Ever feel like the VA just adds to the issues?

2015-12-14T17:34:56-05:00

Man oh man, where do I start! I feel like a freakin guinea pig in there, just seems like would rather treat the symptoms instead of fix the problem, shoving pills in your face at every turn.

It worries me because it feels like they want me to become a statistic, either on there charts and records or 6 feet under. Im running out of patience. Not to mention they cant find any record of my medical problems from my time in service and wont give me a rating. It's what got me put out in the first place?!

I feel like I have been set up for failure, and Im about to give up on it. I have contacted the DAV, I have contacted my Congressman, I have sent letter after letter, to this person, that person, this attorney, or that Representative, yet here I sit.. Still unable to sleep, still having massive migraines..

What else can I do? where do I go from here.. The pharmacy sitting on my bathroom shelf is nothing more than a reminder of the let down, and excuse for treatment that I feel like I have to suffer through because I was pushed into the VA that I didnt trust in the first place!

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 14 at 2015 5:50 PM

2015-12-14T17:50:30-05:00

Today I got a bill from an laboratory which examined tissue samples for me from a VA Choice Program dermatologist CPL Rob Stocker.
The bill had been sent to TRICARE which is not my insurance carrier. The exam took place in June and it took this long for the copay to get to me. I contacted the laboratory service and explained that I didn't have TRICARE and that the VA should cover it since it was conducted under the VA choice Program and they fully cover me. The laboratory POC was very understanding.
Years ago my Congressman's office helped me after VA rated me at 70% disabled but wouldn't pay any compensation.
Did you contact both of your senators and your congressman? If not I recommend you contact the all of them and explain your situation and ask for their help. They can sort out between them but one of them will hopefully move quickly to contact VA on your behalf.

Response by SPC(P) Jay Heenan made Dec 14 at 2015 5:52 PM

2015-12-14T17:52:42-05:00

Brother, contact your local VSO right away! They are trained to assist folks in your situation! There are always the hotlines if you feel you are on the edge. You can also feel free to contact me if you just need to talk.

Response by SGT Mark Stevens made Dec 14 at 2015 5:52 PM

2015-12-14T17:52:45-05:00

I hear what your saying. Most of my head injuries while in service went undocumented and my complaints of the symptoms lead me no where during my MEB. I had to go to a Neurologist outside the VA system to get help. Once I was situated there the Neurologist helped me establish service connection ( along with buddy statements from those who seen the accidents). VA lowballed my first rating at 10% I requested a De Novo and six years later they came back with 80%.
My point is, don't give up! Yes it is hard, if you need help ask for it. You have a lot of Brothers and Sisters that although strapped themselves, will help with what they can to make sure you make it. If you need to talk about this in depth, TBI, VA, Service Organizations, feel free to get a hold of me. I'm Mark Stevens

Response by SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT made Dec 14 at 2015 6:03 PM

2015-12-14T18:03:09-05:00

You have to take charge of your medical issues. You can't just follow blindly like sheep.
Because there is a lot of information available online or at your local library.
Before getting any major medical procedure I always get a 2nd opinion.

Response by SGT James Hammons made Dec 14 at 2015 7:05 PM

2015-12-14T19:05:09-05:00

I cant tell if they are paying attention because my doctor is always sitting there at the laptop.

Response by PO3 Brad Phlipot made Dec 14 at 2015 7:37 PM

2015-12-14T19:37:16-05:00

The first thing I would recommend is research what is being prescribed when you get home, know the side effects and interactions as well. Then you have a decision to make. You can also take your scripts to your local pharmacy and ask to speak with any pharmacist and ask them questions as well if your concerned about the meds. Lastly you can seek out a Private Practice take the hit for the initial out of cost visit, those scripts should be able to be filled at the VA. I'm going with this is a trust issue or your very concerned about the amount of pills. Online see the Mayo Clinic Website for research. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements
Good luck and best wishes

Diseases and Conditions - Diseases and Conditions - Disease and condition information from Mayo...

Comprehensive guides on hundreds of diseases and conditions from Mayo Clinic experts.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 14 at 2015 9:25 PM

2015-12-14T21:25:39-05:00

I see this issue from both sides as a veteran with a disability rating and as a healthcare provider for the VA. First, you can't expect the VA to do all the work for you when it comes to your compensation and pension issues. You MUST take charge of your own fate on this one. The VA can certainly pull any records of treatment you received at a VA clinic or hospital. It is incredibly more difficult to get records from the military or civilian providers. That's where you have to come in to bolster your disability claims. If you are unable to, or are feeling overwhelmed with the process, contact your VSO. They can be incredibly helpful, and the VA will provide you with their contact information.
Secondly, there is no denying that there is a problem with the policies and procedures within the VA healthcare system that leads to less than stellar care in some facilities or departments. I'm not sure what your specific medical/mental health problems are, but I can tell you that medication is often the initial treatment for any condition. For mental health conditions, therapy alone will not fix you over night. Medication helps to improve or maintain your condition until appointments can be scheduled and non-pharmacological treatments begin to show results. For chronic conditions, medication also helps to maintain or improve the condition until tests can be run and treatment options can be weighed. Please remember that some conditions require repeat lab tests or imaging in order to properly diagnose and/or develop treatment plans. DO RESEARCH! ASK QUESTIONS! If you have concerns about your plan of care, discuss those with your provider or nurse. They will explain their reasoning for the treatment and work with you to develop a plan that is agreeable to both parties. Let me know if you have any specific questions that I may be able to help you with. Best of luck with your treatment!

Response by PVT Robert Gresham made Dec 15 at 2015 12:26 AM

2015-12-15T00:26:51-05:00

CPL Rob Stocker, did you get a medical discharge? Do you have copies of your medical records? If you don't have your records, have you requested them, tried to contact your old hospital, or clinic where you were seen for the issues that you are seeking benefits? Have you tried to get in touch directly with physicians or PAs who saw you? Also, have you already filed a Notice of disagreement (NOD) with the VA since you were denied benefits? Have you appealed your case to the BVA? If you haven't thought about appealing to the BVA, check out the website - http://www.bva.va.gov/. But you WILL need some kind of medical records. A buddy statement, or better multiple statements, could never hurt your cause.

You need to do most of, if not all, these things if you are to get further with the VA. It's a lot of work, but it's your money if you are entitled to it. If you can come up with the medical records you can still file for your disability up to one year after your denial.Good luck to you !!

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Dec 15 at 2015 8:17 AM

2015-12-15T08:17:30-05:00

CPL Rob Stocker, I really, REALLY feel for you.
I would definitely seek counsel from a lawyer; outside of the VA system.
Especially since your medical records cannot be found. That is just Despicable.
I went down that fateful suicidal route. I BEG OF YOU, ROB: Please do NOT
choose that as an option. It is no answer, no option ever: no matter what. It means that you would be giving up.
I know that you are in No Way a coward.
You are a HERO, Rob. Look at what you have already taught us with your paragraph.
We need you; CPL Rob Stocker.
-With All of My Love and Prayers for You, Corporal- Margaret
P.S. Please Contact Me; Rob; if you need to....and WAY before you get desperate.....if you just want to talk.... I have PTSD, I have a 100% service-connected disability: mental illness/stress disorder.
My e-mail address is [login to see]

Response by SSG John Caples made Dec 16 at 2015 8:37 AM

2015-12-16T08:37:28-05:00

Never let your guard down with the Va, they are there to push pills in your face and cause more harm than good , I have been seeing them now for almost 7 years, there answer to any problem I have is pills . They want give me a diagnoses of anything they just want to either take away or give me more new meds. Luckily I made copies of every medical record that I had while still in the ARMY and it helped me along with my foot work and constant appealing I got my 70% rating, I filled for un-employability and they denied it twice so I got a advocate help me with it , has been going on since 2011. The Va. pisses me off every time I go to that place, my wife will not even go with me now due to embarrassment when I go off on them.. Did you go through a Warrior TRANSITION Unit? If so try them and they can help you with that

Response by SGT Rick Ash made Dec 16 at 2015 7:23 PM

2015-12-16T19:23:56-05:00

I have fighting the VA for 4 years. I have outlined the details many times on here, no more. I just this week noticed a VA letter ( On the back of a claim denial ) I did NOT have and requested it from my @sshole SO. The letter was from the Dosimetry Center at Redstone Arsenal but stated they could find NO records of MR Richard F Ash. Well, that's to be expected, there were no film badges in 1973. But, they won't even email me a letter stating THAT. I called the 4-Star Post Commander this afternoon and within minutes had a return call from two of his administrators. I gave them the phone number from the Dosimetry center so what did they give me? THE NUMBER FOR POST INFORMATION!. The VA and the ARMY are as f*cked up as a football bat.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Dec 16 at 2015 8:03 PM

2015-12-16T20:03:18-05:00

First thing is for you NOT to give up. The second thing is what you're doing now. Talk to your peers and see what they've done to get it close to "right". No one "wins" with the VA, but the VA NEVER looses. Someone will give you a good response and I hope for all of us it works. Your situation could be one of a million in the same boat. If you can get it to work and pass the info down, we can all at least break even with the VA. Thirdly, maybe consider contacting your local news. No one but the news themselves like bad press, and if you can show where a congressman hasn't done their job, name me a TV station that wouldn't eat that up. Bet you'll get a few sudden letters, calls, and emails.

Response by SSG Audwin Scott made Dec 17 at 2015 9:01 AM

2015-12-17T09:01:33-05:00

Yes they do, but I think the system is setup for you to just quit and stop fighting. I would say don't give up and keep on fighting for what you no is legit. I have been turned down several times but I want quit until I get what is rightfully mine.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Dec 17 at 2015 11:25 AM

2015-12-17T11:25:57-05:00

You have some options, if you feel your doctor is not paying attention, ask for another one. There is always a patient advocate who can help you with that. Are you going to a hospital or a clinic, the amount of services vary at clinics as oppose to a main facility. You may also go to the Hospitals Chaplain and explain he situation to them. Your local VSO can be of assistance. Have you tried writing to the National Archives to get a copy of your medical records yet, your local county VSO can aid you with that. Those are steps to start the process.

Response by HN Israel Soto Alicea made Dec 17 at 2015 12:05 PM

2015-12-17T12:05:58-05:00

Im not here to talk down about any organization helping veterans with claims but i have been researching the claims process for over 10 years now. Most VA-Affiliated organizations that provide claims assistance provide the bare minimum evaluation simply because of the VAs training module. Attorneys provide support but you have to pay them off a percentage. It is a social issue when it comes to this process. I have provided claims assistance Free of charge to thousands of veterans with my Non-governmental/Veterans Affairs organization. This is what a claims process should look like:

1.VA compensation application
outline disabilities

2.Refer to the CFR 38 disability guide

3.Write a subjective statement in reference to each condition.

4.certify mail complete application with statement included.

Phase 2

Send all medical evidence and/or request medical record.

IF YOU DONT HAVE YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS THE AND JUST WRITE STATEMENTS IT IS CONSIDERED SECONDARY EVIDENCE.

i have been able to have veterans receive disability pay within 4 to 8 months. The VA is NOT the end all be all for veteran support.