Bipoar Due To A General Medical Condition?

[c&p man]

theriapist was telling me that he thinks that i suffer from bipolar disorder from my medical condition from service ? is this ratable has anyone heard of this... i know depression due to a general medical condition,but bipolar?

[12R3G]

9432 Bipolar disorder -- it's a "Mood Disorder" in the ratings tables. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive illness.

[LarryJ]

Well, bi-polar is a disease in and of itself, so whether it could be caused by your problems in service would, I guess, depend upon what those problems were.

Bi-polar is unlike depression........depression can easily be caused by "outside" influences (such as the chronic pain I suffer from my SC'd conditions). Bi-polar disorder has it's own definite symptoms, not necessarily capable of being "caused" by some other disorder.

I'm trying to make sense here but feel I'm failing. You need to talk more about this with your therapist, even get them to put this theory in writing, then file a claim and see who salutes when you run it up the pole.

[john999]

I don't think you should go with trying to prove bi-polar due to a medical condition. Bi-polar is considered one of those things you often inherit where there is a genetic imbalance in chemicals in the brain. Tons has been written about bi-polar running in families. What you want is depression due to a general medical condition, not bi-polar. Now a medical condition could aggravate a bi-polar condition, but it would not cause it I don't think. I agree with what Larry is saying. Better to not submit such evidence because the VA will jump on that and say your bi-polar condition is the cause of all your problems, and unless your bi-polar is service connected that will hurt you bad.

[purple]

just adding this as a thought to keep in mind:

when the VA "docs" (i use the term loosely) first dx'd me with bi-polar many years ago, they told me it was due to all of the trauma i've been through; as there is no BP in any of my family on either side as far back as i could go.

then after a few years they realized i didn't have BP at all....that i actually have PTSD. i was told and have read many, many articles that BP is often confused with PTSD and thus the PTSD is mis-dx'd as BP!! the symptoms are very similar. the treatment quite different.

make sure of your dx....if you can, get a 2nd opinion from a real psych-doc.

[ausgmblr]

When it comes to the brain I had one Neuro. tell me "that if the brain were the moon the ship would still be at the launching pad". U'r right about 2'nd. opinions.

on any thing VA Dr's tell u especially.

ausgmblr

[carlie]

Ditto on John999's post.

carlie

[MikeR]

Ditto on John999's post.

carlie

Same here, The only way a person can be Bi-polar due to a medical condition is if they are already borderline, and some medication pushes them over the edge to full bi-polar. This is still considered hereditary. Depression is more than likely the better route.

[LarryJ]

Thanks John, you did a much better job of explaining than I did.

WHAT JOHN JUST SAID!

and if you file, file for depression, just like the big guy with the funny hat did.

[c&p man]

Thanks John, you did a much better job of explaining than I did.

WHAT JOHN JUST SAID!

and if you file, file for depression, just like the big guy with the funny hat did.

thanks for all your post and time.. its just i as i stated in a post last week the VA theriapist diagnosed me with depression and treats me with therapy and meds for a accident after i got out of service...i would love to claim depression but as many as you comment it would be a hard claim since the va raters would use it as a excuse not to give it to me...bipolar would be seperate and im diagnose with it too.. oh well ..thank you maybe someone else that new or old will learn some from your knowledgable post..thanks for all your post and support ...it means alot to a vet that is fighting the va system..

[rentalguy1]

there is no such diagnosis as "bipolar due to a general medical condition." There is a diagnosis of "bipolar disorder," and one of "mood disorder due to a general medical condition." They each have very specific diagnostic criteria in the DSM-IV. These criteria have to be met in order to receive a diagnosis of one or the other, or both.

[LarryJ]

thanks for all your post and time.. its just i as i stated in a post last week the VA theriapist diagnosed me with depression and treats me with therapy and meds for a accident after i got out of service...i would love to claim depression but as many as you comment it would be a hard claim since the va raters would use it as a excuse not to give it to me...bipolar would be seperate and im diagnose with it too.. oh well ..thank you maybe someone else that new or old will learn some from your knowledgable post..thanks for all your post and support ...it means alot to a vet that is fighting the va system..

Ya know, you never can tell. Before you strike your colours, I've got an experiment that you need to perform.

Go to your VA therapist, explain to them that you are confused and need their help. Say to them, "Ya know that I'm having problems in my life, affecting my work, social life, etc., and I need you to help me. If you were me, what kind of compensation claim could I file, knowing what you now know about me and my problems?"

Go, float that boat and see what the therapist tells you.

Often times, when you approach them as the caregiver that most of them really, really try to be, and given the opportunity to help someone deserving out, they will offer ideas, offer to help with your claim, offer to write you a nexus letter connecting your problems to problems you had in the service, etc.

Go, float that boat.

I did, just what I'm suggesting that you do, and my psychiatrist looked at me and asked me, "What then, do I need to do, to help you receive this TDIU P&T?"

And, I told him.

And, he wrote a letter and made a couple of phone calls to the Regional Office, and, two weeks later, I'm at where I'm at, after fighting the VA for 5 years.

Ya never know, do ya, until you try?

[carlie]

Ditto on Larry's most recent post.

carlie

[c&p man]

Ditto on Larry's most recent post.

carlie

i try that larry ..what it going to hurt ?he only know of my accident and how it affects me giving me ptsd,anxiety,depression...i thought since i have about 1 and a half of that it would be hard to ge the theriapist on my side that i suffer most of my depression from my sc condtions than my acciendt ....i tried for depression before but i just put down depression and the va said yes you have a diagnose of depression but this is from your accident and their are no stressor in service or aggravating htings...then i came on hadit.com...and i from this i just flat out tell him yes i have depression from acceindent but i have more depression from my sc condtion bc they affect me mentally,physically,socially,economically... as far as straight out asking him what i should i claim that would floor him maybe...lol

[sharon]

§3.310 Disabilities that are proximately due to, or aggravated by, service-connected disease

or injury.

(a) General. Except as provided in §3.300©, disability which is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury shall be service connected. When service connection is thus established for a secondary condition, the secondary condition shall be considered a part of the original condition.

(:) Aggravation of nonservice-connected disabilities. Any increase in severity of a nonservice-connected disease or injury that is proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury, and not due to the natural progress of the nonservice-connected disease, will be service connected. However, VA will not concede that a nonservice-connected disease or injury was aggravated by a service-connected disease or injury unless the baseline level of severity of the nonservice-connected disease or injury is established by medical evidence created before the onset of aggravation or by the earliest medical evidence created at any time between the onset of aggravation and the receipt of medical evidence establishing the current level of severity of the nonservice-connected disease or injury. The rating activity will determine the baseline and current levels of severity under the Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 CFR part 4) and determine the extent of aggravation by deducting the baseline level of severity, as well as any increase in severity due to the natural progress of the disease, from the current level. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1110 and 1131)

[WHOLESALE]

There are some medical conditions that are co-morbid with bipolar disorder such as HIV or any other illness that affects the brain. The onset of bipolar can occur with stress and if your medical condition in service was causing extreme stress this may have triggered your bipolar condition. Stress has been medically determined to trigger onset and progression of bipolar disorder. In saying that, if you have a genetic disposition to Bipolar your chances are real slim for service connection. We really need more information to help you out but we'll do the best we can. The other post below are generally correct that a physical condition like does not cause bipolar disorder but can lead to depression.

Jay

theriapist was telling me that he thinks that i suffer from bipolar disorder from my medical condition from service ? is this ratable has anyone heard of this... i know depression due to a general medical condition,but bipolar?

[c&p man]

There are some medical conditions that are co-morbid with bipolar disorder such as HIV or any other illness that affects the brain. The onset of bipolar can occur with stress and if your medical condition in service was causing extreme stress this may have triggered your bipolar condition. Stress has been medically determined to trigger onset and progression of bipolar disorder. In saying that, if you have a genetic disposition to Bipolar your chances are real slim for service connection. We really need more information to help you out but we'll do the best we can. The other post below are generally correct that a physical condition like does not cause bipolar disorder but can lead to depression.

Jay

once agian thank for your time and post and thoughts.....i understand clearly now....i just know depression is a long shot since i diagnosed bc of a out of servcie accident...and the va rater will feed of that...i just trying to get bipolar instead of depression since he rater will use it against me ...yes i have bipolar disorder..hate it...i just stressed and pissed that bc i went for help at the va during my acciendent now it wieghy against my claim for depression due to my sc ankle,back,migrains,heel,sciaticia.... but like larryj said i guess i have to just come out and tell my va theriapist what affecting me and how if he can help me,,,,

[john999]

When docs who are tying to be helpful tell you that you have some disorder you must remember that unless it shows up in your SMR's the VA is probably going to deny it. If you SMR's show a diagnosis of depression or bi-polar then I don't think it is a far jump to show that chronic pain or some medical condition aggravates it. However, if you are starting from no record of diagnosis or treatment for a mental disorder in service then it gets harder. Depression due to a medical disorder and PTSD are about the only mental conditions I know that don't require some in-service documentation of diagnosis or treatment. With PTSD you have the verifiable stressor which for many is a mountain to climb. If you are depressed because you are in chronic pain and unable to get around due to a SC condition then that is doable, but you still need careful medical nexus statement. Anything that muddies the water about what is causing the depression creates a big problem. Three words that gives the VA something to hang their hat on to deny the depression claim as SC'ed is all they need. These guys are not looking for reasons to grant compensation . It is the reverse in my experience.

[c&p man]

When docs who are tying to be helpful tell you that you have some disorder you must remember that unless it shows up in your SMR's the VA is probably going to deny it. If you SMR's show a diagnosis of depression or bi-polar then I don't think it is a far jump to show that chronic pain or some medical condition aggravates it. However, if you are starting from no record of diagnosis or treatment for a mental disorder in service then it gets harder. Depression due to a medical disorder and PTSD are about the only mental conditions I know that don't require some in-service documentation of diagnosis or treatment. With PTSD you have the verifiable stressor which for many is a mountain to climb. If you are depressed because you are in chronic pain and unable to get around due to a SC condition then that is doable, but you still need careful medical nexus statement. Anything that muddies the water about what is causing the depression creates a big problem. Three words that gives the VA something to hang their hat on to deny the depression claim as SC'ed is all they need. These guys are not looking for reasons to grant compensation . It is the reverse in my experience.

yes that why i think bc i see a va dr for my acciendent he diagnosed me with depression anxiety and ptsd.... yes i was thinking i need so much eveidnce to out wiegh the depression from acciendet i know i need to seperate the two and put my focus and the theriapist focus on deprsion from chroin pain or due to general medical conditions.... it funny how fast they diagnosed me wiht ptsd anxiety depression so easy when it not sc ......any advice on how to handle this?

[WHOLESALE]

Aggravation of your bipolar from your service connected injury might be your best bet. For aggravation you don't have to have onset or occurance in service. You already have a diagnosis of Bipolar so all you have to do is prove to the VA your service connected condition is aggravating your bipolar condition. If you can get your doctor, perferribly a shrink, to opine that your service connected condition is complicating (aggravating) your bipolar condition. He (doctor) would of course give his own rationale for this.

I was granted aggravation for bipolar disorder from my primary service connected illness.

It's not as good as onset in service but it's better than nothing.

Jay

yes that why i think bc i see a va dr for my acciendent he diagnosed me with depression anxiety and ptsd.... yes i was thinking i need so much eveidnce to out wiegh the depression from acciendet i know i need to seperate the two and put my focus and the theriapist focus on deprsion from chroin pain or due to general medical conditions.... it funny how fast they diagnosed me wiht ptsd anxiety depression so easy when it not sc ......any advice on how to handle this?

[allan]

Bipolar, Mood Swings, depression, and Anxiety are all symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.

Brain trauma may cause these as well, toxic or physical.

Without proof, it would be hard to make it stick, that it's hereditary if there is an in service injury/illness that may have caused it.

It's best to get an evaluation from a Psychiatrist to make an accurate statement as to service connection.

If your only being treated for Bipolar with just an antidepressant, your not being treated properly. The manic side is not being treated. Ask the Psychiatrist to check your meds. It really takes someone that knows how to adjust your meds & which one is best for you.