hypertension Please Help With My Ongoing Claim Problem!

[silverdollar22]

When i left the army in 1995 after 12 yrs service i filed a claim for my back, my knee, gulf war illness, and my blood preasure. I was given 10% for the blood pressure 10% for my Chondromalacia Left Knee and 10% for (and this is the kicker) Low Back Pain with Menimal Degenerative Changes of Left Sacroiliac Joint and 0% for Gulf War Illness. 16 yrs later my chiropracter told me that my back was through and i needed to go back to the va. I told him i had all but given up on the va because of how i was treated back then. I did go back and had my back x-rayed and an MRI done to find out i have 3 buldging discs L-3-L4, L4-L5, L5-SI and Degenerative Disc Desease with Artritis in my back. In 2011 i put a claim in for blood preasure, rt knee and back pain. It in turn, came out as Hypertension (Increase), Low Back Pain with Menimal Degenerative Changes of Left Sacroiliac Joint (Increase), Chondromalacia Left Knee (Increase), Degenerative Disc Disease of Back (initially claimed as arthritis all over body) (Increase), I was given a ROM at the vamc and nothing else and my claim came back as 0% increase and a statement saying your getting better!!!! I later found out that no x-ray or MRI was pulled and only the ROM was used for my claim. 2 yrs later i put for an increase again for back pain and this is what came back again: (low back pain with minimal degenerative changes of left sacroiliac joint (Increase), right knee condition secondary to chondromalacia left knee (Secondary), memory loss due to undiagnosed Gulf War illness (Reopen), joint pain as due to undiagnosed illnesses (Gulf War) (Reopen). What the heck is going on here everytime i say back pain they say Low Back Pain with Menimal Degenerative Changes of Left Sacroiliac Joint. How can they keep going back to my hip and sjould they have combined my hip with my lower back pain? Please help with any sugestions

Thanks,

silverdollar

Edited March 26, 2014 by silverdollar22

[silverdollar22]

Thanks T-M your right. Apparently their not going to tell you how you should do things, so you just have to beat them at their own game by knowing the ins and outs of the rules of the game. I guess the only way your able to get some X-Rays or MRI's done is if you flunk the Rom test, then they will have to find out what is causing you not to bend!!! My case will be a slam dunk if they just look at my lumbar region because all the evidence is in my service medical records. The VA chiropractor told me that I should be at least 30% if not more on my back. I guess all I have to do now is play the waiting game and see what happens!!!

[silverdollar22]

I think a lot of our problems as veterans has to do with the mentality that was instilled in us when we were in service. Ignore the pain do what's necessary to get the mission accomplished at whatever costs and sacrifice. Our biggest ethical strong point is our greatest weakness. Don't push it. Don't put yourself in a wheel chair because of arragonce or pride, it's not worth it. I have come to terms with my situation and I know how I neeed to live my life from now on to live to an old man and be thankful for what I still have. JMHO.

That's right suck it up and drive on isn't going to get us no where when it comes down to it. That wheel chair part scares me because most mornings i can barely walk not to mention tying my boots or using the rest room. I feel so helpless and a burden on my wife. It really stinks!!!!

[ArNG11]

What else are you to do if you don't drive on. It is a personal choice which only you have the power to make. Either you get up when you fall or you give up. Those are the only two choices you have. I chose and I am choosing to keep going.