WHOLESALE

Get a copy of your exam if you haven't already. If it's quoted in there by the examiner that you are having multiple episodes every day with abdominal distress or stomach pain file a NOD, send in the IBS rating schedule, and type up a small letter letting them know that was not the correct rating according to the rating schedule. By what your examiner told you it looks like they lowballed you taking a chance you wouldn't appeal it. Jay

I had an OTH and the VA gave me 50% S/C so as long as your service was honorable besides this one incident then you should be ok. I haven't started the upgrade process yes but will soon. I am waiting on my doctors opinion that I was in a manic episode which resulted in bad judgement leading to my OTH. I you can show your disability contributed to your discharge then you have a good shot. It's worth upgrading, especially to honorable, since you may reclaim benefits such as the GI bill since you have to have honorable to get it. Jay

I get real suspicious too when someone plays doctor.

I welcome you also Rikk. Glad to have you here and we will help.....

what is cholesteatoma? is that high cholesterol or something else?

I agree!

You can claim anytime and the sooner the better.

I enjoy my anger moments too especially when i'm depressed. Anger has a way of letting me forgot about my depression. I sometimes feel high when I get angry. I yell, throw stuff, beat my stuffed animals, and usually don't stop until I feel some pain. Pain as in I hit something and I bruise myself up a little. The pain is another part of the high that I like and after the pain my anger goes down. It's all a process and as long as no one gets in my way when I'm angry everyone's safe except for the furniture. Jay

Sure, why not and if you have the evidence for the malpractice that too. What's to lose? Jay

My VA therapist did my IMO and got my original claim granted. I think the VA gives their own more weight than independent doctors that mainly do imo's. Your treating doctor already should know your history and your current situation so that helps considerably. Jay

You still have a good shot considering your disabilities and it looks like all your VA disabilities are in your SSD. Jay me='c&p man' date='Jun 21 2009, 06:00 PM' post='150590'] ok ..yea i am drawing ssa for more than migrains...back,depression,ibs,ankle,winged arm,loss of use of one hand,anxiety,panic attacks, agoraphobia,sciatiicia. knee... but va benfits are just sc migrians,ankle,back,sciaticia.......

That's a good question since if you're drawing for the same condition and ONLY that condition then that helps your TDUI claim. The VA will say they aren't Social Security but most of the time they do add some weight to it for SSDI. jay

I AGREE!

Again, most, not all, with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or MDD have chemical imbalance. Yes, there are other things too. That's just generally speaking. Jay

Applying now will not hold up your other claim. Also, if you apply now you aren't jeopardizing a future appeal. It's gonna be at least 6 months anyway before the VA gives you an exam so I would go ahead and apply for TDUI. I'm currently going through this process now. I have an exam on the 29th for increase and Possible TDUI. Jay

If someone is diagnosed with MDD or Bipolar it is a chemical imbalance. If you experience something like death in a family then that is just situational and most overcome it and the depression goes away. I agree along with most shrinks that there is a chemical imbalance that's causing the depression and/or bipolar.....this is including anger issues. jay

You have to also remember Questions similar in nature can be answered in different ways with different opinions. I would agree though that standard questions that are based on facts should be researched first. Is it laziness? I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. Many on here suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder and Concentration problems. Researching and even just something simple as reading a book would be hard for some on here since they might suffer from depression or other mental disorder. Jay

Obama has his plate full from the blunders of the last administration. That's for sure. We are having more PTSD claims now than ever before. Most of those claims are from the recent wars. and Phillip Rogers, when you start immature name calling that just means you have nothing constructive to contribute. jay

From reading your Profile your'e already 100% so why in the heck obsess about a diagnostic code error already 10 years in the making. Jay

Why in the world are you so concerned about changing your diagnostic code that's 10 years old?

This is an unpresendented situation of backloggs stemming from the Afganastan and Iraq war, Bush regime. Obama's got a mess to clean up. B) Jay

I got my Comp&Pen appointment notice in the mail today. My appointment is June 29th for increase for Bipolar. I'm currently at 50%. The notice states "Due to the limited time given to complete your claim, we are requesting that you keep the above appointment." Is this just normal VA verbage or are they actually in a time limit to complete my claim? Jay

There are many that do respond "i'm fine" but it doesn't mean they were just born last night. Like Larry said it's human nature to answer that way. That's why they ask that question before the examination because they know it can be used against the Vet. Jay

Did he apply for UI? I mean, the one with the ingrown toe nail. Jay

I disagree with Purple about a lot of Vets doing this but there are some that do. That's undisputed unless you don't live in reality. No one can put a specific number on how many put in frivilous claims but to incenuate that it doesn't happen is rediculous. But are frivilous claims jamming the system. To me, one is enough to hold up anothers legitimate claim. One frivilous claim is one too many and we all know it's more than one. In saying that, I don't generalize with Purple that there are as many he's referring to. Jay