ptsd Independent Med. Opinion

[midnight340]

Greetings...

My claim PTSD/TDIU has been in for about 7 months, in the meantime I have learned a whole lot from the great people on this site. I get extremely anxious (often) about this whole deal... or just too depressed to do anything. This morning is better.

I think I have decided (I've made an appointment) to have an independent Phd. psychologist do an exam. He has agreed to write a nexus letter provided I bring all records, VA psychiatrists notes, and a sample letter. This will cost me $500-600 ...which I definitely cannot afford as I am unemployed and without much in resources. From what I read on here and other sites though, the IMO can be very persuasive and helpful. What are your thoughts on this? I don't want to have to try to come up with this amount of money if it is not.

Also...I am trying to make sure everything is in order, and appreciate the advice to "connect all the dots" for the VA. I have decided to write a one page letter listing all the information sent in... basically an overview of my claim. It seems that if there is, at first glance, a clear path through the material that it might help make my claim stronger. (at least I hope so...) I am thinking something like the following list... Or dos the VARO have there own checklist and this is just a duplication? I appreciate any response to these thoughts.

1. Letter stating specifically what I am asking for

2. Incidents

3. Orders which place me there, DD-214, etc.

4. Personal accounts

5. Effect on my life- personal / economic

6. Accounts from others

7. Current treatment / medications

8.. Copies of VA psychiatrists statements in records

9. Independent medical opinion

10. Nexus letter (s)

[midnight340]

I was not aware of the new rules requiring the VA to do the diagnosis for PTSD themselves. So thank you for that info. (no IMO saves me a whole lot of much needed money.)

NOTE: The following has been edited since yesterday. I am new to the forum, and originally I included quite a bit of specific info... then decided to delete those bits and give only the overview.)

John999 you asked about the listed stressor. With my claim I did send a detailed stressor letter covering events while I served, the basic facts follow:

The primary stressor listed was from when I was present at a major plane crash/explosion (1969). I was assigned to a squadron as a photo systems trouble shooter, we were at the hanger in the morning. An fighter pilot lost hydraulic pressure and ejected a mile away from the air station. The plane came in pilot-less, I heard it coming way too fast and low, it skimmed the end of one hangar, went in the main doors of the next over, (I was in between the two), the plane plowed into several Phantom F-4s parked inside, all went up in a fireball. 60 men reported to have been inside. I have only the memory of before the crash, crystal clear of the sky, the weather, etc. ... and of the blast/fireball, and a slow-motion movie like scene of ejection seats firing through the hanger roof. (I have absolutely zero memory of afterwords...) 14 dead (On my stressor letter I included a list with 11 of the names of those who died) One report has 30 injured (sent to burn unit of the Naval hospital).... I have always remembered it as 26. There was an immense fireball and smoke. One newspaper article I included listed this as the worst disaster in the history of the area.

I also worked as a crash photographer and photographed one major crash scene. ...(took photos of molten metal running down the hillside after magnesium fire...) It struck me as so violent... shortly after the other. A few months later, I worked the flight deck on an aircraft carrier, my regular job was changing films on recon cameras running alongside our planes right after they caught the cables. Another event- was present when a cold cat shot dropped an A-3 with three aboard off the bow.. no survivors, I remember mostly seeing pieces float by with numbers on. Also witnessed a phantom go into the drink alongside, only one pilot ejected, the other went down with the plane. I was also caught in a jet blast, blown horizontally across the deck and out onto the elevator. Film and everything I carried went over the side. My body caught around the front strut of a Phantom sitting out on the elevator, so was lucky on that one. I included personal accounts of all these. Nothing in my medical records..I never told anyone how all this was affecting me... I didn't really know. My orders do, of course, show me stationed at the air station at the time of the explosion. And that event is, of course, definitely on military and civilian record.

I can only add that I came from a very stable, safe small town farm background. After my four years, I moved endlessly (I counted moving 27 times in 24 years), went through 3 marriages and divorces, etc. I have virtually no income on record with Social Security... a little for certain scattered years. Mostly I have just carried the feeling that I was a failure. Only recently am becoming aware of the level of anxiety I have lived with... I did know I was very depressed.

This is the core of it all. I have been being treated for depression/anxiety with the VA since 2003. They did a full mental health battery of tests (11 hrs worth) but did not catch the PTSD. This was just diagnosed early this year.... after my VSO and an American Legion guy told me I needed to do the claim.

Edited September 3, 2011 by midnight340

[Tbird]

This may be of interest to you Dr. Bash will be a guest on the SVR Radio Show on 28-September 11 5:30 (Single Day Event) Anyone interested in Independent Medical Opinions should catch this show. On September 28, 2011 at 5:30 PM (CDT) Listen Here http://www.hadit.com/svr.htmlDr Bash will be our guest speaker. Dr. Bash writes IMO's for a living. His website http://www.craigbashmd.com/

[midnight340]

So I think I will cancel my appointment to get an independent medical opinion, unless there are further thoughts about whether it would be a good thing. (I do have a PTSD diagnosis from the VA on file)

I do not think that I have the nexus letter. No one mentioned this to me. I only found out about the importance of this in the last weeks. Why isn't the nexus letter asked for if it is so important???????

All I ever knew was that I fill out the forms, write up my experience, get supporting evidence (letters from others, etc.) And it sounds like the VA psychiatrists do not automatically write this letter. After this long weekend, I will call and try to get one of the VA psychiatrists to do this for me.

My original decision to consider an IMO was based on finding someone willing to do a nexus letter after looking over my records, doing some testing, interview, etc. But it sounds like it would be better if it came from a VA doctor.

[NSA-Saigon-ET]

So I think I will cancel my appointment to get an independent medical opinion, unless there are further thoughts about whether it would be a good thing. (I do have a PTSD diagnosis from the VA on file)

I do not think that I have the nexus letter. No one mentioned this to me. I only found out about the importance of this in the last weeks. Why isn't the nexus letter asked for if it is so important???????

All I ever knew was that I fill out the forms, write up my experience, get supporting evidence (letters from others, etc.) And it sounds like the VA psychiatrists do not automatically write this letter. After this long weekend, I will call and try to get one of the VA psychiatrists to do this for me.

My original decision to consider an IMO was based on finding someone willing to do a nexus letter after looking over my records, doing some testing, interview, etc. But it sounds like it would be better if it came from a VA doctor.

Perhaps you should check with a Veteran service organization and take all your evidence to them. They won't do your work for you , but many times can at least tell you what you actually need. They are free and are usually located within the regional office for your state. Many have local offices which may be near your residence.

Good Luck!

[john999]

One thing that the VA will evaluate is the question of your fear and helplessness in the face of this crash you describe as your primary stressor. They are going to want to know if you had good reason to believe you were in immediate danger of death or serious injury. They might also want to know if saw human remains. For instance, how close were you to the crash? Did you fear death as you saw it crash? Did you feel the heat? Did you hear screams etc.

In your career as crash photographer did you see dead bodies and mangled remains? This would probably be enough for a good stressor in itself. When you send in your stressor letter you want to describe in detail every horrible thing you saw, heard or smelled or felt.

[carlie]

I do not think that I have the nexus letter. No one mentioned this to me. I only found out about the importance of this in the last weeks. Why isn't the nexus letter asked for if it is so important???????

midnight,

Our homepage has tons of information.

It will probably help you to - completely read the following:

http://www.hadit.com/veterans_self_help_guide.html