decision

[timmybob123]

I recently had a c and p exam. This is what I reported to the psych. Any idea on where I stand?

 

Medications – I am unable to function without my medications

Care for myself – my wife has to constantly remind me to do things for myself like take my medications. I need to go to the dentist bc I have a cracked tooth but I keep putting off going to the dentist bc it isn’t important to me. My wife mentioned that I am forgetful by doing things like forgetting our baby in our car constantly, unable to watch our child alone, not checking to make sure my stepson has his coat and lunch for school. My wife pointed out that im horrible at grooming myself by constantly not trimming my nose hairs or getting haircuts when I need to. She sais I have no regard for money. I leave huge tips and buy expensive things when we don’t have the money free. My wife manages our money. I no longer control it since the consequence of spending it when I shouldn’t does not affect me as it does for normal people.

 

Symptoms – I hallucinate that I hear voices constantly on a daily basis and have when I make the voices out it is hard to distinguish that they aren’t real. My wife sais I have horrible memory for remembering important things I need to do like self care and care for others and sometimes names of people I know. I mumble to myself which really annoys my wife and sometimes co-workers. My wife sais that my reasoning is horrible and communication lacks a lot. I am in a constant state of anxiety, suspicion and fear on a daily basis. Anxiety that something bad is going to happen and I don’t know what it is. Suspicion that people are out to get me. Fear that I am going to be attacked by muslims for being a veteran. I on a daily basis am hyper alert. It feels like I am failing backwards but just does not go away. I have panic attacks multiple times a day that make me sweat. I get triggered by smells of smoke reminding me of when I was in Afghanistan and have panic attacks. Body odor reminds me of the people in Afghanistan and I have panic attacks. People digging on the side of the road and driving to close to me makes me have panic attacks and I have to pull over. My panic attacks usually end with me crying and being overcome with the emotions and grief of my whole situation and how my life is. I have nightmares every night about being in Afghanistan on patrol with my marines. I see the ieds going off in front of my face. The shockwave from the ied whooshing through my body. Our patrol base where we slept being attacked with aks and rocket propelled grenades. My Marines being blown up and me having to put tourniquets and pressure dressing on them. There screaming for me their Doc. Running around the patrol base as the Taliban attack checking on the posts to make sure no one was shot and bullets hitting close to me on the ground. I have anger and am short tempered over little things that really don’t matter in the long run but in the moment I have outbursts of yelling. I have yelled at co workers and been very short in conversation because I get angry easily. I have an addictive personality and sometimes find myself drinking just for the buzz and release. Ive smoked pot to help with my anxiety but I cant do that because I have a family. Sometimes I wake up in my dream and am locked on the bed unable to move yelling for my wife but no one answers and it’s a very traumatic experience for me when that happens. I have had flashbacks at work where a smell took mer back to the moments when I was treating my marines. My anxiety gets so bad that I throw up and am unable to eat on a daily basis. My medications make me nausiouse and dizzy and makes it hard to concentrate because im in a fog. I am constantly depressed and not hopeful of my future. I constantly think my life would be better if I was just not here anymore. I am horrible with procrastinating by putting things off to the last minute or just not doing them at all.

 

Work – I yelled at some co-workers and was reassigned to a new job at the VA in Lexington. My anxiety makes it extremely hard to function doing my job. I have missed almost a month of work within the last year because my anxiety doesn’t let me leave the house. It is overwhelming. I find myself zoning out thinking of Afghanistan while at work on a daily basis making it hard to concentrate on tasks. As I mentioned earlier I was reassigned, I no longer have any patient contact and am greatly restrained in my work duties. I am now in spd. As I mentioned earlier I smoke pot and was recently drug tested. I am about to lose my job. When I do I will not be able to pay my mortgage and will lose my house. I understand that it is my fault. It is as if I have no regard for consequences at times.

 

Social – I do not like to meet new people. I don’t like talking and do not seek out new relationships. I don’t have any friends that I hang out with. I never leave my house unless I have too. I would rather avoid social interaction. My Wife sais she has to walk on egg shells around me sometimes bc my temper. I don’t have a relationship with my family. They care about me but it’s as if I don’t care about them or am indifferent.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Buck52]

 IF YOU HAVE NOT? get a copy of your last PTSD  C&P Exam  to see what the examiner opine on?

if you have not did all this below you need too.

Just a reminder as to what it takes to claim PTSD.  caused from military service.

You need to check with your VA Mental health clinic and request a PTSD EVAULATION  there they will test you for the DSM PTSD Criteria.

They will request that you seek treatment immediately. 

 you meet the 100% criteria for the DSM PTSD  from what you mention your symptoms are ,(jmo) After you file a claim  normally they may send you to a comp & pen  forensic exam for a evaluation of your symptoms.

but you need a VA PTSD DIAGNOSE first  then gather  up all your medical records and in service records as your evidence as to why you have PTSD that happen while you were deployed from military service.

Request your C-FILE 

They won't just take you word for all these symptoms you describe here   you need medical records or in service records as evidence as to why and when & location this Condition incurred  from your military service.

sounds like your MOS is combat medic?  your in service records will have that (MOS) never the less you need to prove you were in fear for your life and a Qualified Dr to opine in your favor. if you have a CIB (combat infantry Badge)  then the VA will  ease up on your stressor's.

Get the VA to diagnose you for the PTSD , Then file a claim yourself or contact your local VSO   you can find them at your local VAMC or DAV Office  or check with VFW's Amvets OR your county veterans service office.

Remember to get a copy of your Last C&P Exam   from your local VBA ( Veterans benefit Administration) After 2 weeks or check at the FOIA Release of medical records at your local VAMC.

or stay here on hadit for help and advise.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Buck52

[timmybob123]

Thank you for the reply. I'm a Iraq and afghan combat vet with a diagnosis of chronic ptsd and get treated at the VA. 

Edited January 13, 2018 by timmybob123

[Buck52]

OK Thats good  I see no problems with your SERVICE CONNECTION.

A lot now depends on what your C&P Examiner put in his/her report.??

just to add.

They rate PTSD on the severity of symptoms   and just my opinion you meet the 100% rating. but be ready for anything  those examiner can & do put anything down in their  supposedly  unbiased report.

DEPENDING ON how long ago you filed your first claim? but if you do get a 100% rating be sure and check the dates you first filed,  you could get back a lot of retro  if your rated the 100% so watch the dates   it's called EED early effective date.

not sure what your dependent status is  but if you have more than one dependent  that adds to your compensation rate.

so don't let them  low-ball you.

[Berta]

My main question too-regarding  "I have had flashbacks at work where a smell took mer back to the moments when I was treating my marines."

What was your MOS? Do you have the CIB or CAR on your DD 214?

" My medications make me nausiouse and dizzy and makes it hard to concentrate because im in a fog. "

What is the diagnosis you have now, that the meds are for?

" As I mentioned earlier I was reassigned, I no longer have any patient contact and am greatly restrained in my work duties. I am now in spd. As I mentioned earlier I smoke pot and was recently drug tested. I am about to lose my job. When I do I will not be able to pay my mortgage and will lose my house. I understand that it is my fault. It is as if I have no regard for consequences at times."

You said you work for the VA. What is SPD? Does that have anything to do with FERS disability?

Buck is right- if the C & P was done at a VAMC their Records Access Office ( sometimes called their FOIA officer) can get you a copy of it with a brief form they will ask you to sign.

 

 

 

[Buck52]

OK Thats good  I see no problems with your SERVICE CONNECTION.

A lot now depends on what your C&P Examiner put in his/her report.??

just to add.

They rate PTSD on the severity of symptoms   and just my opinion you meet the 100% rating. but be ready for anything  those examiner can & do put anything down in their  supposedly  unbiased report.

DEPENDING ON how long ago you filed your first claim? but if you do get a 100% rating be sure and check the dates you first filed,  you could get back a lot of retro  if your rated the 100% so watch the dates   it's called EED early effective date.

not sure what your dependent status is  but if you have more than one dependent  that adds to your compensation rate.

so don't let them  low-ball you.

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders

   Rating

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.100

Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.70

Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.50

Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).30

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.10

A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[broncovet]

Great advice by Berta and Buck, as usual.  I would emphasize there is sometimes a "disconnect" between what you tell the doc and what he writes down.  That is why you need a copy of the c and p exam report, so you can prepare yourself to refute possible negative (or erroneous) statments made by the examiner.  

We like to think the c and p examiner writes down every word we say and it never gets disotorted.  

However, if I told "anyone" a story, it is almost certain that if he retold the same story he would change a few facts, or leave out stuff altogether, (subconsciously adding his own experiences)  in almost every instance.