hypertension Do I Have Cue?

[Jon1371]

I applied for increase on my 30% PTSD in 08 after my breakdown. I was denied an increase. However, I just received my medical reports from my hospitalization and it looks like the RO ignored or didn't use the medical files from my hospitalization. Down below are some of the diagnosis that I have received. There are more but I think this might be enough to help answer my question. I'm not a doctor, but from what I have read the last couple of months, I was worse off than I was lead to believe. No doctors told me any of this stuff was serious. The doctor's would ask questions and I'd answer honestly and that was all. It seems to me that I meet 50% and possibly 70% rating and that was back in 08. I know that CUE's are hard to prove, but it there enough to start one or am I wasting my time and energy?

AXIS I: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with anxious and depressed mood
R/O Mood Disorder due to medical condition (Traumatic Brain
I n j u r y )
AXIS II: deferred
AXIS III: Traumatic Brain Injury?
AXIS IV: Sporadice employment, limited family support
AXIS V: GAF = 25

AXISI: Major depressive disorder with anxiety, seasonal component. PTSD.
Agoraphobia without panic d/o. Alcohol abuse. Nicotine dependence.
AXISII: Deferred
AXISIII: ?Hypertension, Migraine HA, Chronic knee, hip, shoulder pain
AXISIV: Poor social support, chronic mental illness
AXISV: GAF 45 at the time of admit, 60 at the time of this interview.

AXISI: Major depressive disorder with anxiety, seasonal component. PTSD.
Agoraphobia without panic d/o. Alcohol abuse. Nicotine dependence.
AXISII: Deferred
AXISIII: ?Hypertension, Migraine HA, Chronic knee, hip, shoulder pain
AXISIV: Poor social support, chronic mental illness
AXISV: 45 AT ADMISSION
51 AT PRESENT

AXISI: Major depressive disorder with anxiety, seasonal component. PTSD.
Agoraphobia without panic d/o. Alcohol abuse. Nicotine dependence.
AXISII: Deferred
AXISIII: Migraine HA, Chronic knee/hip/shoulder pain, ?Hypertension, ?BPV
AXISIV: Poor local social support, chronic mental illness
AXISV: 45 AT ADMISSION
65 AT PRESENT

Axis I PTSD
Depression, Major by history
Possible panic disorder
Axis II Deferred
Axis III Chronic pain hip knee
Migraine HA
Axis IV Unemployment
Combat exposure
Axis V GAF 50

Axis I: PTSD, by history
Major depressive disorder with anxiety, by history, sx severe
without psychotic content
Panic disorder without agoraphobia
Axis II: Deferred
Axis III: See problem list
Axis IV: Exposure to war
Axis V: GAF 50 (current)

Depression: As per HPI. +7/8 SIGECAPS with depressed mood for 2+ yrs.
Mania: Notes feels more irritable in winter months with racing thoughts;
negative for manic/hypomanic episode.
Psychosis: No AH/VH. No delusions. Paranoia related to PTSD.
Anxiety: Has anxiety s/s with physical manifestions of sweating, tachycardia,
tachypnea; more comfortable in home and doesn't like social situations because
of this. Denies panic attacks. Some OCD problems of checking things too often;
doesn't interfere with daily activity. PTSD symptoms as per HPI
CNS pathologies: Denies TBI/LOC/seizures
Other addictive d/o: Denies gambling
Personality d//o screening: appeared negative

Repeaterd disturbing memories, thoughts, or images of a stressful experience
from the past?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
2Repeated, disturbing dreams of a stressful experience from the past?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Suddenly acting or feeling as if a stressful experience were happening again
(as if you were reliving it)?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Feeling very upset when something reminded you of a stressful experience from
the past?
4-Quite a bit
Having physical reactions (e.g., heart pounding, trouble breathing, sweating)
when something reminded you of a stressful experience from the past?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Avoiding thinking about or talking about a stressful experience from the past
or avoiding having feelings related to it?
4-Quite a bit
Avoiding activities or situations because they reminded you of a stressful
experience from the past?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Trouble remembering important parts of a stressful experience from the past?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Feeling distant or cut off from other people?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Feeling emotionally numb or being unable to have loving feelings for those
close to you?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Feeling as if your future will somehow be cut short?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Trouble falling or staying asleep?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Feeling irritable or having angry outbursts?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Having difficulty concentrating?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Being "super-alert" or watchful or on guard?
5 - E x t r e m e l y
Feeling jumpy or easily startled?
5 - E x t r e m e l y

[Jon1371]

I have an Honorable Discharge on my DD214. My DD214 doesn't prove that I was in Iraq. It shows foreign service and my SRB has my combat locations for OEF and OIF as Kuwait. I didn't know this until a couple months ago when one of the counselors at a new Vet Center said that I don't qualify for their care because I'm not a combat vet on paper. I wish the Vet Center I used in 05 had told me so that I could have gotten it fixed years ago. All the medals and ribbons were awarded two to six months after my discharge. Now I'm going to put in the paperwork to get a corrected or updated DD215. I know it takes a long time, but I have to get it corrected to prove I was there.

I am going to request my Cfile using the template that NavyWife set up. I know it takes a long time, but I need that information.

I'd be living under a bridge if it wasn't for family.

[john999]

Jon

I can't believe the military still does these things. I know Vietnam vets who don't have service in Vietnam in their records. I was lucky since my DD214 states overseas service as Vietnam. I also have the standard Vietnam medals. However, my DD214 does not mention I went places in Nam that make me believe my command was trying to kill me.

[Jon1371]

I have the Sea Service Deployment medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Looks like i can take the GWTSM medal or the Iraq Campaign medal. My old Platoon Guide said Marines are only authorized one medal per deployment. If only I could get my combat op location changed to Iraq then I'd be good.

[Berta]

Jon1371, as I understand this, you already have a PTSD SC rating.

That means the VA accepted a stressor you had before the PTSD regulations changed in 2010.

I dont see anywhere in your posts that VA has changed their mind on the stressor they accepted.

So you don't have to prove anything regarding your service but only prove that the PTSD should be rated higher.

The advise here from Lotzaspots and John is superb!

Get a private IMO/IME from a real shrink, and give them copies of ALL of your Med recs. The IMO format is here in our IMO forum.

If you are not employed, have them opine as to whether your SCs prevent you from being employed.

Also make them state you are ,in their professional opinion, fully competent to handle you own funds.

Ask the private shrink to state,with full medical rationale, based on your treatment records and your medications records,

at what point your PTSD affected you at a higher level than what VA awarded.

Give the shrink copies of any C& P exams for PTSD you have had, and even the SOC that came with the rating.

As long as the real doc is willing to comply with the IMO format here and clarify their opinions by referencing your actual treatment records, this can change your rating, even possibly set you up potentially for TDIU at some point, and although IMOs can be costly, the fees will be absorbed by comp checks you might never get without a strong IMO.

THEN when the VA awards you a higher rating (hopefully) you can definitely think about a CUE claim.

The form you need for a DD 215 is the DD 149 form which can be searched for here.

But in my opinion, that isn't what your focus should be on right now ,as VA has never questioned your stressor.

[Jon1371]

Yes, I am SC at 30%. My stressors were the kind that can't be verified ie convoy attacks, the aftermath of bombings and arty, destroyed vehicles and buildings with bodies, removing and detonating UXO. I was never in any kind of direct assault or attack and I have never said that I was. I'm in contact with a guy in my platoon that had his PTSD case denied and now he's working on his stressor letter and I'm going to see if he'll help me even though I can't help him. I actually don't remember him even though, according to him, I knew him for almost two years and he was in Iraq with me. I recently received the medical records from when I was first diagnosed with PTSD and I don't remember that stuff happening any more. I can read the information and my brain will fill in the pieces, but it's not a real memory. It's like my brain fills in these blank parts in my memory. I have had the same problem for the last 10 years too. My family will tell me about a family vacation I went on that I don't remember and they'll show me pictures and then with all the information, my brain recreates what happened and then I have this "memory". I really don't understand that at all.

Thanks for your help, Berta, I really appreciate your input.