C&P Anxiety notes. thoughts?

[Dabimmerman]

Hey everyone,   I just got my C&P notes back from my anxiety exam.   I am not sure from what it says, but I think it looks to be favorable?    

Any ideas of a possible rating %?

                                  SECTION I:
                                  ----------
   1. Diagnosis
   ------------
   a. Does the Veteran now have or has he/she ever been diagnosed with a mental
      disorder(s)?
      [X] Yes  [ ] No
      
      ICD code: F32.9
      
      If the Veteran currently has one or more mental disorders that conform to
      DSM-5 criteria, provide all diagnoses:
      
      Mental Disorder Diagnosis #1: Major Depressivve Disorder
      ICD code: F32.9

   b. Medical diagnoses relevant to the understanding or management of the
      Mental Health Disorder (to include TBI): Lumbar strain   ICD: S39.012
      

   2. Differentiation of symptoms
   ------------------------------
   a. Does the Veteran have more than one mental disorder diagnosed?
      [] Yes  [X] No
      
   b. Is it possible to differentiate what symptom(s) is/are attributable to
      each diagnosis?
      [] Yes  [ ] No  [X ] Not applicable (N/A)
      
            
   c. Does the Veteran have a diagnosed traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
      [ ] Yes  [ ] No  [X] Not shown in records reviewed
      
   3. Occupational and social impairment
   -------------------------------------
   a. Which of the following best summarizes the Veteran's level of 
occupational
      and social impairment with regards to all mental diagnoses? (Check only
      one)
      
      [X] Occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas,
          such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking and/or 
mood

      
                                  SECTION II:
                                  -----------
                              Clinical Findings:
                              ------------------
   1. Evidence Review
   ------------------
   Evidence reviewed (check all that apply):
   
   [X] VA e-folder (VBMS or Virtual VA)

2. History
   ----------
   a. Relevant Social/Marital/Family history (pre-military, military, and
      post-military):
      
        He used to play sports, now he can't.   He cant play legos with his kids
or board games.   "I've lost a lot of my friends, I'm isolated more
        
   b. Relevant Occupational and Educational history (pre-military, military, 
and
      post-military):
      
        He injured his back during military service during routine exerice during drill.

Currently employed full-time, but "I have no interest in my job"   "My back always job, I have alot
of anxiety, and I'm not doing the right thing.
        
   c. Relevant Mental Health history, to include prescribed medications and
      family mental health (pre-military, military, and post-military):

Sleep, I'm up all night, back pain persists.   Gets 2-5 hours of sleep a night.

He still is depressed
No appetite, goes days without eating.
A major part of my life has changed..it sucks.      
       
   3. Symptoms
   -----------
   For VA rating purposes, check all symptoms that actively apply to the
   Veteran's diagnoses:
   
      [X] Depressed mood
      [X] Anxiety
      [] Suspiciousness
      [] Panic attacks more than once a week
      [X] Chronic sleep impairment
      [X] Disturbances of motivation and mood
      [X] Suicidal ideation 
      [X] Neglect of personal appearance and hygiene

   4. Behavioral observations
   --------------------------
   See Remarks below.
   
   5. Other symptoms
   -----------------
   Does the Veteran have any other symptoms attributable to mental disorders
   that are not listed above?
   [ ] Yes  [X] No
   
   6. Competency
   -------------
   Is the Veteran capable of managing his or her financial affairs?
   [X] Yes  [ ] No
   
   7. Remarks (including any testing results), if any:
   ---------------------------------------------------
   Clinical Examination: 
   He does appear to be in pain, depression.
   He does describe major depression episodes.   He has had suicidal ideation.
   It is at least as likely as not the veterans Major Depressive Disorder w/ anxious distress is due to service connection.

 

[Buck52]

 Just to answer your E.D. Question?

E.D. rating is usually  S.C.at 0% paid the 106 monthly in addition with your other 70% or  any increase if you get one?

 E.D....>You just need a nexus from a Qualified Doc to mention your E.D.''is Likely as not'' related to/caused from your Service Connected Condition or the medications from it.

   Dr needs to list the medications and mention he has read your medial record and examine you. It can be  either a VA Urologist or VA PAC(Physicians Assistant Certified) urologist can do it or private  Urologist Dr.

Unless your E.D. is Direct Service Connected. Then its usually S.C. & rated @10% 

''loss Of Use Of Body Organ'''

Edited October 28, 2018 by Buck52

[11cvolley]

From what I was told with mental health claims by someone that use to work at the VA is this. Whatever % they give you. It is usually 30% less than what you should be rated at. This advice I received held true for me. I was originally granted 70% the first go and this ex VA employee told me that is low ball. Sure enough. With the help of a lawyer. I got bumped to 100% with just two appeals on the original 70% claim. First appeal I tried to do myself and the 2nd one my lawyer won.

[Buck52]

If a Veteran does his homework or research the condition he/she is claiming  they have the criteria for the ratings  for each condition. if you meet the condition for the correct criteria then that's what you should be rated at..(jmo)

They have CFR#( Code of Federal Regulations)to go by and a scheduled of ratings criteria to be met.. so if we remind them of what Rating your condition should be rated According to the CFR's that meet your condition and the schedule rating criteria  you should get that rating.

[GeekySquid]

13 hours ago, Dabimmerman said:

Question, for the ED, I would have to first be rated on the MDD, correct?

 

as with all things VA the most correct answer is MAYBE.

12 hours ago, Buck52 said:

E.D....>You just need a nexus from a Qualified Doc to mention your E.D.''is Likely as not'' related to/caused from your Service Connected Condition or the medications from it.

As   @buck52  says a service connected condition is needed to link the ED too. MDD is a set of conditions considered to be tied to ED, however they are not the only things that are known to affect the ability to use our creative organ (actual VA statement is the rating is for Loss of Creative Organ).

12 hours ago, Buck52 said:

If a Veteran does his homework or research the condition he/she is claiming  they have the criteria for the ratings  for each condition.

@Buck52 is right about doing your homework on any condition you have, are rated at, denied for, or that you have but don't know you can be rated for. For example until this year I did not know ED could be rated or that things like SMC's existed. I also did not understand that some conditions were considered "secondary" to other conditions and having them might amplify your rating.

On the VA website search for DBQ;s. These are the Disability Questionnaires the C&P examiners must fill out. In each are the questions the Rater is supposed to find the answers to to determine if you A) have service connection and B) how serious is your condition in terms of the severity which translates to percentage.

In the DBQ for MH there are 7 statements that the C&P examiner has to chose from, the 1st means you don't have a problem, the 7th means you are mentally toast. Note that you can have a disease or rated condition but have it rated at 0%.

In the DBQ for ED it asks about function and performance, do you have injuries to your genitals, have you been diagnosed for ED, gotten meds for ED etc. Then it goes into a whole long set of questions about your urinary situation and incontinence. I don't know if the two are on one DBQ for convenience, because they both involve the genitals, or if there is some documented tie between the number of times you pee every day and how strong your stream is  to ED. I am guessing it is all three.

Prior to my C&P for ED I had NEVER in my life discussed incontinence with anyone. I find it creepy to share that kind of information with anyone, and even typing this makes me shudder. That said it is relevant to your question and I have to face the things that I don't like or make me upset.

In the DBQ they will ask you how many "pads" do you use a day. I didn't know men had "pads". I think it has ranges like 0, 1-3, 4-6, 7 or more...something like that. The VA can provide you the pads by the case load. That question threw me off and i had to ask what he meant about pads as there are other ways to deal with the problem including those adult diapers which qualify as pads.

Again be honest, if you dribble or leak, let them know in the C&P.

Oh and if you have outside medical records related to your ED and or other urinary problems submit those through ebenefits and take them to the C&P just to make sure the examiner has them.

[Buck52]

yes  on the nexus connect the E.D. to MDD or any secondary that would be related to or to be a known cause of the E.D. but that needs to come from a Dr.

[GeekySquid]

18 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

E.D. but that needs to come from a Dr.

true but if he does not have to have an IMO and as we all know many VA docs are unwilling to declare a service connection for anything.

The C&P examiner will make or deny service connection.

The majority of an ED exam is self-reported and or "lay" statements (no pun intended). you don't actually "need" to have tried viagra or ciallis but having done so with no/little improvement helps support the claim.

With MH an ED diagnosis is common as lack of interest and eventual atrophy from non-use is known to be part of all ranges of depression, anxiety, mania, etc.