37 replies to this topic

[killemall]

Like many of you I spend way to much time thinking about this stuff but I decided to keep an updated logg of my progress and what better place to keep it than here.

Back in 98 while in basic training I was knocked unconcious when a fellow recruit hit me in the head from behind by swinging butt stock of his m16 like a batt. I was unconcious for nine hours and awakened at 3 am when I was found in the woods.

The drill sgts swept it under the rug and was simply labeled as a training accident.

Fast forward 14 years and I have many problems.

Sever loss of hearing
Loss of balance
Slurred speech
Numbness in left facial area with drooling
Decreased memory

It was all a lil too much and I contacted the suicide hotline.

In the middle of may 2012 I was seen by a phych and after describeing my symptoms the doc asked if I ever had an head injury to which I described the above.

A week later I went to intake were I was recommended to go through neurology.

The first week of june I was seen by my provider. I was given a cat scan wich came back clean.

My next apointment was the beginning of july 2012 with my provider. I am now scheduled for the following in the month of July 2012

Neurology
Neuneurology
Mri
Sleep apnea


Ill update the results of the appointmentments

[Sergent Emmons]

well it sound as if you have the symptoms of TBI and your getting looked at for it...once they have a proper diagnosis and you get some treatment if there is any.
then you should have enough evidence to get it rated by the VA... half of the issue is being treated! they want to see that. make sure that if your using an outside Dr. that the records are giving to your VA PCP and he or she puts that info in your records.

[killemall]

Will do. My neurology appt is through an outside doc but the va is paying the bill.

After all these appts are done Ill request a copy of my c-file to see were I stand. Im just happy the ball is finally rolling.

The hardest thing for me so far is trying to locate someone who went to basic training with me. He found me unconcios. Coincidentally once at our duty station I was his nco for several years....

After all that I cant even remember his name!

[killemall]

Completed my testing with the shrink and all the backwards numbers and picture memorization ect. Took around 3 hours. He said they will let me know the results in a few weeks.

This wasnt a c and p exam. Just an exam to see if I do have Tbi. Figure its a good step to have completed though.

[killemall]

Just completed MRI....seemed like I was in that thing forever. They said someone would tell me the results in a few days.

[Sempfidoc]

I have had chronic PTSD. Been on meds (which help) but still suffer from it. I was exposed to a blast in Iraq in 04'. I screened positive on the TBI verbal test. I was given a head CT that came back clean. I spent about 30 minutes with a VA doc that determined that I didn't currently have a TBI. I have headaches daily, forgetfulness, lack of concentration, sleeping problems, mood issues, dizziness, vertigo etc...According to the VA website, I have all but about 2 of the symptoms for TBI. My PCP thinks I have it as well but will not fight Polytrauma. I do have another appt with my PCP so that he can tell me the next course of action for the headaches. I know neurology will not treat headaches. The nurse told me that directly. I do have the backing of the OIF nurse and Military One Source. My question is...
What do I have to do for them to take me seriously and diagnose me with MTBI? Has too much time gone by? Do they think it is all of this is PTSD? Personally, I don't think they know enough to make such a judgement. What is the defining thing that makes it a TBI?

[killemall]

Heck if I know...

I contacted the suicide hot line and the next day I met a va shrink. I told him what problems I was haveing and he asked if I ever had a head injury. I told him what happenned to me and a few days later they put me in intake.

Told the sych what happenned and she said she didnt think tbi but depression.

I met with my va doc and told her my symptoms and she scheduled me for all these test. Honestly I feel for sure I have tbi. Just one year after my head injury my medical records sho I complained of blurry vision and went from perfect hearing to needing hearing aids.

How did know one include myself catch this? Funny thing is Id forgotten about being knocked uncoucios till that va doc asked me and never thought for a second my hearing loss ect all stemmed from that moment.


I can say without a doubt that my va doc who recommended all this testing is the only reason. She actually seemed to care and wanted to know whats wrong with me as much as I did.

God bless her and I hope you find one at the Va to help you as well

[killemall]

Just finished my first day of testing at the neurology clinic.

Took maybe an hour of memory questions and can you feel this and that type stuff.

They requested a copy of my mri results and will then reschedule me.

All in all very professional. They are getting paid by the va but otherwise have nothing to do with the va and the atmosphere was very relaxing

[killemall]

Pretty disapointed with myself. completely missed my sleep apnea appt. way to go self........

[lugnut]

Call and reschedule as soon as you can. It took me 6 months to get an appointment.
Good luck.
Lugnut

[killemall]

I tried calling and they didnt awnswer so i drove up there and they gave me another appt a week from now..

Whewwwwwww.........

[killemall]

Finished first sleep apnea appt. just a class and videos

[killemall]

So i have a second neurology appt at the end of this month. they finally got mymri results and they want to see me again

[iraqx2]

You need to deal with the VA's Polytrauma department. So you filed a claim for TBI and VA has not sent you an examination yet? Polytrauma will give you a series of tests. I am 100% for TBI because some assh*le blew my truck up in Iraq. The evidence was overwhelming.

Good luck

[killemall]

Thanks x2....

Finished my sleep study and I have sleep apnea...they gave me the mask ect..

My second neurology appt is coming up soon...

Every step just a lil closer.

[killemall]

Darn...i spent 8 days in jail and missed my neurology appt.

Gotta reschedule. but i have a compensation appt for my hearing loss in a few days

[killemall]

My audiolagy c and p exame went well. seems my hearing has gotten worse.....

My new neurology appt for the results of my mri is scheduled for the end of this month.

Baby steps but I will prove this tbi

[rebelranger]

Wow what are you doing to get these tests done so fast? Who did you see or talk to get this ball rolling? I've meet with some doctors over TBI who said I have it and meet with a speech pathologist bi-weekly over it. I've never gotten a letter for C&P though, how can I request one?

[killemall]

I havent gotten a c and p yet eighter but Im just trying to get as much evidence as possible.

Seein the doc for mri results later this week.

[killemall]

I meet my doc for mri results today. ill post results later

[carlie]

I've never gotten a letter for C&P though, how can I request one?

A decision maker or VSR at your VARO is who will request a C&P exam, if they feel your
claim has enough merit and the evidence of record is insufficient for rating purposes.
More info can be found at the following link :

38 CFR - 3.159 and 3.326

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=4cfddfb5d35887492a4e9767db4456db&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title38/38cfr3_main_02.tpl

[carlie]

killemall,
Be sure to also check your 201 file thoroughly to see if this "training accident"
was written down and of record.

I feel that if not - at a minimum, since there is no record of the injury
a buddy statement from someone that VBA can verify was
where you were,when you were, at the time the injury took place,
will be absolutely necessary to support this claim issue,even if TBI is diagnosed.

I'm really not even sure at all that they will be able to diagnose it or provide
a nexus with full medical rationale to active duty, if there is absolutely nothing
of record to support it.

When a claim issue relates to an undocumented injury, supported solely by
way of verbal history as stated by veteran,
(unless you are a combat vet or unless there is a formal finding indicating that
despite all efforts to secure your SMR's/STR's, no records available), I do not
see that a decision maker will have a heighten duty for application of the BOD.

Not trying to be a nay-sayer but just preparing you for a long road ahead on this one, and give you a heads up on what a decision maker will be looking for.

What condition/s is your current 40 percent SC for ?
JMHO

[killemall]

I got stitches in my face and its labled in my records as a training accident.

Im sc for hearing loss and tinitus

[carlie]

I got stitches in my face and its labled in my records as a training accident.

Im sc for hearing loss and tinitus

I got stitches in my face and its labled in my records as a training accident.

Im sc for hearing loss and tinitus

Stitches in your face on active duty during basic should be evidenced in your SMR's.

The Rating Decision that granted Hearing Loss and Tinnitus as SC'd, states
_______ what_________ in the Reasons and Bases Section, to support the grant
of SC ?

[lugnut]

Killemall, I'm in about the same situation as you are. I had a mtbi during a night training exercise while serving in Germany in 1966. I was taken to the dispensary for stitches in my rt lower chin. That is the only thing written up in my SMR's. The Dr. was pissed about being awakened at 1:00 AM and I was in a daze and didn't say anything to him. Anyway, I filed a claim in 2009, and it was denied, I filed a NOD and it was just denied again in March 2012 after I got an IMO from a private Dr. Problem is I don't have enough documentation & I don't remember the name of the guy that came along and helped me up. I always answered "NO" when asked did you lose consciencness, but the truth is I don't know. I don't remember the ride back to Post which would have taken 30-45 minutes. If I can help you with anything just write me here and I will be glad to assist you.

Lugnut aks Buddy

[killemall]

Thanks and will do.

My mri results apt got pushed back to the middle of this month btw

[killemall]

Not to much to update but can anyone help me out?

What is opc?

Apparently the va is waiting on an opc from me.

[T8r]

Opc. Outpatient clinic? Did you state you had been treated a while back at a va outpatient treatment. The extrinsic records only go back so far ( usually around 1989). Anything before that the varo has to go out with a hard copy request and the vamc has to do a manual search through papers. Jmho.

[killemall]

Thanks

[killemall]

Still little movement on my tbi...

But the c and p office called me to schedule an apt. for my speech disorder contingent with my hearing loss. Hopefully they will realize this all stems from the blow to my head

[killemall]

Speech c and p tomorrow. every lil step..

[killemall]

Speech c and p went well. Im very hopefull.

[rebelranger]

Keep at it

[killemall]

Alright I have a neurology appt in two weeks...tryin to keep pushing this ball

[killemall]

Took a look at what the doc wrote about my slurred speech exam. she stated that while I do have slurred speech that there is not plausable evidence to directly relate it to my hearing loss.

However she did not thay the right side of my face moved slightly differant than my right side and that this was subtle neurology related.

Hopefully this will in some way help with proving tbi

Right side of face moves differantly than left side I ment

[killemall]

I used the freedom of imformatuon act and got a copy of all my va records.

Turns out my neuroligist stated that I have a brain stem dysfunction that cause the left side of my face to be partially paralyzed.

This is in writeing and the dr that the va sent me too.

Baby steps but looks like Im finally getting somewhere

[killemall]

Wow! I found the guy whp struck me and left me uncouncious 15 years ago online. so I sent him a message and now I uave to wait and see if hes willing to wrote a letter saying he and others found me uncouncious 8 hours after "the trainibg accident".

So will he help me? Or stay far away?

Excited and scared at the same time

[killemall]

Went back to neuroligist and he said that more than likely my facial numbness is not due to my tbi.

Geeze what a road to travel