goofycow

CBT was a total waste of time for me too. All it did was make me spend more money on gas & wear & tear on car AND my back.

Can the regional office change a veteran's unemployability status from unemployable to employable without any notice or a new C&P exam? I just got a letter fm the Little Rock office concerning property taxes and the like. And between last year and this, I changed from unemployablble to employable. Now ain't that a hoot?? :) Liz

It does sound like the staff gave you too much joy juice. Hope you get back to feeling normal soon. The VA eye clinic has suggested I go for cataract surgury. But theym don't want me drivving the first day or to be alone the first day/night after the procedure. I get blank stares when I tell them I live alone & have no friends. I am even tempted to give up gettting primary care fm VA & trying my luck in the private sector. But seriously, hope you feel better soon & that they didn't find anything "funny"

I live in a tiny town north of Fort Smith, AR> A very bad placce to develop back pain.....or any other type of pain for that matter B)

I also have chronic lower back & joint pain in my hands. I know what you mean about both VA and private sector pain docs! Private care docs here in Arkansas are scared to death of giving out pain meds.

I have been on this drug for about a year now. It has literally changed my life. I used to be a raging bi-itch. I can still get annoyed at times but I feel in control. I haven't noticed any side effects so far. Liz

Those of you who had put up with me for very long know I have an intense fear/distrust/dislike of doctors and their little pain inflicting devices. The recent flap over the unsanitary conditions at some Vas gives me one more reason to avoid these veteran hating witch docotors!

This last week I finally got to see a new mental health care provider. In adittion to all the other meds I'm on, she put me on this new med mirtazapine for sleep & pain, etc. She told me I might feel hung over the next morning. And boy, she was NOT lying. Talk about a buzz on!!!! I would not recommend drinking while taking this med! Anyone else on it????? Liz

I have a honkin big deep crease in my left ear lobe, but can't help thinking.....could it just be a wrinkle due to aging?? I am getting rather long in the tooth :)

Hi Pete It will be interesting to see if you get a reply. Caan't hurt to at least try! ;) I get my meds from the same place in TN that you do. They take their damn sweet time shipping my clozapan(sp?) When it gets here late, drives me freakin crazy

Jim: Thanks for the link to the handbook. I have printed a copy. I am not the favorite patient there at the VAMC Fayetteville. They just hate it when I politely ask for my rights and the care I deserve. I think in this case the misers just don't want to spend the money. Plus they hope I just crawl under a rock and die. Since going to mental health there, I have turned into an alcoholic. Except for my weekly trips to the liquor store and grocery store, I spend the other 6 days at home alone, my only companions being my 3 cats. I think mental health is aware of my living situation and social isolation. On the other hand, they probably think I am just making everything up. i think the VAMC has social workers but i have never seen one face to face. i talked to one on the telephone once but she had a worse attitude than I do Thanks for letting me vent guys & gals. . Liz

I also use the Fayetteville, AR VAMC. It sucks but you could have it worse. You could be going to the Fort Smith AR VA. I agree with you. They only want to give out the cheap stuff. To treat my fibro & joint pain, my PCP makes me take 2400 mg of ibruprofin a day. I have continuously complained about stomach pain. Prilosec OTC helps a lot. Now I am told by my eye doc I need cataract surgury in my left eye ASAP. VA will pay to have the surgury done "outside" at select clinics. But I live alone and the DAV van doesn't cover my area. Plus i live alone & have no one to take care of me. The VA hospital won't let me stay there overnight. VA just expects me to stay in a motel......They won't pay for my room either. Ain't life sweet?????

I even got a fat retro check from DFAS because of being 100% because of IU. Liz

Those of you that know me know that I don't sign on very often except to whine. I lost my only brother late Oct, so now I have no family and no friends. Most of my disability is for major depressive disorder but I am also IU. For some reason, VA seems very reluctant to do anything about my arhritus(sp) and fibro. Yesterday when I went to my primary care provider I was hurting mentally & physically. The primary care person told me she could do nothing for my joint pain & was sorry that I was hurting. When I told her I was "ready to go" and tired of living. she basically told me that she was sorry I felt that way. End of visit. They will see me again in a year. For that I drove 3 hr round trip and used a quarter of a tank of gas. I left with the feeling my life met nothing to them, but then I state the obvious. Think of the boat load of cash the govt. would save once I croak!