ptsd Secondary Connected Diseases

[steve Mck]

Question,

Do I have cause for seeking higher SC disability, (currently 60%) of which 10% for tinnitus and 50% for PTSD, if I were to file for taking antidepressant Bupropion, Risperidone for intrusive thoughts-dreams/nightmares, Trazodone for insomnia, Vardenafil for ED, Valsartan for Blood Pressure, Prilosec for GERD and Lorazepam for anxiety??? I had a GAF score of 40 but that was probably on the high side. 4th. Inf. 1/12th. Nam 67-68.

[john999]

It is better to do it right the first time and not give the VA some lame excuse to delay your claim for years. Be sure you get proof of mailing or copies of everything you send to the VA. It is worth a trip to the VARO to make sure your documents get where they are going and you get proof. Also, you should probably contact the VA every few weeks to make sure they got your stuff and that there is nothing holding it up that you can solve. When I filed for IU the VA just had a host of documents they asked for and it held my claim up for months. I got most of the documents myself and probably saved a year by submitting the stuff instead of waiting for them to act. Being pro-active is key. Don't trust your VSO to do it all.

[Vike17]

Steve,

The bottom line is you'll need a IMO to make the connection from your medication and the ED, high blood pressure and GERD. As someone said, I think it was Berta, the VA will grant service-connection on a secondary basis once you have medical evidence (the IMO) showing a nexus between the condition. To show what I mean, a while back I won a claim for veteran for the residuals of the removal of his gallbladder at 30% as secondary to the medication he was taking for his service-connected dysthymia. The medicaion caused him to loose alot of weight within a short period of time, in turn causing the formation of numerous gallstones that couldn't be flushed by normal means. Then he had to have his gallbladder removed. These claims are granted all the time. There just needs to be a clear nexus through medical evidence before VA can grant it.

As far as filing a claim for just needing to take the medication, this is considered with the intial rating. It is the residuals of a disability that VA pays compensation for. Also the anxiety is also considered with your menatl condition. The VA can only pay compensation for one mental disability.

Vike 17

Edited June 12, 2007 by Vike17

[steve Mck]

Steve,

The bottom line is you'll need a IMO to make the connection from your medication and the ED, high blood pressure and GERD. As someone said, I think it was Berta, the VA will grant service-connection on a secondary basis once you have medical evidence (the IMO) showing a nexus between the condition. To show what I mean, a while back I won a claim for veteran for the residuals of the removal of his gallbladder at 30% as secondary to the medication he was taking for his service-connected dysthymia. The medicaion caused him to loose alot of weight within a short period of time, in turn causing the formation of numerous gallstones that couldn't be flushed by normal means. Then he had to have his gallbladder removed. These claims are granted all the time. There just needs to be a clear nexus through medical evidence before VA can grant it.

As far as filing a claim for just needing to take the medication, this is considered with the intial rating. It is the residuals of a disability that VA pays compensation for. Also the anxiety is also considered with your menatl condition. The VA can only pay compensation for one mental disability.

Vike 17

[steve Mck]

Thanks for responding to my situation. People such as yourself have excellent knowledge and are such a big help. Unfortuantely service men and women have to turn to the internet for such help when it should be coming from the VA and agencies that are supposed to be helping vets. Most fortunately however this web site was established and is an excellent source for answers to questions and seeking solutions to our problems.

Perhaps someone can answer this question. I have been going to the VA in Batavia for all my illnesses, receiving meds, seeing the Psychiatrist in charge of the PTSD program for about a year now and a social worker as well once a month etc. What is the next step for me to file for secondary connected diseases to my 50% rating for PTSD. Conditions include- Sleep Apnea, Glaucoma, Liver enzymes up probably due to meds that I am on for GERD, High blood pressure, meds for nightmares, insomnia, antidepressants so I don't pull the trigger some day, pills for ED which leave a lot to be desired etc. Do I get copies of my medical records from my primary doctor at the VA showing that I am on these medicines for these illnesses? Do I get a letter from the Psychiatrist stating I am on all these meds because of PTSD and that I am a serious Loonie Toone or what? Should my veterans service person be helping me and to what extent? The thing that bothers me is that all this evidence is in THEIR computer system and can be easily accessed by anyone of them at the flick of a button.