Imo Or Not?

[TLaff]

My metal health doc said in her notes major depression due to all the pain i have from DDD and cervical pain and migraines and i get 2 different kinds of meds for depression and one for migraines also because of meds experiencing ED. (is this enough to file a claim for depression as a secondary condition due to my ddd and my triple cervical fusion?) or do i need to get an IMO?

My neurologist prescribes meds for daily headaches and states its cervionic headaches from my cervical fusion (is this enough to file a claim for headaches and migraines as a secondary condition to my cervical fusion?) or do i need to bet an IMO?

What about ED?

I also read somewhere not to make more than two claims at a time it will hold things up for ever? I also have the following to put in it believe.

Bilateral lumbar

Bilateral arms

Sciatica

Scar on neck from cervical fusion

I take about 20 pills a day and i will say this my doctors do seem to care and be helping some, vary rarely do i take pain meds i take allot of nerve meds, anti inflatori and muscle relaxers, i want to stay away from addicting drugs.

Should i claim them all together or a couple at a time?

ANY advice is appreciated.

[john999]

Are you in the pain clinic. If they prescribed narcotics I would take the scripts. I would try and maximize the depression claim. Are you working now? If you are prescribed a powerful narcotic this will testify to the extent of the pain you are in and will also add a layer of medication symptoms. If you are 30% now you need at least 70% to easily get TDIU without a fight. All the 0% and 10% claims are not worth one 70% claim. Concentrate on the big stuff. You can pick the other stuff up later. What is your goal? Do you just want a higher rating or are you seeing being unemployable on the horizon?

[TLaff]

I want to get what i am entitled to, i don't want to make any bogus claims that are not true but i am in allot of pain 24 hours a day from all three areas of my spine and only sleep 35 minutes at a time and they know this. I take allot of nerve medicine and muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory two types of depression medicine and sleep medicine and i do get prescribed pain medicine to take when needed and i also take migraine medicine, i take a total of 20 pills a day. I am a carpet cleaner and after my surgery i had to sell my water damage equipment and carpet installation equipment because i can not get on my hands and knees any more extreme pain can not do that work any more. I can not clean furniture any more and i have went from being able to clean carpet from 12 hours in a day to only 3 or 4 and carefully pick my jobs i do. Every time i work my hands and fingers and arms go numb and i know its possible to cause more damage but its all i know. I can not sit in front of a pc for very long sitting for more than 20 minutes in an upright position causes extreme pain, i have to constantly go from sitting to standing.

[TLaff]

So i would say my goal is to get the most i can get for what i am entitled to, i have been looking to see if maybe there is another job i can do ive been looking on USA Jobs but my problem is i can not lift, stand for a long time or sit so im limited. So i have to find the perfect job one that will let me transition allot from sitting to standing some light walking with no lifting (any ideas?) i know if i tried i could get TDIU but i want to try and work as long as i possibly can.

[john999]

Tlaf

I think I would go for TDIU if I were you. The jobs you do probably aggravate your condition. TDIU takes some time and one day you are going to be flat on your back with no income. Whose talking about bogus claims? If you are in as much pain as you say then maybe living a different kind of life style would be good. Do you think you are going to get the perfect job in an economy so bad that even illegals are staying home. Get as much as you can now before the VA decides they have been too easy on vets and make things harder. They can do that at the drop of a hat or election.