Knee Problem And Vamc Treatment

[out_here04]

one of my sc's is a torn meniscus, last check about 50 percent (of a tear), in one of my knees. this was shown in an mri but i haven't had one lately. i get the clothing allowance three years now but i would gladly give it up to be symptom free. i do not experience actually what i would call pain but it is a nagging sensation and i don't exercise much worried that i could make it worse.

my vamc primary care provider is a physicians assistant and i do consider him one of the good ones. although we have talked about it off and on i have never gotten the referral to go to orthopedics. in the military this would have been pretty much automatic. last conversation he told me that va is leaning more toward physical therapy now. i am watching the mail to see if an appointment letter shows up. he may have put in the consult for another mri, not sure.

thing is, i can see how physical therapy can help build up support muscles in my leg around my knee but this doesn't, in my mind, do anything to take care of the meniscus tear -- may even aggravate it.

my own research ran across something about one type of tear is slow or maybe will never heal because blood flow does not get there once it's torn. i'm thinking that's the kind i have. i have heard about scoping and trimming any debris to ease symptoms.

i'm posting this just to get other opinions on what you would do, or if you have experienced knee issues similar to this.

out_here04

[out_here04]

sorry, this belongs in the medical issues forum below, can someone move it please?

[navydoc2]

I am 10 percent service connected for my left knee, I should be service connected for my right knee as well. I have had torn meniscus in both knees and I know what you are going through. That numbness and funny sensation is your torn meniscus getting caught withing the joint space of your knee or patella (kneecap). Surgery will fix the problem for a number of years but then you have to worry about arthritis as well as continued pain, since they meniscus won't be there to keep the bone from rubbing against bone. I elected to go under the knife five times two for the left knee and three for the right. I'm saying this because now the only option for me is knee replacement. The choice is yours get it scoped now and feel better, but you can expect to have to revisit it at some point. Good luck. Can I ask what you recieve clothing alllowance for, since that may be something I may be eligible for.

[john999]

Get a second opinion from a non VA doctor.

[out_here04]

navydoc, i have worn a hinged knee brace for three years. it is black nylon type, velcro straps in two places, above and below my kneecap. there is an aluminumish metal hinge on each side that runs through the fabric and hinges in the middle about kneecap level. there are others that are just plastic that do not allow a range of motion (not sure if those qualify for the clothing allowance). my vamc primary care provider prescribed it and sent me down to the supply section of the vamc hospital.

you get the annual clothing allowance for wearing anything with metal (such as this device) or using a wheelchair (that potentially rubs or spits oil on clothes) that could ruin your clothing. it is being paid at a little over $700 this year. i haven't gotten mine yet, but many are reporting on a separate thread that they are. it is paid around this time of year. you have to certify annually. vro sends you a form and tells you to send it to your local vamc's prosthetics and sensory aids (132) section. i did again this year and should get the money.

i would not have even known about the clothing allowance if i, during a visit to my dav/vso he hadn't noticed it and said "you know you can get a clothing allowance for that..." i think i was getting it then even though rated 0 percent.

[navydoc2]

navydoc, i have worn a hinged knee brace for three years. it is black nylon type, velcro straps in two places, above and below my kneecap. there is an aluminumish metal hinge on each side that runs through the fabric and hinges in the middle about kneecap level. there are others that are just plastic that do not allow a range of motion (not sure if those qualify for the clothing allowance). my vamc primary care provider prescribed it and sent me down to the supply section of the vamc hospital.

you get the annual clothing allowance for wearing anything with metal (such as this device) or using a wheelchair (that potentially rubs or spits oil on clothes) that could ruin your clothing. it is being paid at a little over $700 this year. i haven't gotten mine yet, but many are reporting on a separate thread that they are. it is paid around this time of year. you have to certify annually. vro sends you a form and tells you to send it to your local vamc's prosthetics and sensory aids (132) section. i did again this year and should get the money.

i would not have even known about the clothing allowance if i, during a visit to my dav/vso he hadn't noticed it and said "you know you can get a clothing allowance for that..." i think i was getting it then even though rated 0 percent.

I have been wearing that brace since '05 have them for both knees, did not know that I could qualify for a clothing allowance. Thank you. You see if it was not for vets talking to vets on a site like this the VA would have us all in the dark. Thank again and thanks hadit.

[out_here04]

if the va worked like it's supposed to in this, the information age, issue of the knee brace would automatically cross-flow into the regional office and automatically kick out a form letter addressed to the vet telling them that they need to have the form completed and sent into their vamc's prosthetics and sensory aids and devices (132) by august 1 every year (i believe this is the cut-off date annually) to get the clothing allowance like clockwork.

i think i had to download the form off the internet, after the vso told me that i qualified, and send it to the local varo, per the forms instructions. they changed the process slightly recently, in that the local vamc prosthetics and sensory aids and devices (132) office (it seems to have that number at all of them, because it's on the form)... they verify that you have been prescribed such a gadget and put your name on the list to get the allowance when it is done. the form even mentions certain medications that cause staining to clothing.

here's a link to the form:

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/21-8678.pdf

[out_here04]

found this over in the tbi forum where some were discussing clothing allowance:

pete992 said:

"This year it will be $716.00 for one but if you get two it should be double

This post has been edited by pete992: Aug 1 2009, 02:01 PM"

i don't know if you can get backpay, it's not like a claim or is it? some of the others probably know.

[navydoc2]

name='out_here04' date='Aug 25 2009, 08:50 PM' post='162286']

if the va worked like it's supposed to in this, the information age, issue of the knee brace would automatically cross-flow into the regional office and automatically kick out a form letter addressed to the vet telling them that they need to have the form completed and sent into their vamc's prosthetics and sensory aids and devices (132) by august 1 every year (i believe this is the cut-off date annually) to get the clothing allowance like clockwork.

i think i had to download the form off the internet, after the vso told me that i qualified, and send it to the local varo, per the forms instructions. they changed the process slightly recently, in that the local vamc prosthetics and sensory aids and devices (132) office (it seems to have that number at all of them, because it's on the form)... they verify that you have been prescribed such a gadget and put your name on the list to get the allowance when it is done. the form even mentions certain medications that cause staining to clothing.

here's a link to the form:

http://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/21-8678.pdf

Thank you very much. I called my local office today and they said they would fax the form to me but of course they did not. Thats crazy that I've had these braces for almost five years and they never said anything.

[navydoc2]

found this over in the tbi forum where some were discussing clothing allowance:

pete992 said:

"This year it will be $716.00 for one but if you get two it should be double

This post has been edited by pete992: Aug 1 2009, 02:01 PM"

i don't know if you can get backpay, it's not like a claim or is it? some of the others probably know.

I assked her and she said no I could not get back pay.

[out_here04]

but once you get in the system, you might get double allowance, for two braces. that's around 1400 and not a bad lump sum just before christmas for as long as you need to wear them. just remember to get your primary care to re-prescribe them occasionally. they wear out and the metal gets exposed, as i'm sure you know.

even on active duty, my clothing allowance date was just before christmas, tha'ts why i said that. my wife said it really always helped, especially when the two kids were home.

[navydoc2]

but once you get in the system, you might get double allowance, for two braces. that's around 1400 and not a bad lump sum just before christmas for as long as you need to wear them. just remember to get your primary care to re-prescribe them occasionally. they wear out and the metal gets exposed, as i'm sure you know.

even on active duty, my clothing allowance date was just before christmas, tha'ts why i said that. my wife said it really always helped, especially when the two kids were home.

Thanks even if they just grant for one knee every little bit helps. I don't expect them to grant back pay. Let me know what you decide to do about your knees. John is right a second opinion would be a nice place to start. Do you take pain meds I take motrin and robaxin for pain they are not great but they make the pain tolerable. What do you take. Good luck with your decision.

[out_here04]

i don't really take anything for pain, other than what my wife throws in my monthly pill box. maybe i should get her to throw a goody or two in. just kidding. i think aspirin is in there, but mainly for my heart maintenance. used to do advil, ran out, forgot about it.

i wear my kneebrace even to sleep at night. a few times somebody will say i shouldn't but if i don't it seems i wake up with my shin wanting to extend forward, so i wear it and it keeps it back. i do take it off when i bathe and wash the damned thing occasionally. i have three in various stages of repair and usually can find one when one is in the hamper.

the knee is down a bit on the priority list. got other things going on with vamc right now. i'll let you know and thanks for asking.

out_here04