DiEsMiTtY

Thanks for the good advice, im not going to wait on them. Besides I dont think my wife would let me.

Hello, At the end of January I will be retiring and moving to Japan, where my wife and I have a home. My question is if the VA decides its time for a new CnP exam, would I have report to the nearest VAMC which I believe is in Guam? Somehow I dont think there travel allowance would quite cover the cost of reporting in just to play the same old games with them. It would be great if I could go to the Yokosuka navy base, but I know the VA doesnt care about convenience. The Embassy website gave me an obscure link, that wasn't helpful at all. Also I have two pending claims one for a rate increase and one at the DRO's desk, these claims are waiting for a decision. Would it be safe to leave without a final decision or should I wait in case, something is lost or a new exam is requested out of the blue? Thank you for your guidance

Navair, I had the same situation happen to me. They rated me for an anxiety disorder even though I claimed PTSD, and i didnt have to do anything extra. There responce will proably say something along the lines as % anxiety disorder, originally claimed as PTSD. I would tell you exactly how they worded my award but i recently moved and all that stuff is in boxes. The only downside I see to anxiety disorder over PTSD is that the PTSD service members have the better clinic, at my VAMC.

I am going to File for an increase once they get around to deciding on my appeal for hearing loss. I clearly detail all my side effects to the shrink, I keep a written record of panic attacks, side effects and so on. That way when they ask me those vague questions I can say this is what happend when where. I think I have been lucky so far, only my sleep cycle has been affected, and my thought process seems to be alittle slower. The other med I was on was like constantly being in a fog, and then boom full on agressiveness. THanks for the replys

I am ten percent SC for anxiety disorder. When I was rated I was on 50mg of pill A, and say a therapist weekly. Now I see the shrink every 3 months and they increased my meds of pill A to 200mg. They tried adding another pill B, but this increased violent behavior and dark thoughts. The removed pill B from my regimen. My next appointment the shrink is considering adding pill C with pill A which is at the maxium FDA dosage. I hate asking this cause it seems like I just want more money, but is 10 percent and accurate reflection on my condtion? I was reading a chart for PTSD and I felt that I fit in the 30% percent catagorey, or maybe thats something like the plseubo effect. I really dont want these beatniks to keep pulling the wool over my eyes. They virtually destroyed my GI bill, rated me at an incorrect rating and an earlier over payment put me in the hole. I have two waivers pending, one of which is from over a year ago.

Ok so I am goig to get a IMO from a audiologist. I had a entrance exam yes. But no exit exam, the marine Corp demobilized very fast in late 2003. I was in motor transport and they conceded both but basically from my understanding I don't have any evidence for them to connect all the dots. I was hopping that the progress note from 04 would help back up my claim for tinnitus atleast.

Ok I was denied for tinnitus and hearing loss. I am curious on how to proceed. In my denial letter it states that my records are silent for complaints. Well I was released from active duty upon returning from overseas. A couple of months later I was in the VA. Well when I went I wasnt assigned a Primary care doctor, and I was only seen in the Mental Health Clinic. THe made appointments for a Nurse to see me in the MHC but I was never assigned. I complained to my head shrinker about the ringing in my ears. I was leafing through my treatment records and I found where it is noted as a complaint can I use this and some buddy letters to confirm I have tinnitus and hearing loss. Attached is my evidence I found, my original CnP exam, and my denial letter, my denial makes reference to a CnP exam in october but this was were the doc opined without me being there I do not have that CnP yet.

Congratulations

The examiner was a marine so we swapped some stories thats were the laughing part come in. As for smiling that I cant help I have a permanat smile, I was in a hearing at work and I got my wages garnished I was just smiling away. I knew I messed the CnP exam up he was retired major general so I was naturally intimadated. As for the hearing loss and tinnitus I have had four VAMC appointments each either confirming that I have hearing loss, or that they believe I have tinnitus. THe only thing is the doctor didnt opine on my CnP because they didnt send my C-file and the doctor requested it to Opine.

Ok the attachments are my decesion letter.

Well today I got my award letter, which took me by surprise. Yesterday the 1800-number told me the raters requested another exam so I thought they put the process on hold. Well I opened it and the awarded me 10 percent for Anxiety disorder and panic disorder without a agoraphobia (claimed as PTSD). At first I was mad at the rating, but I calmed down atleast they believe me on something. I do feel I warrant a 30% rating for anxiety has my work ethic and social life is affected along the criteria for that rating. They deferred tinnitus and hearing loss. I had a C n P exam tinnitus and I posted those results in the C n P forum, and they scheduled me an appointment for an ABR which confirmed my hearing loss, yet the pencil necks rescheduled me more appointments. Anyways I havent even received these appointment letters so I fired off an Iris to find out what the hell is going on. So how do I proceed with a rating increase, should I wait till I get the results back from the tiniitus and hearing loss, or file it immedatly. I will scan the decesion letter after class tonight and post it, there are somethings that I believe to be a lie in it aswell. THANKS HADIT

Hey no problem retiredat44, I would like that.

I got a call from the va ROI office today and they said that the CnP PTSD doctor won't release my exam results. He will only release them to my primary care physician. Well I was never assigned a primary care doctor at the VA. So the lady I talked to said she's going to talk to her supervisor and call me back. I also had an abr exam, that the CnP audiology exam recommended but it was done outside of the CnP process. This exam further confirmed hearing loss in my left ear. And my iris inquiry came yesterday letting me know that the raters have had my claim since the 13th of July expect 14-30 days and may take longer for a decesion to be made.

Quick question, if they dont want to release a copy of my C &P exam will they send me a letter saying so. Last time I had to wait on authorization it didnt take this long. Since I have another appointment at the VA on monday I am going to go to ROI and request some addtional records.

THe difference for me was the VA shrinks dxed me with an anxiety disorder with a social phobia, but said I denied symptoms ofPTSD and gave me a Gaf score of 70, and It wasnt service connected this was when I was at my worst maybe four months home or so extremly violent. THe Vet Center dxed me with PTSD, and an anxiety disorder with agoraphobia. THe Vet center clearly connected the dots for the rocks who would be reviewing my file. THe Vet Center actualy trys to help you, and they care.

Hey, I was exposed to massive quanties of Jp-8. I was treated for Chemical Dermatitis twice. I suffer headaches, and hypertension. I am only 28 and have been on blood pressure meds for about 4 years. The VA tried to say its my caffine intake, so I cut it all out of my diet and wouldnt you know I still have high blood pressure. THe medication the VA metroprol tartate made me weak, so I went to a private doctor and got it switched to Lisinopril. I have found only a few studies about the long term effects of JP-8 exposure mainly on pulmiary effects, and one on audiotory impairment in lab rats. There isnt a whole lot of information out there for fuel exposure.

Oh I work, but I am pretty lucky 90 percent of the time I work I dont interact with outside people. I work with a partner everyday, same person and we have a great realtionship. But there are days when the wind will blow or the person next to me sneezes and I will be massively irratated and unable to calm down or relax. Then there are days where I just cant get out of bed so I burn a sick day. Leadership at my work was military friendly and understanding. I work cause I have to, there was a time when I didnt, there was a time when I would skip job interveiws. Bottom line is I have to put food on the table for my lady and myself. The Marine Corps taught me how to suck it the heck up, they just didnt teach me what to do with it once I sucked it up. I am alot better now than I was, but nowhere close to "normal".

It is documented that I was treated for Chemical Dermatitis on several occasions, it is also documented on a post deployment screening that I was constantly exposed to high volumes of JP-8. I always ended up attached to refueling sections. or being the NCOIC for the bulk liquids section. I also recieved a Navy Marine Corps Commendation medal for setting these systems up and training othere marines to operate them, there is proof that I worked with the JP-8 and was exposed to it. However there are not very many studies on the effects of exposure to JP-8 on a human for any type of long term exposure. However there is a study that might help me with my hearing loss. A study found that lab rights had audiotory impairment when exposed to JP-8. The amounts of fuel I dispensed during the initial phases of OIF are astronmical, and this wasnt the only place I handled fuel systems at. The environmental people at the VA ran me through there program and that was that. So I am regrouping trying to ger alot of ducks in a row for round two.

I appreciate every little bit. I understand most of you on here have been battling the va longer than I have been around

Yes but it took a miracle to get my vet center records to them. They would send me letter after letter that they had not recieved anything from the vet center. My rep at the vet center called the the number on the notice I recieved and took care of it right there on speaker phone. The vet center is the best thing going. I have made great progess with thier help, compared to the two shrinks and the social worker at the VA mental health clinic. I still go to the vet center either every two weeks or once a month, I don't want to deny anyone else a chance to be there. I am hoping the new rules are going to work in my favor. In 2003 they didn't give out combat action ribbons for artillery, or sporadic attacks on convoys, an damn sure didn't care about being attacked by angry mobs. I saw more action getting pelted from rocks than I did from anything else. I have a few stressors but my main reason I think is from maning a fuel point for 24 hours a day for a period of 18 days alone with no comm gear what so ever. I think my unit forgot about until some doc barged into the coc and told them to remove to an aid station becuase I was covered in rashes from the jp8. I had no idea i was escorted away like I was being arrested. Yeah I know that I can't get both, but I really feel that they should have to pay for the jp8 exposure, but the vso recommended PTSD. The vet center said yes that I am suffering from PTSD and that I have an anxiety disorder with agorphobia. I was in the process of fileing an nod when I got the letter saying they amended my claim.

The interesting part is on page one it says tinitus is conseded due to my mos as motor transport. That's not what it said verbatim I don't have the report in front of me. If it was conceded why can't she opine. I love the va!!!!!

Hello I'm smitty an Oef/OIF marine corps veteran. I am really glad there is a site like this. I started dealing with the VA on the onset of 2004. I was immedatly discourged by the staff at James A Haley VA Hospital. The a large part of the staff there are flat out rude. Thank god for the Vet Center, at the vet center you can tell these people want to help and are simpathetic. It wasn't until 2009 that I filed my current claim for PTSD, tinnitus, anxiety, and highblood pressure. Less than a month later hey denied my claim flat out. Two weeks later they amended he denial because of new evidence. I finally had my C n P exams in June and I am currently in limbo. I started calling the 800 number every week and sending in email inquiries to iris. Also I'm preparing evidence from private docotrs for my inevidable denials. I am in the process of getting buddy letters from senior staff NCOs. The county Vso actually discouraged me from sending in buddy letters the first time, so I'm going to get a new vso if I am denied. I have two questions. I was trying to link my anxiety to jp8 exposure since it can cause that. Has anyone had side effects from jp8. Question two isn't really claims related, more of mild curiosty when I was in camp coyote there was this sign by the road saying danger radation no stoping. Has anyone seen that before.

Oh the kicker was he was a marine at that. His office was decorated with marine corps stickers and flags. Hey had a marine Corp lanyard that you wear around your neck for your id. He had his stars on that. I'm sure he discounted everything I said. Although I had an extremly nice letter from the vet center. When he mentioned the vet center letter there was nothing but disdain in his voice.

I am looking at the report from my C an P exam for tinnitus and I have two questions. Question 1 background information taken from report Audio test 2 Side: Left Type of loss: sensorineural Degree of Loss: normal to Moderately severe (55-69 HL) Addtional comments: Normal hearing through 3Khz with HFHL at above frequencies. medical follow up: no Is hearing loss present? yes Is tinnitus as likely as not a symptom associated wuth the hearing loss?yes Diagnosis: WNR R, HFHL SNHL L. Pt will RTC for ABR outside of C&P process due to asymetry. Ok my first question is what the hell does the diagnosis mean. Question 2 Background information taken from C&P exam Medical Opinion Please evaluate and provide opinion if it is as likely as not that current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are related to military noise exposure. Unable to opine without resort to mere speculation, C File required to reveiw and opine accordingly--pt does not need to return , only c file is needed. Q2 So how do I find out what her opinion was why was it left off the report. The exam was on June 17th. So in theory they had plenty of time to get my C file. Anyways I called the 800 number and they said there ready to make a decision. I have to wait for clearance to get my PTSD CnP report. I think I blew that one the examiner was a retired Major general and I just shut down the bastard was even wearing his stars.