Weekend C&p Exam Oddities-In My Favor?

[brokensoldier244th]

I had a weekend C&P ( I thought that was unusual enough-most of the Omaha VAMC was closed when I was there at 0745 this morning, and ive never had one on a weekend before) and the doc said something that I hand't heard before. The C&P doc (Psych) directly contravened my VA doc and PCP here in Lincoln. I used to take zoloft for PME, and it was originally prescribed for that. Many months ago I noted that it wasn't working, since I couldn't raise the mast anyway, so levitra was prescribed. Around the same time I started seeing my VA psychologist, and one of the things she said was that if I felt that the zoloft was helping my depression, keep taking it. I mentioned this to my PCP (a PA) who has continued my prescription. I have not seen anyone else in MH (like a psychiatrist) in all this, just these two.

The C&P doc (a board psychologist) said this morning that, while he can't "Tell me what to do......." and he isn't "judging my care staff in Lincoln", he says that its his recommendation that I get referred into actual Mental Health, because they can write prescriptions, and the 50mg zoloft that I take now is not enough, in his opinion-I should seek more, or a different medication for my depression and symptoms, based on my history, and our hour long discussion today, because what I am doing now isn't working. He had all of my prior notes in the system, and had reviewed them before I came in.

WOW....ive never heard the C&P doc directly call anyone out like that before.

I'm currently 30% for depression, but in the midst of my still submitting evidence my claim was granted, so I continued pursuing it as a request for increase, since I have absence write-ups (warnings), a warning for non-professional conduct to a client, and a letter from my boss explaining the allowances they have made for my job for things that I dont' have to do vs. other support staff. It also states that in the last year my performance has greatly suffered, my productivity has dropped, and my attitudes and mannerisms at work have become more strained and abrasive with co-workers and clients. Right now I am the lead support tech that doesn' travel, doesn't see clients directly, and works a shorter number of hours a week, to cope with my depression. This evidence was still being compiled when my 30% was granted, so im submitting it now, hoping to bolster a claim for increase based on

"Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impairedabstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships ..........."

To me this sounds at least somewhat favorable to me, in some respect, since the doc is recommending different and increased level of care for this. Am I wrong in thinking this? I've attached the letter from my boss for reference to what was submitted. I also submitted as evidence 2 written performance warnings, one dealing with my response to a client (for support), and the other a punitive one RE my absences over the last year. Im 70 percent now, and while no one has said anything about IU (im still working, anyway) my fear is that in my current capacity as lead support im so 'protected' from various aspects of the job because of specialized knowledge that if I left where I work now I wouldn't be able to get another job in IT support anywhere because of my difficulties in dealing with people and adverse/combative attitudes.

Im in grad school now, distance learning, shooting for an information security degree, in the hopes that I can try to turn that into a job as an analyst that doesn't have to deal with clients anymore, but that is still 2 years away. I have a claim in to renew vocational rehab services as well, as my last status of 'rehabilitated' was based on my completion of my B.S. in Info Systems mgt in 2008-which has thus far qualified me for 'tech support' in every other place that I have applied to in the last few years. Add to this that my current specialty at work now will be gone in a few years due to planned obsolescence. My fear is that if I quit, or get fired from my current lead support job, im kind of screwed.....so my request for Voc Rehab services revolves around new training in Information Technology that isn't a support/technician/people type of job.

Edited December 11, 2011 by brokensoldier244th

[scscrewed]

Yes graduate school. I love the fact that so many veterans rated at 100 percent for mental health solely P an T attend graduate. I know of two. And here Broken just wants a mere 50 percent. It's isn't equitable that others get 100 percent, and he is iffy for 50.

[carlie]

Yes graduate school. I love the fact that so many veterans rated at 100 percent for mental health solely P an T attend graduate.

I know of two. And here Broken just wants a mere 50 percent. It's isn't equitable that others get 100 percent, and he is iffy for 50.

sc,

EVERY claim is different and different decision makers

(those are the people that have the authority to assign weight to evidence)

will assign weight to each item factored into the totality, of the evidence of record.

This is one of the main reasons that Vet A might get a 70% - Vet B a 50% and Vet C a 30%.

I know of a few disabled vet college students and some of them have been provided (by VA)

with tech assist items to help them trying to further their education OR as some VA decision maker

and MH docs might view it - as working on and treatment for their agoraphobia.

It is not at all unusual for a vet to be 100% SC for MH and VA provide them with a GPS for getting around to

places like the grocery store, library - whatever - - and because they can do this occasionally provides no

support to lower/reduce their evaluation percentage.

JMHO

[scscrewed]

Yes, I understand this. I also know that if your 100 percent for Mental Health and writing a master's thesis. Then that is a little odd. I can understand the gps for a grocery store. I cannot understand veterans who game the benefits system. I spent many months on the psych floor, and people on the psych floor aggregate into groups, and in these groups you talk and confide. Many veterans game their mental health symptoms. I know of two 100 percent service connected veterans for mental health that were making it "look good." It happens.

I am not talking of a veteran that's working within voc rehab and getting assistance, but the veteran whose hiding their enrollment. I read something like 90 percent efficiency is the goal for the VA rating system, and they aren't there. There are many vets not receiving the appropriate rating on both sides of the fence ones on the bottom and ones on the top.

[scscrewed]

sc,

EVERY claim is different and different decision makers

(those are the people that have the authority to assign weight to evidence)

will assign weight to each item factored into the totality, of the evidence of record. Wouldn't it be nice if the VA did that. Looked at the record of vets and read the evidence. I'm too jaded to believe this.

This is one of the main reasons that Vet A might get a 70% - Vet B a 50% and Vet C a 30%.

I know of a few disabled vet college students and some of them have been provided (by VA)

with tech assist items to help them trying to further their education OR as some VA decision maker

and MH docs might view it - as working on and treatment for their agoraphobia.

It is not at all unusual for a vet to be 100% SC for MH and VA provide them with a GPS for getting around to

places like the grocery store, library - whatever - - and because they can do this occasionally provides no

support to lower/reduce their evaluation percentage.

JMHO

[brokensoldier244th]

Okay. Im in a distance graduate program-all my work is online, via video recorded lectures, or self reading. All my assessments/work/projects are emailed. I speak with my advisor on the phone once every week to 2 weeks. My graduate major is info security which is about the most paranoid, antisocial major there is. It allows me to continue to be in IT (the basis of my Voc Rehab paid undergraduate degree from a few years ago) but now Ill be able to maybe offer some assistance to local LE since they have little tech background in Nebraska. I used voc rehab to educate out of the security/military/LE field because the physical pain issues.This gives me a way back into the fold, as it were. The Depression came much later over time since my discharge in 2002, as my PCP finally suggested that I go talk to someone about some of the things I was feeling. That was in April of last year.

The graduate program was already in the works for 1JUN, and thus far I have completed my first term with low B's and a hell of a lot of work re-re-re reading and writing down EVERYTHING. If I can complete it, my antisocial tendencies shouldn't be nearly as much of a detriment to getting out of customer support (even highly specialized) as it is to trying to move within my current career. As it is now, many of the things I do are almost auto pilot after 6 years. I have not learned to code/support the new computer program back end that a few of our clients are getting because doing so stresses me out and I can't retain information, and unless I can do it on autopilot I (nor my employer) trust me running amok in the clients databases. In a year or two my legacy software will no longer be used by our clients, thus I will be out of a job. SO-that is why im in school, to try to preserve some independence as the current sole earner so my wife can stay home with our kids. Im not tryinig to game anything. I don't like that clients that have been mine for 6 years don't want to work with me except through an intermediary, and I don't like jepordizing my current employment. Its not like on a whim I came into work one day and said "xxxx off" to someone and then applied for disability. My co workers all know me and my traits pretty well, we are a really small company-less than 20 people. They would see through that. A few of them I am in daily contact with outside of work, 1 of them ive known for 13 years, and I helped get him is job, there. We're a pretty knit bunch. Thats why there are so many allowances for me and my idiosyncrasies. The balance is im one of about 3 people that know our old software product, code, and database structure so if it breaks Im one of the three go-to's. That is why they keep me around.

Yes graduate school. I love the fact that so many veterans rated at 100 percent for mental health solely P an T attend graduate. I know of two. And here Broken just wants a mere 50 percent. It's isn't equitable that others get 100 percent, and he is iffy for 50.

Edited December 12, 2011 by brokensoldier244th

[scscrewed]

I agree with you Broken. I think that attending graduate school doesn't bar you from a higher rate. I think you should get one.

My post was in reply to Carlie's post about your chances. She pointed out the graduate school. I stated my experience with vets at 100 percent mental health in grad school.

Edited December 12, 2011 by scscrewed