ptsd Did I Make A Mistake

[Fiddler]

A little back ground. After Desert Storm, I spent the first decade denying something was wrong and steadly getting worse. Finally I went to see a private shrink, told him how I was feeling and he said I had sever Social Anxiety Disorder. (Didn't mention anything about my combat experiance, still didn't want to believe that could be it I guess.) After about two years I started seeing a VA shrink and continued be treated for sever Social Anxiety Disorder. In about 2008 or 2009 I finally told, maybe my 6th VA shrink (they seem to come and go real fast) about my combat experiance and asked about PTSD & disability, because since I got out of the Army in 1993, I have worked maybe a total of two years, and ten minutes later he said that I did have PTSD and gave me the paperwork to file for it.

A few months ago, I finally got it filled out and sent in. (yes about two years to work up the nerve to do it. I can sit for thirty minutes with the phone in my hand before I can work up the nerve to order a pizza) and last week I schedualed C&P notice. After searching the internet for what a C&P exam was, and finding this site and some othersI have come to some conclusions.

1. You must first be diagnosed with PTSD from a VA shrink, send in your paperwork, and go to a C&P exam to have the VA diagnosis confirmed.

2. An initial diagnosis can take up to two hours with 3 or 4 tests involved

So basically, I'm not sure I have a VA shrink diagnosis of PTSD since I only talked to him for about ten minutes and he said yes, and the only test he gave me was to repeat five words five minutes after he told them to me. So my question is, am i screwed? My C&P is this Friday and I don't think I have time to call my VA clinic and get in for a proper diagnosis.

[Guest]

In about 2008 or 2009 I finally told, maybe my 6th VA shrink (they seem to come and go real fast) about my combat experiance and asked about PTSD & disability, because since I got out of the Army in 1993, I have worked maybe a total of two years, and ten minutes later he said that I did have PTSD and gave me the paperwork to file for it.

If your treating VA doctor diagnosed you with PTSD, you should be fine. In other words, if this doctor wrote in your mental health progress reports that you have PTSD, you should win your claim. You can try to get a copy of your mental health records at the VA hospital to see what was your diagnosis. Go to the release of information office and fill out the form and if it is not a lot they can print your records on the spot. It would be better if you could remember when you told the doctor and ask for specific dates to limit the number of pages that have to be printed.

Best wishes

[Berta]

If a VA shrink documented you have PTSD then that hurdle is over.

The next hurdle is proving the stressor -which VA will concede with CAB,CIB or PH on your DD 214.

You will come under the new PTSD criteria (in our PTSD forum) but the VA ,since you have the VA diagnosis of PTSD, will apply the older criteria if needed.

"1. You must first be diagnosed with PTSD from a VA shrink, send in your paperwork, and go to a C&P exam to have the VA diagnosis confirmed."

Basically that is true regarding the new PTSD regs.

But it is the stressor that must be confirmed or be consistent with your MOS, time and place of service and fear of "hostile activity"

"2. An initial diagnosis can take up to two hours with 3 or 4 tests involved"

That is sure not always the case at all.

I suggest you read the criteria for the new PTSD regs in our PTSD forum and this might help during the C & P exam.

A Social Anxiety disorder can certainly be a great part of combat related PTSD.

If you succeed on this claim it could open the door to TDIU as well as SMC S as extra comp for Housebound status.

(Didn't mention anything about my combat experience, still didn't want to believe that could be it I guess.)

I saw that a lot when I worked at a vet center-and in combat vets I knew personally.

Also a friend of mine who worked for VA for decades as a supervisor started having terrible angry outbursts.He was quick to call some of his co -workers nut cases if they had PTSD and called me up one day and was very upset to learn his problems were due to PTSD from Vietnam as well as theirs were.VA had to put him on disability leave.

I have another vet friend who has maintained total denial about Vietnam for decades now.He cannot bear to think about what he always has hidden in his mind anyhow. PTSDs vets "shelve" stuff they cant bear to think about.Yet often something will open the shelf revealing what they tryied so hard not to think about.

Combat PTSD as well as none combat PTSD can alter trust levels and confine one to their immediate surroundings as well as prevent them from actively doing regular things (like ordering a pizza).

The VA will compensate only for one mental disability so the PTSD here is the main issue the C & P will focus on but the social anxiety sounds to me directly due to it.

Whatever you told your shrink as to combat experience would probably be the stressor you need for compensation.

Try to relax and don't worry about this C & P appointment but DONT MISS IT.

"So my question is, am i screwed?" NO

" My C&P is this Friday and I don't think I have time to call my VA clinic and get in for a proper diagnosis."

You already have it from the VA shrink. I am sure he documented it as he helped fix you up here for the C & P and he sopunds very supportive.

[Fiddler]

Thanks Berta and pete992, I'm not too worried now.

[Fiddler]

Just remembered something else. The C&P is this Friday the 30th and there are two. One in at 1:00 PM and the other is at 3:00 PM. The 3:00 PM is with the Psychiatrist so that should be for the PTSD claim, but the 1:00 PM appointment just says general medical. Anyone know what that one would be for? I'm not applying for anything physical just mental.

[11cvolley]

They maybe looking for signs of head trauma? During my C&P for asthma so they checked my feet for some reason. Also went over every x-ray and pushed on my rib cage and asked if it hurt to breath. The VA is just silly like that I guess. The paranoid side me is screaming trickery for you. Like see how you act at non ptsd appointment verse your ptsd c&p.

[cooter]

Like see how you act at non ptsd appointment verse your ptsd c&p.

Reminds me about the time when I was scheduled for a C&P exam, and decided to have one last cig. before going in the building. I was BS'ing with this other vet for a while till it was time to go sign in for the exam. It so happens the vet I was talking to, had an exam also. So we walked to the waiting room, signed in and sat down. The other guy told me he was here for a exam for his back. After a little while, the Dr came out and called his name, and as he was getting up out of his chair he hunch over and wobbled towards the Dr. and after they were gone, I had to hide my face with a magazine cause I was laughing so hard because on the way in the building after walking down the long hallway, this guy walked without missing a pace and his back was straight as an arrow. I'm not kidding, this guy walked like a 99 year old man. I couldn't hold back from cracking up.

Coot