*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

[Berta]

"I think it'll go ok. I'm just worried they'll see that CBOC exam where it says negative depression screening...but positive PTSD?...and think oh he's ok!!"

Do you mean he was given the MMPI that showed 'positive' for PTSD?

The MMPI is a long test as I recall.

They gave my husband the MMPI Combated related version. He was already SCed for PTSD but it was to separate , along with 5 other tests, the PTSD from 1151 brain trauma.

 

 

 

[AirForceVetsWife]

@Berta sorry I wasn't sure what the PTSD questionnaire was called. It was a series of questions like do you avoid thinking of the subject or thing that happened, do you feel jumpy, things like that and it said it a screening (whatever the technical term is) was done for PTSD and was positive...but like some of those questions could be depression questions too like Do you feel uninterested in things you used to enjoy and his answer was extremely. 

 

the depression screening said negative, but his answers were worse on the second exam than the first..but he didn't have enough points to put him at positive. But...it's only two questions!! It's like....that doesn't mean he's all cured. 

 

My dad is writing a lay statement for me to add in as he works with him and sees how bad he can get at work. 

 

We had a good talk about everything and he says he did try "therapy" a few years ago but he just gets so anxious talking about such personal stuff that it was making him feel worse. When he was first diagnosed in the military, they didn't want him on medication because of his heart condition. 

 

I just know from what he says he feels, he's not doing good for sure. 

Edited May 3, 2019 by AirForceVetsWife

[AirForceVetsWife]

It was the PTSD 4Q screening

 

"Do you feel emotionally numb and distant? Extremely" "Do you feel cut off from everyone" "Having trouble sleeping? Extremely"

[Berta]

They have upgraded this test to 5 questions in the past year or more-

This is just a screening tool- I say just- because it is not a formal diagnosis and the questions are general in nature.

The PLC-5 is more definitive.

As someone here said , they will do a new C & P exam. 

It is quite possible that your husband has Depression and PTSD as a co-morbid situation-

Co morbid means there are two existing SC diagnoses-that are both probative to a proper rating  and that could work out favorably for many vets such as this one:

The February 2017 VA examiner concluded that because PTSD and depression are often co-morbid with overlapping symptoms, and in the Veteran’s case, his untreated PTSD resulted in his major depressive disorder. Based on the February 2017 VA examination, the RO staged the rating and determined that a 70 percent rating was warranted as of February 7, 2017. However, because the February 2017 VA examiner concluded that the Veteran’s PTSD led to his major depressive disorder and the record shows the Veteran was diagnosed with major depressive disorder when he first filed his claim, a 70 percent rating is warranted throughout the appeal period. See Mittleider v. West, 11 Vet. App. 181 (1998); Clemons v. Shinseki, 23 Vet. App. 1 (2009).

https://www.va.gov/vetapp19/files1/19100079.txt

This is another co morbid diagnosis :

 " In light of the favorable April 2018 VHA advisory medical opinion, which clarifies any conflicting medical opinions in the record, the Board finds the most probative and persuasive medical evidence supports the Veteran’s claim that his depressive disorder and adjustment disorder is related to his service.  Therefore, service connection depressive disorder and adjustment disorder is granted."https://www.va.gov/vetapp18/files5/18105426.txt

The VA does not pay comp separately for 2  SC separate MH issues, however they often diagnose co morbidity- and it is not unusual and the rating covers  both co morbid MH issues.

This is what I believe the VA might do in your husband's case.

But that all depends on the results of the C & P exam. 

 

 

In light of the favorable April 2018 VHA advisory medical opinion, which clarifies any conflicting medical opinions in the record, the Board finds the most probative and persuasive medical evidence supports the Veteran’s claim that his depressive disorder and adjustment disorder is related to his service.  Therefore, service connection depressive disorder and adjustment disorder is granted.
 https://www.va.gov/vetapp18/files5/18105426.txt

[AirForceVetsWife]

@Berta thank you so much for that info and that makes me feel better. I figured that just those two questions at a PCP visit weren't going to really warrant showing sustained improvement. I mean may get a bad examiner and they do think that but.... Hopefully not. 

Yea he was diagnosed in 2011 while still in with MDD and he never saw combat. So I feel like the answers to the PTSD screening were probably related more to an event that triggered the depression which I guess of course could still be PTSD. 

I just hope all goes well. I just really hope they listen more to him than a 2 question screening!

[Berta]

One other thing- you said in a prior post:

"It also says in the C&P when he was diagnosed on base in the military, no depression meds were suggested due to his heart condition".

That is  evidence,in his favor, if that is documented in his SMRs, if they(VA) question why he is not medicated for the depression-but what about his heart condition- has he ever claimed that ?????

I regret I didnt bring that up sooner- but I live at high altitude and have been in clouds and fog for a week.( it affects my Sat. dish- )