abean

Thanks for all the replies, they are greatly appreciated. Had to take a breather for a bit so left work early and spent time w/ the family. The form that Carlie posted is the form we've sent in 4 times. I still have plenty of copies so I guess I'll just waste more money on certified mail. Supposedly they've done 2 inquiries but ended up finding nothing both times. We've requested personnel file from national archives, but they are giving us the run around. They've directed us to a phone # in DC, and they in turn direct us back to st louis, but we know for a FACT there are behavioral write ups in there that the C&p psych dr told us could be seen as starters for his condition. We've also requested his complete smrs from VA since they aren't all in his c-file. After his last C&p on the 12th, he signed a release form at the va medical place for them to send us copy of results. The reason he was sent for c&p was because I was trying to cover my bases and filed a TDIU form so when he is sc'd, they won't try to get away w/ lowballing him. VA lady told him today that they won't even consider the c&p psych exam dr's write up as new and material because it's for the TDIU and not appeal for sc for schizophrenia---which is the cause of the TDIU. Regardless, they've angered the wrong spouse. Once we finally do get his smrs, I'm filing on EVERYTHING! He's a GW1 vet that has smrs on some of the GW presumptives. He's 0% for a scar on his nose that was caused by a rash that was not deemed sc. Go figure. (he's had claims in past, but they weren't persued after his mental state became to bad. We had to get him fully stable before we even thought about reopening claims)

First off, my husband's claim in appeals is for schizophrenia. He went to 2 c&p exams last week. Over the past 2 years, we have sent in a form from him saying they need to deal with me since I'm trying to keep him stress-free as possible. We've sent this form 4 different time, even faxing it, yet they've still not "received it" Ok, this morning, the lovely VA calls my husband to tell him that unless he submits new & material evidence, they are dropping his appeal. I'm beyond livid that they are 1) upsetting him when they clearly know his is a mental health issue, 2) refuse to acknowledge any of the forms we've send in for me to be able to handle this instead, 3) refuse to use anything we've sent as n&m, 4)have not been helpful at all in providing us with his service medical records, and have been given the run around with his personnel records to from national archives. Any advice, or at least calming breathing techniques would be appreciated.

Our DAV rep is a worthless moron. I'm doing all work myself right now.

Husband had psych exam on Monday for schizo claim. Psychologist was a contractor and not a VA guy. Went well. He told us that service connection is an uphill battle but persistence pays off. Plus said we have evidence in personnel records that could point to beginning stages while in service. The 2nd exam was yesterday. We went in thinking it was a physical. Nope. They only took pictures of his nose ( he's 0% for scar) and the doctor argued a bit with him and that was it. Very strange. Didn't want to know how he was doing, nothing.

Ahh....thank you. Well, now I feel stupid. I'm not that familiar with sleep apnea. He doesn't snore so I don't really know that he has it. His doctor linked the fatigue with the skin rashes in his nexus letter about 10 years ago. I think I might need to wait until I get his full smrs before I start the new claims. Hopefully they'll be in soon. I'm hoping they'll have all of the shots and pills listed he had to take before he was deployed. I've read where the anthrax stuff had caused some mental problems.

What is SA?

My husband took it for a while. He didn't have any side effects, but it did lose it's effectiveness after taking it for about 6 months. He was on Provigil before and it did the same thing.

After hubby's initial c&p exam yesterday for schizophrenia, he's decided he wants to start a new claim under the GWI umbrella. I'm handling all of this for him, but need suggestions on wording. The exam went well, and the psychologist was nice, but told us truthfully that service connection would be an uphill battle, but he did point out that some behaviour issues in the service could point to a connection. He said persistance was the key. His second c&p physical exam is on Thursday. I told him he needs to do a show and tell w/ doctor on rashes, and tell him everything he complains to me about. He has smr's for these-- skin rashes, migraines, fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, joint issues (off and on knee problems, swelling) He still suffers from all of these except migraines. He hasn't suffered a migraine in a few years, but before his release in '94 up until '06-07, it was an issue. He also tested positive for a micoplasma bacterial infection that his doctor wrote a nexus letter back in '02 saying it was more than likely from his exposures in the Gulf. He was on doxocyline for many years after the positive test result. He had a claim on this several years ago before his breakdown, but was denied (of course), and was dropped due to his mental instability at the time. He was rated 0% for a scar on his nose back in '04 or '05. I had also though about even putting psychological problems (being his schizophrenia) just to cover all bases. Anyways, any kind of wording suggestions would be appreciated.

His c-file only contains a couple of pages of his smr's. I'm hoping we will get them and his personnel file in shortly, but I know it won't be before Monday. I asked the lady at the VA medical place if the evidence I just sent would be available to the psychologist. She couldn't give me a yes or a no, but told me to bring anything extra that I've got just to be sure. Does anyone know if they'll let me be with him during the exam w/ th psychologist? All of his dr. notes states he is a poor historian (which he is) so I know he'll leave details out. He's stable now, but still doesn't always remember how bad he was. He asked me a few weeks ago if he really got "that bad." I had to remind him that he was "bad" enough to burn down the house several years ago because he had forgotten. He is also getting a bit nervous about the exam. I've told him over and over that if it's too stressful, we will simply drop it because I can't risk him relapsing. His stablility is way more important than this claim.

Thank you for the replies! I'm hoping against hope that we get his smrs and personnel file before we go to exams

The only SMRs we have are the ones that were in his c-file. We have recently made request for his SMR's and personnel file. We do know his AF records will show a few write ups for disrespecting authority. The civilian doctor's notes are the doctors he's seen either in ER, mental hospital (not VA even though was eventually transferred to VA) and his current psychiatrist. He sees her every 3 months. She has in her notes that this is something he has a long history of and it probably started in late teens/early twenties. This is something I sent that I know they got from his SSDI file, but didn't bother looking at it. The other's detail his paranoia w/ his time in Gulf and w/ the govt. We just found out that he does indeed have 2 C&P exams on the 9th and 12th of July. One is w/ psychologist and the other is for the TDIU claim (even though it's for schizophrenia too). I plan on going to the one on the 9th, and if my work will allow, possibly the one on the 12th. Oh, and he wasn't dx'd until many years after service. He was in denial for long time and only got help when he was forced into hospital by police.

Currently, fighting SC for my husband's schizophrenia. I've posted history in other post, but basically, have no smr's, but have a few different civilian doctors linking it. Anyways, the appeal is pending and is at DRO review. The NOD was received on 5/11/11. In the meantime, I had mailed a TDIU form in a few weeks ago just to cover my bases when/if he is deemed sc'd since he is on SSDI. A week ago, I decided to be a smartbutt and mail in dr notes (that are buried way down deep in his c-file) highlighting in the places that show a link to service, and printed off a copy of the benefit of the doubt rule. So today I get on ebenefits... His schizophrenia claim is showing as still pending appeal, but his TDIU has went from received to the gathering stage. It also shows it is awaiting something from a 3rd party which is a va med in chattanooga that my husband has not previously seen for schizophrenia. Right now, we are unsure if this is a C&P exam, or if they have sent his file for doctor to review. It also said that it received the medical evidence that I had mailed in last week. I know any movement is good, but was unsure of the 3rd party thing. He hasn't had a C&P for any mental illness in the past, but I had always thought that it had been because he sees his psychiatrist every 3 months anyways. Is this good, not good, no big whoop....I don't know.

Oh, and another thing I forgot to mention. He has a family history of schizophrenia (dad), does this help or hurt?

We've got to request his military file, but I know he had a few write ups for behavior (not respecting authority & wrecking a humvee are two that i can remember)so maybe that'll help. I did speak to him about refiling the old claims since his knee has been giving him fits. He seems up for it, and we do have plenty of smrs for those.

He still has the rash (just noticed I forgot to mention that one) from time to time, and he still has everything else but the headaches. He's not had one of those in years. He has smrs for all of the above as well as nexus letter from outside doctor who had treated him for many years after service. I'm not sure he still wants to pursue any of it because of his breakdown before while appealing it. He was granted 0% for a scar on his nose, but everything else was denied.

Yeah, I knew the sc would be the hard part since it took so long for him to get help, and even then it was done by force. The letter for the dropped claim was for his previous claim of mycoplasma infection, joint pain, miagrane, fatigue, etc. associated with his time in the Gulf. He had a nexus letter for all of this, but was denied and was in process of appealing. The letter he sent the VA was before his dx of schizophrenia. It was very scattered, and paranoid and he apologized for any financial and political hardships he might have caused our country. The letter was dated 12/30/05. He started the house fire 1/6/06 believing the place was bugged. When he was in the VA hospital after the fire, a claim for schizophrenia was started for him by someone. I was unaware of this until we filed a claim for schizophrenia in July 2010 after my husband had been stable, and compliant w/ meds for some time and we no longer had a fear of a relapse.

Thanks for the replies. I contacted a lawyer (Veterans Law Group) and faxed some info on the case including psyc records from 2 different doctors stating details of his paranoia and saying it probably started in his late teens/early twenties which is when he was in AF. I also sent in the nexus letter from his previously denied claim and the paranoid letter he sent the VA to drop the claim. Hopefully they will be able to take it from here. Thanks again!

It was honorable discharge. He wasn't dx'd until many years after discharge, but all the paranoia and delusions stemmed from his time in the AF, and in the Gulf. Gotten so bad that he thought a chip had been implanted in his brain while in Gulf, he was spy, house was bugged, thought he brought home terrible disease (mycoplasma infection -he tested positive & dr believes he got from the Gulf), every govt agency was out to get him because of what he knew. It ended up w/ him burning down our house because he was convinced even the pets & electronics were spys for the govt. This forced the hospital stay in 2006. He was in denial he had anything wrong w/ him for very long time, but finally accepted it. He was not treated for MH condition while in service, only skin rashes and joint problems. He was rated 0% for skin condition that left scar on nose, but denied for mycoplasma infection (which he had nexus letter for and medical evidence). This all was happening while he was slowly losing his mind so he got paranoid that if he won any money from the VA at the time, he would be harmed. He sent a letter telling the va to drop the claim, and he's sorry he every bothered them....this is in his c-file. The house fire happened soon after. Anyways, thanks for the help and advice you guys! I appreciate it a lot!

It will only be 2 years retro since the first claim fell by the wayside in 2006 that was filed while he was in VA hospital, I'm guessing by the DAV because neither of us remember it. It is waiting on DRO review Going thru his file is stressful because it reminds me of how volatile and unstable he was before he was forced into hospital. Thankfully, he is stable thru medications, and has finally accepted his dx (that took a long time) I just want this done as quickly and painlessly as possible. I know thru VA that is a pipe dream. I foolishly thought that since he only had one claim, and was awarded ssdi easily, that proving sc would not be that hard.

My husband has a claim in for schizophrenia. We have PLENTY of medical records to document, our fight has been w/ service connection. We have a DAV guy, but I'm not impressed w/ him cause he hasn't even looked at claim. The DRO appeal has been pending for over a year now (Nashville) He was issued SSDI several years ago for same dx with no fight. I went ahead and filed a TDIU claim just to cover my bases... I've been working/researching this claim myself since DAV is worthless. I try my best to keep hubby as stress free as possible. I have a full-time job and 3 teenagers, so needless to say, I've not been able to dedicate a lot of time to the appeal as I would like to cause his c-file is HUGE! I'm seriously thinking of handing it over to a lawyer. It's getting a bit stressful for me. Good idea, or no?

Also--should we consider TDIU? His ssdi award is for the same issue. Most of his records are from civilian doctors, but he does have several VA hospital stays. His psychiatrist is civilan because he doesn't "trust" VA doctors, or their meds.

Spoke w/ the DAV myself last night since hubby gets his wires crossed sometimes. Yes, hubby misinformed me on appeal so he is waiting on DRO review instead of BVA. It's been sitting there for over a year now waiting on the De Novo review. DAV suggested we nix this appeal and go straight into the BVA. I'm open to suggestions, but at this point, I don't know. Hubby only has 1 claim, and it's for the schizophrenia. He has mounds of medical evidence from VA hospitals and civilian doctors, and was awarded ssdi on first try a few years back. The only thing we are hung up on is service connection since he didn't get the dx until about 10 yrs out of service. It's obvious to me that it is, because all of his paranoid actions were centered around his time in the AF and in the Gulf. This is documented in his medical file from the different doctors/ER visits/hospitilizations he's seen.

Confused Signed hubby up for ebenefits to check on his appeal for schizophrenia, and it states that it's been waiting at local VA office to be sent to BVA for 13 months now so it's still in the 1st stage of appeal. Husband called "Peggy" last Friday and she said that decision was imminent. He then called the DAV guy (who can never get my husband's claim right) and he said that it could be at that stage for 277 days--well, it has been there for over 365. DAV also advised him to drop this appeal and go the traditional route. However, DAV still thinks my hubby's claim is for agent orange even though he wasn't even born while Vietnam was going on (moron) Help?

We can't actually do an appeal yet because we never received an "official denial" from the VA. The VA told us it hasn't been decided yet, and they have no idea how the DAV said it was denied back in October. According to the VA the file has bounced around back and forth at the rating board, I guess the rating people needed more records. Anyways, it is now supposedly at the rating board for the initial decision. The only thing I can think of is maybe the DAV guy got my husband's file mixed with someone else's? Why else would he be trying to explain determinations for Agent Orange to him when he isn't even old enough to have been in Vietnam??? I'm expecting a denial, just because I know you have to appeal the heck out of these things even though his SSDI was awarded on first try.

Just a bit of an update on my part-- We received the denial letter from the DAV back in October/November, but the VA had no knowledge of a denial. When husband called the DAV rep, he kept on and on about Agent Orange.....hubby wasn't in Vietnam and doesn't have a claim on Agent Orange--he was in Gulf War. Anyways, hubby called VA again at the first of February, and they said that they received his records from social security about on his disability and it was going to the review board. This makes the about the 3rd time the VA has said either it's on its way to the review board, or it was already there. We have yet to hear of a decision and his claim was started in July 2010.