ptsd Totally Clueless

[pipeman043]

Hi All,

Kinda lost here but guess that asking never hurt too much. Hard to find a good starting place

to begin this tale so I'll begin by saying that I was in the CG from 11Feb74-10Feb78 and was

across the pond in the med on an isolated/restricted station when the broken arrow went down

between the kennedy and the belknap in Nov75. just a little stress there. returned conus and went

to a SAR station for the remainder of my tour. Been in some wicked nasty sorties plus did a lot of

LE/Interdiction work under fire. Fast forward to 2000, had spent the previous 20 plus years being

just plain miserable, moody, snappy, drank heavy for a while, most of you know the drill. 2000 is

significant cause bang out of nowhere comes this heart attack. Then all kinds of things began to

mess up, breathing, stomach pain, water retension, and the list goes on. I have no money and

no insurance so I go to the VA for help. Get medical coverage and a great NP who just wouldn't let

any crap slide by. she kept sending me for tests and what come up is a strong suggestion that

my problems are and had been PTSD related. Whatever. I know nothing about this so I ask at the DAV

and they tell me I got no case...All this crap keeps up and is getting worse. On 08Jan04 I finally decide

what the hell and file a claim. Then they start making me dig up all this stuff that I buryed deep years

ago and taking the lid off was a nightmare just beginning...I finally got a NSC in may of 05 and an

SOC and denial for S/C. I had also applied for ssd and have been tested and get a report from

that doc saying that my problems might be PTSD related and that My GAF is 51. I appeal the

Va's decision and get sent for a C&P exam by some Female at the Vet center who after

making me wait for 25 mins shows

up has me wait again so she can get a coffee and I then follow her into her office. She starts off

asking me about combat and I asked her what she knew about the CG. I'm there another 20 mins

and she says the interview is over. I'm out the door and travel back home the 60 miles or so ugly

as all getout. Couple weeks go by and I get another denial from the VA. When I read the report from

this "person" she states that I have a personality disorder, no signs of PTSD and a GAF of 65. She

is very specific in stating that I have no PTSD symptoms. I go to the AL SO who says that she went

out of her way to kill my chances for a rating. My phys at the VA mental health clinic says I have a

PTSD related problem. Next appointment he's no longer employed there. Get a new shrink who decide

I have a depression disorder....Where do I go from here? I made the case with all the verifiable

stressors and every other thing asked of me and along comes this gal who makes a one person

crusade to shaft me....What am I suppposed to do next?

[jriverman]

This site has a wealth of info on police/fire/rescue PTSD. A LOT of good info that applies to us all (vets)!

Riverman

http://www.rescue-workers.com/

[Testvet]

you don't file a "new" claim you appeal the denial by submitting a notice of disagreement NOD if it is within the year, you have 2 choice's if it is still within 60 days file a Form 9 appeal to BVA or file a NOD and ask for either De Novo review or a lcal DRO hearing. Add the additonal evidence you have, dr statements, vet center, studies etc. Then you won't los the effective date from when you first filed it..