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Seeking Guidance: Loss of Creative Organ

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Ocean

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Fellow Veterans and Supporters,

I am seeking guidance regarding Erectile Dysfunction (Creative Organ) and it is something I have only once asked for in February of 2010. When I initially applied, I stated it was secondary to pain, as have a Traumatic Spinal Injury and multiple fusions. I did not include any post military medical records or doctor statements at the time.

Flash forward 8 years, and I still suffer from chronic ED; neither Viagra nor Cialis have helped and I have given up on trying.  However, I do still feel that I am owed compensation for this and wanted to try and compile everything correctly. I have been doing some research and my daily medication for PTSD (70% SC) is 200mg Sertraline and 5mg of Clonazepam; I also take 200mg Naproxen for chronic inflammation, all of which are known to create medication-induced sexual dysfunction. Which, as my first question, does that matter to the Department of Veteran Affairs? 

A part of the problem with this claim is me, I don't mind the physical scars, but telling doctors I have ED makes me feel like I have lost my manhood (I guess pun intended). If possible, I would really prefer not to go to a urologist for them to complete a DBQ as the emotional trauma and stress would be overwhelming. My second question, if I have an extensive amount of combat-related injuries that are service connected, am I able to just write a Statement of Claim and connect the dots for the rating agent; or should I really make it a point to get that DBQ?

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Afternoon all,

I have an appointment scheduled with a Urologist on the 20th, but received a call from the VA letting me know they have scheduled me for an ED exam on 10/5. Should I do both exams and bring the DBQ to the C&P appointment, or does a C&P exam make the DBQ worthless? Alternatively, does having the DBQ make the C&P exam unneeded. 

 

Thank you~

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

Go to both exams.

The ED exam will perform the basic examination, evaluate the condition, and get an opinion.

The Urology appointment can be beneficial in other ways. They will probably get PSA levels, check your prostate, and then hydraulics. If they identify any problems, it is best to get them addressed earlier rather than later. My urologist referred me for an abdominal ultrasound which confirmed my prostate was enlarged and also found some kidney stones. Had I not have gone, I would not have known until it is too late.

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On 9/17/2018 at 12:09 PM, Ocean said:

I have an appointment scheduled with a Urologist on the 20th, but received a call from the VA letting me know they have scheduled me for an ED exam on 10/5.

Ocean,

I would take the DBQ to the urologist appointment. explain the history and let them know you have a claim in. There are specific words/wording  in the DBQ that if they appear in your medical file it will bolster your claim. This goes for any claim. 

As for ED or Loss of Creative Organ.

I was rated as 70% PTSD 10% Tinnitus starting in 2012. I was not aware there was a rating for ED and  like most men I was not particularly happy to discuss it with anyone. The C&P examiner knew I had ED as we discussed sexual intimacy and the issues I had with that. 

I do have a record of ED problem in my military medical records, but at that time there was no such thing as viagra.

The VAMC that rated me had me do a prostate check because of urination issues. They noted mild BPH and the urologist offered me Viagra so I tried it. That Doc knew I had PTSD and had had this problem for a couple of decades but failed to mention that there was a possible claim for benefits.

Jump to this year, I moved to a new area and at the same time the VA decided I needed to have a PTSD review C&P.  Jumped to 100% P&T for PTSD.

In the process of getting that C&P i found this site and read up on stuff and found that ED is compensable and can be rated or SMC-K can be applied.

I filed for ED and a few days later had a C&P for ED. no further exam needed. I am now waiting for the RO to finish processing that claim and a couple other things.

My point is that not only will your PTSD meds cause ED but so will PTSD by itself. Hypertension and most Mood Disorders have an effect on ED.

As for pay there are references to certain conditions that are automatically assumed to having been a year before the actual exam, and they are paid that back pay. ED is one of those conditions as I understand it.

Once I get the rating decision, if approved I will be looking to get an Earlier Date as it was part of the original C&P. At a minimum I expect the back pay for at least a year to be automatic.

Additionally your spine issues also contribute to ED so you really should be good to go.

good luck

 

 

 

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Thank you very much for the reply. I did take the DBQ to the Urologist and he kept it to fill out, over the next week or so. Due to the severity of my spine injuries, his only remedy for ED was a penile implant. Which, I am not sure about going that far. I do have inconstenance, so he also scheduled me for an exam which they will fill the bladder with a tube and see how it acts, rinse and repeat, so I believe I have a voiding dysfunction too. Im really not looking forward to these exams, but I am not P&T, so I guess the more information that I can provide - the better.

 

Does anyone recommend submitting a Statement of Claim with the ED stuff? I mean, do they care what I have to say? It has been over three years since my wife and I even tried to be intimate. 

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8 minutes ago, Ocean said:

Does anyone recommend submitting a Statement of Claim with the ED stuff?

in  word, YES.

Lay testimony is credible and statements from your wife are very relevant. she is also suffering from a deprivation and loss of affection which outside the VA is an actual legal standard that can be sued over.

If you are unsure of what to say or how to say it, Chris Attig over at Veterans Law Blog has an ebook on how to properly write a lay claim statement. He also as  bunch of other informational books, that if I had the extra cash I would buy to help improve future claims.

https://www.veteranslawblog.org/shop/page/2/

Go over all the DBQ's related to genitourinary conditions.

you may also want to look at this

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title38-vol1/pdf/CFR-2014-title38-vol1-sec4-115b.pdf

it has the different IDC rating codes that your doc can/should/might apply to this.

you may also want to go here

https://www.benefits.va.gov/WARMS/bookc.asp#l

and for this issue look for 4.115a and 4.115b which are under the Genitourinary System section.

you don't have to be graphic in your statement but definitely articulate your related anxiety, depression, and or any negative feelings you have about yourself if/when things don't work as they should

things like does it lead to fights, anger, her leaving you, you escaping having to look at her because you feel/see reproachment from her over this, etc are all things to articulate in the C&P and to the urologist.

I would also suggest, if you don't know, that if they ask about urinary problems and they likely will, they will ask about how many "pads" you go through a day, it is in the DBQ. I did not know they made pads for men, go figure. The number of pads you use a day is a indicator of genitourinary problems including ED stuff. so does strength of stream, stopping and starting and if you feel as if there is always/usually some left over in your urethra.

I promise you the conversation can be embarrassing, but only if you feel that way. The doctors just that, doctors and they know that topic is uncomfortable to men and related to our self-image. Don't try and make it seem less of a problem than it is, you don't get points for dealing with it "like a man" as everyone at my old commands used to say about any complaint anyone had for any reason..

 

 

 

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  • HadIt.com Elder

Ocean,

I agree with GeekySquid

However, you should submit all your claims at once   especially if you have your evidence medical evidence, for ED you need a nexus statment from your Dr Prefer a Urologist  or a CPA,  If you never had E.D. while in the military and no medical records, or any type of E.D. Medical notes, you need to file it Secondary, and the Dr needs to give his opinion to the meds you take that would cause your E.D.

A good lay statment from your wife describing  the effect this has had on you, they do consider this.

E.D. is not all that hard to get approved   if Qualified Dr mentions it is likely as not that your E.D. is caused/related to the Meds you take for PTSD  ect,,,ect,,,

Filing all your claims at once starts your Early Effective Dates , So if your denied on some don't worry, you can NOD these claims, but the other claims that are approved will get you going.

You could hit the Jackpot And get all your claims approved  if you submit well grounded claims   with creditable evidence  mostly Medical Evidence.

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