Va Psych Exam

[Nekoiinu]

Hello,

After reading this site for awhile, I thought that maybe someone could help me understand something. Below I put what was on my MEB by my doctor while I was active duty. The ARMY retired me medically at 50% for an axis I mental disorder of Delusional Disorder. I had the DAV at Ft. Carson help me with my VA claim, and all went well and rather rapidly. I filed on 13 July, and got my exam date on 20 August. I went to The Denver clinic about a week ago and talked to the doctor there. He kept trying to tell me that my real problem is that I am bipolar. I kind of disagree with that. I have read on here of some strange things happening like that, so maybe someone with more knowledge can help me understand why they would try to change it to bipolar. Or would he be trying to say that bipolar would by default concidered in this due to the other symptoms? Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Axis I

1. Delusional Disorder, Persecutory Type, treated with some improvement, moderate predisposition, as manifested by delusions of being plotted against, poisoned, and persecuted; auditory and visual hallucinations are episodic and brief in duration

EPTS: No Line of Duty: Yes Impairment for further military duty: Marked Impairment for social and industrial adaptability: Severe

2. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, chronic, moderate, treated with some improvement

EPTS: Yes, not aggravated by service Line of Duty: No Impairment for further.military duty: Minimal Impairment for social and industrial adaptability: Definite

3. Dysthymic Disorder, chronic, moderate, treated with some improvement

EPTS : Yes, not aggravated by service Line of Duty: No Impairment for further military duty: Minimal Impairment for social and industrial adaptability: Definite

Axis II

Personality Disorder NOS (Paranoid, Avoidant, Schizotypal)

Axis III

See MEB

Axis IV

Moderate stress related to adjustment to active duty service, being accused of sexual harassment

Axis V

35

[Nekoiinu]

given the fact you were medically retired due to it, does it matter what they call it, the VA is going to have to rate it and with a GAF of 35 you should either get 70% TDIU or the 100% schedular yes and like Berta stated file for SSD immediately using your medical retirement papers and their medical records they will use the last day of active service for the last day you worked even if you were on terminal leave etc as long as you were being paid you worked even if you were out on sick days or regular vacation and SSD has a 5 month no work window nefore benefits start so if you got out in July evebn if SSA approves the SSD claim it won't take effect until Jan and they pay a month behind of your check would come the week of your birthday in February SSA has a deal now instead of the 3rd of the month they issue checks the 1,2,3 and 4th Wednesdays of every month and yours will be close to your birthday like mine is the 25th so I got my check on the 22nd as it was the 4th Wednesday in August. It sounds like the system is working right for you at least. good luck with the VARO and SSA

Thank you. I guess the reason I "worried" about what they call it, is because I thought it went by what they said had. Kind of like what John posted. I thought by giving it a lesser name, it would give them the ability to say it is less serious, therefore give less compensation. I am kind of new to this, and that is why I look to you people with more experience to clear things up. Because some of that information is hard to decipher. For example, if you look at the rating for mental disorders where it talks about 30%, 50%, 70%... maybe it is just me, but it is not clear as what is the difference between 50% and 70%. When I read it I see my self as a 70%. But from some of the stories I have read here some people have gotten a 50%. I know I cannot second guess the rater, but it would be nice to be able to look at the definitions of the ratings and have an idea of where I stand. I guess there are so many horror stories out there that it just seems kind of scary. Thanks again for the reply

[Testvet]

well if a MEP board gave you 50% then you have some serious symptoms otherwise they would have given you a 20 or 30% rating so a 70% should be the least the VA would give you and then they have to consider TDIU if you are not working due to the issues. I wouldn't worry things seem to be going well don't rock the boat until the waves get bigger don't borrow trouble it seems things are going good for you other than being disabled

[Nekoiinu]

Considering Axis 1 Diagnosis I think the Axis 3 Personality Disorder is completely bogus. Like Test and Berta said you have a good claim for 100% VA Disability no matter how they do it.

How old were you when you were discharged?

Pete53,

I was discharged at age 35, this was a little under 2 months ago. I dont know if this matters at all, but I was in Desert Storm. When I came back I ended up getting booted out of the Army. At that time PTSD just was not talked about. Now there are groups and all kinds of things. When I came back, I was just different. It was not immediate, but kind of built up. They mentioned it in my MEB because we had a terrorist attack on our compound. It was kind of strange because at that time we did not really know about that kind of stuff. We were the fuel point for the whole area, and a truck crashed through the side gate ( I was on guard duty at the time ) and I guess because of the debris and dust during the crash they missed the pumps and crashed into some concrete blocks. I think this was a little after the incident at Kobar Towers. I was 18 at the time, things are kind of blurry when I try to remember. I am not making a case about PTSD, I guess it is nice to be able to share with some people who understand. Anyway my point is that after I got out, I came back in 14 or 15 years later did well and had the incident that led up to my MEB.

[Nekoiinu]

well if a MEP board gave you 50% then you have some serious symptoms otherwise they would have given you a 20 or 30% rating so a 70% should be the least the VA would give you and then they have to consider TDIU if you are not working due to the issues. I wouldn't worry things seem to be going well don't rock the boat until the waves get bigger don't borrow trouble it seems things are going good for you other than being disabled

Thank you. I guess it is just nice to hear some positive things. Sometimes I am ashamed of my condition. I used to be confident. But as of lately I worry a lot, and my life has lost a lot of quality. Your words have helped me more than you may know. That goes for all of the kind people who took the time to post something. Thatnk you all.

[Jay Johnson]

Honestly, it really shouldn't matter. One is *presumed* healthy upon entering the military, so unless they noted those concern at MEPS, you should get service connection regardless of whether or not the VA can find a stressor. People get SC for all sorts of things that aren't caused by the military (cancer, arthritis, etc) all because those diseases manifested themselves while in service.

With that said, the description given in your GAF is all VERY similar to PTSD symptoms and could easily be a misdiagnosis.....did you have anything occur while in service that could have warranted PTSD?

As for bipolar: bipolar is the ADD of adult psychology......it is often over-diagnosed and improperly so. Although there is more than one type of bipolar, the most common of which is the one that is associated with periods of mania and depression. Do you have periods in which you feel extremely "high" followed by periods where you feel overly depressed? Do your words slur together when you speak when you're manic? Do you go on shopping sprees or do other reckless things whilst manic? These are typical signs of bipolar type 1.

Either way, I would get a *good* civilian psych to evaluate you as well (maybe a couple), because more info is better than less and I have a sneaky suspicion you'll get a different result with s different doc.

(reposting this here since there are two threads)

[Jay Johnson]

BTW, hammer the personality disorder HARD and NOW....with the backlash coming from congress over the recent issue with the army over-diagnosing personailty disorders and now is the best time to fight it. Without knowing a LOT more I can't say for sure, but I find the diagnosis HIGHLY suspect.....