I do not have an account, hard to trust anyone. Since '99 stupid pride, distrust, and severe frustration keep me from filing. Never ever posted anything in my entire life, this is my first. Reluctantly started seeing mental health. Was told I have PTSD after 3 sessions. Thats a work in progress. I need help refiling my claim. Please help me. Very hard to ask for help. Was told by VSO to start looking for secondary conditions to increase my claim. Honestly, I'm lost. Confused. Angry. But refuse to quit. Just need to understand the very complicated way infomation is structured and connect second ..read more

I put a claim in for Ptsd, Anxiety, and depression after talking with my Va health provider. She said that I should apply after talking with her for a few years about some issues I was having. I was reluctant to for a long time, but I finally decided to apply. I received an appointment for a Telecom DBQ initial Ptsd Dsmv. They said it would be about a 120 minute meeting. I was just wondering if anyone had gone thru this process and what to expect. I had one similar a few years back with a Mental health doctor by Video conference and they stated that I had anxiety disorder and Depression, I can ..read more

I filed a Supplemental to my initial claim within the 1 year timeframe. The VA made me redo it as an increase claim since Supplemental is only for denials, is this correct? Also I received the C&P exam today and it had this. Which falls under the 30% Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks, although generally functioning satisfactorily, with normal routine behavior, self-care and conversation But further down it has these marked which I think would bump it to 50%. [X] Depressed mood ..read more

I have my primary care Mental Health person and a mental health counselor can i stop talking to counselor and deal with my mental health person without affecting my 100% P&T status? The meantal health person deals with my mdicines and actually talks about the same things as the counselor. So why have both ..read more

Hey, I'm prescribed adderall for my ADHD and I'm prescribed tramadol for my shoulder pain. If they legalize medical marijuana in my state, could I use marijuana without losing these controlled substances by the VA ..read more

Back story: Filed a claim for PTSD in 2016. The claim was denied, BUT the stressor was conceded. The C&P doctor stated that the symptoms weren't prevalent enough and I was already diagnosed with Bipolar disorder that wasn't service connected at the time. In 2018 I received a 50% rating for Bipolar and 30% for migraines. In 2022 Bipolar rating was increased to 70%. I recently filed a TDIU claim for Bipolar and Migraines, and submitted letters in support from psychiatric doctor, primary care doctor and therapist. At my Mental Health C&P the VA contract doctor updated my diagnosis to PTSD ..read more

Hi Everyone! I recently filed for TDIU because of my tbi and ptsd symptoms getting worse. I am currently rated at 90%. The appointment was with an outside evaluator contracted by the VA. My experience was disappointing where they led me to an empty room to wait, the mh physician came into the room left the door open and started reading the disclaimer out loud. I was upset and firmly said to them "this is a private matter, and any appointment will be accomplished in the privacy of an office behind closed doors". Then after trying to fill out the multiple pages of paperwork in private with the d ..read more

I filed my claim for PTSD, and secondaries for PTSD Tinnitus, Hearing Loss, and Sleep Apnea. Thinking ahead to my C&P exam, I was thinking about alcohol usage. I am a beer drinker. I drink every day and I probably drink 10 beers on most days. I drink way too much and I know that. When the VA psych diagnosed me with PTSD before I filed a claim, he asked me about alcohol usage and I told him that I drank a couple of beers a day. I was not honest with him and if I am honest with myself, I am embarrassed about it. I am thinking it will come up again with the C&P exam. I read the what to ex ..read more

I took a mental exam in Lackland AFB in 1998. Also had a mental exam at Hill AFB in 2002 when I seperated. Neither are in my C-file. I am finding conflicting info of where they would be. And how to get them. Can anyone chime in with understanding where these mental records would be and how to get them ..read more

This is not so much a question as it is to let my PTSD brothers and sisters know about something that happened to me many years ago and could happen to them. I’m PTSD 70% (MST), lumbar 20% and wrist 10% and many years ago was involved in a car accident. At the time of the accident I was seeing my VA MH doctor. The accident was the fault of a large company where I live and because of my lumbar and cervical problems I was injured even more and had to go after them to get the surgery needed on my neck. They said it wasn’t their fault of course. I got an attorney and started the process. During th ..read more