ptsd Ptsd Claim

[BoonDoc]

Hi all,

I went to my counseling session yesterday for PTSD. I was recently in an auto accident, and I have been having "flashbacks" since this wreck, and was telling the LCSW how hard it was getting by on my 60% SC compensation, much less getting treatment on my dime until the settlement with the mans insurance company.

she asked me "have you filed a claim for PTSD with the VA yet?", and when I told her no she told me that "You have to to take care of your family" and that she would put everything together in my record and that my migraines, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, agoraphobia are all rooted in the PTSD. She told me to wait until I see the head shrink M.D, and she would have time to inform him, and time to put all of the documentation together that I needed for the PTSD SC claim.

My question is this.

I have the cause or event in my SMR and a copy of the VA admitting to it too the event occuring while on active duty.

Now I have the nexus linking what I'm already 50% SC for and other symptoms that I have copies of treatment of symptoms since discharge, but the medical records don't say that I have PTSD.

Do they have to have that diagnosis on the treatment records for me to get the comp for the PTSD?

or will they be considered symptoms since I disn't have the diagnosis until a few months ago.

She told me all of these years I've have had PTSD, and all of the physical and mental symptoms are "rooted" in PTSD and if I don't get treatment I will get sicker and sicker physically and mentally...

I guess I'll wait and play it by ear. If anybody has any input, or suggestions about what to do please jump right in and give your 2 cents.. any ideals are much appreciated.

Boondoc

[BoonDoc]

My VA shrink asked me if I had already filed a claim for SC for PTSD, I told her no, she told me to file a claim for PTSD; she told me that my SC migraines, Fibromyalgia, chronic pain, anxiety and depression all of these years were just symptoms of PTSD coming out sinc eI had not delt with what caused it.

The only wotness is dead, but I was treated while on active duty, and it's in my SMR's. I did not have the PTSD diagnosis until 3-4 months ago, so I didn't know that all of this mental & physical was cause by PTSD, but she said it was and documented it in my VA MR's.

I have a claim pending for secondary anxiety/depression from chronic frequent migraines.

I also have a NOD pending for TDIU for the SC migraines.

Now I'm told to file a claim by my VA shrink for PTSD and that she would document everything in my mental hygene MR's and that I should be more than 60% is what she said....I am just wondering if proving the anxiety/depression and chronic migraines over the last 23-24 years can be tied to the PTSD just by her, and the head pscychiatrist saying so...I was told to give her a few weeks to have a conference with the Dept Head (the haead shrink) and then file the claim for PTSD.

I am asking how hard it will be to get PTSD SC with a "stressor" that is provable and in my SMR's, and a nexus from my present shrink telling me to file a claim for it, and so many years in between of being treated for the symptoms, but nothing on the treatment records stating PTSD...until now by my present LCSW and MD who is Head of the Dept.

It may sound strange, but I am cautious of anyone trying to help me, since it aint happening to often in my life...especially by a VA employee

I guess that I will give the info the Va asked for on the the secondary claim for anxiety, etc from migraines, and continue to appeal the TDIU claim as far as I can , and do as she says and give her time to develop the records the way that she said they would have to be for me to be awarded SC for PTSD, then file a claim for it.

I told her I don't feel worthy since it's not from combat, she told me that when a person experiences something so traumatic in their life that it's out of the relm of the normal it can cause a "re-wiring" of the brain and PTSD occures no matter if it was from combat or rape, etc. and "worht" had nothing to do with it, and from her experience most people who have TSD don't want to file for SC because they don't want the memories (or flashbacks like I have after each counseling session) but I needed to think about my family and do what I needed to take care of them.

Thanks for the in put!

Boon doc

[john999]

You have to have the stressor and the PTSD diagnosis. If you have those things and the stressor is bullet proof then you can file for PTSD if the doctors are behind you 100%. If the doc wants to say all your depression and anxiety is due to a verifiable stressor then I would go with it. Have you done your research on PTSD? You will probably still have to go for a C&P exam so you are going to have to discuss your stressor with another doctor who is not your friend or supporter. Maybe get an IMO from a private shrink to back it up and go into it some more.

[BoonDoc]

You have to have the stressor and the PTSD diagnosis. If you have those things and the stressor is bullet proof then you can file for PTSD if the doctors are behind you 100%. If the doc wants to say all your depression and anxiety is due to a verifiable stressor then I would go with it. Have you done your research on PTSD? You will probably still have to go for a C&P exam so you are going to have to discuss your stressor with another doctor who is not your friend or supporter. Maybe get an IMO from a private shrink to back it up and go into it some more.

I have a solid stressor in my SMR's and records of treatment of symptoms since active duty, 23 yrs or so, and my doctor is the one who told me "I must file for PTSd for my family" She said that all of my symptoms are related to PTSD, one of which I'm SC 50% for now, and the others I've got the treatment records to prove continuity sp? of treatment, and the diagnosis of PTSD. She told me that all of the symptoms are the PTSD "trying to surface so I will deal with it, but my body is dealing with it mentally and physically, and it's all PTSD that it's "rooted" in.

I'm not so nieve to believe that the VA will just hand me SC for PTSD, but I do know having her record that all of my symptoms are caused by PTSD is better than nothing....the problem is I don't want to talk about it because it causes "flashbacks" after each therapy session and I find myself reliving ...it's like I was there I've had this happen several times, so I just quit discuss the event and the things I had to do as a Corpsman that wake me up every night just like I was there...

I'm going to have to research how the VA does PTSD claims and prepare for what's coming if I file. I wish I'd get TDIU with CH 35 benefits so I don't have to even mess with the PTSD claim, I don't want to open one. I wan tto be left alone and be by myself, but the LCSW said if I continue to be a recluse I will get sicker and sicker.

Thanks for your input, much appreciated!

BoonDoc

[Berta]

Boondoc

"the things I had to do as a Corpsman that wake me up every night just like I was there..."

I know corpmen and can well imagine what you went through- this MOS, with the SMRs where you said there is documentation, is certainly support for a PTSD claim.

Most of the corpsmen I know dont want to talk about it either.

This doctor sounds sincere and wants to help you.

Veteran she gave you some very good advice and the LCSW did too:

the LCSW said if I continue to be a recluse I will get sicker and sicker.

I dont know if you have ever been to a vet center yet but you might well find that you will be with veterans you can trust and who do not discriminate whether you were in combat or not-

the very first 100% SC PTSD vet I ever met in 1985 (one of the VA's first PTSD vets) never was in combat.

His MOS certainly showed that he or just about anyone else would develop PTSD if they had his service job.

Combat is one thing- PTSD is another- you know my husband was a combat vet, 100% SC PTSD.

But his main stressors-the ones that kept him awake all night and gave him flashbacks were mostly not from the direct combat at all.Two USMC volunteer jobs and some other things----

I hope that if you are unemployed you file for TDIU.

The VA certainly does have many excellent MSWs and doctors and I think-in spite of the griping I do about the system , the VA excels in helping veterans with PTSD and vet centers too- for some- not everyone- can also be a good place to go- where everyone else there understands you.

[larryjones24]

If I don't stay in contact, with other PTSD vets; I'm usually headed for trouble.

In my case, I just keep making my bunker smaller and smaller. In fact I get more

help from my fellow PTSD people, than I do from the Doc's and drugs. It only took

me 25 plus years, to find this out.

I'm not saying that this will work for you, but sure does help a lot of us.

Good Luck

Larry Jones 100% PTSD, SC

[BoonDoc]

I just wanted to say thanks for all of the comments, suggestions, and support...it's a long, lonely road getting compensation, and trying to "get better" and recover from everything that's going on...we alll know it can be overwhelming, and in the past I just shut down.

I am going to work through this medically, as well as working on getting the compensation that I need for my family, time will tell how I do but at least this time I'm not going to give up and let them win without a proper battle!

Boondoc