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*UPDATE* RFE Major Depressive disorder

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AirForceVetsWife

Question

 

Update so far...husband just got called back by the doctor, he said my wife is here with me, the doctor looked at me and said "I'd like to see him alone, please"

Doesn't give me good feelings. 

 

He's been anxious this whole 2.5 hour drive. He's been quiet. He's been anxious in this waiting room. 

He said he believes it went well. He said the doctor suggested highly that he sees someone. He said he had to ask if he could close the blinds because he was uncomfortable, he said he was taking quite a bit of notes. I hate I wasn't in there but my husband said it seemed very favorable. Hopefully he's right. 

Hi all!

My husband is going in next Thursday for a C&P for his SC major depressive disorder. He's at 70% now and I guess I'm looking to calm our nerves. His effective date was June of 2013 so well over 5 years. To me, I see symptoms everyday. I've written a letter that's in his file now. When he first went in for the initial exam in 2013, he didn't even ask for depression...they asked him the questions and then bam 70% major depressive disorder. He thought he was just answering routine exam questions. I'm just worried over this exam. I know it's out of our control on if we get a good person to do this C&P but I've read all the things about it being over 5 years and they would more than likely need more than one exam to prove he's better. I don't see that's he's better. The only issue is he's so stubborn about it and hasn't really seen anyone for this issue and I'm afraid that'll be a huge thing. 

 

Just looking to calm my nerves. 

 

Thank you!

Edited by AirForceVetsWife
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  • HadIt.com Elder

He will need medical evidence to show his 70% has indeed got worse   you need to make sure  you get all his medical records from the VA and any notes off myhealthevet or from private Dr he went to..and find any thing where the Dr's have opine on his current condition  or what ever condition he is asking for increase. that he is actually worse or has got worse over the last 5 years.

this is what the C&P Examiner is looking for  if you don't have it  its likely no increase...but more than likely keep him at the same sc rating.

Its to late for an IMO/IME  but if he is denied then think about getting one.

so I advise to get all his medical records and notes and look very carefully in them  and see what the Dr's have mention these last 5 years.

high lite the parts in his records that a dR HAS NOTICE HIS CONDITION HAS GOT WORSE.....TAKE THEM TO HIS C&P ask the examiner to present them as new evidence  if they are not in the computer?   which they should be  but some times  the examiners do not read enough in the computers...so be sure and let the examiner know you do have his records with you.

if he is denied his increase  put the reason they denied him on here and appeal  we can help him better. to get his increase.

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Going from 70 to 100% is difficult- im not trying to scare you , but basically, this is the stuff they are looking for, or will be asking about-and if you see something on here that they don't ask about, make sure you note it yourself with examples of his behaviors that coincide with it. (or have him tell them). The occupational and social impairment parts are a big deal. At the point that I had finally applied for an increase I had been unemployed for several months and had made some really bad money decisions to cope and compensate, among other things. I was kinda off the rails for awhile. I was in active treatment/counseling too, so that helped a lot because I had current records going back almost a year of either meds, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), or both. 

 

http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/mentaldisorders.html

Remember- the list above is not comprehensive- he doesn't need to exhibit ALL of them, but if you can provide examples of any of them it will help immensely. Self care, hygeine, hiding out in the house ( I used to be so bad I couldn't go to the door to talk to the mail man, I was was so socially anxious. Dishes would stack up for 3-4 days, I wouldn't cook for myself or my kids. My wife is a saint, and while she put up with some of it, she was also a stick when she needed to be. Meds helped a lot, too, but im on them all the time now so I can sort of function. Im a stay at home dad now, at 42, and while its still really challenging with my kids, they are upper elementary, HS, and a college student, so its not as bad as it was a few years ago when they were younger and at home all the time. I basically wandered around the house like  a ghost. My sleep was all off, I had no regular or normal schedule. 

Good luck! I don't blame you for feeling apprehensive at all- and he's probably a mess worrying about it, too. Best you can do is be supportive and watch for any uptic in behaviors in the next week or so, and just be aware that its his symptoms acting up and nothing personal. 

Edited by brokensoldier244th
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  • HadIt.com Elder

Look for these things that brokensolder put up   they need to be in his medical records   and you need to get them before he has his C&P ..the exmainer needs evidence that his condition has got worse  and if he has seen VA Docs over the last 5 years or even private Dr  these medical records may hold his increase..he will need an additional 50% rating or combined ratings to meet the 100% 

compare on this chart brokensoldier put up  to his 70% rating and then compare the 100% to see the difference he needs for the increase &  hopefully the Dr's have gave their opinion in these records that he has got worse over the last 5 years...if any doubt   doubt goes to the Veteran.

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Here is the form they will be filling out on the computer, either during or after the exam.

 

https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/VBA-21-0960P-2-ARE.pdf

 

Here is the actual list from VA

 

(you want 4.130)

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

 

If you have access to MyHealthVet, you can download about 3 yrs worth of doctors notes, too, so if he's been seeing anyone from VA for it you can pull those down and look through them in the next week. C/P examiner will be able to see the same things unless they are a contractor, but its always good to know ahead of time what you are working with and what your notes say. If nothing else, and you are relatively close to a VA Medical site you can go to release of records and request them printed off right there, too, if you can't log into MyHealthVet. 

Edited by brokensoldier244th
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