Anxiety secondary to gerd or benign paroxsymal disorder

[TRC]

Mental health disorders like anxiety or depression secondary to service connected disabilities like gerd, vertigo or esophageal stricture  Any suggestions on plan of attack?

 

 

 

[broncovet]

Sure.  Ask your doctor if he thinks your anxiety or depression is "at least as likely as not" due to SC conditions of GERD, Vertigo, etc.  

If your doctor says "yes", then ask him to document your nexus.  

With secondary conditions, you need only have "2" Caluza elements:

1.  Current diagnosis of condition applied for. 

2.  Nexus, or docs opinion your current condition is at least as likely as not related to an already SC condition.  

   If you have the diagnois and the nexus, then go for it.  If you dont have it, you "may" be able to get an IMO/IME.  I have no idea if a private doc will provide you with a nexus or not, but you can ask.  

[GBArmy]

Agree with Broncover. It isn't rocket science to expect serious MH issues such as depression or anxiety can occur because of S-C disabilities. You just can't do what you were able to do and it can wear you down. I would agree that it is super important to come in with your claim a doctor's IMO or nexus that talks to your symptoms., rather than submitting and expecting the VA to come in with a diagnosis.  Review your symptoms to the criteria called out in 38CFR 4.125 to 4,.30.  Keep in mind all MH disabilities are rated under the same criteria, so whatever they diagnose you with will be fine; you don't care about what they call it, ust getting the rating. A good article here  to review  https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/how-the-va-rates-service-connected-mental-disability.html