Multilevel Degenerative Disc Disease with multilevel disc desiccation

2014-07-06T21:05:36-04:00

I was recently diagnosed by my PMR doctor of having this problem with my back. My Primary Care doctor then denies that I need a cane/wheelchair to get around even though I can not walk more than 3 feet without some form of support. The VA diagnosed me with this problem and then denied me of my claim on my back because of a lack of information. Has anyone else had this problem?

Response by SPC Justin Phillips made Jul 6 at 2014 9:10 PM

2014-07-06T21:10:31-04:00

just wondering if anyone has any advice for me.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 6 at 2014 9:21 PM

2014-07-06T21:21:08-04:00

Have you been to a Physical Therapist? What imaging have they done?

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 8 at 2014 6:18 AM

2014-07-08T06:18:40-04:00

It's never easy dealing with the VA - especially if you're in pain.

I deliberately re-read your missive 4 times before I opted to chime in. Several have spoken up so I won't repeat what has been asked.

Here's what I see / suggest:

1. You've said your Rep is with the DAV at the Kansas VA hospital. Since you have apparently started your VA claim with them you should go back to them. If the distance to travel is too great - try a local DAV and see if they can't get their Service Officer to work with you.
2. Are you in the VA healthcare network? (do you have a VA ID card?) If so, contact your DAV rep and find out what process the VA hospital there has for requesting Release of Information (ROI) and request your entire VA file. You can still get the ROI even if you don't have the VA healthcare ID... While you're at the VA Hospital get a copy of all x-rays, MRI's, etc.
3. Do you have ALL of your military Dental, Health and personnel files? If you have the VA ID - you can go to the VA website and pull them up electronically - shouldn't take long at all.
4. Once you have all of this data assembled go back to your primary care giver (aka civilian doctor) and talk to them about seeing a specialist. Once you sit down with the civilian specialist (it's not clear in my mind what you've seen for what) talk to them about your VA claim - and tell them you wish for them to look at all available data (your military personnel + health and VA health files) relating to your situation in order to provide information to aid in either your appeal or re-open your VA case.
5. SFC A.M. Drake and LTC Private RallyPoint Member are each trying to head you in the right direction. While it seems perfectly clear to you that you have provided all the information necessary - trust me when I say it's always the little details that these two gentlemen are trying to discover that make the difference...work with them.
6. As for the cane - talk to your local VFW/DAV and see if they can't find some way to help you with that.

Response by SSG David Joubert made Jul 10 at 2014 7:43 PM

2014-07-10T19:43:13-04:00

SPC Justin Phillip,
Found my own experience with Same finding and also put out in Mar 06 With same condition Which the Department of Veterans Affairs calls it in there rate as DC 5237 Lumbosacral or cervical strain. Here are the DC codes for all these conditions 5235 Vertebral fracture or dislocation, 5236 Sacroiliac injury and weakness,5237 Lumbosacral or cervical strain, 5238 Spinal stenosis, 5239 Spondylolisthesis or segmental instability, 5240 Ankylosing spondylitis, 5241 Spinal fusion, 5242Degenerative arthritis of the spine (see also diagnostic code 5003), 5243 Intervertebral disc syndrome. No mater what they call it I have 6 out of 9 of these but they used 5237 for my rating. I waited 13 months for my first rating of 10% and after having back surgery Pre - POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Spinal stenosis with herniated disk at L5,S1 PROCEDURE:Decompressive lumbar laminectomy at L3-4-S and Sl
and diskectomy of LS-Sl and posterior spinal fusion of L5-S1 with pedicle screws and interbody cage. They move it to 20% and I was put out of work August 2012 and awarded SSI and put in for increase for this as well compensation based on unemployability and was denied for both and still fighting and filed NOD and have lawyer working it. For what I have gone though to get to this point was do to Doctors outside the VA. If you use the VA system this statement here is so true about the VA system.

Veterans Medical Advisor states; unfortunately, the C & P examination system is not designed in the veterans favor. Many times, the VA denies a veteran’s claim based on the medical evidence the VA itself has provided. The primary care and specialist providers at the VA clinics are restricted in what they can say about your condition. These doctors work for the VA; therefore, they must follow VA guidelines and internal policies. The C & P examiners are supposed to decide whether you are disabled. Further, they decide just how severe the disability is in your case. The problem is, the C&P doctors usually must see several veterans in one day and do not have time to completely review medical records and do a proper exam. A VA-ordered exam that disproves your claim means it is even more important to have an Independent Medical Examination (IME) that could offset that opinion. If the veteran presents evidence that raises an element of doubt, then, by law, the VA must rule in the veterans favor.

This is the same of what the news is saying right now about veterans Dying on these so called secret list. It the system and we can't change it. So you have to beat them at there own game and seek outside medical Doctors to prove this are the injuries and what to outcome is. Then when you go to your C&P show the doctors the reports from them and they have no choice but write what they see. Oh I served 18 1/2 year and was put out with severance and have a nice day with hardware coming out of my RT hand because the Army doctor screw it up and my command put me out. My rating was 20% of nothing and a severance pay from Active Duty. I use the severance pay up and had to wait 13 months for my VA rating. Oh they came back with a 40% rating and I had to pay back the severance pay as you can't double dip from both one is taxable and one is not. So as I got my things fixed outside the VA. I would put in for an increase for that and so on Now at 80% and still fight the system as the last 2 years I was using the VA for my medical and when I went for my 2 C&P exams they used my VA records against me. I had to go outside the VA system to get the same type of doctors to prove the records are wrong and that's my I have a lawyer now to prove they records are wrong and they will put thing in your records they didn't even do and it become a he she thing and you won't win as VA doctors did do it or it won't be written.

Response by CPL David Riopelle Spencer made Jul 12 at 2014 10:35 PM

2014-07-12T22:35:51-04:00

I had the same problem. How I fixed it was this way; I went the civilian route and got the diagnosis that way. Then I waited 6 months before filing a claim. Later, the claim went through and I was compensated. Now I bring all my RX's to my PCP and the VA fill all my scripts. I tried the VA route with 3 different PCP's and failed every time. Remember, civilian sector diagnosis is equal to a VA diagnosis. Now the system works for me. No more frustration.

Response by PVT Vance Hanna made Jul 14 at 2014 1:08 AM

2014-07-14T01:08:47-04:00

My Advice, Keep on them, Keep getting all the documentation you can get, Also consider Filing for SSI and SSD at your local Social Security Office. I am fighting with VA right now as well because of a Knee injury in boot camp that ended my short Army career and they are trying to say there was nothing in my army medical records about it which i proved wrong in my Appeal. Also Contact a VA Attorney, one that only handles VA cases. Good Luck Man.

Response by SPC Dennis Mullins made Jul 18 at 2014 12:37 AM

2014-07-18T00:37:07-04:00

Get a MRI, don't give up!