ptsd Linking Heart Disease To Ptsd

[TiredSgt]

Without an IMO/IME, is it possible to link heart disease to PTSD?

I got a letter from Dept. of Veterans Affairs,KY that says:

"1. If you have any additional evidence to submit, please submit medical evidence on your current congestive heart failure and severe cardiomyopathy as well as evidence showing a connection between these two conditions and your service connected PTSD condition. We will consider service connection for your congestive heart failure and severe cardiomyopathy as secondary to your service connected PTSD condition."

I am currently receiving percentages on: 10% Tinnitus, 20% Cervical Spine, 10% Degenerative Disc Disease and 10% PTSD. (50% is what I get).

I'm considering requesting an increase for DDD when I reply to their letter, is this a good idea? Or, should I wait to see if they service connect my heart disease (linking it to PTSD). How do I request an increase from 10% DDD to 50%? Do I just request an increase on the standard "Statement in Support of Claim" form?

My goal is 100% TDIU, any help you guy can give will be greatly appreciated. I remember a while back I asked you guys for advise on getting service connected for PTSD - I took your alls advise and was awarded 10%! Now I need help getting 100%. I have CHF and my back is stiff as a board, unable to bend over to tie my shoes - unbelieveable, constant pain in the middle and lower back. I need some help.

Thanks, Tim

[Berta]

"Without an IMO/IME, is it possible to link heart disease to PTSD? "

I have never seen it done and I have been in the electronic disabled veterans community prior to the invention of the internet-2 decades-

If you believe your DDD meets a higher rating based on the Schedule of Ratings (available at hadit under a search) and your documented medical evidence fully warrants the higher rating-by all means file the claim-and tell them why you should get a higher comp rating.

TDIU depends on any service connected disability that is causing you to be unemployable.

A vet could be NSC or at 10% SC and still apply for and receive TDIU- but this depends on the medical evidence that shows the veterans cannot be employed solely due to service connection.

Do I understand they have separated the cervical spine from the DDD?

I am actually surprised that was not combined in VA math-but you say you get 50% . ???

[Pete53]

Tim:

Welcome to Hadit. The VA has pretty much accepted a link between PTSD and Heart Problems. You can find info here on Hadit to help your claim.

Good Luck and thank you for your Service to America.

[Jay Johnson]

Linking a physical disorder to PTSD is theory at best. It would take a research MD that is specifically looking into that connection in order to even attempt a connection in my opinion. This isn't to say that PTSD isn't the cause of heart issues (and many other physical ailments), but there is next to no scientific data that shows a causal effect of PTSD in terms of physical conditions.

Also, the fact that you're at 10% for PTSD doesn't bode well for your case....perhaps if you were 100% you could make a better connection between your severe PTSD and physical issues.....

[Berta]

Jay -I sure agree with you-

PTSD vets have had their heart disease sced as secondary but they also had very strong medical opinions-

A psychiatrist -since they are MDs too- unlike psychologists could -probably provide the complete medical rationale for this type of claim.

A VA doctor inadvertently said my husbands's PTSD had caused his HBP to raise (Rod was 100% PTSD) and that emotional disorders can certainly affect the cardiac system.

This was in a DIC denial decision over my Sec 1151 claim (which I was awarded) but I filed a new claim based on this statement-forget what else it said-for direct SC death.Ironically that was a point Rod himself made when he filed a Sec 1151 claim that I re-opened after he died.

He stated that his PTSD had been malpracticed to the extent that his stress might cause death from a stroke or heart attack.He died 6 months later due to undiagnosed heart disease and malpracticed strokes-

I bring up my personal situation and Rods death alot because he didnt die in vain-there were key points to his claims and mine that caused me to learn a heck of a lot as to how the thinking of the VA goes-

The BVA in my opinion makes by far better decisions these days than they used to a decade ago-

It is easy-at the BVA web site- to see why some PTSD vets have had heart disease SCed as secondary and why many haven't.

It all boils down to what type of medical evidence they had and what medical rationale was used.

And the successful ones all had strong IMOs.

Only one VA doctor -Dr. Robert Eliot- ever made a connection between heart disease and PTSD and he wrote a whole book on it- He was the CHief of Cardiology-Gainseville VA.

I sent his book to VA in support of a PTSD to CAD claim I had.

They were mad because I swiped it out of the local VA library-

of course they didnt read it or even any of his studies of autopsies of combat vets KIA in Vietnam-but with significant atherosclerosis already- that he could only attribute -since they were all so young-

to the stress of combat.

Dr. Boscarini also has done considerable work trying to get PTSD associated to heart disease.

The VA puts no credibility on his work in most cases.

I dont know if he does IMos for vets.

Vets have sent his studies in with PTSD to heart claims but the VA says these are not specific to their own disabilities.

These claims need a strong Independent medical opinion.

Edited August 16, 2007 by Berta

[Pete53]

I don't believe that there is any way that someone could have 10% PTSD. Either you have it or you don't. If you are functional enough to work than maybe 50% or 70% but 10% is horse hockey.

[TiredSgt]

Thanks for the replies, I am unable to pursuade either of my cardiologists to write an IMO? I have tons of internet printouts addressing this issue and directly linking PTSD with heart disease. I guess I'll just have to mail them what I have and hope for the best.

In their last letter to me, the VA stated "...we will consider service connection..."