Another C&p Exam/farce

[Jayg]

Hi all,

I know this is just SOP and I am not surprised about it. But I am very aggravated.

I had another C&P farce, er... "exam," yesterday. The examiner was testing for Range of Motion for my ankle, hip and knee joints and looking at my back. All those wonderful secondary conditions they have so far refused to even address as such.

Anyway. It progressed like something between the Spanish Inquisition & an Abbot & Costello show (with me as Costello of course). In the question and answer session, she kept trying to get me to say I hurt my knee at work. I kept coming back with the simple, true, statement that I had never injured my knee. I finally had to bluntly say "Look, I told you that I never did have a specific knee injury" and added that my conditions were a result of gradual degeneration over time and that it had just kept getting progressively worse until when I last got laid off, I could no longer get work. She dropped that line after that.

The range of motion testing was worst of all. She really went for getting that movement. Stopping at first pain? HAH! Not with that gal! Even loud exclamations of pain didn't stop her. When things didn't move far enough to suit her, she pushed the offending limb. On one or two occasions, she gave the limb a sharp shove. When one of those brought me right up off the table with a yell, she didn't go quite that far again. I kept saying "You pushed!" (or pulled, take your pick, she did both.) After a denial the first time or two, she didn't bother even protesting any more. Another time I had a back spasm that shot me right up too.

As far as I am aware, she is also supposed to take (only?) an average of 3 motions but she sometimes went 4 or 5, to be sure and get the numbers they want to deny would be my guess. She told me I wasn't even returning my (feet in this case) to "neutral" but where she wanted me to go felt an awful lot like pulling my foot up before even beginning. To, it was my luck that yesterday was an especially stiff day to begin with.

Anyway, you've got the picture. I am still miserably sore this morning and will likely be stove up for some days. She also had my blood drawn, and piss taken. A number of X-rays were shot and I am to be scheduled for another nerve test and an MRI of my lower back. I hope I can stand that. It makes me squirm just thinking of it.

There were only two things (to me anyway) that were a bit incongruous to the whole train ride. (rail roading) In trying to get her ROM results, she said "If you want that rating, we have to do this." It sounded out of character. For the record, I never tried to get her to stop the testing and repeatedly reaffirmed my desire to be co-operative and that I was doing the best I can.

The second thing, was that during questioning about my various joints, and my replies to VA's diagnosing, she would ask, "What was their explanation for the cause of this?" I of course kept replying "nothing, they said nothing as to cause" or idiopathic in the case of my nerves. I finally said that they had carefully and and unremittedly avoided making any comment as to origins of the conditions. To that she "hmmm'ed" and dropped that line of questioning.

Anyway. that's it. I'm still stiff and sore this AM and expect to be stove up for a few days. When she had quite done, I couldn't even put on my socks! (didn't bother trying either)

Thanks for 'hearing' me out. I just had to shoot this past you for your opinion (probably "nothing surprising") and, I confess, to vent a little. I am none too happy about this one already but, whatchagunnado?

Edited July 15, 2009 by Jayg

[Rockhound]

Just a side note: Was your examiner a Dr? If so, were they accreditated or were they an intern, whose write up was reviewed and signed off by a suppervising accreditated Dr.? I found out the Dr. who did my exam, turned out to be an intern and the report that she wrote up was signed off by a suppervising Dr. who I know has never seen me before and who probably hasn't even reviewed my records to compair the examiner's report against.

I think I have been lucky in one respect, my PCP is on my side and has said they will look everything over and will see what she can do to help me out, since she has suggested that she feels the examiner was incorrect in her evaluation and opinion.

I had a similiar ROM experience when I went to the mobility clinic that examined me for a Kart. They had me poping out of my chair a couple of times when my knee locked up and it felt like they were trying to brake it. However, I did get my Kart, but like you, I was pretty sore for awhile and could get around much except inside my house for a few days.

Hope things work out for you as well as they did for me.

Rockhound Rider :D

[carlie]

Jayg,

Sorry for the crummy day you had.

Glad you stuck to your guns.

carlie

[sharon]

You need to get a copy of your C&P exam. If you do not agree with the range of motion (unless in your favor) file for an inadequate exam. The examiner is not suppose to assist you with your range of motion. IT IS FORBIDDEN

[john999]

What you do when the C&P doctor starts to move you around is scream in pain. That will stop them. They will always try to put you through full range of motion to see where you stop. As soon as they start to move it scream out in pain.

[LarryJ]

Jay,

Now what you need to do, is get someone to drive you over to the VAMC ER and tell them that they have a veteran in their car that needs some kinda help......that the vet can't even get out of the car and he is in EXTREME PAIN, due to a viciously conducted C&P exam earlier this date!

Oh, and when they finally do get you horizontal, you need to do the "Fish-Out-Of-The-Water-FLOP".

moaning also always helps.

not that I would ever think of doing such a thing.........................no, wait, that's not right......'cause I just DID.

Edited July 15, 2009 by LarryJ

[john999]

Larry

What you are saying is funny but true. When I was working for the post office I had a light duty job. My doctor told me if they order you to do something beyond your restrictions to attempt it then scream in pain and fall on the floor. The reason being is that they are like the VA. They are going to push you to see how far you will go and then use it against you. Being a good citizen does not work with these type of people. Think of all the vets who go to the C&P exam and when the doctor askes them how they are doing the respond automatically that they are OK or fine. That slip is put into the record as "vet self reports that he is feeling fine". If you dress decently they say "vet is well groomed and alert and makes good eye contact". If you have a depression claim that is all the kiss of death.