DBQ Review

[lcurle]

Got a call today from a company called LHI for a DBQ Review for PTSD.  Verified them and scheduled the appt for next week.  I am currently rated 50% for PTSD and had submitted a claim for Sleep Apnea due to the burn pits in Afghanistan.  Now this pops up after I get my letter from the RO stating my claim is denied because there is no SC for sleep apnea.  Anything to be concerned about with this?  I quit the VA BM program because there was a russian dr trying to kill me, or so it seemed, with all the meds she was throwing me on.  then my weekly visits with the shrink were all about her and I couldn't take it anymore so I canceled all of them.

[Buck52]

I been seeing my shrink weekly  yesterday she ask me if I would be willing to try the group therapy I said IDK? She said well I don't think your ready for that, I said I don't know if I'd like it or not...and I said I'll try it and see?

so now next week I go to the therapy group sessions for one hour ( with10 other PTSD Vets) and then go see her for another hour and she said we will talk about it?

because these therapy sessions don't seem to be helping me,  I feel the same as I did 3 years ago when I started therapy   

My old therapist is a Veteran also and we clicked pretty good  he was great in helping me and never went to fast forward with anything and was a ''if it don't work we'll try something else''. type therapist..  and I liked that approach.   

Although I had a set back After 2 1/2 years with this same therapist when my old therapist had Major Back Surgery and  the VA messed him up and he is out indefinitely  and I was given a new therapist  its like starting all over again.

I think this new therapist is hanging on for Retirement AND just wanting to get by about a year or so  then Retire...because we never talked about my problems  ..other than high Anxiety and how to use the breathing technique.   mostly she talks about all her accomplishments and has a Masters Degree In human Behavior  whoooppppiiiii

lcurle,

if you have a private insurance  check it out and see if it pays for MH Therapy sessions?...because the VA will see that your not in MH Therapy and will likely reduce your benefits  thinking that you have shown improvement by not attending any form of MH Sessions.

As I understand we need to keep going to these sessions for at least 5 years and then its basically once or twice a year for check ups and renew medications.

Edited June 13, 2018 by Buck52

[Buck52]

Ms berta

Do you know if we can check with the VA MH Clinic & Ask to see the RESUME' of all the therapist and LC.S.W.  that they use for therapy sessions? and maybe look and see how much experience they all have.

I been thinking about changing my therapist and would like to see how much experience one has before helping me.

This VA way is they just throw any therapist at the veterans and hope for the best...the VA Psychiatrist that diagnose me with chronic PTSD suggested I start out using a male therapist and is also a Veteran himself and is a L.C.S.W SW4 with 20 years experience.(  WE CLICKED GOOD)

I had him for two 1/2 Years and everything seem to be fitting together the way he helped me  then he had to have Major Back Surgery...and the VA messed him up pretty good they cut a part of his spine by mistake and now he can't walk and is medically retiring  not sure if he has a 1151 IN OR NOT?? BUT KNOWING HIM  HE PROBABLY DOES.

[Berta]

Yeah I do too- 1151 and/or FTCA claim.

"Do you know if we can check with the VA MH Clinic & Ask to see the RESUME' of all the therapist and LC.S.W.  that they use for therapy sessions? and maybe look and see how much experience they all have."

With their names- they can be googled.

I have used Healthgrades as well. It used to cost a few dollars to find out info-

And also a good idea to find your state's list of disciplined doctors/nurses.

The VA is mandated by law to provide names of any VA doctor (and I understand they have to do this with nurses now as well) who have caused  proven malpractice via a successful FTCA claim against the VA.

Also many doctors  have on line web sites and comments written about their services from patients.

 

 

[Buck52]

 Thanks Ms berta,

About all I can go by as for as getting names  they have the Dr's & Nurses & LCSW pictures up in a frame on the wall inside the clinic  it has there names under the pics

I knew the Dr's had a Resum'e  we could look at by  putting there full name in the computer with the VAMC they work for... but was not so sure about the therapist?

Ms berta  you do have a 1151 going on now? was it for you or do you mean your deceased hubby?

Edited June 13, 2018 by Buck52

[lcurle]

I guess it has been 5 years since my last review when the VA increased fro 30% to 50% PTSD, I wouldnt mind going to talk with someone, my shrink who alked about herself the whole time retired and I was never offered someone else.  Then the drug dealing russian lady quit so....here I am.

[lcurle]

Ok so that it done, took about an hour. Asked me a bunch of questions on my well being between my last review and today.  Answered them the best I could. After that was “the fun part”. I was asked current date and time, where I was, who the president was who the last president was.  Then I was asked what an apple and banana have in common followed by a poem and statue, anchor and fence.  The last test was to count backwards from 100 by 7’s.  Then I was free to go.