Discharged For Panic Disorder

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First off I want to say hello and that it is a relief to have found such a great website. I just got involuntarily separated from the Navy after serving 8 years for panic disorder w/ agoraphobia. No ship would take me cause I was on meds so they adsep'd me out. I sent my claim to VA and was wondering if anyone has any idea what I can expect for a disability rating if anything at all for this condition? Hopefully I will atleast get to get my meds when I run out Thanks for any info you might have,

Nick

[john999]

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I think you should appeal the chacter of your discharge. Panic disorder is a medical condition. You should have gotten a medical discharge if you were diagnosed with panic disorder and agorahphobia. On your discharge physical does it say you have panic disorder? You are getting the same screw job I got 35 years ago. I had panic disorder and a dissociative disorder. I got a general discharge but had it upgraded to an straight honorable. In my day the military was throwing many PTSD cases and other anxiety and emotional disorder cases out of the military on unsuitability AR 635-212 discharges. I think they are somewhat enlightened since then, but not that much as your case illustrates. Were you treated for panic disorder while in the service? It is very important to get your claim in within a year of your discharge and get that discharged upgraded or changed to a medical.

[Pete53]

John:

If a person gets a Medical Discharge can they collect from it and VA Disability ? Just curious as I have often thought of going after a change in my Discharge to Medical.

I wish Alex Humphrey would hang out with us. Of all the people who were here and left, I miss him the most.

[john999]

Pete

I know that there is some provision in the law that says if you receive money for a medical discharge you have to pay it back before you can collect VA disability. I think they just deduct the amount you get from discharge from what you should get from VA disability until the debt is paid so to speak. I don't know if it would be worth getting our old discharges changed. I got disability retro from the day I was discharged so that seems to me to show a medical reson for discharge since I was discharged due to my panic disorder and the crazy things it made me do to avoid certain situations. After 15 years I believe you need to have a compelling reason to get a discharge change. All you have to do to try is send in the paperwork and see what happens.

[Guest anfrnkie]

Pete

I know that there is some provision in the law that says if you receive money for a medical discharge you have to pay it back before you can collect VA disability. I think they just deduct the amount you get from discharge from what you should get from VA disability until the debt is paid so to speak. I don't know if it would be worth getting our old discharges changed. I got disability retro from the day I was discharged so that seems to me to show a medical reson for discharge since I was discharged due to my panic disorder and the crazy things it made me do to avoid certain situations. After 15 years I believe you need to have a compelling reason to get a discharge change. All you have to do to try is send in the paperwork and see what happens.

pete are you trying to go eed?

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I tried arguing the character of discharge to death, no go; they now classify this as a condition not a medical disability. on my physical yes it says not fit for service due to panic disorder w/ agoraphobia. I didnt have to fight the General discharge like you did, thank God! Atleast they did one thing right and just gave me the honorable. I was treated for this condition with paxil and it has been documented ongoing for the last 3 years in my medical record. Just got out last week, and the claim should have reached the office by now. The docs said dont worry about if its a medical sep or admin sep. They said it makes no difference to the VA, who knows?

Toolbox

I think you should appeal the chacter of your discharge. Panic disorder is a medical condition. You should have gotten a medical discharge if you were diagnosed with panic disorder and agorahphobia. On your discharge physical does it say you have panic disorder? You are getting the same screw job I got 35 years ago. I had panic disorder and a dissociative disorder. I got a general discharge but had it upgraded to an straight honorable. In my day the military was throwing many PTSD cases and other anxiety and emotional disorder cases out of the military on unsuitability AR 635-212 discharges. I think they are somewhat enlightened since then, but not that much as your case illustrates. Were you treated for panic disorder while in the service? It is very important to get your claim in within a year of your discharge and get that discharged upgraded or changed to a medical.

[Berta]

"I wish Alex Humphrey would hang out with us. Of all the people who were here and left, I miss him the most

Pete -I "talked" to Alex last week-he changed his old email addy-he is sometimes here on Fridays and is very overwhelmed and working hard- not that he said that- I just know it-he sure is dedicated to vets.

Some of our advocates have left because they were burned out-

I have email vets mainly from NY state and most are with my VARO and some email vets like you -has it been 20 years yet Pete?-I bet I have known you that long and you have consistently-all these years- daily-offered support to these men and women.That deserves a Medal!

I turned off my PM and email stuff here some weeks ago-

when someone starts asking the same questions by email that have been answered on the board, or they ask the same questions in email then wait a few months and you get the same type of email again - it gets frustrating-I had email 2 weeks ago that I had already given solid advise on- and it was a long excuse for each reason why they could not do this or that-and it was actually their second email full of excuses-

that was it for me-I cant help anyone like that-

I wish newbys would all read what TBird put at the top of the Index page-

I too miss the many who left and they all contributed so much.

My time is limited again due to school next week-

I will cut down even on the links and attachments I put in responses because it all takes time to get out the right floppy or go to the site,copy the http: and paste it here-

when all of it is at hadit anyhow-

sorry for this gripe-not meant to be a gripe but-

I felt bad when you mentioned the great people who are gone.

I hope they come back.

I know many are still working on claims for vets.