Hi there! Long time member here but been MIA for awhile. Life has been busy and I have been dealing with health issues. Long story short, I went through a battery of tests to find out what is wrong with me. I did an ANA-TITER test, and it was positive for an auto immune disease. Was referred to the RA doctor for further testing to see if I had lupus. The RA doctor did blood tests and determined I don't have lupus. We did additionally physical exam at the VA back in May and he determined I had Fibromyalgia and diagnosed me with it. We discussed that my Fibromyalgia co-exists with PTSD/MST and IBS. We also discussed that Fibromyalgia can be secondary to my already service-connected PTSD/MST or even maybe my IBS. I discussed this with my representative and we decided to file a claim for Fibromyalgia (non-service connected disability) to an already service-connected disability. Either PTSD/MST or IBS and we asked that they evaluate either causation or aggravation.
We filed in July and I had my C&P exam in September. The examiner was asked by the rater to give his medical opinion as to the Fibro being secondary to my PTSD/MST. The rater did not ask if it was possible to be secondary to my IBS like we requested. The examiner did a C&P DBQ for Fibro and that was positive. I do have Fibro, that isn't the issue. The medical opinion is what was disturbing. I was with the examiner for less than 5 minutes. He stated he physically examined me when he did not and he seemed very unknowledgeable about Fibro/PTSD-MST/IBS as co-existing and determining either causation or aggravation. Of course the medical opinion stated, "less likely than not". I was floored, so I went to work for my claim.
I contacted my RA doctor and we talked with my representative on the phone as well. By the end of the call he was confident enough to link my PTSD/MST as aggravation to my Fibromyalgia. He wrote a one/two paragraph letter on my behalf. We sent that to the rater. Then I spoke to my MH provider last week and she too wrote me a very good NEXUS letter. That was sent to the rater yesterday. Both my doctor's are at the VA and both stepped out on a limb for me. I am hoping their medical opinions outweigh the negative C&P medical opinion.
I am attaching the C&P exams (redacted), the two medical opinions (redacted) - I am hoping I am successful because this will make me 100% scheduler. I am currently 94% overall rated.
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Navy4life
Hi there! Long time member here but been MIA for awhile. Life has been busy and I have been dealing with health issues. Long story short, I went through a battery of tests to find out what is wrong with me. I did an ANA-TITER test, and it was positive for an auto immune disease. Was referred to the RA doctor for further testing to see if I had lupus. The RA doctor did blood tests and determined I don't have lupus. We did additionally physical exam at the VA back in May and he determined I had Fibromyalgia and diagnosed me with it. We discussed that my Fibromyalgia co-exists with PTSD/MST and IBS. We also discussed that Fibromyalgia can be secondary to my already service-connected PTSD/MST or even maybe my IBS. I discussed this with my representative and we decided to file a claim for Fibromyalgia (non-service connected disability) to an already service-connected disability. Either PTSD/MST or IBS and we asked that they evaluate either causation or aggravation.
We filed in July and I had my C&P exam in September. The examiner was asked by the rater to give his medical opinion as to the Fibro being secondary to my PTSD/MST. The rater did not ask if it was possible to be secondary to my IBS like we requested. The examiner did a C&P DBQ for Fibro and that was positive. I do have Fibro, that isn't the issue. The medical opinion is what was disturbing. I was with the examiner for less than 5 minutes. He stated he physically examined me when he did not and he seemed very unknowledgeable about Fibro/PTSD-MST/IBS as co-existing and determining either causation or aggravation. Of course the medical opinion stated, "less likely than not". I was floored, so I went to work for my claim.
I contacted my RA doctor and we talked with my representative on the phone as well. By the end of the call he was confident enough to link my PTSD/MST as aggravation to my Fibromyalgia. He wrote a one/two paragraph letter on my behalf. We sent that to the rater. Then I spoke to my MH provider last week and she too wrote me a very good NEXUS letter. That was sent to the rater yesterday. Both my doctor's are at the VA and both stepped out on a limb for me. I am hoping their medical opinions outweigh the negative C&P medical opinion.
I am attaching the C&P exams (redacted), the two medical opinions (redacted) - I am hoping I am successful because this will make me 100% scheduler. I am currently 94% overall rated.
C&P _Redacted.pdf
nexus 2_Redacted.pdf
redacted.pdf
redacted2.pdf
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