ptsd How Personal Is The C+P?

[Mikemmlj]

Next week I have an initial C+P for PTSD. Will Ihave to recount incidents in excruciating detail or are they looking more for symptoms and how they effect you?

[carlie]

VA regulations require your PTSD C&P exam to be conducted by a VA Accredited (employee or contractor) Psychiatrist or PHD level Psychologist, with extensive experience diagnosing and treating PTSD.

With that said, most Vets I know that have attended a PTSD C&P, stumble in without a clue. That include me back in 2011, didn't get educated till long after C&P was completed. Started researching the VA regarding PTSD ratings. Stumbled on 38 CFR 4. Thought I was a lock on 30%SC and a strong possibility on 50%. My SC came back 70%SC! Note: exam took about 1 hour+, very personal in depth discussion of Nam combat stressors and how my current employment, financial and personal interactions with family and strangers had been affected. You must be prepared to open up, do not try to be what your not. The Dr must see you as you really are!! At the end of my exam, I asked the VA Staff Psychiatrist, if I had PTSD, he said yes but didn't offer a degree of severity. Remember that the examiner can only complete the PTSD Disability Questionnaire based on your medical records and your interview responses to the questions asked. If you have existing PTSD medical records, (Private Dr or VA,) at some point you should ask if they have been reviewed. How you present yourself has a great impact on you Diagnosis.

Sooooooo, I recommend you spend some time with 38 CFR 4. Look up on Google, info regarding PTSD DBQ and "The VA Clinicians guide for conducting PTSD C&P EXAM." BE PREPARED!

And about a week after your C&P, go to the VA Hospital records dept and request a copy of your PTSD C&P exam including all clinicians notes. These docs will tell you ye or nee. You should be able to get close to your PTSD SC rating, even though I was way off on mine. Good Luck!

Semper Fi

Gastone

Getting a copy of the C&P exam is usually easier - - if the exam was done at a VAMC.

C&P exams done by contracted providers are not easy to get until after a decision has been rendered.

All C&P exams are owned by the VARO and do not become a part of the claimants medical records

until after a rating decision has been made.

Sometimes we can luck out and get a copy fairly quick and easy - sometimes not.

jmho

[Mikemmlj]

Had to call crisis line today. Just organizing records to take to C + P pushed me over the edge. I loathe telling about it.

[NavyWife]

Are you aware of this extra claims help available from nvslp?

http://www.nvlsp.org/what-we-do/lawyers-serving-warriors/assistance-with-va-denials-of-service-connection-for-ptsd-due-to-military-s/

[Mikemmlj]

No but good to know. I can't imagine I'll be denied at the C+P but you never know.

[lotzaspotz]

I can empathize with you and your need to call the crisis line. Anytime I have to review my husband's medical records leading up to the day he had a seizure from a pituitary brain tumor, and then everything about the surgery and the days immediately after, I immediately remember the confusion and being distraught, not knowing what was going to happen. I had initially been told he had an aneurysm and wasn't going to make it through the night. I and our then 8 year old daughter were told it might be our last chance to say goodbye. We were in North Dakota where we didn't have any family, and no one to help us but the First Sergeant, thank God for him, he was wonderful. But it all comes flooding back, the two hour ambulance ride to Fargo, an airman taking my car keys away from me because I was beside myself with worry, etc. We have to get through it somehow when we go through the records, or in your case, your interview in support of your claim. Otherwise, you put yourself at a disadvantage denying yourself a benefit that you've earned and will in some ways make your life easier. I made myself do it for my husband, because he still isn't 't in well enough shape to do it for himself, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let anyone shortchange him the benefits he's earned. I hope you feel the same way about your claims and whatever you'll need to do to defend them.

[Mikemmlj]

4 days to go.