Hello, New Member Here

nando · March 22, 2007

Hi guys, new member here. Prior enlisted Marine, discharge date 9-11-01. Been out for quite some time now and am starting to fall apart. I'm guessing all those tough years in the Marine Corps are cathing up to me.

I'm having issue with both my knees, they hurt every morning, can't even jog 100ft because the pain is too much. In my SMR thereis 1 or 2 entries where i complaned about R knee pain.

The issue that is bothering me more at this time is that my R shoulder is hurting, has been for a very long time now, range of motion is limited and lifting heavy is out of the question. There are zero entries in my SMR about this but I can't help but think that all the tough physical training is to blame. I'm pretty young, 27, and I should be as healthy as a clydesdale. I have seen my primary physician and a specialist each for my shoulder and knees. The specialist for my shoulder suggested surgery, after 1 shot of cortisol (helped for about 90 days).

The pain is intense. Now I have surgery scheduled a month for now but I know these claims take forever, what can I do? Push my surgery back til I file a claim and then have surgey or will having surgery screw my chances of winning my claim?

Not sure if this is in the right section, please any help and insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks you

Hoppy · March 23, 2007

nando,

C&P is an exam by a doctor. How do you know it is not chronic? Nobody but a doctor can tell you what it is. An injury to the patella is why I was given a 0% at discharge. Later it was up graded to 10%. I think there is sufficient reason for you to get a medical opinion if they do not schedule a C&P. There were some times when the VA quit assigning 0% ratings. You could have been discharged during such a period.

It depends what is causing the inflamation. Not that I want to play doctor, however I have had two operations on my 10% service connected knee. I have had the surgeons tell me alot about knees. Cartlidge injuries including injuries to the knee cap (patella) usually present chronic symptoms until they are surgically repaired. Stage one patellar injuries were not rated by the military. The chronic symptoms are mild and usually only show up on exams. Patellar crepitis is determined by an exam wherby the doctor pushes down on the knee cap and he can feel that the patella is abnormal and was sufficient for my VA claim. I was service connected and rated without any radiological evidence. Don't drop the claim just because you cannot find any radiological evidence. If you had any knee injuries since your discharge the VA could try to blame your current condition on post service injuries.

According to the last surgeon who operated on me cartlidge injuries rarely show on x-rays and MRI's. It took four doctors six months to determine that my medial meniscus was crushed. I had xrays and an MRI that were negative for an injury. The only test that showed the injury was orthroscopic surgery that was done six months later. The pictures they took during the surgery showed that the meniscus was vascularized (crushed).

Edited March 23, 2007 by Hoppy