ptsd No Nod...totally Screwed

[sjh4951]

Looks like my late husband never filed a NOD to his ptsd denial although he did submit new evidence within that time frame.

All this worry about the va not accepting the amended 214 and now I find it's the lack of NOD that got my claim for accrued screwed up. Bill had a rep for his claim...why did the vet rep not tell us that a NOD was needed???? How were WE suppose to know that a NOD was needed??

Not to mention the last denial stated that Bill had one year from that date to submit and now I'm being told that that was an administrative error and the date was actually 6 months prior to that. All this down the drain because proper procedure was not followed?? I'm so upset.......all those years he (and my children and I) suffered from ptsd and this is how it ends, all over because of one missing form? For all I know he did send it and it was shredded...regional is Columbia so who knows?

Anyone have any advise........I'm not ready to give in or up.

[Commander Bob]

Has anyone here ever tried to have a Death Certificate amended? sjh4951,You truly belive PTSD contributed to the cause of his death [ "I CAN TELL YOU THAT I READ AN ARTICLE THAT SAID VETS WITH PTSD SEEK TREATMENT FOR CANCER LATER THAN VETS WITHOUT PTSD CAUSING THEM TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH LATER STAGE TUMORS THUS HAVING A POORER SURVIVAL RATE.'' ] Did a civilian doctor or ME or a local coroner sign the Death Certificate"? You mentioned articles and other reasons you belive that PTSD contributed to his death. I don't know, and (old Texas saying ) "we want to clear the swamps to get rid of the alligators, not to start an alligator farm". I wouldn't want you to waist an ounce of energy or time chasing alligators, however, have you considered contacting your local civilian gov. agency responsible for signing off on death certificates, and presenting your evidence to support PTSD as a contributing factor to his death, get a hearing if need be, and have the death certificate amended. I mention this because you seem certain that PTSD contributed to his death.

[sjh4951]

Has anyone here ever tried to have a Death Certificate amended? sjh4951,You truly belive PTSD contributed to the cause of his death [ "I CAN TELL YOU THAT I READ AN ARTICLE THAT SAID VETS WITH PTSD SEEK TREATMENT FOR CANCER LATER THAN VETS WITHOUT PTSD CAUSING THEM TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH LATER STAGE TUMORS THUS HAVING A POORER SURVIVAL RATE.'' ] Did a civilian doctor or ME or a local coroner sign the Death Certificate"? You mentioned articles and other reasons you belive that PTSD contributed to his death. I don't know, and (old Texas saying ) "we want to clear the swamps to get rid of the alligators, not to start an alligator farm". I wouldn't want you to waist an ounce of energy or time chasing alligators, however, have you considered contacting your local civilian gov. agency responsible for signing off on death certificates, and presenting your evidence to support PTSD as a contributing factor to his death, get a hearing if need be, and have the death certificate amended. I mention this because you seem certain that PTSD contributed to his death.

NO, I AM NOT STATING THAT PTSD CAUSED HIS DEATH...IT COULD HAVE WORSENED IT HOWEVER. HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE STATES ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAD. HOWEVER, PTSD COULD HAVE LESSONED HIS CHANCE FOR SURVIVAL. WHEN HE HAD HIS CANCER SURGERY HE HAD TO BE TAKEN OFF ALL HIS PTSD MEDS PRIOR AND BECAUSE OF THAT ALL THE NIGHTMARES CAME BACK. AFTER THIS MAJOR SURGERY, REMOVAL OF HIS ESOPHAGUS, ETC; HE WAS COMBATIVE, THOUGHT HE WAS IN VIETNAM, PULLED OUT ALL OF HIS TUBES INCLUDING HIS CHEST AND BLADDER CATHS, ENDED UP HAVING TO BE IN RESTRAINTS FOR DAYS., HE THOUGHT I WAS ONE OF HIS MARINE BUDDIES..IT WAS A MESS AND PURE HELL TO WATCH.

I DON'T THINK THE ONCOLOGIST (WHO SIGNED THE DEATH CERT.) WILL AMEND IT. I'M AT MY WITS END RIGHT NOW.

THANKS FOR YOUR ADVISE,

SUSAN

[sjh4951]

Just one example:

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and

Physical Illness

Results from Clinical and Epidemiologic Studies

JOSEPH A. BOSCARINO

Division of Health and Science Policy, The New York Academy of Medicine,

New York, New York 10029-5293, USA

Research Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System,

East Orange, New Jersey, USA

ABSTRACT: Research indicates that exposure to traumatic stressors and psychological

trauma is widespread. The association of such exposures with posttraumatic

stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health conditions is well

known. However, epidemiologic research increasingly suggests that exposure to

these events is related to increased health care utilization, adverse health

outcomes, the onset of specific diseases, and premature death. To date, studies

have linked traumatic stress exposures and PTSD to such conditions as cardiovascular

disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, fibromyalgia, chronic

fatigue syndrome, musculoskeletal disorders, and other diseases. Evidence

linking cardiovascular disease and exposure to psychological trauma is particularly

strong and has been found consistently across different populations and

stressor events. In addition, clinical studies have suggested the biological pathways

through which stressor-induced diseases may be pathologically

expressed. In particular, recent studies have implicated the hypothalamicpituitary-

adrenal (HPA) and the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) stress

axes as key in this pathogenic process, although genetic and behavioral/psychological

risk factors cannot be ruled out. Recent findings, indicating that victims

of PTSD have higher circulating T-cell lymphocytes and lower cortisol levels,

are intriguing and suggest that chronic sufferers of PTSD may be at risk for

autoimmune diseases. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the association

between chronic PTSD in a national sample of 2,490 Vietnam veterans and the

prevalence of common autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis,

psoriasis, insulin-dependent diabetes, and thyroid disease. Our analyses suggest

that chronic PTSD, particularly comorbid PTSD or complex PTSD, is

associated with all of these conditions. In addition, veterans with comorbid

PTSD were more likely to have clinically higher T-cell counts, hyperreactive

immune responses on standardized delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity tests,

clinically higher immunogolobulin-M levels, and clinically lower dehydroepiandrosterone

levels. The latter clinical evidence confirms the presence of biological

markers consistent with a broad range of inflammatory disorders,

including both cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases.

Address for correspondence: Joseph Boscarino, Division of Health and Science Policy, Room

552, The New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029-5293.

Voice: 212-419-3551; fax: 212-822-7369.

jboscarino@nyam.org

The VA has stated that my husband did have a confirmed diagnoses of PTSD...their words not mine..so I would think I could get somewhere with this article. I didn't copy and paste all of it because it was so long but you get the general idea.

So, anyone's thoughts here?

[Commander Bob]

Would the oncologist write an IMO citing PTSD as a contributing factor??? Or a letter stating that PTSD exacerbated his condition. The oncologist must have witnessed and noted his PTSD condition when the chest cath had to be replaced. etc. I'm grasping at straws here, I want you to find peace and justice and be able to put all things VA to rest and get on with your life Ms. Susan.

[sjh4951]

Would the oncologist write an IMO citing PTSD as a contributing factor??? Or a letter stating that PTSD exacerbated his condition. The oncologist must have witnessed and noted his PTSD condition when the chest cath had to be replaced. etc. I'm grasping at straws here, I want you to find peace and justice and be able to put all things VA to rest and get on with your life Ms. Susan.

Actually it would probably be the surgeon that I would ask. He's the one who had to replace all the tubes, etc; plus witnessed Bills ptsd. All the hospital staff on that floor did. Also had a bad episode after having j-tube replaced one other time. It was suppose to be an 'out-patient" surgery but he ended up being hospitalized because of his actions (ptsd) while coming out from under anestesia..can't spell it but you know what I mean.

I appreciate all of your advise . This thing with the VA and what they did to him is something I want to fix..yes, I can use the comp but it is more than that, much more.

Edited December 22, 2008 by sjh4951

[sharon]

The VSO can contact the coroner. He/she won't be doing you a favor, its his/her job. This is commmon practice. You want to have it say that PTSD was a contributing factor. I is # 24 or 25. Also list any other ailments that he had in that section.

NO, I AM NOT STATING THAT PTSD CAUSED HIS DEATH...IT COULD HAVE WORSENED IT HOWEVER. HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE STATES ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HE HAD. HOWEVER, PTSD COULD HAVE LESSONED HIS CHANCE FOR SURVIVAL. WHEN HE HAD HIS CANCER SURGERY HE HAD TO BE TAKEN OFF ALL HIS PTSD MEDS PRIOR AND BECAUSE OF THAT ALL THE NIGHTMARES CAME BACK. AFTER THIS MAJOR SURGERY, REMOVAL OF HIS ESOPHAGUS, ETC; HE WAS COMBATIVE, THOUGHT HE WAS IN VIETNAM, PULLED OUT ALL OF HIS TUBES INCLUDING HIS CHEST AND BLADDER CATHS, ENDED UP HAVING TO BE IN RESTRAINTS FOR DAYS., HE THOUGHT I WAS ONE OF HIS MARINE BUDDIES..IT WAS A MESS AND PURE HELL TO WATCH.

I DON'T THINK THE ONCOLOGIST (WHO SIGNED THE DEATH CERT.) WILL AMEND IT. I'M AT MY WITS END RIGHT NOW.

THANKS FOR YOUR ADVISE,

SUSAN