ptsd Berta Help... The So, What Exactly Is Their Function?

[Guest jangrin]

A couple months ago when my husband filed for VA comp for his recently diagnosed DMII and multiple secondarys we went to the SO. Shortly after I found Hadit. I've been reading alot over the past few weeks. My husband had some medical problems, to make a long story a little shorter he ended up with a referral to the VA clinic psychologist by his VA MD for stress. Prior to my husband's appt with the psychologist he states to my hiusband that this appt has nothing to do with his VA claim or any ptsd problems. My husband was coaugt off guard but the appt continues. Following the appt my husband is given 12 months supply of RX for depression /mood disorder.

I know he has been depressed and I felt the diagnosis was correct because of everything going. But I also know that there are ptsd issues. After nthe appt, we felt we should go talk to the SO. Previously, she had related to us NOT to talk to or send any information out on the claim without us giving it to her first. I thought that was a good idea at the time. But now I wonder. When we told he about the appt she was concerned and made a couple of calls. We are still trying to have my husband seen for ptsd-- something about there being no funding...anyway he is supposed to get a call on friday morning for possible ptsd appt.

While we were at the SO I gave her a list of the drugs my husband has been taking and the side effects which include depression and numerous physical ailments, she asked, what this was for and we asked that it be included in his claim as part of his medical records. I think it went in the file but I don't think she is going to do anything with it. I also asked if we could include the recently DX'd depression as secondary to the DMII claim. She said no.

Berta.. are we too anxious to do this right? Should we just let this stuff ride until we get an initial ruling?

ptsd was part of the claim but we have no medical to back it up and it looks like we may not be able to get the help through the VA anyway. We just started this process and we are already frustrated.

Thanks for the input.

Jangrin

[Berta]

These are great points that Terry made-

Question- was your husband an incountry Vietnam vet claiming DMII and secondary conditions due to Agent Orange exposure? If so=no brainer for a low ball DMII award-

If not- he will need proof in his SMRs that he had DMII in service or at 10% disabling within first year after service.

He will need medical evidence of the secondary conditions and medical support that they are secondary.

I used the VA training letter on DMII (posted at hadit somewhere) as well as print outs from the ADA to show that my husband's secondary strokes and heart disease were due to DMII-from AO exposure in Nam.

Also I got a great Independent medical opinion from Dr. Bash to prove my case.Terry is right -they LOVE IMOs ha ha- we are being facetious but it is often the BEST way to go-

"I also asked if we could include the recently DX'd depression as secondary to the DMII claim. She said no." She is wrong- of course it could be secondary- but this will take a medical statement to that affect.

Side affects from SC meds (once the SC is determined)that affect his ability to work can be claimed as secondary conditions-but this situation helps most in TDIU claims for an overall disabling picture-

On the PTSD - he needs a current diagnosis of this and the C & P, stressor letter, nexus stuff etc etc-

They should definitely give him a C & P- if he has filed a PTSD claim already.

"Previously, she had related to us NOT to talk to or send any information out on the claim without us giving it to her first."

I would give her copies of anything you send to the VARO in support of the claim.

Depression could be associated with the DMII( that would take a strong med opinion however -and a shrink as well as internist might have to opine on that)- but it is probably due to or part of PTSD-and could be claimed as part of the PTSD-

I am curious that he got a depression diagnosis and mood disorder but not a PTSD diagnosis at that time. Do you have copy of that report?

Did the shrink rule out PTSD for some reason?

Did this shrink in any way suggest the the DMII was causing the depression?

Does he have all of his VA med recs and also his SMRs (Service Medical Records?)

Edited June 8, 2006 by Berta

[Guest jangrin]

These are great points that Terry made-

Question- was your husband an incountry Vietnam vet claiming DMII and secondary conditions due to Agent Orange exposure? If so=no brainer for a low ball DMII award-

If not- he will need proof in his SMRs that he had DMII in service or at 10% disabling within first year after service.

He will need medical evidence of the secondary conditions and medical support that they are secondary.

I used the VA training letter on DMII (posted at hadit somewhere) as well as print outs from the ADA to show that my husband's secondary strokes and heart disease were due to DMII-from AO exposure in Nam.

Also I got a great Independent medical opinion from Dr. Bash to prove my case.Terry is right -they LOVE IMOs ha ha- we are being facetious but it is often the BEST way to go-

"I also asked if we could include the recently DX'd depression as secondary to the DMII claim. She said no." She is wrong- of course it could be secondary- but this will take a medical statement to that affect.

Side affects from SC meds (once the SC is determined)that affect his ability to work can be claimed as secondary conditions-but this situation helps most in TDIU claims for an overall disabling picture-

On the PTSD - he needs a current diagnosis of this and the C & P, stressor letter, nexus stuff etc etc-

They should definitely give him a C & P- if he has filed a PTSD claim already.

"Previously, she had related to us NOT to talk to or send any information out on the claim without us giving it to her first."

I would give her copies of anything you send to the VARO in support of the claim.

Depression could be associated with the DMII( that would take a strong med opinion however -and a shrink as well as internist might have to opine on that)- but it is probably due to or part of PTSD-and could be claimed as part of the PTSD-problem was

I am curious that he got a depression diagnosis and mood disorder but not a PTSD diagnosis at that time. Do you have copy of that report?

Did the shrink rule out PTSD for some reason?

Did this shrink in any way suggest the the DMII was causing the depression?

Does he have all of his VA med recs and also his SMRs (Service Medical Records?)

Berta, I posted a while back about my husbands DMII- it was under "vietnam Vet Wife" he was just recently dx'd with DMII and heart disease, PN, HBT. etc.-- it was dx'd pretty much all at once. The DMII was dx'd just a few weeks prior to the heart and other conditions. The only treatment for all of his conditions are with the VA except a CT scan of his heart that the VA doc wrote an RX for, but we paid for privately

We have requested the complete military records but have not recieved them yet. Also we have requested a copy of all recent VA records so we can see what the VA is saying about the medical condition, primarily his VA M.D.and the psychologist report, we haven't recieved them yet.

My husband claimed the ptsd on the initial claim, at the recommendation of the SO because he answered yes to a lot of questions on a "check list"she showed him, but no formal dx. I really don't know what the psychologists problem was. My husband told him he felt it was related to the DMII and thqat my husband has suspected he had DM for quite some time, but he didn't have health ins. and he did not want to go to the VA because of his dislike for the "military system?" (he is struggling with being back in the system)ptsd i think.

Berta, within 2 months my husband was on 9 different medications for the medical problems, he was told he would probably have to take them for life. In addition, he was told that his heart was so bad that they would not recommend surgery until he had a heart attack or stroke because they didn't know what part of his heart was the worst with all the calcium buildup. He is depressed. He is not able to work and was told not to exercise because of his heart. He has no income and no insurance. We know he is going to need a second opinion, but when should he do it. NOw during the initail claim process or later if we are not satisfied with the rating board. Should we sit tight and see what the VA claim rating turns out?

Jangrin

[Guest jangrin]

A couple months ago when my husband filed for VA comp for his recently diagnosed DMII and multiple secondarys we went to the SO. Shortly after I found Hadit. I've been reading alot over the past few weeks. My husband had some medical problems, to make a long story a little shorter he ended up with a referral to the VA clinic psychologist by his VA MD for stress. Prior to my husband's appt with the psychologist he states to my hiusband that this appt has nothing to do with his VA claim or any ptsd problems. My husband was coaugt off guard but the appt continues. Following the appt my husband is given 12 months supply of RX for depression /mood disorder.

I know he has been depressed and I felt the diagnosis was correct because of everything going. But I also know that there are ptsd issues. After nthe appt, we felt we should go talk to the SO. Previously, she had related to us NOT to talk to or send any information out on the claim without us giving it to her first. I thought that was a good idea at the time. But now I wonder. When we told he about the appt she was concerned and made a couple of calls. We are still trying to have my husband seen for ptsd-- something about there being no funding...anyway he is supposed to get a call on friday morning for possible ptsd appt.

While we were at the SO I gave her a list of the drugs my husband has been taking and the side effects which include depression and numerous physical ailments, she asked, what this was for and we asked that it be included in his claim as part of his medical records. I think it went in the file but I don't think she is going to do anything with it. I also asked if we could include the recently DX'd depression as secondary to the DMII claim. She said no.

Berta.. are we too anxious to do this right? Should we just let this stuff ride until we get an initial ruling?

ptsd was part of the claim but we have no medical to back it up and it looks like we may not be able to get the help through the VA anyway. We just started this process and we are already frustrated.

Thanks for the input.

Jangrin

PS- yes 2 years in vietnam, yes on AO- also I did download DMII training letter-I guess we really need to know whether or not to start process of IMO and submit now or latter-any chance the VA will rate things correctly first time around?

[Berta]

Jangrin- you clarified this for me- yes I see what you mean about the depression-

and the meds too-possibly secondary makes sense-

and he certainly has good medical evidence of heart disease as secondary- and they should include HBP too due to the DMII-

It is so hard to know what they will do Jangrin-

After I read your last post I realized that -if he cannot work due to all this from the AO DMII_ he should apply for TDIU-

Did your SO mention that at all?

Not knowing what they are doing at this point- it is difficult to say if an additional PTSD claim or a TDIU claim will hold it all up-

But now that I understand his disability picture- I think he should apply for TDIU-

I will attach the form-

Under # 25 Remarks , you can tell them you have attached additional pages- this is where the affects of his meds will kick in-tell them of the side affects of each med and certainly tell them or attach documentation from any doctor who has said that he cannot work due to all this-

This form, once filed will give him the date of TDIU as the retro date-

I kind of think they should have this now while all is still in progress-as it appears they should consider TDIU even without the form -when they decide the claim- but the form date is the retro- usually- on TDIU.

He is dealing with a lot and so are you-but you have the right idea as to anticipating what evidence you might need-

and you may not even need an independent opinion- hard to know yet.

TDIU_form.pdf

[Guest jangrin]

Jangrin- you clarified this for me- yes I see what you mean about the depression-

and the meds too-possibly secondary makes sense-

and he certainly has good medical evidence of heart disease as secondary- and they should include HBP too due to the DMII-

It is so hard to know what they will do Jangrin-

After I read your last post I realized that -if he cannot work due to all this from the AO DMII_ he should apply for TDIU-

Did your SO mention that at all?

Not knowing what they are doing at this point- it is difficult to say if an additional PTSD claim or a TDIU claim will hold it all up-

But now that I understand his disability picture- I think he should apply for TDIU-

I will attach the form-

Berta,

Thank you, I down loaded the TDIU form and filled it out. Ask the SO to send it in about 4 weeks ago, unfortunately, she said....that it was to soon for that and we should wait. I am getting the opinion that she thinks we are "kinda dumb" and also that if we do anything it will slow the process down. But since the ptsd was on the original claim-and my husband has no formal diagnosis for ptsd...won't that slow the process down also. At this point maybe we should just work on the ptsd and doctos appts and wait and see what the raters do. I'm afraid if we keep adding more medical evidence they are going to get confused. Right now the most important thing is to get SC for the AO and dmII. You imput is always welcome. thank again.

Jangrin

Under # 25 Remarks , you can tell them you have attached additional pages- this is where the affects of his meds will kick in-tell them of the side affects of each med and certainly tell them or attach documentation from any doctor who has said that he cannot work due to all this-

This form, once filed will give him the date of TDIU as the retro date-

I kind of think they should have this now while all is still in progress-as it appears they should consider TDIU even without the form -when they decide the claim- but the form date is the retro- usually- on TDIU.

He is dealing with a lot and so are you-but you have the right idea as to anticipating what evidence you might need-

and you may not even need an independent opinion- hard to know yet.

[Guest jangrin]

Berta,

Thank you, I down loaded the TDIU form and filled it out a while ago. I asked the SO to send it in about 4 weeks ago, unfortunately, she said....that it was to soon for that and we should wait. I am getting the opinion that she thinks we are "kinda dumb" and also that if we do anything it will slow the process down. But since the ptsd was on the original claim-and my husband has no formal diagnosis for ptsd...won't that slow the process down also. At this point maybe we should just work on the ptsd and doctors appts and wait and see what the raters do. I'm afraid if we keep adding more medical evidence they are going to get confused. Right now the most important thing is to get SC for the AO and dmII. However, I am ready to contact Dr. Bash. Your imput is always welcome. thanks again.

Jangrin