tinnitus New Here, First Time Questions

[DDuck]

Sorry I just found this forum, I sympathize with so many of you. So a little background I was med boarded out in '98 at 20%. I was very upset, I suffered a AGE (Air Gas Embolus) from a diving mishap upon successfully removing a distressed diver (I was 2nd Class Diver at the time). I suffered photosensitivity and migraines after a TT6 with two extensions. I was told to suck it up or lose my pin, so I did.

Later in the middle of Phase I EOD training a DUI driver drilled me going about 60-80 mph the cop estimated. Being young and stupid I sucked it up and went back into training for a week until I was urinating blood and my left leg went numb. Later they found a undiagnosed bone spur that shredded my urethra and I have to self cath to this day. (NEW add as of today 2/12/2014) My Creatine levels are 1.38 so the doctors think I may just be starting very early stage kidney failure. They are going to test monthly to see if it stablizes.

A year ago they re-evaluated me at 80% my breakdown is:

Right hip injury/pain (was dislocated in the accident) 10%

Neuropathy of right foot 10%

Urethral stricture and Bladder neck contracture/stricture 60%

DDD L4-L5 and L5-S1 (two surgeries) 10%

Vascular migraine 10%

Tinnitus 10%

My question is my upper back is starting to obtain a moderate curve and is starting to cause breathing problems and shoulder pain (which I have been complaining to the VA about).

How would I try to process this? Attached to a pre-existing back condition or as a separate claim?

Also starting this last year I have been on HCTZ for high blood pressure (over a year of 164+/100+) due to chronic pain my doc figured. Is it to much of a pain to fight for that (not overweight no family history of HBP)?

Last question is I have had flat feet since I was released (no records indicate this that I can find) but my QTC doc stated that with my training and job that I should put in for it, I have been out for 15 years, or is it too much hassle. I am really not able to jump through too many more hoops, I feel like I will choke a doctor out. I have spent my life since age 25 dealing with this and mentally I am shot at 42 now. I have held jobs up until five years ago, the pain/stress have been so bad my wife said I needed to quit or get a divorce. So I quit.

I apologize for the format and the shotgun style questions but I have received no help of significance from the Legion or the DAV.

Regards,

Dan

Edited February 13, 2014 by DDuck

[GatorNavy]

oc Rehab was not feasible Solely due to your SCs, that is great evidence for TDIU

My VSO said not to submit that because they should already have it and it would only slow down the process? I thought that sounded odd, should I submit it now?

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Never assume that the VA has anything and never trust your VSO to send anything. Their tendency is to lose or ignore things for some reason. But it seems as though they put glue on the negative evidence. All they will do is send you back the duplicates if they already have it.

[DDuck]

@Gator Sounds good. Ill get on that and hand walk it down to the VA Tuesday.

[GatorNavy]

If you want to get a jump on things fill out page one of the attached form and then put your name and claim no. in the right hand corner of every page you submit and the page number (1of8 for example). On the form explain exactly what it is that you are submitting in support of your TDIU claim.

Statement_Support_Claim_blank.pdf

[DDuck]

@Gator A belated thanks for the form. Thanks.

I am seeing 3 shrinks currently (they requested I see them all) I guess it is helping, I can't tell but they prescribed Sertraline. I have yet to take it I am a bit unnerved about the thought. Has anyone been on this can they recommend it or not?

My Urologist wants me to see a kidney doctor because for the past 12+ years (I didn't know that until she showed me my charts I though this was relatively new) my creatine levels have been high. I am very blessed with her she interned at the VA. See told me to see the doctor and put a claim in because they will fail and she said it needs to be attached to my SC stricture.

So if anyone has information that I need to ask my doctor for this condition to be connected. I tried a search and nothing that I can find came up. I know nothing is a slam dunk, but I do not know other than the medical evidence what to submit.

Thanks everyone for their posts (*on this board), encouraging and not. I helps a bit just reading sometimes.

Edited March 9, 2014 by DDuck

[GatorNavy]

You need to file kidney damage as secondary to Urethral stricture and Bladder neck contracture/stricture. A kidney specialist needs to assess how much damage there is and what it is and then fill out a DBQ for it. In addition you will need a nexus letter from the kidney specialist or urologist stating that the kidney damage is more likely than not (or most likely) secondary. Look at your SMRs to see if they mention impaired kidney function. If so, you will need to copy those pages to submit with the filing. Then look at the schedule of disability ratings and see where the DBQ puts you and what your rating should be for the kidneys. Eventually it is going to get worse but later on you can file the increase if needed. The VA claim experts will come by and help you fit the pieces together. Just keep asking questions.

Edited March 9, 2014 by GatorNavy

[DDuck]

Hey Gator hows it going. Thanks for the reply earlier.

Ok just got my kidney results back: Stage 3 Chronic kidney disease, Polycythemia Secondary, Benign essential hypertension, caused by fluid back up from urinary obstruction. Crystal ball diagnosis is 4-10 years then dialysis. They will have a more concrete timeline in the coming months.

My current claim is still in evidence gathering (start date March 2013) for 1) UI 2) Secondary Acid Reflux (hital hernia) and new SC claim for left knee X3 grade II torn meniscus in service record now it is unstable.

So do I add this kidney claim now or wait? But the real question is they put my Stricture as a Secondary condition to my back, so that makes my stricture a secondary condition. How does that affect me putting my kidney disease in as a secondary to a secondary? If that makes sense.

Thanks all,

Dan

Edited April 8, 2014 by DDuck