ptsd Had My C & P Yesterday

[vetmp]

I had my C & P yesterday and it went better than expected. The VA Hospitol in Palo Alto is amazing and mostly everyone there is very friendly. The PTSD exam took about 90 minutes and the other stuff took about 2 1/2 hrs. The exams went better than I expected and the doc's were very nice and pleasant to talk to.

I was suprised that when they called me they wanted to schedule it right away. Literally, they wanted me in the next day, lol. I still have to go back for audio and pulminary tests. I was very pleased to find out that they pay for my miles, which got me around $60 bucks and it only cost me about $10 to get there because I drive a KIA Rio, lol. I hate driving a KIA, just the letters give me the heebie jeebies.

[iraqx2]

Larry,

You are right.... Bingo.

They know, they all know. One time, my primary had on his computer screen all my information and my rating percentage on the screen....

Go figure.

Bottomline, if you suffer from a service connected item, you better come out guns blazing on the C&P.

Don't take chances proving your case, otherwise, if will lead to years of appeals.

[tssnave]

50f7,

If the doc wrote notes into the computer during your exam my understanding is it is available to you in 24-48 hrs.

Be aware that you may have to call another location to get your C&P exam. I had to contact the VA hospital that the C&P site reported to (it was in a satellite clinic in a different city from the major VA hospital). Of course, it took numerous phone calls and continued insistence from Pete that they had to give me a copy of it before I got a surg nurse who knew what the drill was (medical records certainly didn't) and told me to call the hospital. Once I got med records at the hosptial the guy faxed me the form, I faxed it back, and had a copy of my C&P exam in the mailbox a few days later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VetMP,

Keep us posted on the outcome of your claim,

TS Snave

Edited March 4, 2009 by tssnave

[vetmp]

Thanks for the advice. I was actually diagnosed a few years back with bipolar disorder (by a civilian doc)so I have a bad feeling that will complicate my claim. But, the examiner did say that she felt I had been misdiagnosed, that I show many classic symptoms of PTSD and most likely taking the wrong medication right now. She advised me to go back to my local vet clinic and be evaluated by them too (They did not diagnose me but I did go there and had problems because they wanted to evaluate me and I resisted their attempts and did not go back).

Funny thing is that they didnt have my medical records there. I had my copyand let them make a copy of it. Lucky for me, I complained of depression and anxiety after my stressor event. The Army didnt treat me for anything but its there.

[vetmp]

Also, I thought I was going to be homeless when I filed my claim, so that supposedly is speeding things up. I go back for some other stuff next week.

[purple]

vetmp-

bi-polar disorder is very often mis-dx in ppl who actually have PTSD...the symptoms are very similar. i've done lots of reading on this as this happened to me and i spent many years on unnecessary meds compliments of VA docs who didn't know what they were doing.

be sure you get a correct dx...it's very important...one for the obvious reason and two...to stop taking un-needed meds. but never stop meds without your doc knowing about it.