ptsd Ptsd Exam...alcohol And Ocd Not Connected

[Draggin']

Hi all

I am applying for C&P. I have already been diagnosed with PTSD, major depression and alcohol dependance through my local VA outpatient psychiatry, with a GAF of 45. I went in for what I thought was a C&P exam for PTSD...only to have the examiner say it was for my sleep problems (nightmares, etc.). He did the full PTSD exam though (MMPI, etc). I guess this is necessary for sleep disorders??? He said that the PTSD info would be included on his report, even though this was not a scheduled C&P PTSD exam.

I just got my records and they say this...

Axis I - 1. PTSD (claimed sleep problems are considered part of this diagnosis)

2. Alcohol dependence

Axis II - OCD with some antisocial traits

Axis III - Multiple orthopedic problems, chronic pain, eye probelms, headaches, hearing loss, tinnitus, thyroid (all of these are in for claims/exams also)

Axis IV - Chronic health problems, marital discord

Axis V - GAF: 55-60

The MMPI-II test was interpretable although my f-scale t score was high at 83. He said I have PTSD, combat related as likely as not. But he said that the alcohol use and OCD were totally separate. That my PTSD only accounts for 30% of my new GAF.

Will they consider both GAF scores...and both diagnosis by the different psychiatrists? Each GAF score is recent. The alcohol use is DEFINATELY aggravated by the PTSD (can't sleep, need to escape). Is it possible that some of the OCD is related to the Army and the need to follow orders/direction precisely because it's a life or death situation. (I was a Cav Scout)

We're about to submit stressor letter (this Monday) and letters from my mother, wife, etc. Should my mother mention that I was not particular at all about things before I went to Iraq? The fact that I NEVER got into trouble and hardly drank before all of this was not taken into consideration also.

Just wondering what this all means and if there's anything else we can do over the next few days....or just wait for appeal time. We do have our VSO looking over the letters Monday as well. We're trying to get it all in ASAP before all of the other exams are done and results sent to VBA. Any ideas on percentage I could be expecting on the PTSD alone?

Thanks

Draggin'

[john999]

Now I see! He is saying you have a personality disorder. That is the kiss of death to a compensation claim since PD's are not compensable. You can still get compensation for the PTSD with a personality disorder. You probably are going to need some medical opinion of your own from a private doctor to overturn this PD thing. Alcohol abuse is very often a symptom of PTSD. What your doctor should say is that you have PTSD and some of the symptoms of this are alcoholism and the OCD.

[WHOLESALE]

Probably picked up the anti-social traits from the test (MMPI,etc). The VA will pick this apart since he said PTSD accounts for only 30%. This leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

Frank

That is the strangest C&P exam report I have seen for a while. OCD with anti-social traits....? What does that mean. OCD is a mental disorder, but anti-social traits point to a PD. I don't understand how this guy breaks down the GAF into parts. PTSD is the main Axis One disorder. I think the examiner is trying to leave room for the VA to make a PD diagnosis to account for some of the vets problems. The exam doctor is equivocating and that puts his whole exam in doubt. He says the alcoholism and OCD are not part of the PTSD diagnosis. That is strange and does not really make sense. What are the anti-social traits he is speaking about?

[WHOLESALE]

Draggin,

Anti-social does not mean shy or quiet, as it is often used. It literally means against society. An example of an anti-social trait would be fantasizing about hurting people and/or institutions that you feel have wronged you. Examples of anti-social behavior would be making bombs and sending them to people in the mail or taking a gun to school and arbitrarily shooting people in an effort to tell society that it has some error.

The way you answered some questions on the MMPI, etc tests scaled this result.

Frank

"What are the anti-social traits he is speaking about?"

All I got from that is that it was "difficult for me to build rapport during interview" and that I'm "mean and controlling with wife and children". I don't hang out with friends a lot...I stick with family. I'm depressed and embarassed (seriously, I've gained a lot of weight) because of how I am right now. I feel very anxious and don't want to deal with any additional crap...this whole VA thing is BS enough...guess this makes me anti-social???

Edited July 24, 2009 by WHOLESALE

[john999]

The MMPI compares your answers with people who have the diagnosis of a mental disorder or PD. The thing is that there is a scale that shows if a person is either knowingly, or unknowingly tending to inflate their score on one scale or not. Some people with low self image might say bad things about themselves and look like a anti-social person, but that is shown to be inflated using another scale. If an expert gives the test they can interpret it with some acuracy. If a dumb VA doctor with a hidden agenda to deny compensation interprets it you will look like Charles Manson. I am not kidding.

[WHOLESALE]

John, that would mean the doctor would have anti-social traits right?

I think calling him dumb is being too nice. Yeah, these doctors can really manipulate these test to their advantage. I would recommend seeking out a forensic psychologist or psychologist that will do these same tests. You of course would pay them and you wouldn't have to worry about them manipulating the tests for alternative reason. Then the VA will have two tests so as to possible get the benefit of doubt in your favor.

I would seek this out since this doc did you wrong by putting that anti-social axis II in there. The VA doctors know how the VA interprets these diagnosis unfavorable for the vet.

Frank

john999' date='Jul 24 2009, 08:41 AM' post='156485']

If a dumb VA doctor with a hidden agenda to deny compensation interprets it you will look like Charles Manson. I am not kidding.

[john999]

Wholesale

Their are prostitute doctors who will do anything for a dollar. I met quite a few filing a worker's compensation claim years ago. The VA has their whores as well. They will attempt to lead a vet down the garden path with leading questions all designed to come up with a personality diagnosis because they know that means no compensation. They start out asking about your childhood. Did you like school? Did you get along with your teachers? Did you ever get in trouble? Did you get along with your parents? Did you ever run away from home? Did you ever take a drink of alcohol as a teenager? Did you ever smoke or experiment with pot? Were you ever suspended from school or skip classes? These questions are all designed to get you to admit to something every kid probably did once or twice. That is all it takes for them to label you a PD. Every teen probably had a few fights or problems with their parents. This is grist for the VA's PD mill, so they can say your MH problems are pre-existing or you are a sociopath. After all this talk of taking care of our "Heros" the VA is still doing it. The military will kick you out for anything if they think you might cost them a buck. That is after you have been to the combat zone. When they had the draft army they would just wear you out and then throw you away. You could have a heart condition and be blind as a bat and still get orders for Vietnam.