*UPDATE* RFE Major Depressive disorder

[AirForceVetsWife]

 

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 May 10, 2019 by AirForceVetsWife

[AirForceVetsWife]

46 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Try to relax before the exam and know this examiner is just a man same as your hubby,(if you get a male examiner?),,also think about this   these exams are for a good reason  to help us all get our deserved benefits.its our time to show our disability up close..and the examiner is there to check our medical condition and report on what they find...so actually a C&P Exam is a good thing.

   they can determine if your hubby is about the same  or if he has got worse  a good examiner will listen to you and your hubby and take notes..if this happens  its usually a good sign for increase  but we all have to wait and see what they wrote up   some times its a disappointment   just try to do the best you can and report any behavior that your hubby may have since his last exam  but remember not to over exaggerate   the examiner will certainly pick up on that  just be honest with your answers.

I believe you guys will do ok. 

Thank you so much! I truly appreciate the input. It helps calms the nerves a little for sure.

Yea, honestly, we would be happy with just staying the same, he really feels guilty having the percentage he does since there's so many of you guys out there that have gone through so much and are still fighting for the right rating. When they called him in for a C&P for initial rating of this he didn't even think he had major depressive disorder let alone any depression and then they thought he was bad enough to be at 70%. He just answered the questions like they were just random questions.

 

I got my second statement finished up, I was just afraid of doing exactly that, over exaggerating. But I think I got it pretty cut and dry and not going overboard. I was just afraid the first lay statement didn't have enough information after I started thinking about it.

Edited April 25, 2019 by AirForceVetsWife

[AirForceVetsWife]

With the whole stabilized rating thing...with it being over 5 years, and I know everything is wait and see and different throughout the VA. But, do they generally recognize that. His is almost at 6 years, 6 years would be June of this year. My thought was that if they do want to reduce they would have to call him back in a certain amount of time for another exam to see if the improvement is there. I think I read 12-18 months out.

[Buck52]

Use this exam to your hubby favor.

  if he has got worse and his last C&P Exam  he got a 70% rating that's  a fairly high rating for depression. so this exam could be to see if he is any worse.....some times veterans get better with medications and therapy  but some never get any better so present your evidence and hope the examiner reads is all  if you think he is going to fast speak up and ask if he has read Dr Smith report on his depression and in his opinion the Dr said my hubby has got worse   or something close to this  if you need to or feel the need to..just make sure you have  it in medical records/notes  you can back up what you say to this examiner   matter fact you can let him know where you got the information   from his records of course and from the Dr.'s

If you get on the right track with the examiner  and be nice to him and just be yourself  I think things will work out in your favor  to at least keep what he has....

[AirForceVetsWife]

I agree with you definitely. If he's just himself as he was the first go around, I think it'll all be fine.

I think I hyped myself up because I've read all these things about when they ask him how he is...don't say good or they'll automatically think you're better.

[Berta]

I hope they work out OK but

You said:

"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. "

It could be. Maybe I am misunderstanding this-

Has he had any on going treatment and meds for the depression, from the VA or from a private doctor in the past 5 years?

If they are private records, and not current VA medical records, make sure they VA knows of these ongoing treatment records.

Perhaps he has a private doctor for other medical issues but has mentioned the depression to them....

Your lay statements will probably be very important to the VA, if there is no paper trail of treatment specifically for the depression. 

Edited April 25, 2019 by Berta

[AirForceVetsWife]

41 minutes ago, Berta said:

I hope they work out OK but

You said:

"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. "

It could be. Maybe I am misunderstanding this-

Has he had any on going treatment and meds for the depression, from the VA or from a private doctor in the past 5 years?

If they are private records, and not current VA medical records, make sure they VA knows of these ongoing treatment records.

Perhaps he has a private doctor for other medical issues but has mentioned the depression to them....

Your lay statements will probably be very important to the VA, if there is no paper trail of treatment specifically for the depression. 

Right, it has been a bear to get him to realize to get some help. So there's no other records I could get. He did his exam for this disability rating. He feels guilty having this rating because there's so many others who have gone through so much and he wasn't even looking to have this rating. So yea, at the moment my lay statements are the basis. and his first exam