Personality Disorder?

Josephine · August 18, 2006

Just me again. I talked to the Management Center today and was told by Pearl that I would be going for another examinaton.

As you know my dishcarge code is 460 emotional Instability Reaction, but I have 42 years of medical records and have never been diagnosed or treated for a Personality Disorder.

My first Examination was with a Va. Physchologist stated that my Anxiety Disorder was more than likely started in service.

Board of two psychistrist could not agree. One stated Histronian Personality disorder Axis 2 and Axis 1 - Gneralized Anxiety Disorder.

My claims file was to return to the two of them to reconcile their differences or if the Management Center deemed another Examination. I guess that chose the new examination.

Does anyone know if there is any where on line that post test that my be given to me for a Personality Disorder. I am not trying to pull one over on them, but I am sick of all of the questions about my early discharge from service.

I was a corpman and a darn good one, but could not handle the abuse of the navy way of life. It is clear in my records that I was given librium and caffergot in service.

Librium is a tranquilisher for my nerves and Caffergot for headaches.

I went before a compentency review board to receive my early discharge and was referred by the medical team in D. C.

I am filing for 100% service connection. Have not been able to seek gainful employment since my discharge of 1964.

I filed the first time in 1978 and was turned down. Filed again in 2002 and was turned down. 2003 awarded pension for 100% disability.

I contacted the St. Louis Archives and secured my Psychiatric records and the letter from the commanding officer which lead to my discharge in 1964. Definitely not from behavior problem or any article 15's.

My claim was re-opened with new and material evidence never seen by the Va. before. It is my understanding that it is re-opened back to 1978 when the bones of my claim was in the archives, never ask for by the Va.

Thanks so much

Josephine

Edited August 18, 2006 by Josephine

Pete53 · August 19, 2006

The VA is infamous for calling panic disorder a personality disorder. Look carefully at your code as the criteria for personality disorder is very specific and in my opinion easy to refute for many if you take things point by point.

Patrick428 · August 19, 2006

Josephine,

It is unfortunate that two doctors cannot agree. But I might run this across you so you can shore up your claim. One, it appears that you have an Axis ! disorder of Generalized Anxiety Disorder; and it appears that you have an Axis II disorder of Histrionic Personality Disorder.

What is factual about diagnosing is that it is very rare to see a diagnosis without an Axis I disorder. Many times a clinician will diagnose an Axis I like PTSD and then list an Axis II like Avoidant Personailty Disorder. etc. Having said this, a good rater or physician should have noticed the Axis I disorder and went on to rate it rather than send it back for two doctors to fight over. In the end neither doctor will budge.

Since I do not know all the facts I am wondering why they sent it back knowing that the Axis I disorder trumps the Axis II? There are many veterans who have an Axis I disorder and an Axis II disorder that receive compensation. Since the VA rule is that only one mental disorder can be rated, the benefit of the doubt goes to the veteran and the Axis I disorder. Since you were diagnosed with GAD, and it was deemed service-connected, the only argument that you should be having now is the % of rating.

I would write down all your symptoms of your GAD and how they are affecting you. When and if you have another C and P, take your self-statement, the VA doctor who diagnosed you originally with GAD, and the report of the other doctor who also felt you were GAD and hand it to the C and P examiner and state to him or her, that your service-connected for GAD, and here's the evidence. Hopefully what should happen is the new C and P doctor should conclude you have GAD and is service-connected and move on from there. I suspect the doctor who diagnosed you with Histrionic Personality Disorder was an probably an older psychiatrist who sees all women as histrionic. We call that an "old docs view of females" with mental problems. They see all females as Histrionic.

In the mean time before your next C and P, if you can find a psychologist or a psychiatrist to again diagnose you with GAD, take the current diagnosis with you as well.

Good luck!

Patrick

Hoppy · August 19, 2006

Josephine,

My guess was right, 460 is a DOD code. Even though the code for personality disorder is 480 the other codes are also for personality disorders. emotionaly instability, inadaquate, paranoid, and schiziod are all listed in old DSMs as personality disorders. 480 could be the DOD code for a personality disorder (NOS) not otherwise specified. The VA goes by the DSM. The VA would have intrepreted this as a personaility disorder at the time of your discharge.

It is irrelevant at this time and you should push that you have Generalizes anxiety disorder or anxiety disorder NOS. I sent you the links to the DSM codes for GAD and anxiety disorder (NOS) in a prior post. Patrick is right. Current Medical evidence is the way to win claims.

The codes below are from this link.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/theorderlyroom/l/blcode1.htm

460 - Emotional instability reaction.