tinnitus Depression - headaches - non sleep

[Geo4K]

OMG, I just spent an hour plus typing this up and it vanished.  Guess I should have copied it to a Word doc before trying to post.  What a pisser…

 

In 2011 I was given a SC rating of 50% for occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity…. It was tied to a SC disability of degenerative spine disease of C5-C7.  Since that time my neck has gotten worse and with more pain.  My mood has turned pretty dark as I find my thoughts drifting off to being dead and therefore out of pain, now on a daily basis.  So far the only thing that has kept me from doing anything drastic has been the stigma it would attach to my family.  I fear my temper has deteriorated as well and I basically lost my last real friend a month or two ago.  I was last seen (medically) at the VA in 2011 as well.  Now that I want to return for counseling, they tell me that since greater than 2 years have gone by I need to reestablish myself and go through cattle call again…. That’s in mid-November.

 

They also gave me a 0% SC for muscle tensions headaches.  Looks like their biggest beef with my claim is that I did not use the term Prostrating Episode.  I did however describe my 2-3 severe headaches a month that requited me to take Imitrex, NorCal, and lay down in a quiet dark room for 2-3 hours… was that not enough for a 30% rating here? Seems to me that I described a “prostrating episode”, but you tell me please.  My headaches have increased in frequency to up to 5 a month – despite the occipital injections, and Botox shots (30+ per visit).  Botox injections were so bad that I tensed up during the procedure and ended up with shooting neck pain.  I quit the Botox after 2 tries.  They weren’t very effective either. Other than sleeping them off in a quiet dark room for 2-3 hours, nothing helps much.

 

In order to quell the neck pain, I have tried facet injections (helped some but lasted no more than a week) and on 30 June I had radio frequency nerve ablation in the C-spine. That hurt me so bad…. I had no idea how much pain I would be in as the nerves “died” until I read on why I was hurting so bad 2 weeks post procedure – turns out it’s real common.  Pain went away after 7 whole weeks.  See, though I have tried just about everything thrown I me.  Now I am just tired of trying.  BTW: I was rated at 20% for my neck issues… The crux of everything else I have, except Tinnitus.

 

Something I have not, until now, wondered about is my sleep issues.  I have been on sleeping meds for 5 years. Got off the Ambien to something less harsh.  But I have trouble sleeping due to the pain I am in.  Either falling asleep or staying asleep – or both.  Is this something the VA would look at?

 

All this had added up to me fearing for my job.  I am a federal employee with 10 years in (post retirement from the USAF.  I recently had to drop down 2 grades as previously a Contracting Officer (GS-1102) to something less in the critical thinking arena.  Still, I have missed a ton of work over the past several years.  I stayed up typing this as the sharp pain in my neck makes it impossible to sleep right now and I am on track to missing one more day of work.  I fear I will lose my job due to absenteeism.

 

The whole point of this post is my asking you all for “what you think” – I feel I may have left somethings on the table.  It took me 5 years after I retired from the Air Force to file and that got me 80%.  Another 5 has gone my and I feel much worse for the wear.

 

I would appreciate to hear from you all.  I have laid it all out there for you to see.  My candor has never been an issue.

 

Gratefully, Geo

[Geo4K]

Please, members with some experience here, your thought are valuable to me.

I poured my heart out here looking for validation or some sort of becoming grounded - if I am off base.  I am really soliciting your views.  This site was instrumental in support of my successful rebuttal to the VA that raised me from 40% to 80%.

Chime in.

Many Thanks - and I'll be patient and not check back until Monday.

George

 

[Berta]

Have you formally challenged the 2 ratings above with a claim yet? 

When did you get the decision?

Do you get private care , and if so, would those doctors be willing to prepare an IMO/IME for you?

The VA will not consider you for TDIU unless you are unemployed.

Your work record (I think Fed employees get annual Performance appraisals, would also help bolster a strong IMO/IME. I certainly used a VA performance appraisal for the first claim I had with VA, as a survivor of a disabled veteran.It was but one piece of evidence, however.

Then I also used in again to prove an undiagnosed and untreated condition that contributed to my husband's death.( DMII AO)and an 1151 stroke.

 "Another 5 has gone my and I feel much worse for the wear."

If you mean you did not appeal the older decision,in time, than you will need New and Material evidence to re open these claims.

IMOs/IMEs are very good to submit as New and Material evidence.

The whole IMO gamut is here under Getting an IMO as to what the doctor needs and how they need to shape their opinion.

 

[Geo4K]

Thank you Berta.

What I was considering is telling the VA that my condition was worsen over the years and my pain is greater now - my diagnosis is degenerative disc disease.  My condition has deteriorated and the headaches that come with it have increased in frequency and pain. I have thought that you could go back and tell the VA that it has worsened over time and they would reevaluate you and consider it again. Is this the case?  

I have tried everything thrown my way for relief. Injections, botox, PT, the nerve burn, and nothing has provided me with any meaningful relief.  After the failure of the nerve burn in June, I came to the realisation that there is nothing out there to help me and I am going to have to ride this out until I die.  That, my friends, is depressing and what turned the key for me and has dragged me down to how I feel these days.  You know, I looked down to pick up my glasses just a bit ago and Zap, my neck explodes and my my knees buckle.  Is't a drag...

I do have private care and to date my doc has been extremely supportive of me and has written several letters and even used the phraseology that I asked him to, that the VA looks for.  An IMO/IME was surely going to be in my new round of dealings with them (VA).  I want to get my ducks all in a row and take time to address my claim as well as I can.

[Berta]

 "I have thought that you could go back and tell the VA that it has worsened over time and they would reevaluate you and consider it again. Is this the case?  "

Yes, but they will need documented medical proof that it all has gotten worse.

That is why vets need copies of their medical records....that show recent med changes or increases in dosage, any hospitalizations, any secondaries that could possibly be due to advancing disabilities, and that could be claimed  etc etc.

An IMO/IME is always a good idea to consider.

And the VA Schedule of Ratings here at hadit is a valuable tool to use, to prove, with evidence, that you should attain a higher rating.

It shows what medical evidence you need for each percentage.

Edited October 10, 2016 by Berta

[broncovet]

As usual, I agree with Berta.   Maybe that is because she taught me much of what I know.   "Not seeking treatment" since 2011 is a big red flag.   Did you get treated somewhere else for the condition, and, did you release those records to VA?  

"Not seeking treatment" sounds to the VA like you are cured, (or even that you faked your pain to obtain benefits)  EVEN THO  that is often not the case.  "Not seeking VA treatment" may well be because of other reasons.  For example, Va did not help you, or, you were depressed and resigned youself to live with it, and tough it out.   

YOu need to fix this "gap" of 5 years, with at least a reason why you did not seek treatment at VA.  For me, I can see a valid reason, also, that you may have sought some other alternative treatments, such as herbal therapies, essential oils, exercises, non VA physical therapies, etc., or therapies that the VA does not provide.  Some VA's will provide chiropractic therapy, but, with most VAMC's,  not so much.    

The VA requires "continuity of symptoms", not continuity of treatment.  Its not unusual for a doctor to prescribe an alternative method of treatment if treatment plan "a" does not work, or sometimes makes things even worse.  

As Berta expressed it, you can file for an increase if you have medical documentation that your condition's symptoms worsened, OR that caused other conditions.  Im not a doctor, but long term pain sounds like it would be very depressing, along with not being able to sleep.  

To get service connection for depression secondary to your condition which causes pain, you would need medical docutmentation.  That is, a competent medical professional would need to state that your "long term pain from (service connected condition) at least as likely as not caused your diagnosis of depression".  

Of course, I have no idea that a doctor would so state.  

Edited October 10, 2016 by broncovet

[Geo4K]

Yes, I have been treated over the course of these past 5 years for the headaches and sleep - although I have not been seen for a few years for the increased depression - but I have only caught myself feeling much worse after the failure of the RF nerve burn on 30 June. I will be addressing this the next time I see my doc in 2 1/2 weeks, and resume treatment with a physc provider of some sorts.

Back to an earlier question I had, would it be reasonable of me to try to tie in my lack of ability to fall and to stay asleep with my pain?  I am sure I could get my doc to write a letter to support this.  Would the VA support such a thing?

Thank you,