Psyc Meds

[LarryJ]

My 100% is due to paranoid schizophrenia and it is scheduler with future exams because the possibility of improvement.

With the Schizophrenia I gather that you are being treated by a VA psychiatrist and, that being the case, then he/she should not be upset with you if the drugs that he is prescribing cause side-effects that you cannot live with.

And, the VA can do about anything that they so choose with you. But, they can hardly declare you "cured" of paranoid schizophrenia and take away your benefits, simply because they can't come up with medication to handle your schizophrenia.

Have you asked your psychiatrist to write a letter for you, indicating that he thinks that you will not, in the foreseeable future, be cured or be able to hold down a job, due to your service connected disability. Seems to me that he would or should be agreeable to doing this, if for no other reason, to lessen your paranoia that the VA will take away your benefits, right? Then you can use this letter/medical records to cause the VA to rate you P&T.

I had the same problem. I was "better" while taking my meds.......so, the rater says that I had "improved" and didn't meet the "requirements" necessary for a 100% rating.

I showed my treating PA and my treating psychiatrist, both of them employees of the VAMC, my "denial" letter and they both wrote letters and made entrys into my med recs to say that just because they were able to get me to the point that I did not want to harm myself or others DID NOT MEAN THAT I WAS "CURED"! And, they both also had something to say about the "rater" and the practice of medicine!

So, just hang in there and try to work with your doctor and hopefully he/she will be able to help you become "better" while following their "regimen" of treatment.

And, I hope that that is possible. G-d Bless.

[john999]

Doctors who can't help patients often become impatient and frustrated with the patient. All these guys have is pills to give you. They don't have time to do therapy. They need to keep trying until they find something that agrees with you. If you don't respond well to pills that just means you are that much more disabled. All the heavy duty anti-psychotic drugs have serious side effects. Many can't stand the meds but that is all they have to give you. If you have private insurance you might be able to find a private shrink who could help you better.

[notime362]

Iwas diagnosed with PTSD by me VA Psych while I lived in Florida. I never met her face to face other then TV. She prescribed Gabbapentin and had me up to 1600mg daily. I gained 80# in one year, and also had swollen feet. When I complained, it fell on deaf ears. When I moved to Alabama, my Psych here couldn't understand why it was prescribed in the first place. I'm in the process of being weaned off (3 more weeks to go). I have no idea if another drug will be prescribed, but at least the Psych is at my clinic, if problems occur. I'm fighting major depression, suicidal instincts, and flashbacks. I filed a claim in March, and still am waiting for my C & P. One day, my turn will come....

[xboricua]

Thank you Larry Jay may God bless you

[xboricua]

Notime I understand I gained 50 pounds on a drug called Zyprexa.

[saltydawg]

well for it's worth i have m/d my m/h doc gives me and older med. called nortriptyline hcl 25mg 3 times a day.it mixs whit zomig.i was on celxia didn'tlike the way it made me fell plus i looked it up and it didn't go with zomig.so you may what to ask your doc about nortriptyline.i'm also at the m/h huntsville,al.good luck!

Edited October 1, 2008 by saltydawg