tdiu Gerd And Insomnia

[john999]

How would I prove that GERD and Insomnia are service-connected? I take drugs that I know are partially responsible for these problems. I take Etodolac and opiods and these drugs do irritate my gut and also the opiates keep me awake at night. When I file for ED I might as well file for the other conditions as well since the VA is billing my insurance for the drugs to treat the conditions. Just because I have other insurance the VA bills my insurance for just about everything even though I am 80% and TDIU. The VA even billed for my C&P exams for DMII. This pisses me off. I also should have been given a rating for the bilateral factor since I have polyneuropathy in all for limbs. This has caused me to fall and bust me head a few times and also to fall and hurt my rotator cuff. My feet get tangled up due in part to the narcotics I get from the VA and also the numbness in my feet. I don't want to go on some holy crusade but I get aggravated when the VA tries to shift the responsibility for my conditions to my insurance with I pay dearly for and earned for 20 years with the Post Office. I also suffer from depression and this is due in part to the narcotics I take. You know I had a service connected diagnosis of depression and the VA changed that to schizophrenia and made the depression NSC. There was no rational for that at all and the VAMC still lists bipolar disorder as one of my problems on the "Problems List" in my records.

I guess what really gets me is the cheapness of the VA and the fact they want to pay for as little as possible and never review my medical history. Never have they recognized any inferred claims even though they are as clear as day. I had to prove DMII even though I had fasting glucose of 169 and above and am a Vietnam vet. It is as if the VAMC is doing malpractice in not referring these conditions for consideration of service connection. I was given anti-biotics for a dental condition that the VA treated and they billed my insurance. Why not bill my insurance for the dental if they are going to bill for the drugs? If they are so willing to nickle and dime a IU vet what do they do to vets who are under 50%?

[foreveryoung]

"How would I prove that GERD and Insomnia are service-connected?"

As stated in another post, I had GERD awarded secondary to meds.

I went to my family Dr. and explained what the issue was. She set me up for an Upper GI. They make you drink some stuff while they watch a TV screen as it goes down your throat. Sure enought it came back I had GERD. My Dr. was aware of the meds. I am on and agreed they were an issue.

I also had a C&P exam with the VA on a different issue and the VA Dr. told me that the one med. I take will cause this, GERD. It also helps to research the med. online.

So after all the above I filed for GERD secondary to meds. I currently receive 10%.

"Insomnia" Could be related to various Depression Meds. or combination of others.

[olenavygoat]

It sounds like you need to take a trip to the business office or your nearest Veteran Benefits Office. If you are 80% service connected the VA should not be having their hand in anyones pocket, they should be paying for everything, service connected of not at this point.

As forever young points out, you submit a claim as a secondary illness due to a service connected disease. If the symptoms you are having are indicative of a disease they must rate you for them, don't let them tell you different. You can submit a doctor's statement or medical evidence from an accredited source as evidence along with your claim and they cannot dispute it. They may play the game of "let's have you in for a C & P exam", just go along with them, it'll just add to your claim chances. However, if you have a test result and statement from a real doctor, tehy cannot dispute it. The raters are there to make a decision using Title 38 on what is submitted and in your medical records, they are not there to dispute findings of a doctor.

[Guest rickb54]

John,

I ECHO what has been said, Veterans disabled 50% or more do not pay for ANY Medical care from the VA. And the Fact that your TDIU makes it even more so. No veterans pay anything for Dental care. I would do two things, contact my insurance compamy and tell them to refuse to pay, and go to the VA business office and DEMAND that they return every penny they took from your insurance company. Hell tell'em "If I wanted to pay for my medical care I damn sure wouldn't come here."

To get service connection for Gerd, I would get a statement from my doctor indicating that the Gerd is secondary to my meds, then I would put the claim in. Don't see how you can lose....

Edited August 2, 2006 by rickb54