autumn

i was discharged for spinal problems and with dep (secondary to chronic pain due to spinal problems) the MEB(med eval baord) dismissed the MS tests as being false positive and dismissed a few other things that were clearly pos in my mil med records. which the va now agrees to. so, as for symptoms, yeah, i had them then, and the records clearly shows it. oh well, its all confusing as heck to me some days

ok, i'll post this. hope this is what you were asking. i don't think i put any personal info here ... [2010: 1st c&p to establish an actual diagnosis as no VA dr would diagnosis me for over 20 years] upon review of the veteran service treatment records, which show positive csf with oligoclonal bands, consistent with multiple sclerosis, the patient does have a current confirmed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. this did have its onset in the service as manifested by the positive csf, later confirmed by MRI studies. the CSF studies, MRI studies, and clinical posture are all consistent with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis which is also the diagnosis of several non-VA neurologists. [2010: several imo's] they support a CUE and states so [2010: decision letter 30% for ms] you are granted service connection for multiple sclerosis because this has been established as directly related to military service your service treatment records show positive csf with oligoclonal bands consistent with ms. post service treatment records show consistency of complaint and symptom manifestation. [...more med fluff..] [2011: 2nd c&p for secondary issues, though that wasn't done. they are being re-ordered] i have reviewed the claim file and records extensively. a number of competent neurologists have examined this individual, and they have all concluded that the veteran does have MS. they all agree that the onset of the disorder was in the 1980's while the veteran was still on active duty. [...just med stuff about why he can't do secondary conditions...] this veteran suffers from this disease and has now for over 20 years, and it is chronic, relapsing, and over time, gradually progressive.

if the pva told me #1, then i have forgotten that. i mean i know they said they would fight if needed all through the system #2, they basically told me that stuff, for me to go to the all the C&P's, let them do their thing, and me to have patience #3, i do have a letter outlining what they are claiming and the increases sought

who is the OGC ? i'll put that in my tool box in case i need it. i guess they are all over-worked, the SO that is, but the folks i see that are the most passionate and caring about a claim issue is the vet themselves, hands down. you are correct about the POA and paperwork and that is a real strong point. i learned that the hard way regarding my c-file a few years back. now that the pva sends med records to my c-file, there hasn't been any issues like that. i can represent myself - just need to know what to do exactly - can't speak well these days due to speech issues via ms - but i can still type and research.

i have a friend at this pva that is representing me now. not the SO but one of his co-workers is a friend. but, the SO doesn't speak with me except via letters and its those behind the scenes stuff i'm not aware of, if they are taking place, that concerns me. i got my SSD no problem there. as usual, all research and paper gathering i did. no help from VA or others. you know the drill. no complaints, that is just how it is. now its the 22+ years of retro that is at stake and the secondary med issues along with a few other things that can be service connected -- but the pva mentioned not to file those now. maybe they are right, maybe not

>>they can file or not file, anything of their choice without your knowledge that i'm afraid bothers me, especially since that last odd C&P

if not "hadit" i would still be suffering from undiagnosed ms and its secondary issues. "hadit" educated me on getting IMO's and how to research my mil med records and get that all in order - 3 years worth of getting my records in order and what to do about it. i did all that work/effort - no complaints - and handed that to the pva, hence, why not rep myself? especially now, that i know 100% i've actually been ill and there is a name for it and the VA does agree (finally). i really doubt ANYONE but me, would have put that much time and good effort in researching my files and getting all that in a prepatory state that clearly showed the issues and getting IMO that more than backed all those papers up. so, without "hadit" i'd still be out in the cold, still sick without proper treatment hats off to "hadit" for picking me up so to speak

is it better to have the pva and others like them to file the claims for veterans? do veterans stand a chance doing so on their own? i don't know, maybe i'm just beating a dead horse on a sat. but sometimes, going through these org's is frustrating. it's like they just type a little note to the VARO and yet we're still at the mercy of the VARO. that is, what's the difference between them writing a note to VARO versus me? i'll add this, i had to go with a pva rep out of state here due to the pva rep here was a bit unhelpful and detrimental to my case. so i don't know if the VARO resents that or what. you know?

i was recently diagnosed with ms and service connected for it. C&P exams have returned this disease started on active duty in 1986 and that i've had it since then, along with spinal disease, and mood-disorder(secondary to MS), for all these years. though they never admitted to this until recently. it was always something else : you folks know the drill. is it going to be an up hill battle for retro or am i actually legally qualified for retro pay? the whole issue is confusing to me although i have the pva helping me. often times i just can't get a clear picture of this. and with years of mis-diagnoses and mis-med-treatments, i don't know who to trust in this matter.

was finally correctly dx'd with MS and was SC'd for it last june though didn't get the letter til sept 2010. in jan 2011, pva requested a C & P for secondary issues. however, i was sent to a VA doctor where the ratings people had asked him to complete the C&P from jun 2010, saying it wasn't complete. that is the secondary issues i guess. they called this C&P in jan 2011 a "brain" C&P. we only talked. that is, no real tests. just talk about ms and its symptoms. when i left he said, "your 100% disabled and can't work. i'll try my best to get the rater to see that". he said with MS, there are just too many issues secondary for him to consider and that they always come and go and some are permenant. i could have told him that. LOL he seemed like a nice enough guy. so now i'm told via the pva, they'll have to schedule more exams for the secondary issues. pva is trying to get retro and cue for the past 22+ years. q1. was the jan 2011 "brain" C&P some kind of VA 'test' or what? q2. what is an avg time frame to get secondary issues related to MS to accounted for? tia

>>You go to Patient Advocate office and, when they do nothing, I believe hospital administrator/head honcho? ok, i will follow up on that. thanks >>re: Pain levels - At my appointments, there's always someone who takes vital signs and asks questions before I see the doc. Maybe that's not procedure at your VA. guess i misunderstood. yes they do that here to,every time. its just i have never had a doc ask me anything about what the intake person typed into the computer, ya know? like, why ask me these things since the doc never follows up on em. the stuff is probably just entered for someone to grab statistics and give it to congress and say -- see, we are doing our job well thanks

>>Another thought for appointments: on your intake, where someone asks what your pain level is, if you believe in unicorns etc, make a clear statement that you're requesting a letter summarizing how your afflictions affect your ability to work. my neuro has never Rx'd any med for pain or even asked about the pain level after any intakes. he leaves that up to PCP. makes zero sense to me, nada >>This may either help get the letter or be evidence that they aren't cooperating with your requests. so then, where does a vet go to make a complaint or such about one's doctor at the VA or do you get blackballed for doing so?

this website and a few others, and few vets with ms i know, are just about the only "buddy system" i have these days. ditto on the encouragement

>>Sit down when you read it cause for the most part much of what is written is not what they did. often what i read is like night and day of what they did. i think they just do it for their own benefit/job. its a full time job keeping tabs on that as you all know.

at this VA, well, i can only assume. how does one request a copy? kinda tired of making a fool of myself asking doctors for help, they nod, but nothing happens

>You may need to request another PCP. on my third one in 3 yrs after moving here >>Talking to the patient affairs or advocate might help. not in this town. LOL others yes, nada here >>Actually, this is an old problem that has occurred more often than it should. i just didn't realize this. kinda figured since they are writing the treatment plan, meds, etc, whats the problem writing a note? >>The VA RO ignored the opinion, although it had some validity at the appeals level. not surprising at all. thanks for the reply

i feel the pain, trust me. took me years to realize this, that [we] have to go elsewhere and pay for it to get accurate diagnosis in order to get the VA to do the right thing and accurately treat the illness. no VA doctor would read or acknowledge any IME/IMO -- but the C&P contract doc did in no time at all. what a frustrating journey for us. goodluck!

was feeling really weirded out by it, but not so much now as i see others running into the same. thanks

i had to get an IME which turned out to be just and in my favor. but i would like to know this, and this question may be in the wrong topic area: i have a SS claim in and no VA doctor will write a statement regarding my condition. they wouldn't write a note to a temp job last year when i attempted a few weeks of work. i am getting a monthly check from SSD, but SSD wrote i wasn't to get retro due to my MS and spinal diseases didn't start until a year ago. i got the IME and got service connected and recently had another C&P and that doc said i was 100% disabled and can no longer work. said he was going to write that in his report --- we'll see. so, my question centers around my VA doctors won't write note so i can give it to SSD regarding i've had this issue and disabilities for some time, they just didnt' happen last year. i guess i'm just dumb founded that the doctors won't do that or am i expecting too much. i meant they wouldn't even diagnose me, the C&P docs did so maybe that is why they won't write anything in support of me. i feel pretty odd at the SS office telling them i have no doctor at the VA who will write anything regarding my condition and that i've had it and disabilities way before last year. dumbfounded

'john999' >>I think VA doctors have an obvious conflict of interest. If they write that your problem is service connected they may be hauled on the carpet. this most certainly seems to be the widespread method of operation these days, no matter what VA. with that said, then they most certainly go the way of minimizing the complaints and symptoms of the veteran to lessen the possibility of SC. or so it seems to me. >>If they don't write what they really feel about your condition's origin they break their oath I think. Well, the oath goes out the window usually. I had one VA doctor who would actually write opinions for me, but I lost her. She got kicked upstairs. Now my doctor is good but will not write opinions for SC. i would agree. i guess they get "corrupted" by the VA system just like politicians whom for the most part start off with good intentions. but to keep from being hauled on the carpet, the VA system "corrupts" the doctors.

Berta, >>I got 2 separate IMOs from Dr. Bash and when the VA finally read them (they ignored them for years)my claim was awarded right away. i didn't realize this in your case. they ignored them that long!!! gee, so many veterans they do this too, it boggles the mind. Congress should be forced to use the VA during their terms, i bet then changes would be made! VetsLady, happy for you two also. what a climb for you two also!

want to thank hadit.com and posters here who helped educate me regarding VA claims, etc. the VA SC'd my MS recently after 24 years of mis-diagnosis and mis-med-labels. the C&P doctor took no time at all to diagnosis MS and write SC in his assessment. i still never had a VA neuro diagnosis me. WTF?! seriously, how crazy is that? if not for this site it would never have dawned on me to seek assessments from non-VA doctors via my own savings. guess it was worth it. all of them diagnosed me with MS in short amounts of time. all VA neuro's dismissed those reports, and wouldn't help with getting them in my VA records. happy to say they treat me a little different now that the C&P/VRO granted a diagnosis of MS and SC. even though the VRO and C&P stated my MS started on active duty 24 years ago they only sent a 2 year retro check. guess that is standard as now i will get my secondary MS issues tacked on and then request the full 24 years retro. plus their diagnostic codes have been incorrect for my spinal herniations and disease. so i'll file a claim for those issues too. don't know what is in store now, but a bittersweet feeling exists that someone finally listened at the VA. no one wants this creepy MS stuff for sure. but to have it and get dismissed via VA health rationing just made it worse. and, many of us have to spend our own money and seek help outside the VA just to get the VA to do the right thing. [doesn't make sense to me at all] many thanks to all veterans here and to Dr Bash, the PVA, and my non-VA neurologists and my MS support groups. Dr Bash clearly exposed the truth in my medical records that had been there all these years. Glad I found him, as i was never able to find a doctor at any VA that would write anything remotely in my favor...an that just flat weirds me out. still work to be done but the main hurdle is behind me now... mucho gracias to all

i guess not all VAs are equal. they said they would get them scanned when they can get to it -- that they are in the process -- but they have had a few months. and these med records explicity show pos tests and pos diagnosis. the neuro wouldn't help get them in, the pcp wasn't much better at being concerned. guess i'm the only one. so no, at least for me at this VA, the ROI office isn't the best way if they're going to let the papers sit on the shelf in a folder so the doctors can't see them. they told me today, "the doctor can request them" if he needs to see them. well duh, i already showed them to him and he wasn't interested in the results or diagnosis. so there ya go. i'll do the advocate and podium thing. i've lost my mind dealing with this for 23+ years. i'll never be the same. thnx

that is what they call it here. the ROI office (to get record copies, etc) is in the business office here until i guess the hospital is completed. that is the confusion, sorry. my experience here, pcp, wouldn't help. so, off to the patient advocate's office tomorrow and then the "podium" thing. these type papers are important for us. thnx

that is why i want them in there so the docs can see it. here, until the hospital gets completed the VA biz office is the ROI office ( i'm pretty sure) guess they are really back logged or something as far as scanning? thx