ptsd Please Help...ptsd Question

[gbachman]

I have just returned home from my 6th tour since 9/11 a few months ago(4 w/ USMC and 2 with Army). As time has gone on, I notice that stuff isnt right, and things have changed. I have alot on my mind about stuff I have done and seen.

I am currently employed in a civilian job, as I am in the National Guard for the military side, and my civilian job has good ins. So with that, my question is this. If I were to ever lose my job for whatever reason, and I was being treated for PTSD, what would be the best way to go about doing things right now, so I could make a service claim in the future if I had too?

Should I go to a civilian doctor first, get diagnosed, and then take that to the VA, or should I go to the VA, and get diagnosed by them? Would a civilian doctor's recommendations hold more weight?

Liked I said, I am not looking to get rich, or even use this until I needed it. I just want yall's opinion into the best way to go about this process.

Thanks for all of your input...

[Testvet]

Chu Lai is the person making the diagnosis a licensed psychiatrist or a PHD psychologist? Not all counselors are psychiatrists many of the VA employees are PHDs the raters will take the opinion of an MD psychiatrist over the diagnosis of a psychologist

you know the old saying a PHD means Piled Higher & Deeper raters tend to ignore what PHDs write when they have an MD that gives them wiggle room to deny a claim

since they have issued that new "PTSD letter" that states a VA physician has to make the PTSD diagnosis and not a civilian doctor it will stop vets from filing claims that have NOT been seen and diagnosed by a VA psychiatrist because if they do then the VARO can deny the claim due to lack of a proper diagnosis I think this new rule is just going to cause more trouble than it fixes but I will reserve judgement until we see how the VAROs handle the PTSD claims in the next year or so we will know soon enough if unverifiable "stressors" are able to get their claims awarded where they haven't been able to in the past

[Guest Cliph]

Please note Vet Centers aka The Re-adjustment Counseling Service may NOT Diagnose. We are forbidden to diagnose. If a Combat Zone Vet seeks counseling at a Vet Center, the Vet may request that a copy of the counseling record be sent to the VBA to support their claim or get a copy sent to the Vet Center Client. That record will support that the Vet Center counselor has been treating that Vet and that the therapist feels that the Vet (Client) has sufficient SX of PTSD to meet the DX criteria, but that still is not a diagnosis and will not suffice for a C&P Exam by the VA hospital or clinics Psychiatrist or Psychologist or a contractor of the VA.

I have been a Vet Center therapist for almost 30 years as well as a VN Combat Vet (Grunt) and have a Service Connected Disability for PTSD, migraine headaches, bruxism, cardiac arrythmia and elevated blood pressure associated with my PTSD.

If it makes you feel better, go find a competent licensed Psychologist or Psychiatrist to evaluate you for PTSD that is "more likely than not" caused by or exaccerbated by your combat zone duty. Such an evaluation will probably cost about $2000. Personally, if you are telling the truth that is not worth the price. Your mileage may vary.

In order tp be DXd with PTSD, the APA Diagnostic Criteria (which the VA will use) staes that you must have experienced a trauma which made you feel fear and or helplessness and have at least 6 of the 17 symptoms at a moderate or higher level in the following categories: >0 in Re-experiencing (nightmares, flashbacks etc), >2 in avoidance SX (not wanting to talk about the trauma, avoiding situationsthat remind you of the trauma, unable to have loving feelings, etc) and >2 of the hyper-arousal SX (anger, insomnia, jumpiness etc). For more you may Google PTSD diagnostic criteria of you may find a copy of the test for PTSD used most commonly, the PCL or PCL-M (for military). You can also find the full protocol for a VA PTSD Exam of the VA webpage, VA.GOV. The news relaese about the new PTSD reg. is also there.

I hope this helps more to clarify, than confuse.

[Guest Cliph]

Is a VET Center PYSC considered a VA PYSC and not a private IMO?? May be a dumb question, but if a VET CENTER PYSC dx's you with PTSD caused by your Service and that you are not able to work because of it, does that count as a VA PYSC dx of your PTSD?

Not for the puposes of your claim. You may submit letters or treatment records from anyone to support your claim. However, we at the Vet Center are forbidden to Diagnose. We will be chastized for even using the "D" word. We do "assess". We are there to provide counseling to Combat Zone and Sexually Abused Vets. As your counselor, whether you file a claim is not important to me. My sole mission is to help you make healthier choices. Anything else will distract me from that mission. I will explain your right to file a claim , explain the process and refer you to a local Veterans' Service Office, tell you where to get drug treatment or help with finding a job, but I will not "do" those tasks.

I liken this to my tour of VN. I arrived in country will many goals, i.e. Defend my country, be patriotic and help the South Vietnamese build a Democracy. The "short-timers" were mean to me and disabused me of that BS. I was told my mission was to "stay alive for one year". I feared those guys more than I feared the VC. They seemed crazy and cynical. I learned quickly that they were right. I can not have more than one mission or top priority. I was overwhelmed with "staying alive". I helped my comrades and they helped me, because we enhanced our chances of "staying alive", later I came to love them, but that was an accident, I couldn't help myself.

So for the past 30 years, my mission has been helping Combat Vets heal. I am not the healer. They heal themselves for only they can. I am simply there to promote the healing. If you served in a Combat Zone and DIDN'T get a Dishonorable Discharge. I owe you that. This country owes us that and nothing less. I will not let anything get in the way of that mission as far as humanly possible.

You earned your VA benefits, they are not a gift. "Benefit" from Latin Bene (Good) and Fit (make). A benefit is an attempt to "make good" for your sacrifice, even though that is not totally possible.

[carlie]

Please note Vet Centers aka The Re-adjustment Counseling Service may NOT Diagnose. We are forbidden to diagnose. If a Combat Zone Vet seeks counseling at a Vet Center, the Vet may request that a copy of the counseling record be sent to the VBA to support their claim or get a copy sent to the Vet Center Client.

*** Cliph,

It may work that way at YOUR Vet Center - but it sure as heck DOES NOT work that way at mine.

OUR PHD's and Licensed Psychologist can and do PROVIDE A DIAGNOSIS FOR PTSD THAT FULLY MEETS

THE DSM-IV CRITERIA.

For medications, the Vet Center does a referral to the VAMC Psychiatrist and that's ALL

the Psychiatrist does is write the RX's and perhaps a few progress notes of issues they may discuss

with you such as sleeping/eating/anger/suicidal - homicidal ideation,nightmares and ruminating of them.

You also failed to mention anything about vets with MST receiving counseling and Diagnosis at YOUR Vet Center,

ALL VET CENTER'S provide the same for MST vets as Combat vets.

The diagnosis from a credentialed mental health provider employed at a Vet Center,is accepted for treatment

AND CLAIMS PURPOSES just the same as one directly from a VAMC mental health specialist.

If I were a patient / client at your Vet Center - I would ensure their policy would be changed to comply

with the regs in effect.

I have been a Vet Center therapist for almost 30 years as well as a VN Combat Vet (Grunt) and have a Service Connected Disability for PTSD, migraine headaches, bruxism, cardiac arrythmia and elevated blood pressure associated with my PTSD.

If it makes you feel better, go find a competent licensed Psychologist or Psychiatrist to evaluate you for PTSD that is "more likely than not" caused by or exaccerbated by your combat zone duty. Such an evaluation will probably cost about $2000. Personally, if you are telling the truth that is not worth the price. Your mileage may vary.

In order tp be DXd with PTSD, the APA Diagnostic Criteria (which the VA will use) staes that you must have experienced a trauma which made you feel fear and or helplessness and have at least 6 of the 17 symptoms at a moderate or higher level in the following categories: >0 in Re-experiencing (nightmares, flashbacks etc), >2 in avoidance SX (not wanting to talk about the trauma, avoiding situationsthat remind you of the trauma, unable to have loving feelings, etc) and >2 of the hyper-arousal SX (anger, insomnia, jumpiness etc). For more you may Google PTSD diagnostic criteria of you may find a copy of the test for PTSD used most commonly, the PCL or PCL-M (for military). You can also find the full protocol for a VA PTSD Exam of the VA webpage, VA.GOV. The news relaese about the new PTSD reg. is also there.

*** Cliph,

Our Homepage has a link to all of the current VA C&P Exam Worksheets.

Homepage : http://www.hadit.com/forums/

VA C&P Disability Exam Worksheets : http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/index.htm

[Chu Lai69]

Chu Lai is the person making the diagnosis a licensed psychiatrist or a PHD psychologist? Not all counselors are psychiatrists many of the VA employees are PHDs the raters will take the opinion of an MD psychiatrist over the diagnosis of a psychologist

you know the old saying a PHD means Piled Higher & Deeper raters tend to ignore what PHDs write when they have an MD that gives them wiggle room to deny a claim

since they have issued that new "PTSD letter" that states a VA physician has to make the PTSD diagnosis and not a civilian doctor it will stop vets from filing claims that have NOT been seen and diagnosed by a VA psychiatrist because if they do then the VARO can deny the claim due to lack of a proper diagnosis I think this new rule is just going to cause more trouble than it fixes but I will reserve judgement until we see how the VAROs handle the PTSD claims in the next year or so we will know soon enough if unverifiable "stressors" are able to get their claims awarded where they haven't been able to in the past

PHD psychologist and a good one that seems to be very supportive. One quote from her, was after she (DX'D) me, we would start a treatment plan. Was kind of wondering if I could use a back up statement from her on my IU, PTSD claim. She knows I have been dx'd by 3 VA (non contracted) pycs for SC PTSD. Was sent to the Vet center for additional PTSD counseling by my PCP psyc who also has dx'd me wit sc PTSD. Just thinking if a back up by her would help any?

[Chu Lai69]

Very Very helpful info Carlie. Now I know why my PCP pysc wanted me to go the the VET CENTER and start counseling with the licensed PHD PSYC there too!! There are parts of my trauma he can help with and parts he feels the VET CENTER PYSC can, if you know what I mean? Thanks again for all the responses.