders except PTSD and eating disorders. It list several types of health care providers that can perform the initial examination for mental disorder and perform review examinations for mental disorders. It doesn't say that the person has to be an Examiner for the C&P Dept., which gives me thought to consider, if these health care providers can do these exams, then why won't, or is it, can't, do them?
If you provide them with the needed documents listed in the exam worksheet, then they have all they need to not only evaluate the original diagnosis, but the current one and the nexus between the two.
My belief in this is, that the VA health care providers are so busy pushing Veterans through a revolving door of quicky appointments, they have little to no time to really consider the whole picture of the Veteran's problems. I get 20 to 30 minutes with my Psychiatrist, which barely gives her enough time to go through the standardized questionaire she does each and every time I have my normal visit. Their just no time left for them to really sit with you and discuss your case, nor to determine what, if any other type of treatment might be better, or a review of you history before service, during service, and after service. So we are left with a 30 to 60 minute evaluation from a C&P examiner, who probaby hasn't had time time or inclination to review your complete file, disregarding the fact that it may be a Nurse Practitioner who is doing the exam where a Dr in the field with the training and experience to pick up on certain things a Nurse Practitioner may never have been exposed to or even had the specialized training and experience to pick up on.
These exam worksheet are a great tool, but it is hard to go into a C&P exam with the frame of mind that they should be evaluating us not only during good days, but during our worst days as well, because you really want them to evaluate you at your worst and not your best.
As I said in another post, I'm in one of those ragging moods and can't help but vent. I have another C&P exam coming up, when they said I wouldn't have to have one, so now I have to weigh whether or not I must put of my worst day appearance or just hope for the best and understanding of the C&P examiner to no what I am expressing is what my days are like more times than not.
Anyway, these exam worksheet have at least given me time to pause and wonder, how can I demonstrate that if I'm having a good day, that it is only transiant and that things are usually much worse for me each and every day, dispite how I might appear that day.
Rockhound Rider
;) 
Hey Rockhound, I totally agree with you on the VA process, you defined it almost perfectly, and it can be diffucult on how to act once you are in the exam. I did not know whether to act like I would on my bad days or to just be in the moment, it is a diffucult question to ask yourself about integrity.
My bad on re-posting this, I was not sure if it was already posted, and maybe people who are new to the process can have a better understanding to how their exam should go. Thanks for the reply and good luck on your exam.
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the VA MS clinic is scheduling a new MRI series soon. the doctor said it would only be a 1.0T strength. that is a low power MRI. the MS help groups i go to all said they were scanned with machines much higher such as 3.0T strength. low power machines ofter do not pick up the brain or spinal lesions.
obviously they are not wanting to see if new lesions have formed if they want to use such a low power machine.
my question, is it within my rights to ask the dr that i want the series to be done with a higher strength machine?
Hey Ufrustrated2, I do not know if you have tried this, but if you go to va.gov and at the home page you can find a search engine at the top. If you type in multiple sclerosis it will give you tons of information that can maybe help you out. I would demand a 3.0T or higher, so you know it was done right. Good luck
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Hi everyone, this is some good information on what to expect at a C&P exam. It has every exam you can think of. Just go to the VA.GOV website and in the search engine at the top of the page type in (disability worksheets). And click on the first link and after that scroll through the different injuries or illnesses that you have questions on what is expected from the doctor. It should look like this.
Index of Disability Examination Worksheets (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Subject: Index of Disability Examination Worksheets Page Info: www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm | 23k | February 27, 2009 Options: Search Similar Pages
| Search This Site I posted this in another forum but I wanted to make sure people with exam questions saw it also.
Hope this can help.
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Hi everyone, this is a VA link that is great on finding different information about C&P exams and what to expect the doctors to do. I do not know if it is posted somewhere on this site. Bare with me because I don't know if I am giving you the site right.
Index of Disability Examination Worksheets (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Subject: Index of Disability Examination Worksheets Page Info: www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm | 23k | February 27, 2009 Options: Search Similar Pages
| Search This Site First go to the VA website, if you go to the top search engine and type in (disability worksheets), a whole variety of good information you can sift through will pop up. But click on the first link, see above on what it should look like, to find the categories that your looking for your exam. I hope you can get some info. to help you.
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Update.
Nope no call from the pt advocate.
Did get a "cold call" from a doc in the mental health clinic. I have no idea who this doc is, never heard of him, never seen him before. He said he was to call me because he was told I was "in the other day and needed to see someone"..........well, no shit sherlock.
I could barely understand him.
He kept asking if I needed to be admitted there.
I told him that admitting a woman vet who is a victim of MST to a locked ward with all male vets is nothing more than pure torture.
He went silent.
He then wanted me to come in and see him tonight at 7pm. Sounds great....except I have no transportation. Son has the car at baseball practice. Other son is at work.
So he said I'm to come in at 0845 tomorrow morning and a doc will squeeze me in between pts...and he told me to take extra sleep meds tonight since I haven't been sleeping.
I've had to add the Dayton VA phone # to my verizon "friends & family" because I call them so much.....how sad is that.
I get that a lot from the doctors at the VA, that is not being able to understand a word they are saying. Is there some ad on TV or newspapers in foreign countries telling them to be a doctor at American VA hospitals and they can earn their degree in as little as three months? Just kidding, I have pretty good doctors, it just one of my doctors is from Russia and the other is from India, and I am constantly saying "What?"
That patients advocate is lying right to you, that is sad. She can get her lazy butt up and go to the seventh floor. Isn't her job to deal with the severity of the case first, I would think yours would be up at the top. And you can not tell me she could not simply call you? Well good luck at your appointment and I think some heads should roll on this one. ;)
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Well, as I suspected...the pt rep has never called me back. :D I mean, it wouldn't take her that long to find out what the hell is going on.....it's probably taking them all longer to get their story straight.
As far as what has my tdoc told me to do....LOL....I just did it. She has told me to call her...which I did last week and was "promptly" scheduled for an appt two weeks from when I called her and she also didn't have the time to talk to me on the phone; so that was a bust.
She also has told me to go to walk-in....we all see how that turned out.
She has told me to call the 1-800 #...I've done that before and gotten hung up on.
She has told me to "be around people"...oh that's funny. Most of us with severe PTSD know what that's like.
Yup, she's just full of...........uh..........ideas.
That is just ridiculous, I hope you can get a hold of some answers tomorrow. Hope you feel better soon, and you are definitely not alone. B)
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Pete53 yes it was super quick, never thought it would be that fast and the answer was a good one also.
Ken
Hey, thanks for the info guys. I just got done sending my request after I read some of your email. So that is cool news for you, 121212. Thanks for the replies and hopefully I hear something tomorrow.
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I have used IRIS to check out claims in development.
Hi John, great, so does it not slow down anything? If I remember right it takes around 5 days to get a reply? Thanks
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Hi, I read on the VA website that IRIS is used for appeal cases. Is this true? Or can you check out a regular claim that is being processed for you? Thanks for any replies.
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i have a claim in for depression from sc injuries that total 80% although by regular math it adds up to 120% the psych. doc said he found in my favor that my depression is directly the cause of my sc pain and and that i am also a manic depressant.because of the pain and that i obsess over it. currently i am on fluxotene,for depression gabapentin vicodin and ibuprofin for pain diazepan to help me sleep . my gaf score was a 60 i think because i work part time,or i did until recently. should i wait for my results from the rating board (the va lady said it was at the raters now) or should i try and file for tdiu now? i am really unsure of what to do any help would be great thanks
Hi Erico, I just wanted to mention about school for you. I also have a really tough time around other people, so I looked into online colleges and I lot of them were very shady and did not seem to have good programs. So I finally found a school online called Columbia College. It is accredited by a lot of education boards, has many online degree programs with 100% online classes, and they have many military students and vets going there. Columbia College can be found on a lot of military bases in all branches also. I just finished my second semester and it is great, the classes are interesting, but not too difucult, and you are considered a full-time student with just two classes. If you want to go to college, but can't handle the classrooms, I highly recommend it.
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I've not been feeling well or doing well at all...all of this recent stress is getting to me in a very bad way. Very bad. Last week I called my tdoc, told her it was urgent that I needed an appt--she said the soonest she could see me was June 2nd. Lovely. She didn't even have time to talk to me on the phone. Nice.
I mean it's bad folks....suicidal thoughts and all. Just not good stuff going on here.
So today I went to the walk-in clinic at the Dayton VA. Just like I've been told to do when things get super crappy. It's actually on my list of what to do when I'm feeling suicidal.
Filled in my form. Checked the box that said "Are you feeling suicidal?"...I said yes. Might as well be honest.
And I waited......and waited....and waited. About an hour passed by and the receptionist told me that they were trying to locate the PTSD lady to see me.
I didn't care who I saw.
She said if they couldn't find her, I'd have to go over to the PTSD clinic (it's in another bldg) and see someone there. Except they don't have a walk-in service. Well, she said that's just what she was told.
Another 20 minutes went by.....nope, they never could find the PTSD lady; they weren't even sure she was at work today. WTF??!!! All this time and they aren't sure she is even at work???
So they turned me away.
They didn't turn any of the men away.
But they turned me away.
Said I had to go to the PTSD clinic bldg and be seen there. I told them there is no walk-in over there...they only do appts...they said they were just telling me what they were told to tell me.
BS....I just left.
Suicidal and all.
Hi Purple, I hope your feeling better, if not when I am going through a rough patch I try not to dwell on all the negative and I try to take my thoughts to the simplest level and realize the good going on in my life. Your story really pissed me off, that is one thing you should not have to wait for. I called my mental health clinic last week feeling very similar to what you are and the nurse was pretty rude and short on the phone and told me June 16th. So you are not alone with the frustration or your mood. It will get better soon. :D
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Phillies:
I really don't care to comment about other sites but TBird made Hadit to help Veterans who were having a difficult time with VA. Almost all who come here share that problem.
I think Hadit is different mainly cause we try to help and I believe that the deck is stacked enough that the time it takes and the VA probably weeds out many more than those who really do not have a claim.
Even here there can be disagreements but we will not allow personal attacks or putting down Veterans trying to get help.
If in fact you do suffer from PTSD you will learn over time that you are not crazy its a mental problem that can be treated and any benefits that you earned should be paid.
I suggest that if you have not done so please read the rules of Hadit and look over the Home Page where a lot of stuff is explained. You can still ask questions.
I wish you the best and I am glad to hear that you feel that Hadit is a good place for you. If you win your claim maybe you can stay here and encourage and help other Veterans.
Good Luck with your claim.
Pete
Hey thanks again for the reply, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I have read the rules and most of the key posts at the top of each group forum. I do realize that there will be disagreements and from what I have read almost all of the posts from different people are positive. I too hope to be of some help to others in the future.
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No Veteran has the right to judge whether another Veterans claim is valid. I am 100% and from what you have posted I think that you have a solid claim but the decision will be made by the VA not some Veteran who is collecting their money from the VA.
From the bottom of my heart welcome to Hadit and by all means follow up with your claim. I hope that on Hadit unless you are looking for something that is deniable by Law and Regulation you should do your best to get the benefits you earned by Service,
I believe the reason that you got your honorable is cause the Reserve knew that you were not able to serve. You should get copies of your Military Records, your Personnel File and any treatment info.
Good Luck
Pete53 I have to say I really appreciated your post! I had found this vet forum and another at the same time about a week ago. I started to post on the other one first. I am new to these forums and claiming process and I posted a very similar post on the same subject there. I really did not want to because I am kind of embarrassed with this mental health stuff and the validity of the claim, but I did, and a bunch of vets jumped all over me. They were being very short and obnoxious, a couple of members even told me the claim was bogus and I am wasting the VA's time and money. One member said I need to stop getting upset and suck it up. They made other comments on that they thought the VA claims were only for vets who got injured physically, which was weird being that I posted on the mental health board. I have felt the same way you feel on claims since I joined and do not think any Vet should question another Vet's claim. I really got angry because a lot of them were questioning my claim and I had read other people's claims where they made more judgemental, negative comments. I was not looking for some pat on the back I just wanted to see if I had enough evidence. So really, thanks for the replies and I am glad I found this site.
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Phillies44
It seems that you are a brand new user and still on user review. I am sure that pretty soon TBird will have a chance to review your posts and will take yuou off this.
Sorry but we had to do it to stop the Damn Spammers and crapheads from foreign countries who were not Veterans from trying to sell their stuff here.
Everything is working great now, sorry about the emails, I am pretty impatient and thought I was doing something wrong. So thank you T-Bird and Pete53 for fixing the problem so fast.
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While my Father was on Active Duty in Germany, I was 8 years old, and was physically abused, and now am having PTSD symptoms. My father was a Green Beret, with 2 tours in Vietnam and 1 Tour in Korea. He also was involved in espionage in East Berlin, and was awarded a Bronse Star. Due to his high security position he was highly protected from prosecution until he was a civilian. I myself was a Reserve Component member for 8 years with only about one year of Active Duty, all Training Time.
He, my Father, was later Convicted of the Abuse while a civilian, but the abuse occurreed while he was active duty. Also, the Military at that time (1972) clearly threatened my mother regarding her intention to press charges while in Germany, threatening to strand us in Germany if she went forward with charges. Now my Father is 100% disabled due to mental and cardiac issues, and I am unable to function due to panic disorder.
Does any such claim have any merit?
Thanks! in advance, Sincerely, Joel
Hey Joel, I just wanted to say I wish you the best. That is going to be a tough one, I wish I could give you advice on this. But I can tell you, your not alone. My Dad beat the hell out of me until I was eighteen. I also suffer from PTSD like symptoms, and I did read that PTSD can come from child abuse, physical or sexual. So hope to hear some good news from you soon.
Good Luck :D
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Have you been discharged yet from the Reserves?
Hi Berta. Yes, in Feb 09', it was not medically, just honorable. For the last two years of drill I showed up maybe six times. This was because of the anxiety and depression. They would threaten me with dishonorable I would show up and then I would not show up for months. Finally I just stopped going and I hated to do that, because at one time I considered myself a good soldier. But I just got a honorable.
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You are going to probably need your own doctor opinion to DX PTSD. I think there is no doubt that these VA doctors are tying not to diagnose PTSD. Every PTSD diagnosis is a failure for American Arms. It means the military is discharging soldiers by the thousands with PTSD instead of treating them. I bet the VA is using some strict criteria to diangose PTSD and if you don't hit all the slots you don't get the diagnosis. There have been maybe 40,000 serious physical injuries in the war on terror. If they count all the PTSD injuries that number increases by 150,000. The present and future costs of these wars is astronomical.
Thanks for the replies, I agree from reading the gaf scale 52 is pretty low. I am not working and have not been for awhile, the anxiety and depression just became too heavy, almost out of nowhere. With PTSD, I did not even file for that orginally, I filed for depression. But after I sent in my original claim and wrote a short story for the VARO, I got a letter from the VARO saying they were adding PTSD to my claim and then I had the exam a couple weeks later. I did see combat in 03' so maybe that is why? But when I walked into the psych exam doctors office, I said what is this about? It was my first exam for PTSD and he just said simply,"nerves." I do not know what that was all about? But with my GAD, my VA psych records have been saying GAD and depression for about three years now and for my SMR the only thing I have in there was a record of DX of GAD in 06' when they put me on profile and were trying to medically discharge me for the pysch meds. But I will try to get a IMO for my anxiety and forget about PTSD, since the exam doctor wrote I do not meet the criteria. Thanks again and if you have any more comments that would be great.
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I think that you have the basis for a claim. It probably would not hurt if you are denied to get a Doctor to give you an opinon that supports it.
Good Luck
Thanks guys for the replies, I was told by other vets that I did not have a basis after they heard my story, one even said I was trying to freeload. That made me quite upset that other vets who were mostly 100% would judge me and my claim! I filed following advice from a VA social worker, but anyway I guess I will try to get ready for that denial letter and try to get a IMO. My regional office is in Winston-Salem, NC and they have been pretty good so far. Thanks again and let me know if you have any other comments.
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Hi, I wrote yesterday about the same thing but it never posted. I have sent three replies and two new topic posts and none of them are being posted. Am I doing something wrong? Please let me know how to fix this problem. Thanks
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Who knows how they come up with anything except its pretty well known that VA does not want to grant PTSD claims. Did he connect your anxiety to Service?
Are you working. A 52 GAF is a pretty serious rating in its own right.
Welcome to Hadit
Thanks guys for your replies. The doctor did not even mention PTSD once during the exam. As soon as I walked in his office, because I never had one before, I asked what is this about? His reply was simply, "nerves." But anyway, I do have my VA records that mostly say GAD for three years now, and in 06' in the reserves it says anxiety. As I have been reading and what you guys told me the GAF score doesn't mean much. That score is pretty low on the scale I have read, but I have not been working for some time now, the symptoms just got too heavy. I honestly do not think I have PTSD, anxiety and depression yes. I did not put in a claim for PTSD, I had one in for depression and told the VARO my story and a couple weeks later they sent me a paper to sign and put it on my claim, I do not know what that is about? If you guys have any input on what you think let me know, please. So I guess the best thing to do is forget about the PTSD, I did see combat in 03', but I think I should get a IMO for anxiety? Let me know and thanks again guys for your replies.
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Hello everyone, I am new and was trying to find out the difference between the three different reps. National Officer, Veterans Service Officer, of Veterans Representative.
Is there a difference? Do you think having one work on your claim is a good thing? Which on is the best out of the three? I hope this makes sense, but I am new and do not know which one to choose and if any? Thanks
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Do you have a copy of your SMRs? Do you know if there exists in there a dx of GAD? Or a dx of PTSD? If there is something written in your SMRs pointing in either direction already that could answer many questions.
As far as GAF scores. I've heard both ways about those....some say the VA uses them, some say the VA employees might use them as lottery numbers, basically they don't mean much. One score by itself might not show much until you show a pattern of consistent scores....but that's just my opinion on what I've noticed over the years...
Hi purple, I just got your reply and thanks. I do not have anything in my active duty SMR records about mental illness. And I have seen on this site that pretty much means denial. I do have some paperwork I sent to the VA about my reserves days, stating I was on medical hold and they were going to discharge me becasue of my psych meds. Also I wrote to Pete about my VA records DX me with generalized anxiety disorder for most of the past three years. Do these count as a nexus? I have also read about that on GAF scores. Thanks again for your feedback.
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Who knows how they come up with anything except its pretty well known that VA does not want to grant PTSD claims. Did he connect your anxiety to Service?
Are you working. A 52 GAF is a pretty serious rating in its own right.
Welcome to Hadit
Hello Pete, from what I have read he says nothing about connecting anxiety to the service. But most of my previous VA records state generalized anxiety disorder.And I agree 52 is a low score, but from what I have read on this site that does not matter. No I am not working and have not been working for a while because of these issues. He wrote below my GAF, that veteran has moderate and persistent symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder and is not working. Would this evaluation go towards another mental illness or is it good for nothing now that he says I do not have PTSD? Thanks for your reply.
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my raters triggered the exam for me.then in weeks i was sc'd.
Hi thanks for the reply, what do you mean? You went to a c&p when your raters requested it. In my situation I would think they would have already done that, since my depression has been in since Nov.08. And were you sc'd for depression alone or was it because it is caused by something else, like a previous sc'd disability? Also did you have a nexus or were you seen for depression in active duty? Thanks Jim
;) 
Iris
in VA Disability Claims Research
Posted
Hi everyone, I did get an answer to my question regarding the status of my claim today, it only took two days, I thought it would be the whole five days that they said. But they gave me the same answer that the 1-800- number gives me, and that is, that it is at the rater and when it is finished you will get a letter in the mail. I guess I was expecting a little more detailed of an answer than what the 1-800 number gives you. I guess I just need some patience.
Did anyone else get a detailed reply on a regular claim status question? Thanks