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Hello, I have C&P exams all in one day in January. Any advice on what to expect? Here's a synopsis on what I'm up against/working with. - PTSD increase is based off several years of VA mental health treatment and a Nexus letter written by my mental health doctor, which named PTSD, Depression, Chronic Pain Syndrome with depression, Panic D/O with Agoraphobia and survivor's guilt as a diagnosis (last 3 are recently added to records). - Knee pain- VA issued me a big knee brace and my primary care (tricare) orthopedics specialist just put me an Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO) brace because she says I have drop foot and weakened ankle support which tried to compensate for my weak knee/muscle strength - Foot pain- I reviewed all of my previous C&P exams and realized my foot pain rating had dropped from 30% to 10% because the rater misquoted me (lied) on the C&P exam. I told him these insoles and stuff didn't work. that my feet hurt all the time. He wrote, I said they were not effective insoles and I have to use all kinds of feet massages equipment to get through my work days. The primary care sent me to this foot pain doctor. All she did was cortisone shots (3 times) in my feet and tried to up-sell me on her brand of insoles. - Migraines- Been at zero percent since retirement. Last year I was hospitalized twice and misdiagnosed with having TIA and strokes/CVA. My VA advocate put in a secondary claim to my service connected cervical damage. End result not service connected for CVA/TIA. However, ALL TESTS revealed that I've never had a stroke. The neurologist diagnosed me with Hemiplegic Migraines. These rare migraines an mimic strokes, causing weakness on one side of the body. They can last from a few hours or in my case,first one lasted 3 months. The neurologist provided a letter stating that all of the hospital doctors had misdiagnosed me with having CVAa. He also diagnosed me with exertional headaches. I know I'm no more special than the millions of other veterans out here, but this "deny 'til they die" tactic is wearing me down. Thanks for any advice.

Hi, another one for you here. Denial of entitlement to an evaluation in excess of 0 percent for migraine headaches, Jan 2020. Reason for denial by De Novo review as follows: "We have reviewed the evidence and found it does not support you experience prostrating attacks that would warrant an evaluation in excess of 0 percent. While your testimony is credible, the probative evidence does not show your reported symptoms cause extreme exhaustion, powerlessness, debilitation or incapacitation with substantial inability to engage in ordinary activities, or result in substantial work impairment." With that, I submitted new material evidence Nov 2020 by rehabilitation hospital M.D. who reported I have 5-7 headaches a week that require me to lay down for over an hour and take medication. He also noted aura and vertigo and my headaches where hard to control. In my supplemental statement of case, I requested them to review my ER visit for Migraine and the following day I presented as a walk in to Primary Care because it came back. I also noted in the original C&P exam in which the examiner stated they were not prostrating, but he also mentioned that I have weekly headaches where I have to lie on the ground for an hour or two affecting my work. All notes, ER visit 2016, C&P exam dated 2018 and new material evidence dated 2019 provides consistent periods of prostrating events and asked them to review as such. I also provided evidenced-based clinical literature showing productivity and impairment, and financial impact due to migraine but also requested VA to consider whether the migraines where at least capable of producing severe economic inadaptability and not just actually produces as the court has held they need to assess both. With that, just as of today, I get a call from LHI stating they need to schedule me a C&P exam for headaches. However, the last exam was just done 2018. Why would they do this and what is my course of action? Thank you taking the time to help!

I have 4 C&P exams this Friday. All for increases. (Migraine, PTSD/depression/anxiety/chronic pain/agoraphobia, bilateral foot pain and knee pain increase [including VA issued knee brace and civilian issued AFO foot brace]). Should I have my wife ad adult kids who both witness and suffer from my mood swings, depression, anxiety and antisocial like living on a daily basis? They can also talk about my constant leg pain and migraines. I also want my supervisor to do one regarding my migraines that have me leaving work early, alot. But that is a touchy subject, because I don't want me asking him to affect my employment. Also I hide a lot from them, to keep my job, like just suffer with headaches and migraines at work. Or fake my way through the day, pretending to want to be around people.

The Dr. did not add my medication. Will that hurt my chance at getting 50%? What do you think? LOCAL TITLE: C&P EXAMINATION STANDARD TITLE: C & P EXAMINATION NOTE DATE OF NOTE: MAR 31, 2016@11:30 ENTRY DATE: MAR 31, 2016@11:49:23 AUTHOR: REMBERT,FRANCIS M EXP COSIGNER: URGENCY: STATUS: COMPLETED Headaches (including Migraine Headaches) Disability Benefits Questionnaire Name of patient/Veteran: SMITH, Maurice Is this DBQ being completed in conjunction with a VA 21-2507, C&P Examination Request? [X] Yes [ ] No ACE and Evidence Review ----------------------- Indicate method used to obtain medical information to complete this document: [X] In-person examination Evidence Review --------------- [X] VA e-folder (VBMS or Virtual VA) [X] CPRS 1. Diagnosis ------------ Does the Veteran now have or has he/she ever been diagnosed with a headache condition? [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Migraine including migraine variants ICD code: 000 Date of diagnosis: 1991 2. Medical History ------------------ a. Describe the history (including onset and course) of the Veteran's headache conditions (brief summary): developed headaches which seem to be migraine b. Does the Veteran's treatment plan include taking medication for the diagnosed condition? [ ] Yes [X] No 3. Symptoms ----------- a. Does the Veteran experience headache pain? [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Pulsating or throbbing head pain [X] Pain localized to one side of the head b. Does the Veteran experience non-headache symptoms associated with headaches? (including symptoms associated with an aura prior to headache pain) [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Nausea [X] Vomiting [X] Sensitivity to light c. Indicate duration of typical head pain [X] 1-2 days d . Indicate location of typical head pain [X] Right side of head 4. Prostrating attacks of headache pain --------------------------------------- a. Migraine / Non-Migraine- Does the Veteran have characteristic prostrating attacks of migraine / non-migraine headache pain? [X] Yes [ ] No If yes, indicate frequency, on average, of prostrating attacks over the last several months: [X] Once every month Does the Veteran have very prostrating and prolonged attacks of migraines/non-migraine pain productive of severe economic inadaptability? [X] Yes [ ] No 5 . Other pertinent physical findings, complications, conditions, signs, symptoms and scars ----------------------------------------------------------------------- a. Does the Veteran have any other pertinent physical findings, complications, conditions, signs or symptoms related to any conditions listed in the Diagnosis Section above? [ ] Yes [X] No b. Does the Veteran have any scars (surgical or otherwise) related to any conditions or to the treatment of any conditions listed in the Diagnosis Section above? [ ] Yes [X] No c. Comments, if any: No response provided. 6. Diagnostic testing --------------------- Are there any other significant diagnostic test findings and/or results? [ ] Yes [X] No 7. Functional impact -------------------- Does the Veteran's headache condition impact his or her ability to work? [X] Yes [ ] No If yes, describe the impact of the Veteran's headache condition, providing one or more examples: says he cannot work when he has headaches 8. Remarks, if any: ------------------- No remarks provided. *********************************************************************

The Dr. did not add my medication. Will that hurt my chance at getting 50%? What do you think? LOCAL TITLE: C&P EXAMINATION STANDARD TITLE: C & P EXAMINATION NOTE DATE OF NOTE: MAR 31, 2016@11:30 ENTRY DATE: MAR 31, 2016@11:49:23 AUTHOR: REMBERT,FRANCIS M EXP COSIGNER: URGENCY: STATUS: COMPLETED Headaches (including Migraine Headaches) Disability Benefits Questionnaire Name of patient/Veteran: SMITH, Maurice Is this DBQ being completed in conjunction with a VA 21-2507, C&P Examination Request? [X] Yes [ ] No ACE and Evidence Review ----------------------- Indicate method used to obtain medical information to complete this document: [X] In-person examination Evidence Review --------------- [X] VA e-folder (VBMS or Virtual VA) [X] CPRS 1. Diagnosis ------------ Does the Veteran now have or has he/she ever been diagnosed with a headache condition? [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Migraine including migraine variants ICD code: 000 Date of diagnosis: 1991 2. Medical History ------------------ a. Describe the history (including onset and course) of the Veteran's headache conditions (brief summary): developed headaches which seem to be migraine b. Does the Veteran's treatment plan include taking medication for the diagnosed condition? [ ] Yes [X] No 3. Symptoms ----------- a. Does the Veteran experience headache pain? [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Pulsating or throbbing head pain [X] Pain localized to one side of the head b. Does the Veteran experience non-headache symptoms associated with headaches? (including symptoms associated with an aura prior to headache pain) [X] Yes [ ] No [X] Nausea [X] Vomiting [X] Sensitivity to light c. Indicate duration of typical head pain [X] 1-2 days d . Indicate location of typical head pain [X] Right side of head 4. Prostrating attacks of headache pain --------------------------------------- a. Migraine / Non-Migraine- Does the Veteran have characteristic prostrating attacks of migraine / non-migraine headache pain? [X] Yes [ ] No If yes, indicate frequency, on average, of prostrating attacks over the last several months: [X] Once every month Does the Veteran have very prostrating and prolonged attacks of migraines/non-migraine pain productive of severe economic inadaptability? [X] Yes [ ] No 5 . Other pertinent physical findings, complications, conditions, signs, symptoms and scars ----------------------------------------------------------------------- a. Does the Veteran have any other pertinent physical findings, complications, conditions, signs or symptoms related to any conditions listed in the Diagnosis Section above? [ ] Yes [X] No b. Does the Veteran have any scars (surgical or otherwise) related to any conditions or to the treatment of any conditions listed in the Diagnosis Section above? [ ] Yes [X] No c. Comments, if any: No response provided. 6. Diagnostic testing --------------------- Are there any other significant diagnostic test findings and/or results? [ ] Yes [X] No 7. Functional impact -------------------- Does the Veteran's headache condition impact his or her ability to work? [X] Yes [ ] No If yes, describe the impact of the Veteran's headache condition, providing one or more examples: says he cannot work when he has headaches 8. Remarks, if any: ------------------- No remarks provided. *********************************************************************