Should I fight for PTSD?

[Fearless]

Hello everyone. 

Some background info:

1. I have a 70% SC rating for  Major depression
2. I'm diagnosed with Major depression and unspecified anxiety disorder.

My LCSW said that I suffer from PTSD and that my depression and anxiety are all symptoms of it. She was baffled as to why the VA has not added PTSD to my problems list. 

Should I even bother with getting this changed to PTSD , or hold what I got? 

 

[kanewnut]

11 hours ago, Fearless said:

Should I even bother with getting this changed to PTSD , or hold what I got?

The ratings are the same.

§ 4.130 Schedule of ratings - Mental disorders.
The nomenclature employed in this portion of the rating schedule is based upon the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) (see § 4.125 for availability information). Rating agencies must be thoroughly familiar with this manual to properly implement the directives in § 4.125 through § 4.129 and to apply the general rating formula for mental disorders in § 4.130. The schedule for rating for mental disorders is set forth as follows:

9201 Schizophrenia
9202 [Removed]
9203 [Removed]
9204 [Removed]
9205 [Removed]
9208 Delusional disorder
9210 Other specified and unspecified schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
9211 Schizoaffective disorder
9300 Delirium
9301 Major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to HIV or other infections
9304 Major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury
9305 Major or mild vascular neurocognitive disorder
9310 Unspecified neurocognitive disorder
9312 Major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease
9326 Major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to another medical condition or substance/medication-induced major or mild neurocognitive disorder
9327 [Removed]
9400 Generalized anxiety disorder
9403 Specific phobia; social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
9404 Obsessive compulsive disorder
9410 Other specified anxiety disorder
9411 Posttraumatic stress disorder
9412 Panic disorder and/or agoraphobia
9413 Unspecified anxiety disorder
9416 Dissociative amnesia; dissociative identity disorder
9417 Depersonalization/Derealization disorder
9421 Somatic symptom disorder
9422 Other specified somatic symptom and related disorder
9423 Unspecified somatic symptom and related disorder
9424 Conversion disorder (functional neurological symptom disorder)
9425 Illness anxiety disorder
9431 Cyclothymic disorder
9432 Bipolar disorder
9433 Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
9434 Major depressive disorder
9435 Unspecified depressive disorder
9440 Chronic adjustment disorder
General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders

Rating
Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.    100
Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.    70
Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.    50
Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).    30
Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.    10
A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.    0
 

[Buck52]

Yes File a Claim for PTSD ..It pays better than a depression claim  usually the raters figures this all out but if you don't file a claim for PTSD depression is all your going to get. as  member Kanewnut  gave you the rating  fromula for  the mental disorders  for PTSD  Depending on your symptoms.as to what they rate you.

[kanewnut]

10 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Yes File a Claim for PTSD ..It pays better than a depression claim 

Buck52, when you get a chance would you please explain this.

[Buck52]

 Major Depression  Disorder only has a 50%rating 60% at the highest  a rater can or suppose to see the severity of the symptoms  and rate the Veteran for PTSD , so Depression being a  symptoms of PTSD they usually rate it with the PTSD. So actually your correct a Veteran can be rated for both but not a 100% rating for MDD.

PTSD on the other hand carry's  a 100% rating  depending on the symptoms and the severity of them.

[Buck52]

Correction MDD CAN be rated at 100%  but what I meant was its more on the PTSD SIDE OF SYMPTOMS for the 100%

MDD can be rated like the Mental rating formula  Shows For PTSD  AND   DEPRESSION IS A SYMPTOM OF PTSD  they usually rate the Veteran for PTSD.....I STAND CORRECTED ON THE 50/60%ONLY RATING FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION DISORDERS. IT IS Rare to see a Veteran with 100%MDD  BUT THEY DO RATE THEM.AT THAT.

VA Rating for Major Depressive Disorder – Rating Criteria

MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER claims are rated on a scale from 0% to 100%. The level of occupational and social impairment is what determines your overall rating under the law.

0% VA Rating Criteria for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER:

A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication.

10% VA Rating Criteria for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER:

Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or symptoms controlled by continuous medication.

30% VA Rating Criteria for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER:

Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, Major Depressive Disorder, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events).

50% VA Rating Criteria for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER:

Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships.

70% VA Rating Criteria for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER:

Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or Major Depressive Disorder affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a work like setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships.

100% VA Rating Criteria for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER:

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name.

How to Get a Higher VA Disability Rating for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

• Get an Independent Psychological Evaluation with a U.S. Board Certified Psychologist

• Obtain a DBQ and Nexus letter (if needed) for MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER or Other Mental Health Conditions

• Don’t limit yourself to just the one diagnosis

– Is it possible to differentiate symptoms?

– Do you have PTSD and/or Generalized Major Depressive Disorder Disorder too?

– Secondary Mental Health Claims and/or Chronic Pain Syndrome with Depression

 

 

 

[GeekySquid]

14 hours ago, Fearless said:

My LCSW said that I suffer from PTSD

The real question is do you feel you have PTSD?

On the discussion between MDD and PTSD which is better?

in one sense those of us with either or both (yeah me!) are the losers no matter what our rating is.

That said, the VA, and really no other place on the planet, does have a leaning in favor of PTSD in terms of ratings.

MDD, depression and anxiety conditions can certainly reach 100%... but the barriers are hard to climb.

PTSD folk usually get PTSD,, anxiety, depression, bi-polar and about 8 other conditions as a package deal. It's kinda like a chinese menu. 1 from column A two from Column B type thing.

With the lean into PTSD VA raters demonstrate a willingness to rate higher and bump faster with PTSD than just an MDD like depression.

The PDR and Docs like to try and "chemically cure" depression, anxiety etc. and in my experience get testy when you say no to Better Living Through Chemistry (old folks know that as the DuPont Chemicals slogan in their ads just before the Wonderful World of Disney on Sunday Nights. ....DERP>

For PTSD'rs if we refuse Chemicals they tsk a little but don't push or sneer at you. that may be fear or just acceptance on their part...who knows?

So at least in my opinion, file for the PTSD if you have the Caluzza Triangle for the rating, then go for it!