Carolinda

Hi everyone .... My claim for PTSD w major depression was approved about two weeks ago. I was approved w a 50% rating and would like to request an increase to 70% as recommended by the C&P examiner, but I have a few questions. - Is there a chance a review board can lessen % or take away the disability rating if the decision is appealed? - Is a request for an increase in % considered an appeal or something else (my claim was approved after a DRO was filed) - I requested, and got, a copy of the C&P examiners report ... and while good, and recommending the 70% connection, there were some errors in the background write-up. Should I just let this be, or ... (see next question) - I was never asked for, nor did I submit, a personal statement of the trauma. If I did this, is the statement considered new evidence ? ... and (see previous line) should I 'correct' some of the errors - these errors do not change the fundamental facts (for example the rapist is stated in the report a being a fellow sailor - when in fact he was a Marine MP - this is stated in other therapy notes) - which were culled from my military records and from my records at the local VAMC. There are also some things that were left out that I feel are important, both that happened while in the military, after I got out and more recently. My VSO office was not helpful in filing the initial claim and made a number of mistakes ... and indeed, tried to dissuade me from filing in the first place, so I don't feel comfortable asking them for help. hadit.com has been soooooo helpful with my claim ... you guys have ALL the answers .... so I am looking to you once again! thanks, Carolinda

Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement ... I am going to try for a higher rating. Regarding the VSO ... when I went in to find out what I needed to do she referred to me as a 'malcontent' ... and said it wasn't worth her time to file on my behalf ... only after my VA therapist called and spoke with her did she agree to file (and in two years I only had contact with her three times ... so much fo her help)... when I finally got my C&P, the examiner asked why, oh, why had I not filed earlier ... that mine was a classic case, and he would put in the strongest language possible for 70% ... The VSO person had been doing her job for 20 years ... and I'm thinking she may have just had a prejudice against women in the military ... I'm also thinking maybe it's time for her to retire! It was only my repeated trips to hadit.com, the advice to be persistent, never take no for an answer, and help in dealing with the C &P (the only advice I got from the VSO, when I asked what to expect, was to be on time) thanks again everyone ... reading through the forum helped a lot as well :-)

This past Monday ... after two years of applying and appealing ... I was awarded 50% VA disability for PTSD ... no thanks to the VSO and a lot of thanks to hadit.com ... My VSO was more of a hinederance than a help, discouraging me from filing, not sending in all my paperwork, (almost) sending it in with typos and wrong acct numbers, etc .... but good advice from hadit.com and encouragement from VA therapists kept me going and on top of things. a big thanks to everyone and anyone who helped!

My diagnosis is PTSD, depression, anxiety (panic attacks) ... awaiting service connection decision ... I've been going to the local VAMC for about ten years ...first I was prescribed Prozac, which actually worked very well. I even lost about 20 pounds (I can stand to loose about 50) on it. The trouble was every year or so the strength had to be increased to be effective and I ended up stopping all together. Later I was prescribed Brupropion with the doctor saying it would 'motivate' me out of my inactivity ... I went from one panic attack every few weeks to three and four a day .... the doctor had me stay on it for about 6 months before I said I just couldn't handle it. I could barely leave my house! .... My med got changed to Paxil and now I have been on that for about a year with no problems,no panic attacks, no increases in dosage either ... the only little thing that can happen is that if I miss a dose or two I get really vivid - and not so great - dreams. LIke previous posters have said, different meds work well for different people, sometimes you have to try a few different ones before on clicks for you. When you get the corrrect one and the right therapy/therapist, your life changes (for the better!) Good luck