tinnitus Anxiety Secondary To Tinnitus

[Thc4me]

Hello - New to this site and dealing with the VA upgrade process. I was medically retired for profound hearing loss from USAF after 9yrs 10Mths service, I was retired at 60%. Applied to VA and was rated 10% for hearing loss, appealed and tinnitus was added as SC, still overall rating of 10%. I've been treated by VA at mental health clinic and been prescribed Alprazolam for anxiety for over 13yrs because of the difficulties I experienced sleeping and coping with the steady irritation of tinnitus. I have gotten my VA records and all is reflected as described. I assumed since I was given my medication by the VA for treatment the secondary symptoms of anxiety it was service connected. I've never paid for my prescriptions, but have been billed. I always took the bill to my VA mental health Psyc and inquired why I was being billed since this was resultant to my Tinnitus, the Dr always agreed and made a phone call and the bills were taken care of. I've never paid for a script. I now feel the problems are worsening and having depression and other issues. I went to a VSO at VA Hospital and submitted a formal request to have anxiety added to SC, and he told me I would be denied because there is no nexus to tinnitus. I showed him my VA med records but he still feels I'll be disapproved? I don't understand this. I never made a formal request to have anxiety added because treatment and meds were supplied free, and any monetary increase in VA rating would be offset in my Military Retirement. I'm now worried about my job and family along with other issues and feel having anxiety added would be just and beneficial. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have health insurance currently and can obtain treatment outside VA but feel my VA records and continual treatment and medication should be sufficient. I have scheduled an appointment with the VA DR who has been providing my treatment, and hope he will make a direct statement of secondary connection, VSO says the medical staff are trained to provide treatment, but will not directly link a secondary symptom. Is this VSO correct? Any opinions? Thanks

[carlie]

Applied to VA and was rated 10% for hearing loss, appealed and tinnitus was added as SC, still overall rating of 10%. I've been treated by VA at mental health.

I have scheduled an appointment with the VA DR who has been providing my treatment, and hope he will make a direct statement of secondary connection, VSO says the medical staff are trained to provide treatment, but will not directly link a secondary symptom. Is this VSO correct? Any opinions? Thanks

Thc4me,

Welcome to Hadit

1) I feel your SC'd hearing loss and tinnitus should be rated separately at 10 % each total 20 %.

2) If a doctor is willing to write an opinion for you, stating your Anxiety is secondary to your Tinnitus

the doctor needs to be a Mental Health doctor. The MH doc will also need to support their opinion

with full medical rationale.

3) If you have a good relationship with your MH doctor then I say the VSO is full of it and would speak with

my MH provider about writing an opinion for me.

jmho.