usmc0599

@Crlie, Iam curretly employed as a security guard. @deanbrt, I’m aware of the great benefits, but, as stated before, at 33 years old I’m not sure if that’s a beneficial road for me. I preffer to endure physical pain and not the emotional torment of being incapacitated. Work allows me to feel somewhat normal and keep me focus on something else besides pain, medicine and the VA. Last time I was laidoff I fell into a dark place. @Bronco how do Inform the VA of my refusal and how or will it affect my 80%?? thank you all

Thank you sir. Can this IMO be done by a VA Dr.??

Good evening, I just recieved a letter from the VA stating " we have amended your claim to include individual unemployability". I didnt request this and im not sure if I want it. Im 33 years old and I've ajusted my life to deal with the pain. Iam curretly 80%. what does this mean and can the VA force me to take this? For a bit of backgroung on my current claims please refer to my last post Thank you all.

Good evening to the good people of Hadit, Thanks to you all who've made this site such a valuable resource for us VA 'challenged' vets. Background: I' am service connected for high arches (pes cavus) and currently rated at 30% bilateral. I had surgery to correct the problem while I was in the Marine Corps, but wish I didn't. The procedures that were done have greatly changed the way I walk and how my feet hit the ground. I have to change the way I walk often because my right foot, knee and hip cannot bear my weight for any extended period of time. Both feet feel completely different and my right side is constantly inflamed. Question: I put in for right hip, knee, and ankle and lower back as secondary to my condition with the blessings of my VA podiatrist. My C&P doc wrote the following: The veterans hip, knee, ankle back conditions are all related to alteration of gait mechanics related to his pes cavus condition. He has developed inflammation due to his alteration of gait and his hip, knee, ankle, back conditions are at least as likely as not proximately due to the veterans service connected condition of pes cavus. What am I looking at here if all x rays come back with “normal”? Also, I am service connected for scars. He acknowledged I do have scars, but answered NO when asked if the scars are painful or unstable or is the area of all related scars greater than 6 square inches. This is only half true. The scars are painful and tend to be restrictive. Can his answer cause me to loose my rating for the scars? Should I write a letter to VA to explain this? Thank you in advance.

Donna, Im waiting to talk to a real psychiatrist. Not saying the VA psychiatrists aren't real, but I need to see someone who's not in a hurry to see me out the door and one that speaks english. Hope I dont sound condescending but ive seen six of them in the last year and a half with only one speaking decent english. I'm just not willing to get in the appeal line yet. I will though, if I feel I have a strong doctors opinion and is still denied. as for deserving it, I was diagnose with depression through the VA and it was documented that it was due to general medical conditions. The only medical conditions I have are all service connected issues. I was hoping the VA would use the same logic, but obviously not....thank you for your response mam.

Berta, I still work mam and I think they did send something about TDIU, but I havent filed for it. Im 32 years old and im still in denial about the thought of not being able to work. It frightens me that some days i feel like my body is falling apart. Ive been avoiding the issue, but its something I will have to adress soon. The surgeries were done while I was in the Marine Corps. Can I still file a Section 1151 ,38 USC claim? Tahnk you mam.

*Just an update* Thank you to all who helped through this process. You know who you are.- The VA declined my claim for Sc Anxiety/depression secondary to chronic pain. Although I’ve been seen by a VA Dr for the past year and a half for the conditions, the VA claimed that it was not service connected because I was not seen for it while in service. I never claimed it was, but rather caused by my several SC'ed chronic issues. Oh well, I’ve decided not to pursue this any further until I can afford to go see a real shrink that can connect the dots. I did, however, receive an increase for my cervical arthritis from 10% to 20%. And, to my surprise, without filing for it the VA gave me a 20% rating for my right arm and 30% for my left arm. I am now at 80% overall....... I will now begin the process of pursuing service connection for knee, hip and lower back, secondary to multiple surgeries that were meant to correct my high arches. To keep it short, three different surgeries were done to correct the same problem. The result has been one corrected foot and a severely arched foot. Every VA podiatrist agreed that my knee, hip and lower back are a direct result of these surgeries, but refuse to put it in writing. Any advise on how to approach this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again.

Thank you for the advise. Ive been denied an increase twice for tension headaches.

yes, I'am being seen by the VA for depression.

Good evening all, Im going to keep this short and brief. I filed multiple claims with the VA a few months ago and have received my CP exam dates for all, except for one. They haven't contact me about a claim for depression I filed at the same time. I called the 1800 number and the operator informed me that they don't always schedule CP exams. I think its a little strange, since I'm claiming depression as secondary to multiple chronic illnesses, that they wouldn't schedule for me to see a doctor. Is this normal? Im currently SC'ed for pes cavus (30% bilateral) which was made worst after three surgeries, 2 scars (10% each), cervical arthritis(10%), right extremities pain (10%) tension headaches (0%) and chronic sinus infections (0%) totaling 60% thank you in advance.

So Bergie, what youre sayin is no matter how many bulging discs I have, it all all comes down to ROM?

Good evening good people of Hadit.com, im currently 10% sc'ed for cervical arthritis. the evidence that led to this was a MRI evalution in March of 03 that revealed mild spondyloarthritis at C4-and C5. I was denied an increase a few moths back even though the pain is getting worst, but i was give 10% for shoulders, arms and fingers pain secondary to my cervical arthritis. well, two weeks ago i was given another MRI and the result was as followed: C4-C5: Tiny central disc protrusion with effacement of CSF anterior to the cord. C5-C6: Disc bulging incompletely effacing CSF anterior to the cord without focal cord impingement. there is a 3mm posterolateral disc protrusion without significant impingement on the lateral recess or neutral foramina. this is the side of the patients symptoms, however. Impression: 1. small posterolateral disc protrusion to the left at C5-C6 without neutral impingement. 2. C4-C5 central disc protrusion effacing CSF anterior to the cord with adequate capacity in the canal and foramina. My questions is; can I or do I have enough to file for an increase? will i need a doctor to say C5-C6 is secondary to c4-c5? and, if possible, can someone tell me what all that crap meant. Ive been calling my doctor for the past two weeks but she havent returned my calls. thank you all

its my pinkey and ring finger. once awhile my thumb hurts but theres no numbness there.

the way it was explained to me was that they cut my heels and readjust them so that my arch would be "normal". BUT, on ONE foot, the second doctor performed an achilles tendon lengthening. Ive been asking for years now why only one foot when both feet were the same. no doctor seems to know the answer. I get angry just talking about it. Im 31 years old and i can barely stand or walk for more then ten minutes at a time and thats pushing it.

thanks for the advice Ms. Berta. my surgeries were done by three different Navy doctors.

Good afternoon to the good people of hadit.com, Thank you to everyone on here that shares their time, struggles, success, knowledge and expertise. your reward will be great. Quick question- I was diagnosed with high arches while in the Marine Corps. Surgery was done to , and i use this word lightly, "correct" the problem. well, the "correction" did nothing but create new problems. Now, three surgeries and seven years later, i feel lop-sided. the pain runs from my right foot to my right knee and my to my hip. but, now my back and cervical spine are beggining to pop and crackel with every step. i was also diagnose with cervical arthritis . is it possible for my feet to affect my entire right side. im worrying because my right arm have gone a little numb a few times. I know you guys are not doctors, but i was hoping someone maybe have the same issues. im planning on taking this to the VA, but im afraid it'll be a waste of time. im SC for high arches and cervical arthritis. thank you in advance.

thank you for the reply sir.

Good afternoon brothers and sisters, I've been going to a VA therapist for four months concerning anxiety attacks and depression. The anxiety attacks are triggered when I get sinus (0%) infections because Im extremely claustrophobic and being "stuffy" stimulates a feeling of being closed in. The meds Ive been perscribbed have helped to reduce these attacks. Im on several depression and anxiety meds. The depression itselfs stems from being in constant pain and discomfort. I suffer from chronic cervical arthritis(20%) which is spreading throughout my right arm and shoulder. I also had four surgeries to correct severe high arches (30%) that created more problems than they solved. would it be a waste of time to submit a claim for depression and anxiety since i didn't suffer any while in the Marine Corps. Im currently 60% disabled for cervical arthritis and pes cavus (high arches) related issues. Im rated 0% for chronic sinus infections and tension headaches. Thank you all.

thank you sharon.

i have four 0%s but they do not compute when i enter them in the calculator. my pes cavus is bilateral, but im not sure what that mean or how it calculate.

hey guys, i just received a decision for increase from he VA. i was awarded a10% increase for upper extremities secondary to my cervical arthritis. the increase put me at 60%. but, there lies the issue. im receiving 30% for pes cavus, 10% for left foot scar, 10% for right foot scar,10% for cervical arthritis and 10% for upper extremities pain ( fingers, shoulder, arms). according to the VA calculator, thats a solid 54%. which means im still at 50%, but the letter states that im at 60%. am i missing something here?

that was funny, creative and downright dirty. you old vets...............

very well said.

hey 72, the surgery made everything worst. not only does my feet still hurt, but now i feel lopsided and my right hip kills me. the scars from the surgery swells about once a week. if im on my feet for too long i began to feel some of the screws that were put in. ive had two of the screws removed. funny thing is, ive filed claims for my hip and back, but were denied.

makes sense pete. thank you sir.