ptsd Ptsd C&p Increase Exam

[USMC_HVEQ]

hi,

I have a C&P exam tomorrow for an increase from 50 --> 70%. My 2 most recent diagnosis:

Jan 27, 2010

DX

Axis 1: Chronic Severe PTSD with prominent hyperarousal, irritability, intrusions and social withdrawl, MDD Chronic with anhedonia and recurrent suicidal thoughts, panic disorder, severe sleep disorder, alcohol abuse epidisodic

Axis 2: deferred

Axis 3: Obesity, Likely Obstructive Sleep Apnea, HTN, Hyperlipidemia, Shoulder traumatic arthritis with chronic pain, tinnitus

Axis 4: extreme: combat trauma with chronic ptsd, reintegration, extreme weight gain, social isolation, unemployment

Axis 5: 41

Dec 23, 2009

DX

Axis 1: PTSD, Chronic

MDD

R/o Panic Disorder

H/o Alcohol abuse

Axis 2: deferred

Axis 3: R/O OSA

Axis 4: Isolation

Axis 5: 45

Prior DX (part of my 50% claim)

Sept 18, 2008 (that was my last Dx prior)

DX

Axis 1: PTSD; Major Depressive Disorder

Axis 2: Deferred

Axis 3: Obesity; Tinnitus; Upper Arm Condition

Axis 4: Relational Difficulties

Axis 5: 50

Prior C&P Exam

Dec 11, 2008

DX

Axis 1: PTSD, Depressive disorder NOS

Axis 2: No dx

Axis 3: see problem list

Axis 4: unemployment of > 1yr

Axis 5: GAF 53 current functioning

I'm wondering what people think my chances are for my ptsd comp to be increased from 50 to 70% based on the above DX's. I'm going in tomorrow for the C&P, so I will get copies after the exam and post to give the best idea. I am also still waiting on my sleep study. Have not rec'd a date yet as well.

[Commander Bob]

hi,

I have a C&P exam tomorrow for an increase from 50 --> 70%. My 2 most recent diagnosis:...

...I'm wondering what people think my chances are for my ptsd comp to be increased from 50 to 70% based on the above DX's. I'm going in tomorrow for the C&P, so I will get copies after the exam and post to give the best idea. I am also still waiting on my sleep study. Have not rec'd a date yet as well.

TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF

CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS PART 4--SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES

Subpart B--Disability Ratings

4.129 Mental disorders due to traumatic stress.

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders:

Total occupational and social impairment, due to

such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought

processes or communication; persistent delusions

or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior;

persistent danger of hurting self or others;

intermittent inability to perform activities of

daily living (including maintenance of minimal

personal hygiene); disorientation to time or

place; memory loss for names of close relatives,

own occupation, or own name............. 100%

Occupational and social impairment, with

deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school,

family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due

to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation;

obsessional rituals which interfere with routine

activities; speech intermittently illogical,

obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or

depression affecting the ability to function

independently, appropriately and effectively;

impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked

irritability with periods of violence); spatial

disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and

hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful

circumstances (including work or a worklike

setting); inability to establish and maintain

effective relationships............... 70%

Occupational and social impairment with reduced

reliability and productivity due to such symptoms

as: flattened affect; circumstantial,

circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic

attacks more than once a week; difficulty in

understanding complex commands; impairment of

short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of

only highly learned material, forgetting to

complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired

abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and

mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining

effective work and social relationships....... 50%

Occupational and social impairment with occasional

decrease in work efficiency and intermittent

periods of inability to perform occupational tasks

(although generally functioning satisfactorily,

with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation

normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood,

anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or

less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory

loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent

events)...................................... 30%

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or

transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency

and ability to perform occupational tasks only

during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms

controlled by continuous medication............ 10%

A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but

symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere

with occupational and social functioning or to

require continuous medication................... 0%

[USMC_HVEQ]

Well I went to VA today. It went well, I thought. I explained eveything that was going on and the examiner was vey nice. He did a bunch of the exam on his own. I mena he filled a bunch of the non specific stuff on his own. It last about 1 hr. I got a copy of the exam.

His DX

Axis 1: PTSD, Depression NOS

Axis 2: no dx

Axis 3: see poblem list

Axis 4: work related conflicts, little social interaction

Axis 5: GAF 44 current functioning

Is there total occupational & social impairment? NO

If there is not total occ and social impairment, do ptsd signs and symptoms result in deficiencies in the following areas (judgement, thinking, family relations, work, mood o school)? YES

Judgement? Yes

Examples: see above

Thinking? No

Family Relations? Yes

Work? Yes

Mood? YES

School? YES

[USMC_HVEQ]

Based on the C&P exam results (listed below) and my other Dx's, would it be some what safe to say the VA will grant my increase from 50 --> 70%?

[68mustang]

Well I went to VA today. It went well, I thought. I explained eveything that was going on and the examiner was vey nice. He did a bunch of the exam on his own. I mena he filled a bunch of the non specific stuff on his own. It last about 1 hr. I got a copy of the exam.

His DX

Axis 1: PTSD, Depression NOS

Axis 2: no dx

Axis 3: see poblem list

Axis 4: work related conflicts, little social interaction

Axis 5: GAF 44 current functioning

Is there total occupational & social impairment? NO

If there is not total occ and social impairment, do ptsd signs and symptoms result in deficiencies in the following areas (judgement, thinking, family relations, work, mood o school)? YES

Judgement? Yes

Examples: see above

Thinking? No

Family Relations? Yes

Work? Yes

Mood? YES

School? YES

USMC

You are lucky you got a copy of your C&P exam. Every time I ask for a copy of any of my C&P exams I have had I've been told that I would have to get copies from the Houston RO. Seems to me that I keep getting the runaround.

68mustang

[USMC_HVEQ]

68mustang,

I had 3 C&P exams. 1 last thursday and then 2 on tuesday. I knew that 1 of of the 2 c&p exams, the examiner was filling out the form. He told me, it was all set. I went to the next exam and that examiner wrote everything down, not on computer. I then went to records. 2 of 3 were available and signed off on, so I asked for a copy. The RO said they would mail the last one.

[jerrbilly]

I had to wait 4 weeks to get my last exam mailed to me. You examiner was very nice to give you a copy right then and there.

Kudos to that. This looks like good grounds for 70% (deficiencies in most areas) but did you tell the examiner about your suicidal thoughts? I don't see it in this but i'm sure this isn't all of the exam.

Jerr

Well I went to VA today. It went well, I thought. I explained eveything that was going on and the examiner was vey nice. He did a bunch of the exam on his own. I mena he filled a bunch of the non specific stuff on his own. It last about 1 hr. I got a copy of the exam.

His DX

Axis 1: PTSD, Depression NOS

Axis 2: no dx

Axis 3: see poblem list

Axis 4: work related conflicts, little social interaction

Axis 5: GAF 44 current functioning

Is there total occupational & social impairment? NO

If there is not total occ and social impairment, do ptsd signs and symptoms result in deficiencies in the following areas (judgement, thinking, family relations, work, mood o school)? YES

Judgement? Yes

Examples: see above

Thinking? No

Family Relations? Yes

Work? Yes

Mood? YES

School? YES

Edited February 10, 2010 by jerrbilly