Questions About Ptsd Diagnosis

[piratelip]

Greetings,

This is my first time posting here and I am trying to get a definitive answer on a question I have had on my mind for awhile. I filed a claim with the VA for PTSD and related anxiety and depression 2/13 and am scheduled for a C&P in a week. My symptoms have been gradually getting worse over the years and I finally reached out for help. Not getting too in depth about my personal struggle my background is that I was a USN FMF Hospital Corpsman with a combat rotation in Iraq at a field hospital in 2005. I am not worried about my stressor being conceded, but I DO NOT have a current diagnosis from the VA for PTSD. I was seen on active duty in 2006 for anxiety and prescribed medication however I have not gone to the VA for mental health issues. I am currently being seen at the local Vet Center by a therapist and currently attend a weekly PTSD group. Because my C&P is in a week I do not have time to be seen by a VA Psychologist but could go to the PET clinic for emergency medications and be seen by a Psychiatrist . My question is, do I need a current diagnosis from a VA mental health MD? Will a diagnosis/referral from my Vet Center therapist suffice? I am asking this because, through reading online about this process, I have received two contradictory answers to these questions. I have read that during my C&P the examining VA doctor will assign a diagnosis at that time. Is this accurate? Will the C&P examiner diagnosis PTSD and will that be enough to satisfy the criteria of needing a current PTSD diagnosis? If not, please provide any advise/information that will be useful for me going forward with my claim. Thank you for your help and I appreciate all the advise and stories I have read on these boards, it is nice to know I am not alone.

-Sam

[Fiddler54]

If I have already been diagnosised by a va mh Doctor do I still have to have a c&p

Edited August 5, 2016 by Fiddler54

[Tbird]

My VA psych doctor's have told me several times that you do not need a diagnosis of PTSD before the C and P exam, that the C and P examiner can make the diagnosis. Is it truly true? I do not know. However, in my opinion if your symptoms from what you believe to be PTSD are enough to consider filing a claim, then it's probably best to get seen by a doctor and get the symptoms and problems under control regardless of the claim. PTSD left untreated can cause a path of destruction through your life and relationships and Sam that is no way to live.

You are not alone.

[free_spirit_etc]

The C&P examiner might or might not give you a diagnosis - and they might or might not give you a diagnosis of PTSD. If they did give you that diagnosis, that should be enough. The fact that you were treated for anxiety in service and you have received follow up care and are getting therapy and attending a support group should help your claim a lot.

Even if you don't get a diagnosis of PTSD -- you might get a diagnosis for another mental health condition that could be SCed. So don't limit yourself to just one diagnosis. Keep focused on:

1. Your symptoms started (and were treated) in service.

2. You have had symptoms since then.

3. Your symptoms are getting worse.

4. You are getting treatment.

So even if they decide to call it something else -- as long as they SC it - that will work for the moment. Your diagnosis can always be changed later if necessary. The VA generally lumps all mental health conditions into one rating anyway. So it will come down to do you have one or more mental health conditions that can be service connected, and how much do they affect you?

I think sometimes Vets get shortchanged when they get stuck on one diagnosis because the VA will sometimes deny claims because you don't have THAT diagnosis (according to them). And if the Vet's mind is stuck on THAT specific diagnosis - sometimes they miss the fact that whatever the VA diagnosed them with might ALSO be a service connectable condition.

I see that in some of my husband's claims. He was convinced that some of his symptoms were Gulf War Illness. The VA diagnosed the conditions without really developing the claim to see if any of the conditions they could diagnose him with could be service connected. And he didn't quite catch that.

So keep in mind even if they diagnose you with a different condition -- the symptoms were the same -- and make sure you see if THAT condition can be SCed.

I wish you luck!

[free_spirit_etc]

You can find the DBQ forms the doctor will use here:

http://benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/dbq_ListByDBQFormName.asp

You can also search the site where people have posted their C&P exam results and get some idea of how the doctor fills them out.

Hope this helps.

[Tinker]

"I was seen on active duty in 2006 for anxiety and prescribed medication however I have not gone to the VA for mental health issues."

My issue stemmed from service in '92, filed claim for the first time last year without utilizing VA services and received 70% for MDD with anxiety features. Since, I've utilized their services for mental health and have been dx with MDD/PTSD. For me, the dx of PTSD was from an non VA psychiatrist. After I gave the VA documentation, they added it to my record and it's sc'd now since my C&P.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Tinker

[Philip Rogers]

My suggestion is to learn the "required symptoms" of PTSD and be sure to answer yes to the them when asked. Most vets w/PTSD have suicidal/homicidal ideations. If you have a plan, you generally get a higher rating. Best to deny the homicidal but admit the suicidal. jmo

pr