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.

:)

[Sherry]

Sherry-Welcome aboard and do not hesitate to send the VA a letter stating that you want to have your depression service connectioned as seondary to your SC condition.

A VA supporting opinion will be great if you can get that-

the VA doc must offer complete medical rationale and if they would incorporate any good medical treatise or abstract that you could find on the net, that would help too.

An IMO is always a good idea too although can be costly-

I am wondering- is the doc who might help a shrink treating the depression or is this the fibro doctor?

Are you employed?

Has any doctor ever told you that your SC disabilities prevent you from working?

If so I suggest you apply for TDIU- form attached- tell them of the side affects of your meds and anithing else that supports fact that your SC disabilties render you unemployable.

Hi Berta,

Yes I am 70%IU, not permanent though. I was SC for my feet in 2001. Then fibro and bladder problem was SC'd in 2003 by denovo review. Although I did win bladder probem the first time around because it was so severe in the service. My reval to be considered permanent is June 08. The reason I wasn't declared permanent it said was because at the time I was going to Physical therapy for my feet and the denovo officer thought with allot of PT, I would get better to enter the workforce. Well here it is already 07, and I have gotten worse for wear, I have huge bone spurs now in my feet and this makes getting around difficult. I haven't asked for a wheelcair yet because of being afraid of the negative response from the doctor. I have two young children and don't participate in anything with them because of my pain. (outside the house that is). Even then it is a chore. I am just really depressed over my situation and I know I probably won't see any more monetary comp, but I would like to have it on the record that the pain is making me "crazy" and be service connected for it. My doc is my primary women's care specialist. I do see a shrink, but mostly to get my meds renewed every six months or so. No real therapy there. All the session is the doc says what can I do for you today and that's about it. Waste of time in my opinion. But at leasts it's in my record right?

[augoldminer]

With the high ANA you most likely have a autoimmune disorder of some type if it is not lupus then one of the other autoimmune disorders. if they rule out lupus you may have to push them to find what it is.

Since with the high ANA the fibro becomes secondary fibro. You may be able to link the depression to the yet not DXed autoimmune disorder.

In the march 2007 issue of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN there is a article called New Predictors of Disease that states that many people that get autoimmune disorders have auto antibodies years and some times a decade before the autoimmunity causes a clinical disease.

Another research paper that i have found the researchers went back and checked on 25 people with primary fibromyalgia and found that all the cases later showed that the primary fibro was later found to be secondary fibro. And that these people had later developed a autoimmune or other disorder. And that the auto antibodies had triggered the fibro before the autoimmune disorder had become clinically symptomatic.

[Sherry]

With the high ANA you most likely have a autoimmune disorder of some type if it is not lupus then one of the other autoimmune disorders. if they rule out lupus you may have to push them to find what it is.

Since with the high ANA the fibro becomes secondary fibro. You may be able to link the depression to the yet not DXed autoimmune disorder.

In the march 2007 issue of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN there is a article called New Predictors of Disease that states that many people that get autoimmune disorders have auto antibodies years and some times a decade before the autoimmunity causes a clinical disease.

Another research paper that i have found the researchers went back and checked on 25 people with primary fibromyalgia and found that all the cases later showed that the primary fibro was later found to be secondary fibro. And that these people had later developed a autoimmune or other disorder. And that the auto antibodies had triggered the fibro before the autoimmune disorder had become clinically symptomatic.

Wow, that's a little over my head. But I think i understand what you are saying. So how would they SC depression to a potential diagnosis of lupus? Would they wait to see if that's exactly what I have or would that later come into the picture. Sorry if i don't make sense. My brain gets clouded sometimes. Another question- I have been reading about the ILP. Would this program benefit someone like me. If I could get help with mundane tasks around the house, that would be a godsend. Thanks for the interesting info!

[sixthscents]

Sherry,

I have had a great deal of success with linking depression secondary to chronic illnesses. In my experience, the VA seems to almost assume the likelyhood, and most psych's will at least grudgeingly admit to the "as more likely than not", connection to the chronic illness as long as the condition evolved AFTER the illness. So, I'd say you have a good case reguardless the chronic condition.

Now... this is a little more personal... ask for a scooter. Its simple tell your doc, you are having problems with long distances etc. but DONT feel that a wheel chair is where you need to be. Unless of course you think you do need one. The only person who can really say what you can and cannot do is you, and the doctors for the most part are there to annotate and submit the referral...

Once the referral is done you will have to go before a board in the ortho/wheel chair department and they will do the whole 20 questions, and THEY will decide, based upon your level of ability and desires what would be appropriate for you. SO in fact your doctor only makes the referral, NOT the decision that you do or do not warrent a device.... Since they DONT make the decision, they normally just whip off the referral and leave it up to the panel (which is rather disconcerting to say the least... its an "informal" panel, but a panel none the less.

In my case they just pretty much ask what I want, and what color (no bull they just ordered me a new scooter - cobalt blue by the way)... but I still go thru the same motions. So, I wouldnt let the OPINION of some primary care physician bother me one little bit... further if the VA seems reluctant to do the scooter, then you can always go thru medicare if you are receiving SSD... using a script written by the primary care physician...

[Sherry]

Sherry,

I have had a great deal of success with linking depression secondary to chronic illnesses. In my experience, the VA seems to almost assume the likelyhood, and most psych's will at least grudgeingly admit to the "as more likely than not", connection to the chronic illness as long as the condition evolved AFTER the illness. So, I'd say you have a good case reguardless the chronic condition.

Now... this is a little more personal... ask for a scooter. Its simple tell your doc, you are having problems with long distances etc. but DONT feel that a wheel chair is where you need to be. Unless of course you think you do need one. The only person who can really say what you can and cannot do is you, and the doctors for the most part are there to annotate and submit the referral...

Once the referral is done you will have to go before a board in the ortho/wheel chair department and they will do the whole 20 questions, and THEY will decide, based upon your level of ability and desires what would be appropriate for you. SO in fact your doctor only makes the referral, NOT the decision that you do or do not warrent a device.... Since they DONT make the decision, they normally just whip off the referral and leave it up to the panel (which is rather disconcerting to say the least... its an "informal" panel, but a panel none the less.

In my case they just pretty much ask what I want, and what color (no bull they just ordered me a new scooter - cobalt blue by the way)... but I still go thru the same motions. So, I wouldnt let the OPINION of some primary care physician bother me one little bit... further if the VA seems reluctant to do the scooter, then you can always go thru medicare if you are receiving SSD... using a script written by the primary care physician...

Thanks sixthscents for the info. I've had depression for along time as well as these conditions. The depression was diagnosed before these other conditions, but these conditions were somewhat of the reason behind the depression; as well as things from my past and in service. I was denied for the stuff in the service(ptsd) so that is a moot point now. So I'm assuming they could say your depression is due to your childhood yada yada... but with how much medical treatment I've recieved for my pain it would be in my opinion that the Va would have to consider this as well, not just childhood issues. I could be wrong though. In anybody's opinion on this forum do you think the Va would try to use my past issues as a scapegoat for denial of this secondary condition? Thanks.

[sixthscents]

Nah I think you can easily make a case for the SEVERITY of the depression if they try that... it couldnt have been too bad or you would never have gotten in right?... I think that if you show a complete physical picture that displays a gradual worsening of depression that is equal to the increase in chronic condition you will eat them alive. They might try the whole childhood thing but... they'd lose, at least, if its handled correctly...