Medications' Positive Effects and Disability Rating

[aggravating_coyote]

I'm sorry, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to word my question.  Basically, I take meds for depression that have been effective.  Are disability rating based on being on meds or not being on meds?

[broncovet]

Great answer, Buck.  I intuitively "knew" that VA can not do that, but not exactly sure why or what regulation prevents it.  

To me, this would be like getting your leg blown off...so the VA "gives" the Veteran a wooden leg.  So the Vet learns how to get around on his leg. 

He applies for disability, and the VA says, 

Quote

Nope...you are getting around just fine on your wooden leg, so Quityerbellyachin.  You dont deserve disability compensation, after all, you seem to be walking around great.  

Most of us realize this is crazy, but the VA has done worse.  For example, if you have prostate cancer, and it gets better, you lose your benefits.  

[brokensoldier244th]

Why would you? Prostate cancer itself isn’ta permanent disability. You can end up cancer free. If there is no cancer, then there is nothing to compensate.
 

The compensation for cancer itself may go away but you are still rated in residuals from it. 

[john999]

My long time psychologist died recently from prostate cancer.  His prostate was removed ten years ago.  Somehow the cancer had spread even though he was told his prostate cancer was cured.  It finally killed him.   I really don't understand it.  I think if you have one living cancer cell after removal of prostate you are not cured.  He was cancer free for ten years and then on routine exam it had come back and it killed him.

[Buck52]

10 hours ago, aggravating_coyote said:

Thank you.  Then how does the VA determine my percent disability?  I take 3 depression medications, a mood medication and a cognitive medication.  All have allowed me to somewhat function, but without the meds, I might be dead.  How can the VA determine the degree of my disability when all they asked was how I'm functioning today?

Thanks again!!

I have Chronic PTSD, I SEE A VA Therapist once  week  now its via TeleHealth I like that better don't need to come to the VA, 

Once a Veteran has been diagnose by by the VA for PTSD and prescribe medications  he needs to see a therapist on a regular basis.

And a Phyistrist every 3 months  depends on how severe your symptoms are  and if your a threat to yourself or others .

I AM FAIRLY SURE IF YOUR DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL PROBLEM FROM THE VA  YOUR MEDS ARE FREE.

I been seeing my VA Therapist now almost 7 years.  MY FIRST THERAPIST PASSED AWAY from his service connected disability...Anyway they do help  They may never find a complete cure but they can teach you tools and skills you never knew you had  to learn to cope with it.  Now Depression  that is a MH PROBLEMS TO AND  YOU WILL NEED MEDICATIONS TO GET BY.

 I WAS DIAGNOSE FOR Depression  but the therapist I see is focus on getting me better  the VA has a good program for PTSD/DEPRESSION VETERANS.....I AM NOT SURE IF YOUR SERVICE CONNECTED FOR YOUR DEPRESSION OR NOT  BUT IF IT WAS CAUSED BY YOUR MILITARY SERVICE   YOU CAN FILE A CLAIM FOR IT  AND YOU CAN USE THOSE MEDICAL PROGRESS NOTES  BROKENSOLIDER MENTION  AS EVIDENCE  TO HELP WITH YOUR CLAIM, IF SOME THOSE MEDICATIONS YOU TAKE FOR DEPRESSION  IF THEY MAKE YOU SNORE AT NIGHT OR STOP BREATHING   YOUR SPOUSE WAKES YOU UP  ECT,,,ECT,,,  YOU CAN REQUEST A SLEEP STUDY FROM THE VA OR GET YOUR  VA DR TO REFER YOU TO THE VA  SLEEP CLINIC  AND THERE THEY WILL DETERMINED IF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA AND TO WHAT DEGREE   SERVERITY OF IT AND PRESCRIBD A C-PAP MACHINE MEDICALLY TO USE  ( I HAVE ONE) IF THEY DO  DX  YOU CAN FILE A SECONDARY CLAIM TO YOUR DEPRESSION....I AM NOT SURE JUST HOW THEY RATE  DEPRESSION   BUT WITH PTSD THEY RATE EACH SYMPTOMS  IN STARTING WITH 10%  TO 100% ....=10%/ 30%/50%/70%/ 100%

i BELIEVE IF YOUR DIAGNOSED FOR SLEEP APNEA  AND PRESCRIBE A C-PAP Machine medically to use  and you get it service connecte direct or from secondary to your Depression   it has a 50% rating.

[broncovet]

"Cured" is a subjective term.  Defination:

1. 1.

   relieve (a person or animal) of the symptoms of a disease or condition.

   "he was cured of the disease"

    

    

    

   • eliminate (a disease, condition, or injury) with medical treatment.

     "this technology could be used to cure diabetes"

      

     Its more "relief of symptoms".  And, there is one symptom that probably can never be "cured":  The real possibility it could return or spread.  

      

     To put a Veteran through the diagnosis, treatment, and then run him through that wringer AGAIN to try to get a doctor's opinion "He is cured, the cancer wont come back", is  inhumane.    Of course, this doctor does not know, with certainty, that it wont come back.  He may be able to say, "yep, surgury got all the cancer", but that may not be right either.  

      

     The benefit of the doubt should be given to the Veteran.  Yes, sometimes he may live a long life, free of future cancer.  But VA benefits are paid "after the fact", not a prediction on what will happen in the future.  Therefore, since we dont know whether or not the cancer will return, with certainty, the benefit of the doubt should accrue to the Veteran.  

      

     Once he is diagnosed with cancer, he can not get "undiagnosed".  Many insurance companies ask if you have ever been diagnosed or treated for cancer, before you can be insured.  

      

     They are not buying you are "cured", because they know it frequently comes back, with a vengenance.  

Edited May 11, 2021 by broncovet

[Marine Corp 69/70]

broncovet You are 100 & 10 % correct the VA is so full of sh.. once you have a diagnosed for cancer you are never cured. It will come back but nobody known when. “So don’t let the VA blow smoke up your butt”