ptsd Screwed Up Ptsd C & P

[psyopOIF]

I have been lurking around her for a long time and decided that today was the day. So hi.

I have a SC 0% for PTSD and went for an increase. The increase was denied so I took the advice of this board and got copy of my c-file.

This is where the problem starts.

I reviewed the C & P and discovered that the doctor explained that I told her that I was happy. Now I can honestly say that I have ups and downs and can push out a good laugh every now and again but happy? I'm pretty sure that that is not a word I would use to describe myself, especially during a damn C & P exam. She then went and tried to make my issue an Anxiety Disorder instead of PTSD. Luckily, she has since left the VA. The rating board wondered about the change in diagnosis so sent the C &P for medical review. The reviewing doctor concured with the original and maintained the PTSD.

I contend that the doctor of the most recent C & P misunderstood me or out right falsified the C & P.

I mean really, happy...at a C & P exam? I thnik not.

What do I do?

[Testvet]

you may want to see a private shrink and get an independent medical opinion to file for your next request for increase you have to show you have gotten worse 0% means that your symptoms have NO impact on your life and I don't know any vet with PTSD that is not affected in some manner

[mountain tyme]

Welcome psyopOIF,

1.) since you are SC for PTSD you are over that bump.

2.) in order to have your SC disability increase you must now submit medical evidence that your condition has worsened...you can accomplish that by having your MH doctor write a letter of support for an increase...

the best way that I know is to bring your doctor the criteria for the percentage of increase...since you are 0% and I agree with Testvet...that I don't know anyone who would be rated at 0% for PTSD since you have been diagonised with PTSD it had to impact your life in some way in order to have that diagonises...so you were lowballed...

3.) after your MH doctor review's the VA critera for 30, 50,70, or 100% then you will need to submit that requesting an increase due to your PTSD has progressed and it now effects differnt area's in your life..

here is the VA criteia for percentage

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/ge...3&TYPE=TEXT

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders:

Total occupational and social impairment, due to 100

such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought

processes or communication; persistent delusions

or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior;

persistent danger of hurting self or others;

intermittent inability to perform activities of

daily living (including maintenance of minimal

personal hygiene); disorientation to time or

place; memory loss for names of close relatives,

own occupation, or own name.......................

Occupational and social impairment, with 70

deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school,

family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due

to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation;

obsessional rituals which interfere with routine

activities; speech intermittently illogical,

obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or

depression affecting the ability to function

independently, appropriately and effectively;

impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked

irritability with periods of violence); spatial

disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and

hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful

circumstances (including work or a worklike

setting); inability to establish and maintain

effective relationships...........................

Occupational and social impairment with reduced 50

reliability and productivity due to such symptoms

as: flattened affect; circumstantial,

circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic

attacks more than once a week; difficulty in

understanding complex commands; impairment of

short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of

only highly learned material, forgetting to

complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired

abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and

mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining

effective work and social relationships...........

[[Page 442]]

Occupational and social impairment with occasional 30

decrease in work efficiency and intermittent

periods of inability to perform occupational tasks

(although generally functioning satisfactorily,

with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation

normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood,

anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or

less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory

loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent

events)...........................................

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or 10

transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency

and ability to perform occupational tasks only

during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms

controlled by continuous medication...............

A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but 0

symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere

with occupational and social functioning or to

require continuous medication.....................

I am sure others will add there insights as well...

MT