tdiu Need Advice

[tiso787]

Hi everyone,

I'm scheduled to go and see an Ortho doctor in two weeks, The doctor is a retired army Ortho surgeon. He was the Doctor that helped my brother get his TDIU and did the surgery on him. VA respects his decision when it comes to disability.

to give everyone a run down on my condition, I'm getting 30% for PFPS for my left and right knees, I was graded as 5257, and this was many years back.

Now, my right knee has osteoarthritis, I have GERD, and I've got (according to the civ Doctor report) Cronic degenerative Disc disease in my lower back with osteopenia above that soon to be osteoporosis if i don't get my calcium under control, I've been taking fosamax but it has not done me any good so i had it changed to beniva. I also use a cane.

Question: is there a link between osteoarthritis of the knee and lower back osteoarthitis?. (one case was at Doctor Bash's website no. 24) http://www.veteransmedadvisor.com/list2.html

Question: what if any, documentation should i take to the Civilian Ortho doctor?, I don't want to screw this one up like i did in the past. I do have recent X-Rays here with me. my brother said not to take anything and not to mention VA.

Thank you,

Peter

[Hoppy]

Peter,

I do not under stand what you have to gain my not mentioning the VA. Eventually, it will need to come out in the end, Maybe your brother feels you will get better treatment if the doctor is not pressured by a pending VA claim. The doctor should be able to do his job one way or the other. The doctor who treats you is the best source of reports for submitting to the VA. Ask the doctor if he feels it is worth filing a claim. It sounds like he knows the claims business. Call and ask his office about the reports or films he would want you to bring with you.

[Hoppy]

Oh yea, I think there is a standard nexus form letter that you would need to take to the doctor if he did think it was more likely than not that the conditions are related to service or other service connected conditions. The letter is probably avilable somewhere here on hadit

[tiso787]

Thank for the reply hoppy,

I really do wander why my brother said that, this doctor was a referral from my family doctor. as far as the nexis is concerned, I recieved a letter from my family doctor stating "in my opinion it is more then likely that the osteoarthritis is secondary to the bilateral knee condition when first seen 12/21/89". I got out of the service 07/24/89, so I covered my tracks on that one, even though VA refuse to look at what the family doctor found (limitation of motion). I think that i should just go and get an exam for my first visit with the ortho doctor and on my second visit, take my paperwork.

Thanks again, if anyone else like to say something and you don't want to post.....email me.

Tiso_us@yahoo.com

Peter

[Alex]

Peter --

I am reallu mt that sure that a non-chronic coindition diagnosed five months after service is all that persuasive that it occurred in service, unless the doctor said that it isthis way now, and it was at least as likely as that wss tht wayn service. Do not give the VA any space on issues lke this.

Alex