ptsd Apparently I Am Fine...

[John116]

I just got the results from my C&P exam and I found the results rather saddening. It is basically the same stuff everyone has been telling me since I fist began actually voicing concerns.

"You deal with it all well"

Well, it seems like my ability to not flip out and off everyone and then myself is seriously biting me in my rear. I have a physical copy of my exam notes so I will try to type out what I have so folks can understand.

Hearing:

My hearing is fine, but I was complaining about ringing. My right ear goes like this.

[x] Sensonorineural hearing loss ( in the frequency range of 400-5000Hz)*

In the little notes area, it says the asterisk means it's not bad enough to be a disability.

I also made complaints about my wrist, but I won't even get into that. It's like as long as you have no broken bones they slap you on the rear and tell you that you are fine. Even when i show them that my left wrist clearly bends far more than what is normal and when it does it causes me great pain. They ignore that. No broken bones = I am 100% fine apparently.

Now for what has me really frustrated.

PTSD. I'll try to go down the lines.

I do not have a PTSD diagnoses. Which is strange because every therapist and even my current VA psychiatrist told me I do. So that means they say one thing and write down another.

My symptoms do not meet whatever requirement of PTSD.

Veteran has another mental disorder. And it is never actually mentioned again.

The rest is stuff about my history which really is glossed over. I feel like she only focused on trivial things like whether I finished high school or how I feel about my mom.

Then we get to talk on my stressor. long story short, she stopped me after my first story and said that was all she needed. Mind you, i had two more deployments worth.

Does stressor support PTSD claim? [x] Yes

Does stressor relate to veteran's fear of hostile activity? [x] Yes

Then the opinions at the end are basically that while all that I have been through supports a claim, I do not show any signs so she feels I do not have PTSD.

And that is basically what I have been hearing for years now. I can't sleep through the night, I startle easily, my every waking moment is filled with the outrageous idea that someone somewhere wants me dead. My grades in college are slipping, I often choose to stay in bed all day rather than even get up to eat, I have 0 friends I am in regular contact with, and i am constantly stressed out so much that I am just so damn tired. Not o mention the only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that if I screw up and wind up on the street, i can always just off myself and end it all.

But hey, I don't wear all that on my sleeve and try to be a decent person so I must be doing fine right?

I'm sorry folks. This is about my possible (non) rating but I am thinking I maybe just needed to vent. I hate the VA. I hate it so much and that is why i miss most appointments. I know they will not do anything for me until after I am dead and gone. So why even bother right?

[Me1984]

John I am really sorry to hear this. I know how frustrating this can be for you. You can always appeal their findings. When you go into the C&P exams never tell them you are doing fine or good. You always want them to know everything you are going through on a daily basis. And as I learned on here never look the examiner in the eye. I hope this tidbit of information helps you some.

[Vync]

Hello Mr.John,
Welcome to Hadit! Getting SC for conditions is an uphill battle. Don't give up. Arm yourself with knowledge and call out the VA on their mistakes. I am going to offer my opinion on a few of the topics you mentioned. Please also read the special information at the very end.

Hearing Loss
I know you are concerned they might deny your hearing loss claim, but you did mention the ringing in your ears. You might consider filing for tinnitus instead. It's only a single 10% non-bilateral rating, but is better than 0%. If you are having trouble sleeping or concentrating because of that annoying ringing in your ears, ask your VA audiologist if they can issue you a white noise generator. I did and it has actually helped.

Wrist

Dig through your military treatment records and see if you can find any treatment for a wrist injury or a fall. There are lots of conditions responsible for wrist pain, like arthritis, tendonitis, nerve entrapment like carpal tunnel, and so on. It might be worth it in the end.

PTSD

If your VA psychologist/psychiatrist diagnosed you with PTSD, the VA C&P doc's job is to verify it. Having the PTSD stressor and fear of hostile activity verified is very helpful to your claim.

Was your mental health doc a psychiatrist or psychologist? If not, were they a nurse practitioner or a regular MD? If they were the latter, you might be able to request a new exam because they were not a specialist in their field or this can be used during your appeal.

Because you mention being deployed, you might want to check your DD-214 to see if you have certain awards for being deployed in combat zones or certain campaigns. I am not an expert on combat-related service connection, but that type of evidence can be helpful to prove you were exposed to that type of environment.

Keep in mind that a person can be diagnosed with multiple mental health conditions, but they will only provide a single service connected rating percentage regardless. The percentage is usually based on your symptoms. If you are not making much progress on PTSD, consider service connection for a different condition, like depression, because you mentioned "to stay in bed all day rather than even get up to eat".

IMO's

Do some research on independent medical opinions and nexus statements. If the VA denies your claim or you are filing for a new claim, a properly worded IMO can really make a big difference. For example, if the VA denies your PTSD claim, ask your regular VA psychiatrist if they would consider reading the findings to see if they got it right. Having a positive statement from your specialist can help.

Don't Give Up!

If the VA denies any of your claims, please bear in mind that most of us won our claims on appeal. Whatever you do, don't give up.

Most importantly, please realize that there are people out there who are willing to listen and help. I am glad that you chose to ask for advice here at Hadit. I hope the information and advice you receive can be turned into positive results on your claims. However, things can sometimes get tough and it is often helpful to consider talking with the good folks over at http://veteranscrisisline.net (1-800-273-8255 press 1). It is a tough road to get SC, but you don't have to go it alone.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Vync