Depression Questions

[retiredat44]

I filed for depression and have been under a doctors care since about 1989. I was under a doctors care on active duty from illnesses int he USAF for a couple years when I was almost always sick from about (78-82-active duty) 1980-1982 - sick most the time. But, I was not seen by a physciatrist for mental health while on active duty. I was seen for neurolgicial disease, including MRI's from headaches,pain, sweling, and also doctors for the extreme edema and other illnesses from toxic chemcials. Again, I was never sent to mental health even though I suffered in great pain and crying from pain.

Then, 8 year later the doctors at Kaiser had me seeing pshycs because of my complaints of illnesses and pain. The notes by the doctors cleary state I was in depressions. The VA insited I get mental health help fo rillnesses since the 1990's and I have been under their care since the 1990's. The VA has treated me for depression for15 years too.

When I applied for my claims, one of the claims was for depression. The denials I got kept saying there was no proof of depression in the the USAF. Even though I was under their care for illnesss and pain. I had lost 2 jobs because of illnessses and had bene hsopitalized several times. That was on active duty USAF. Yet the VA claims ther eis no record of depression. Yet , look at all the records of depressiona nd illness from active duty and kaiser, and then the VA, this all going back to 1982.

I am totally dumbfounded how they can deny that part of my claim with all that I have shown from the doctors in my medical records. Do they lie like this about everyone that has suffered in pain and has had all the doctors writing I suffer form depression. I never begged any doctor to write depression, they all put this in my records on their own when I went for treatment.

I have volunteered at the VA to join chronic paint patietn groups going to goup meeting for weekly meetings for month at a time. I would also go to the mental health doctors when my doctors requested I go. I have been going al these years as the doctors requested.

My SSDI is for depression. I got that in 1995.

Yet, It is still being denied.

Again, I was uanble to work since the early 1990's. I will never work again because of permanent total illnesses.

Anyone else have a similar experience go through all these denails and finally get approved for depression int he appeals stages?

Thanx..

Edited April 1, 2011 by retiredat44

[john999]

I have read reports that many combat vets and PTSD vets are depressed and have no idea that they are depressed. It shows up in actual physical adjustments. They tend to often be "slowed down". Depression can be a physical as well as mental condition. The most extream example if vegatative depression where the person just stops moving and eating. They don't cry or appear sad they just slow down to the state of a vegatable.

If you have a severe and painful disability you probably have some depression just because of the impact this has on your life. I can't travel and go places I used to go due to physical pain and disability. I feel depressed about this often times.

[broncovet]

Berta, Hoppy, and John have given you good advice. I will add to look in your records for symptoms of depression, not necessarily a diagnosis of depression, and put those symptoms in your appeal. It is likely they may be trying to "hornswaggle" you because you may not have been diagnosed with depression in service, even if you reported symptoms.

Why is this important?

Lets just take ONE example, a hypothetical one, but not really "far fetched".

You go to the sick bay and report symptoms of depression: You know, poor sleep habits, low energy, suicidal ideations, feeling down, etc, etc. You are seen by a medic or corpsman...he writes down your symptoms...(you could be going to get cough syrup, for that matter). He gives you some cough syrup, and sends you back home.

Now...you have reported symptoms, but no diagnosis...Why? Well the corpsman or medic you saw is not qualified to diagnose depression...even if you reported every depression symptom. So you have no diagnosis.

Fast forward to you get out of the military....you go to the VA...this time you wind up with a mental health doc. He says..."your depressed" and gives you prozac, zoloft, etc...and treats you.

Now...the Va checks your records...and sure enough no depression diagnosis in service, so they deny you. This is the hornswaggle..you dont need a diagnosis of depression...you just had symptoms, and the doc did not diagnose it until much later. It is not your fault the corpsman or medic either 1) did not diagnose you or 2) he did not refer you to a mental health doc. You see..there may not even have been a mental health doc there, so he could not refer you to one.

So, you can try appeling this, or you can get another doc to say something like, "I reviewed your records..and they showed your depression symptoms began in military service. In light of the Veterans treatment for 15 years for depression it is at least as likely as not the Veterans depression is related to military service".

You may be able to find a "Veteran friendly doc" at the VA, like I did, or, you can get and IME, IMO. Of course, the Vet friendly doc is cheaper, and will probably work just as well...assuming you can find a Vet friendly mental health doc at your VAMC. You may have to change if your doc is not Vet friendly...you can discuss this with him! JMHO.

[retiredat44]

I forgot to add to my post

"Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remains the most common cause of iatrogenic pancreatitis [1]. Studies have shown post-ERCP complications were responsible for greater than 65 percent of malpractice claims [2, 3]. "

http://americanmedic...ctice-case.html

not sure how pancreas go into this discussion,, that is seperate from the depression claim...

I had pancreas disease before the ecrp... that is why they operated ont e pancreas and ecrp, because of a 5 inch cyst on the pancreas with 30 years of chronic pancreas disease sysmtoms..

I was trying to find why they deny the depression when doctors have claimed I have been depressed going back to active duty, they put it in my records any time I was sick and in pain...

[Berta]

I just felt strongly that, based on a statement you posted that was appeared to be a direct quote from a SOC you received, months ago- that regardless of whether the pancreas disability was prevalent before or after the ERCP-the VA was stating they had caused you ADDITIONAL disability to your pancreas.

They worded the statement in the same way they stated my own 1151 award letter. And in the BVA decisions I posted.For 1151 claims, the VA has a certain way of acknowledging negligence.

But no one here supported me when I raised the potential 1151 issue in many months ago -nor now - so I will remove myself from the discussion and you can get back to the depression claim.

Please disregard my posts and intrusion into this topic.

Edited April 2, 2011 by Berta