Can Depression Lead To Overweight?

[Cherie33]

Hello Fellow Disabled Vets,

I was just thinking. I had filed a claim some time ago regarding my asthma problem. I was diagnosed with asthma about 3 years ago by my VA Primary care doctor. I have been on inhalers sine then. When I filed my claim the C & P doctor that examined me for my asthma said that it was due to me being overweight..(Go figure) So, the VA turned my claim down. Anyway, I was reading some info onlie about Depression and being overweight. I thought maybe since I am 10% disabled for IBS(Irritable Bowel Syndrome) & 50% (Major Depressive Disorder w/Psychotic Features) combined %60. That my depression brought on the being overweight and the overweight brought on the asthma.

I know that this is probably a long shot but any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Cherie33

[Cherie33]

Cherie,

Just make sure you maintain your meds to keep yourself not so darn depressed. It is very scary to deal with from my point of view. My dad took his own life in 1985 due to MDD. He was also hard of hearing and didn't want to be bothered to help himself, because of the depression. Seeing you here and having a positive outlook is a big plus.

I hope your feeling better! :)

Tamara

Thanks Tamara....

Cherie33

[Josephine]

Definitely do keep taking some type of meds, but when you research your meds, you will be surprised what those meds can do to you. I never dreamed that I could eat a dozen Crispy Creme Donuts every night at 2:00 and by 6:00 in the morning, I had to have my box of Raisin Bran and the thing was, I wasn't hungry at all, but I could not stop eating them. It was a nightmare in itself.

I am sure that you are on the right track. Do keep up the medicine for the depression.

always,

Josephine

[Cherie33]

Definitely do keep taking some type of meds, but when you research your meds, you will be surprised what those meds can do to you. I never dreamed that I could eat a dozen Crispy Creme Donuts every night at 2:00 and by 6:00 in the morning, I had to have my box of Raisin Bran and the thing was, I wasn't hungry at all, but I could not stop eating them. It was a nightmare in itself.

I am sure that you are on the right track. Do keep up the medicine for the depression.

always,

Josephine

Thanks Josephine! I will go ahead and get started my research. Although, I really need a VSO...I've been a VET for some time now and still not sure of how all of this works. I know that the last time I filed a claim the VA had propsed to reduce my disability. Then I found myself fighting with them to keep my current disability rating. Its a scary process for thos eof us who don't know.

Cherie33

[Berta]

Also weight gain can cause diabetes-

and that could involve many secondary complications-

A few years ago after the AO DMII regs came out -some of the docs at local VAMC were saying to DMII vets that they had "dia -obesity"-

the VA was attempting to deny these AO claims for DMII saying the vet had diabetes because they were obese- then suddenly the docs stopped saying stuff like that-I think a local vet called the IG on them-

You can even see in BVA cases where the C & P doc was using obesity as an excuse for the diabetes to attempt to overlook that the AO caused it.

So basically-if VA causes by medications or whatever- a veteran to have any sort of weight loss or gain and then the vet develops ratable complications of that weight probelm, the VA can secondarily service connect those additional disabilties.

[Josephine]

Berta.

This is ole so true, as my weight gain, lead me straight to type II diabetes. NowI can't even look at the donuts.

Josephine

[Objee]

Ralph,

"Excuse my ignorance" but What do you mean by Quote "You can probably create a well grounded claim, but the grounding will be weak"?

No ignorance in that! Simply that the question of whether obesity causes depression or vice versa is not really settled. A lot of the conventional medical knowledge says that it's the obesity that causs the depression. The whole affair will resolve around how well the Endocrinologist/other specialist writes an opinion letter and how well s/he justifies the opinion with accepted medical or personal practice evidence. Some of the other postings have raised other relevant causes and relationships. If you don't create a clear cause - effect chain in your claim, it will be easy for VA to shoot you down if they're so inclined, based on a confused "what caused what". This sounds like you'd have "equipoise", but that's not necessarily true.

Ralph