C&p Lasted 15 Minutes Rochester Ny

[Quint7]

I posted my 1st topic yesterday about having my C&P today and wanted to start a new thread just because of the way it went.

I had my "exam" done at the Rochester NY clinic which is affiliated with the Buffalo NY VA office. My examiner.... I have no clue what she was, doc, nurse, who knows... was a very nice maybe 30 y/o who I think was named Beth. She walked me back to the room, never asking how I was and introduced another mid 20's female who would be observing. Can't remember her name. She literally read off of a check off sheet asking about my knee and low back problems. I answered truthfully and maybe 2 or 3 times I elaborated on the question just because there was no way that I felt comfortable answering with a yes or no.

After a few minutes of that she asked about a MRI on my back. I told her that I had the docs report, but that I also brought the actual films with me. She said that all she wanted was his report and the radiologists report. She wrote down some info from those and when I asked again if she wanted to see the films she told me that she wrote down the docs info and that was good enough.

She then asked me to stand and bend forward. I did as far sa I could... maybe 35 degrees. She measured and had me do it two more times, only measuring the 3rd, not the 2nd time. She then had me lean back, no measurement. Then side to side where she took a measurement. She asked about pain in all directions and I said yes.

She then had me lean on a table and bend my bad knee 3 times. She took one measurement. She then palpated my back for pain and tenderness while I was standing and I told her where it hurt. She had me sit on the exam table and lean back so my knee could flex. She pulled my pant leg up and tried to move it through the range of motion by force. After that she palpated it for pain and I told her again where it hurt as she pushed on it.

She told me that she was all set and I kinda acted surprised. I said something like "well I don't know what, if anything I am supposed o tell you, but as far as my back, the doc said that I have he lower back of a 60 y/0 (I'm 38) and that my knee has been screwed up for so long due to misdiagnosis back in 1989 (until surgery in 2006) that my kneecap rides way off to the side now. She had me pull up both pant legs and compared my kneecaps.

She said that was it then and that they would send the report in to the rating board. She was friendly the entire time. As I was about to go, I asked if the file she had was mine from the VA and she pointed to 2 large files and told me that both were mine (I have never had a claim before). I thnaked them and walked out.

I then immediately filed for a copy of the exam with the "Freedom of Info" office or whatever it is.

During the exam I genuinely would become almost short of breath and almost grunt from the pain while bending, etc. We were all friendly, but I know as an firefighter/EMT that if I had a patient grunting and gasping as they tried to move that I would definately make a note of it on my paperwork. I also mentioned more than a few times that I was almost embarressed of my situation as I have a very high tolerance for pain. I also made a quick reference to my claim for the same things in 1994 that was denied due to "failure to report" (can see that in my other post).

Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks for a great site!

Jason

[luvHIM]

Out of four C&p exams, the last one is the only one I've ever had that lasted about 15-20 minutes.

Until you get the report, it is very difficult to say one way or another. My exam was not unfavorable. Although, I felt like some things were left out and or exagerated...the exam still gave me the maximum for the SC condition I was filing an increase for. So, it's hard to predict. But don't allow yourself to worry or be anxious about it. That is the worse.

Best regards.

[carlie]

Quint,

When she walked you back into the room, did she offer you to take a seat ?

If yes, What was your posture like in a straight-back chair ?

Also, at what angle were your knees bent while you sat in the chair ?

Did she drop anything to see if you bent to pick it up ?

These are some other things they might make notation of.

Maybe everything went well, just wait for the copy of your C&P report.

If you'r close enough to the RO, I would wait about 7 to 10 days and go

get the copy myself.

Hope this helps a vet.

jmho,

carlie

[Quint7]

Good points. She did actually ask me to sit and I was leaning forward the entire time to keep the pressure off of my back and most of hte time I had to keep my leg extended to take the pressure off of my knee.

Other than writing/ circling yes no answers and copying down things from my MRI reports, she didn't write anything down while i was there. There was no tricky stuff like droppng a pen, although twice the phone rang with someone that had the wrong number. I jokingly said "now they have your extension, you're screwed!" and she said that she didn't even know her own extention and laughed. It didn't seem like a set-up, but who knows. I would say that if she was out to get people she is one hell of an actress.

As i said, I was legitimately gaping and grunting as I stood up and bent, etc. It was honestly embarressing to me. I'm a 6'3" 260 pound fireman, I'm not supposed to whine and moan to some girl in a doctors coat (no offence to any women on here) and I basically told her that... well the embarressed part, not the girl/ doc coat thing.

When yo said my RO might be able to get a copy quicker, do you mean my Vet Rep orsomeone at VA? VA in Buffalo has been pretty tight with giving me info about my claim. I would LOVE to get a copy of everything that was in those two folders she had. I made a copy of my medical record before I got out of the Marines but there is no way that the folders that she had only contained the civilian/ military medical records I have sumbitted to the VA.

[carlie]

Quint,

What I'm saying is, if you're close enough you can go to your Regional Office,

Release of Information Office - take a number, show them your ID -

provide the date of the C&P Exam and they should print it for you then and there.

I would wait 7 to 10 days.

At least I know for sure Bay Pines Regional Office does this for me.

Good luck.

jmho,

carlie

[Deesulpwr]

Hey Quint I know how you feel, 6'3" and 280 medically discharged USMC and medically retired firefighter here. These docs assume we don't have the problems because of our size and stature, I have heard this myself about 1,000 times. Good luck

[rentalguy1]

SOunds like it was short in duration, but high in accuracy. I would think that it's a pretty good C&P, but you just won't know until you get a copy of the report. I alsways go the VAMC within a few days of the exam and get my copy...I don't know if you would be able to or not. Might be worth a phone call or two. Good Luck!