Denied Tdui And/or 100 % And I Am Almost Crippled!

[1lonewolf]

I got hurt while serving during the Gulf War. They performed reconstructive surgery on both of my Feet(screwed them Together) This has caused me allot of pain and an abnormal gait for all these years. Now I have misalignement and degenerative arthritis in both hips which also catch and pop out every so often. I also have Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Arthritis, 5 bulging discs, a pinch sciatic nerve, and facet syndrome in my lower back. I never went to the VA for treatment for over 19 years other than in 1997 when one of my feet broke and they had to redo it. When My hips and back finally got so bad I could not manage it anymore with over the counter Motrin (Which also caused me to have Barrett's Espophagus). I started going to the VA again. All of my doctors from Podiatry to Ortho said the same thing. That my hips and my back were in the shape they are because of my abnormal gait all these years because I walk on my heels and the sides of my feet for obvious reasons. I am in constant pain and they have prescribed my morphine 60 mg a day and hyrdrocodone 10s 4 times a day. I have to go every 6 months for nerve burns in all five lower vertebra. I also take sleeping pills prescribed by them. I was told by all my doctors that this would only get worse with age and I am only 40 and can barely move now. There was however one very brash and rude older female doctor in Ortho who has always had an overall demeanor with me that my conditions are not related to walking on my heels and my abnormal gate. This is the same doctor who pushed bruised on me and sent my to Physical Therapy before she even knew what was wrong with my back or hips. She is also the Doctor who showed up to perform my C and P examination btw! I knew when I saw her that This was a waiste of my time and what she would do for my claim. Keep in mind that I was granted 10 percent for my right hip last Jan for Degenerative Arthritis and popping. This C and P exam was done by another Honest Doctor who followed procedure and code 38 regs. So here I am with the Doctor who treats all Vets like animals about to do a C and P exam on my back and left hip. She pulled the muscles in my right ribs during trunk rotation by grabbing my arm and extending me and she forced me to squat when I cannot and I cound not back up. Needless to say when I left I was hurting so bad I had to go home and take some med and lay down for a few hours. I hurt for over a week! I just got my claim back today and Not only was it denied but they took the 10 % away for my right hip. She wrote that my conditions were not related to abnormal gate. Not only that she answered the questions using her own opinion and not medical facts and did not even perform all the tests she was supposed to in accordance with the 38 references. They can do and put whatever they want and put your life on hold. Now I have to appeal. Gait causes all kinds of problems! You can find evidence to the contrary as she has but there is plenty of information all over the internet to prove that. It is common sense. Now here I am appealing because of one doctor who should not even have a job treating Vets they way she is. I feel everyones pain and wear ankle braces and walk on a cane both issued by the VAMC! The letter I got today should have been and would have been 100% if it had not been for her and her plight to disprove and mistreat all Vets she treats or examins! Now my life continues to be on hold thanks to her and I have lost everything and can barely walk. I am mad as hell right now and disgusted. All those years I tried my best to not go to the VA and now here I am almost crippled, in constant pain even with the meds they give me, and alone. I cannot work as I cannot sit, stand, walk, or even lay down for any period of time. I sleep very little even with sleeping pills they gave me, and I am denied and they even took the 10 % they gave me in Jan 09 for my right hip. I welcome any and all replies, support, and even guidance. I am at the end of my rope, have lost everything, and I am a former Executive that is penniless and virtually crippled at 40. I have listed my current conditions below and will start my appeals process Monday. If I could move or walk or sit or do anything I would go back to work but now I cannot!

Pes Planus with Plantar Fasciitis, Bilaterally 10 %

Right Hallux Valgus Post resection 10 %

Lef Hallux Valugus Post resection 10 %

a few other feet conditions and resections that go into the descriptions above.

degenerative Arthritis Right Hip 10 % (taken away and severed as of today by the VA)

degenerative Arthritis Left Hip Denied

Degenerative Disc Disease of spine Denied

5 Bulging Discs Denied

Pinched Sciatic Nerve

[1lonewolf]

Facet Syndrome Spine Denied

Degenerative Arthritis Spine Denied

If I can make it through this with the VA I will use my education and everything else I have gained over the last 20 years as an Executive and Government Contractor to help every Vet fight these people for what they deserve. I will immerse myself in everything I can absorb and become a DAV rep. This is a travesty and now that I am going through it I can see just how vial this process is! Thank you to everyone on this board, my brothers in arms, for listening and replying!

[*Bergie*]

I got hurt while serving during the Gulf War. They performed reconstructive surgery on both of my Feet(screwed them Together) This has caused me allot of pain and an abnormal gait for all these years. Now I have misalignement and degenerative arthritis in both hips which also catch and pop out every so often. I also have Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Arthritis, 5 bulging discs, a pinch sciatic nerve, and facet syndrome in my lower back. I never went to the VA for treatment for over 19 years other than in 1997 when one of my feet broke and they had to redo it. When My hips and back finally got so bad I could not manage it anymore with over the counter Motrin (Which also caused me to have Barrett's Espophagus). I started going to the VA again. All of my doctors from Podiatry to Ortho said the same thing. That my hips and my back were in the shape they are because of my abnormal gait all these years because I walk on my heels and the sides of my feet for obvious reasons. I am in constant pain and they have prescribed my morphine 60 mg a day and hyrdrocodone 10s 4 times a day. I have to go every 6 months for nerve burns in all five lower vertebra. I also take sleeping pills prescribed by them. I was told by all my doctors that this would only get worse with age and I am only 40 and can barely move now. There was however one very brash and rude older female doctor in Ortho who has always had an overall demeanor with me that my conditions are not related to walking on my heels and my abnormal gate. This is the same doctor who pushed bruised on me and sent my to Physical Therapy before she even knew what was wrong with my back or hips. She is also the Doctor who showed up to perform my C and P examination btw! I knew when I saw her that This was a waiste of my time and what she would do for my claim. Keep in mind that I was granted 10 percent for my right hip last Jan for Degenerative Arthritis and popping. This C and P exam was done by another Honest Doctor who followed procedure and code 38 regs. So here I am with the Doctor who treats all Vets like animals about to do a C and P exam on my back and left hip. She pulled the muscles in my right ribs during trunk rotation by grabbing my arm and extending me and she forced me to squat when I cannot and I cound not back up. Needless to say when I left I was hurting so bad I had to go home and take some med and lay down for a few hours. I hurt for over a week! I just got my claim back today and Not only was it denied but they took the 10 % away for my right hip. She wrote that my conditions were not related to abnormal gate. Not only that she answered the questions using her own opinion and not medical facts and did not even perform all the tests she was supposed to in accordance with the 38 references. They can do and put whatever they want and put your life on hold. Now I have to appeal. Gait causes all kinds of problems! You can find evidence to the contrary as she has but there is plenty of information all over the internet to prove that. It is common sense. Now here I am appealing because of one doctor who should not even have a job treating Vets they way she is. I feel everyones pain and wear ankle braces and walk on a cane both issued by the VAMC! The letter I got today should have been and would have been 100% if it had not been for her and her plight to disprove and mistreat all Vets she treats or examins! Now my life continues to be on hold thanks to her and I have lost everything and can barely walk. I am mad as hell right now and disgusted. All those years I tried my best to not go to the VA and now here I am almost crippled, in constant pain even with the meds they give me, and alone. I cannot work as I cannot sit, stand, walk, or even lay down for any period of time. I sleep very little even with sleeping pills they gave me, and I am denied and they even took the 10 % they gave me in Jan 09 for my right hip. I welcome any and all replies, support, and even guidance. I am at the end of my rope, have lost everything, and I am a former Executive that is penniless and virtually crippled at 40. I have listed my current conditions below and will start my appeals process Monday. If I could move or walk or sit or do anything I would go back to work but now I cannot!

Pes Planus with Plantar Fasciitis, Bilaterally 10 %

Right Hallux Valgus Post resection 10 %

Lef Hallux Valugus Post resection 10 %

a few other feet conditions and resections that go into the descriptions above.

degenerative Arthritis Right Hip 10 % (taken away and severed as of today by the VA)

degenerative Arthritis Left Hip Denied

Degenerative Disc Disease of spine Denied

5 Bulging Discs Denied

Pinched Sciatic Nerve

Well the obvious here is that you need to contact the doctors whohave been treating you and inform them of the results. Have them write Nexus letters that tie everything together. You have a year to file your NOD, but you need to ask for a hearing regarding the loss of the 10%, for this you only have 60 days. At the hearing you will be able to present evidence on your behalf to show that you do infact deserve the 10%, that the condition is related to your SC'd injuries. As for the doctor you can file a complaint at the hospital with the patient advocate, and at the C&P office you can as to speak to the director and lodge a formal complaint. Unfortunately it is to late to ask for another exam, nut the NOD will get you another exam. In the future if you file for additional injuries and you see this doctors name on your notice call the number and ask for another date, don't say it's because you hate this doctor just that you have other appointments on that date. Well, as I said file a 21-4138 requesting a hearing on the proposed reduction of compensation, take your time to gather the necessary documentation for your NOD, because you have a year for that.

Hope this helps,

Bergie

[john999]

What Bergie says.

[Bravo6]

IMO, I would request another doctor ASAP. Seems that doctor has a hidden agenda, and I feel for you brother, I really do!

Get an MRI done as soon as you can. Request one thru your Primary Care doctor, x-rays alone will not show what is really going on with your back and your secondary issues related to your back.

Good Luck and DON'T GIVE UP, that is exactly what they want you to do!

B6

[1lonewolf]

IMO, I would request another doctor ASAP. Seems that doctor has a hidden agenda, and I feel for you brother, I really do!

Get an MRI done as soon as you can. Request one thru your Primary Care doctor, x-rays alone will not show what is really going on with your back and your secondary issues related to your back.

Good Luck and DON'T GIVE UP, that is exactly what they want you to do!

B6

Thanks guys, I am going to appeal. I have an MRI and several other doctors throughout my medical records over the last year at the Lexington VAMC who have stated that my issues are related to my foot injuries and my abnormal gait she even put copies of them in the evaluation. she ask me questions and did 3 range of motion tests and that was it. Then when I got copy of her report she had answered all questions for me in her own opinion and said that I was fine and that the issues were not related. Then she put in a few articles from the net she must have scoured talking about genetics and age and also a doctors article that say that he does not believe KNEE injuries causes back and hip problems! WTF?? My issues come from my feet? This doctor has many complaints against her for rough treatment of vets and seems to play a GODLIKE role in attempting to get any and all Veterans claims denied that she treats or evaluates. I did not know what was wrong with me when I started going to the VA and Doctors told me along the way throughout my appointments. Once I found out how bad a shape I was in and that it was so bad they cannot even do surgery on my to correct it, that is when I put in for my compensation increase. I ended up with a denial based on her evaluation and they took my hip rating away. I guess the VA likes Doctors like her as regardless of her bedside manor or demeanor in general, they keep her on staff. It is disgusting to say the least and I am in shock still. I wish I was not in the shape I am in but now this is were I am at and I have no other options than to fight for something I should have gotten without an issue today! Thanks guys, I welcome all guidance and comments. You guys and this group keep me going at the worst time in my life! thanks again.

[oldman273]

Hey Man hang in there the VA has some good docs but the bad ones spoil it for all of them. If you can do what I did list an outline from begining to the present. I took the outline or summary and had my entire medical records both civ and Mil and had it for the civ docs to look at. My little skirmish has gone on for over 10 years hang in there and be methodical with your case. IMO fighting with the VA for as long as I have I should be awarded a honorary para legal degree. My biggest help has been with Hadit.com. when I am frustrated or down all I have to do is read where another brother or sister veteran is getting ths shaft. All of us having same issues with the same bureacrats is sad but a way of life within the system. I can only tell you to keep pluging away at it and never give up hit them with facts case law and if possible get you some Civ Doctor or surgeon to look at your case sounds like you got your head on straight and stay positive. Adios and those that have stated altered gait will have contributed to your knees and hips and on up to your back are correct. Look up in the cases of Court of Veterans appeals lots of good sound information out there. Adios and you have got to stay on it I know this forum has helped me everyday I went online to gain some knowledge....