ptsd Denied 70% Rating For Ptsd Yesterday

[emmak]

Hi folks, I just got the denial for an increase from 50% to 70% for PTSD. I am really angry and want so much to blast the powers to be for just blowing off what I have gone through and what I still live with today. Because I choose to try and live a somewhat normal life and keep problems to myself and my wife I am not 70%. If I went to the c&p looking like a slob, denied that I do have contact with my sister and her husband it problbly would have made a difference. I intend to follow up on this but I really want to write a letter blasting the raters for being jackasses. Will it do me more harm than good to do so?

[emmak]

For all of you vets who suffer from ptsd my question; How do I get the hubby to go to treatment? It has taken 38 years to just talk a little about it and the last time I tried to get info he turned gray white in color,put his hand to his chest and said"I have to set down" Since he just had stints put in his heart vessels I thought he was going to have a heart attack and i really become afraid. The cover page sent with to us states " To complete your appeal, you must file a formal appeal VA form 9. Then it goes on to say" your appeal should address the benefits you want

the facts in the statement of the case with which you disagree and the errors that you believe we made in applying the law."

WHILE AT THE VA HOSPITAL YESTERDAY I FOUND OUT THAT A REP FROM THE MILWAUKEE VA OFFICE COMES TO THE HOSPITAL TO ASSIST AND ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE VETS ISSUES. I INTEND TO GO AND WILL LET YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT AS I DID NOT KNOW IT EXHISTED UNTIL NOW AND MY SON HAS GONE THERE FOR 22 YEARS.!

[Berta]

Leroy's wife said :

"I sometimes think I suffer from ptsd through him"

It is almost a contagious disease.

The VA gave me a shrink to deal with this aspect of Rod's PTSD and also I had other counselling with his regular shrink.Unfortunately neither one of these two VA shrinks had a clue on PTSD.I was the first PT one of them ever had.His VA job as a shrink-was to do research on PTSD day after day.

But he really didn't have a clue.

I learned what PTSD was when I worked as volunteer in a combat group for a vet center.

From the vets themselves.

Once in a while a spouse would come to an open meeting of the combat group.

This might help you to do this too---

One of the VA employees wives started a PTSD group for the spouses and significant others of PTSD vets.

Your VA might have some counselling available for you- that was better than mine-

the PTSD -for- spouse group was excellent.

The VA actually let us use their conference room.

They (The VAMC) gave us some input and then tried to run the show-but the woman who started this program kicked them out.

You could even start a group like this yourself.

We put up posters that assured the group would be anonymous and that nothing would leave the group.

The purpose was not to talk about spouses behind their back at all- but to talk about how we dealt with the affects of PTSD that we were damaged by.

There is no one to blame for PTSD.Certainly not the veteran.

We met while the veteran's PTSD group met at the VAMC.I did not keep up with them but think they are still around.

I might be getting your post confused-

why did the VA deny a higher rating for your husband?

He might be more confortable in a Vet Center setting, and then could move into the actual VA PTSD

therapy.

If he had the PH-this is probably why they gave him 50% -without too many questions-

however- he will need an established paper trail of current therapy and treatment and medication, to

get a higher rating-and without a PH- to make sure he keeps that 50%.

The VA loves paper-

and what I mean is enough current medical documentation to justify an award or a higher rating.

Edited December 9, 2006 by Berta

[Guest jangrin]

Emmak,

My husband also is a RVN Vet. He had never talked to me about Vietnam. That is until we had to start dealing with the VA when he became ill with DMII and chest pains from a severe heart condition. He consented to going to a few one on one sessions with the VA psychologist. After about 6 or 7 sessions the psychologist invited him to a group meeting. My husband really felt better after the group meetings. He said they just visit and share but not necessarily about Vietnam, just about life. He felt like he had a special place where he was accepted and he belonged. It is really important to try and get your husband to group. If your area is like ours there is a special connection that can help, when your husband meets other vets with similar feelings/ expectations, etc., honestly, treatment is key.

Jangrin

[john999]

Berta and 1968

The counselor at the local Vet Center wrote a letter to the VA saying I had chronic and severe PTSD. The VA just ignored that and rated me for an increase in my initial 35 year old diagnosis of schizophrenia. My board certified shrink said Bi-polar disorder. No where did anyone say schizophrenia except the VA. So, guess what, I was rated 70 for schizophrenia, panic disorder, PTSD, agoraphobia, social phobia and pain disorder with a medical condition. This rating made no sense to me or my doctors but I got IU so money is money. My thing was I had symptoms in service. This was long before the concept of PTSD .

[john999]

1968

If the PTSD group did not help with the PTSD it would probably help with getting a higher rating down the road. If you show the VA that you are doing everything possible to help yourself and you still have these severe symptoms then you are making a good case for 100% or IU. What you want to show is that you are a compliant patient and that you want "help". Even going inside for the In-House PTSD program will help get a higher rating. However, you must talk about your symptoms. You cannot bottle it up. It might even do you some good. By participating in all these PTSD programs you are building a mountain of documentation for your condition.

You know many of us made it back from Vietnam and then we started having all these severe problems. I know that on my 30 day leave from Nam I ended up overdosing and spent 3 days in a rubber room. I was way too sick to go back but I did go back to duty until I got kicked out a year later.

[emmak]

Thanks to all who have responded. Guess what? I think I am getting the picture! I am printing out all replys and when my headache goes away I will start a new plan of action in regard to this matter.I will post as I make progress for those of you who care enough to give advise and let me know what worked for you.