ptsd Secondary Claim-depression Due To Chronic Pain

[Sherry]

Hi all,

I am looking for information on if anybody has filed a secondary claim for depression due to chronic pain. My worst SC disability is Fibromyalgia followed by interstillial cystitis and tarsal tunnel, plantar fasciitis. Also the VA is running more tests to rule out Lupus. Ever since I was first in the miltary 10 years ago, they suspected Lupus but really did not follow up on it. ANA is really high along with other clinical signs. Anyways back on topic...Do you think the VA would say well the depression is a symptom of fibromyalgia, so you cannot be awarded SC for as a secondary condition. I have read where IBS has been service connected secondary to Fibromyalgia even though it is listed in the symptom chart. It has been noted in my records that I have PTSD and depression. Lost my claim for PTSD..did not follow up on my first denial. I have been reading the boards for awile now and think everybody is great and helpful! Thanks for any advice anyone could offer.

:)

[Vike17]

Sherry,

It is actually quite common for peolpe with disabilities to have depression as secondary to them and VA sees this quite often. The VA will also grant service-connection for depression as secondary to your service-connected disabilities if you shrink will put that in writing. One thing to keep in mind is that the shrink must back up his/her findings with the relavent testing and rational.

If you were previuosly denied service-conection for PTSD for whatever reason, obtaining service-connection for depression on a secondary basis may be the better and easier route to go. They are both rated on the same criteria.

Vike 17

[Sherry]

Thanks for the reply. What would I do to start this claim? Is it like the first ones or do I simply write the Va a informal letter suggesting that I would like to be sent to a C&P to confirm this diagnosis secondary to pain? I'm sure my VA doc would write a nexus letter no problem, but you never know they might say they value their job more than getting involved in a claim; been told this before by my prior Va doc. Glad I don't go to him any more. Should I get this from my doc first or go ahead and file claim? Also will this claim open a can of worms with my other SC disabilties. I'm not really worried though because they have gotten worse and I have the max eval of 40 percent for fibro. Plus not to mention my reval is June of 08 anyways. This is a little off topic, but I have been wondering do you think the VA will raise the percentages for Fibro, in comparison to Chronic fatigue syndrome. I feel 40 percent is quite low in comparison to what I deal with everyday. Thanks...again!

[john999]

Sherry

I think I would get the letter from your doctor and then send it in along with a letter saying you are asking for service connection for depression secondary to chronic pain. This way they VA is going to have to send you a VCAA letter and get your claim off the ground.

[Pete53]

Sherry welcome to Hadit. You got some good advice.

[KennyJ]

I was rated 20% arthritis of left knee . I filed for depression as secondary in June 2005. December 2006 I was awarded 70% depression( chronis anxiety) I had beed on depression meds for 2 years at time of award.

[JohnM]

Sherry,

JohnM's wife here, I have Fibro also and before it was diagnoissed I lived in Hell. The answer to your question wether it would be secondary, I could not answer that for they make their own rules but what I can answer is YES depression is secondary to pain. Before they diagnoised me they gave me the wrong medicine and I lived in pure hell, I seen one doctor after another and one actually said take vicaden like it was candy and go back to work. well I took it like it was candy although I never went back to work, and of course I became very depressed to the point of ending it all, I actually tried. That's anothr story in it's self but needless to say I am here it did not work thank God. My shrink said that my body was not ready to die, I got off of the vicaden lived in pain for 3 mos. then they finally got me on the right stuff. anyways Yes to secondary depression and I would file.