ptsd Ssd Arthritis Exam Turing Into Ptsd Session

[usmcgirl]

I had my exam for arthritis today. The nurse came in and did the BP, pulse, and the usual stuff. She noted that my hands were shaking and asked me if I was cold and I said no - I just wasn't good with meeting new people which is true. She asked me questions about what meds I was on. So I pulled out my bag and showed her. The first one was the pain med from my PMC. She said Oh - you are a Veteran. I said Yes. She asked me if was in combat - I said no. Then we got to the psych meds. She said so....you are taking these for......I told her that I have PTSD, anxiety, MDD and I am an MST survivor and had to explain what that was. I said that my meds were changed yesterday and my shrink was taking me off the topamax and seroquel but keeping me on the effexor and adding the risperidone. She wanted to know why the change. I said because I was going to an intensive inpatient treatment clinic. She wanted to know why. I said because I was a self harmer - she said what's that? so i showed her my wrists. she got embarrassed and wouldn't look me in the eye for the rest of the prelim.

when the doc came in it was not what i had expected. she was in jeans and a sweat shirt. she went over my chart from the nurse and asked the same questions. I got the same reaction. she then looked at my wrists and asked me how long it has been going on and i said about 9 years and she said the scars were really light. i said yea those are the old ones. she said the new ones didn't look too bad. at this point i was so embarrassed i was almost in tears and i told her - sorry next time i will make sure to cut deeper and hit an artery. She started asking questions faster and was so upset i was loosing consentration and my knees and ankles hurt. she was doing her exam at the same time with ROM and bending and poking. She looked at the paper from my med change and got confused. she wanted to know how it was that I wasn't actually seeing a psychiatrist but an LCSW and an NP was writing my scripts. I told her because that is what the VA gave me. She said that it was in her professional oppinion that i needed a professional psychiatrist and not a LCSW. She said that she knew that I was there for arthritis but she felt strongly that PTSD is severe and trumps the arthritis which is there but manageable. She said that she wasn't a psychiatrist but is familiar with it and with the medications and dosage I am on and is putting that in her report that my PTSD is making me unemployable in her recomendation just from her talking to me for 45 minutes.I thanked her for her time and the talk. I got in to my car with tears in my eyes, confused, wondering what the hell just happened and was about to leave and the nurse came rushing out the door and i rolled down the window. she gave me a hug and told me thank you for serving and to take care of myself. I have my actual psych eval for ssd on friday of next week.

[Pete53]

In general that will help your claim.

Good Luck

[john999]

That should help your claim. The exam doctor was trying to help you and is probably as shocked as you are. Pursue your claim with everything you have! A VA psychiatrist should be treating you. Maybe you should get a lawyer. I think you are a victim of neglect and malpractice by the VA. This is just my opinion. Are you considered a serious suicide risk by the VA? When are you going for your psychiatric C&P exam if you know yet? They cannot just give you pills and send you down the road in your condition and not committ malpractice. If you start to cut yourself again you need to go in the hospital I think. I know why they did not get you a real shrink which is because they are short handed, but if they cannot get you a VA shrink they should refer you to a private shrink on emergency basis. Your situtation gives a hint at utter lack of adequate psychiatric care for all vets. It reminds me of treatment I got 40 years ago from the VA.