Can I

[willie 74]

I have been out of active duty for 6 months, I am service connected for back and bladder issues. I have been expiriencing some deppression since I am unable to do the physical things I once was able to do. I made a call to the VA and asked if I could file a claim for deppresion secondary to my physical disabilitys. I was told it would be unlikely for me to get anything unless it was in my records while i was on active duty. Well like I said, I did not start expirience this deppression until I got out. I have recently gone to the VA and starting taking deppression meds and I have an appointment with a physc doc soon. Is it possible for me to file for depreesion. I am really overwhelmed with this deppression, I had a fusion and it so limits the things I can do, I am in cronic pain and that is documented.

I was given a tens unit for the pain and ofcourse the meds. Which I am given 120 Vicoden a month, not to mention the flexeral etc. I believe all of these things are a factor for my deppression.

[john999]

You could ask for vocational rehabilitation. If they find you are not a candidate due to SC that would be good for IU. If you are 80% you should be able to get IU one way or other. If you had a doctor say you could not work due to your SC that would help.

[Vync]

I agree completely.

The other day, John999 said this so eloquently:

Waiting two years for a decision and then getting denied is a bummer. You want to just cream them. You want to crush them with evidence. You don't want any doubt.

[john999]

Yes, if you have serious disabilites that are going to make you unemployable you do need to build yourself a mountain of documentation to support the fact that you just have enough power to get out of bed in the morning. When someone at the VA reviews your records they will say " How does this guy survive? I am glad I am not him". Being disabled is now your full time job. It is not like being a rocket scientist but it is a living. You records should show a steady if slow decline. You are going down slow.

[Troy Spurlock]

I have been out of active duty for 6 months, I am service connected for back and bladder issues. I have been expiriencing some deppression since I am unable to do the physical things I once was able to do. I made a call to the VA and asked if I could file a claim for deppresion secondary to my physical disabilitys. I was told it would be unlikely for me to get anything unless it was in my records while i was on active duty. Well like I said, I did not start expirience this deppression until I got out. I have recently gone to the VA and starting taking deppression meds and I have an appointment with a physc doc soon. Is it possible for me to file for depreesion. I am really overwhelmed with this deppression, I had a fusion and it so limits the things I can do, I am in cronic pain and that is documented.

I was given a tens unit for the pain and ofcourse the meds. Which I am given 120 Vicoden a month, not to mention the flexeral etc. I believe all of these things are a factor for my deppression.

I agree with the others here.

I successfully argued my hypertension was secondary to depression/anxiety.

and I know full well what you are going through with your back and bladder issues, as I;ve been dealing with the same for more than a year.

having fibromyalgia and degenerative disc disease with two herniated discs pressing on the S1 nerve, I have bladder muscle spasms and the ibuprofen the va shoves at me has made my hemorroids worse (worse than the pressure I exert in trying to empty my bladder).

So yeah, claim it, file it, get it documented and stand firm on your claim.

T.S.