I have been rated as 100% for both PTSD.

I am scheduled to have a C&P exam in 2009 to see if my condition has changed.
I've had PTSD for over 30 years so that doesn't make sense. I am totally unable to work but the claim is not based on IU.

1. What should I expect?

2. What should I do, if anything to make sure I keep my compensation as I would be homeless without it.

3. A friend of mine received 100% P&T on her first application. Does that mean my case is weak?

Rose

[quote name='StarVista888' date='Dec 28 2008, 01:06 PM' post='121462']
I have been rated as 100% for both PTSD.

I am scheduled to have a C&P exam in 2009 to see if my condition has changed.
I've had PTSD for over 30 years so that doesn't make sense. I am totally unable to work but the claim is not based on IU.

1. What should I expect?

2. What should I do, if anything to make sure I keep my compensation as I would be homeless without it.

3. A friend of mine received 100% P&T on her first application. Does that mean my case is weak?

Rose
[/quote]

Rose,
Let me tell you the first several thoughts that cross my mind in reading your question(s).
- I'm not sure what you mean when you say you are "rated as 100% for BOTH PTSD." What does the "both" refer to?
- Are you saying you have you been rated for PTSD for over 30 years? Any VA disability rating, regardless of amount or length of time held, is subject to review by the VA at any time and can be re-assigned as suitable to the disability at that time. In the C&P exam, you might expect some of the same personality tests and deep discussions that were undoubtedly given you to establish your original claim. Your records of treatment from the initial rating until now will be reviewed to show any treatments that have occurred in the intervening time.
- VA Disability ratings are given for disabilities. If you have a disability, you are entitled to the compensation. If you don't have a PTSD disability, you need to be in another VA Benefits Program to deal with the situation of economic hardship that could make you homeless. Your State and County may also have programs that can help you deal with that issue. But a VA Disability Compensation is not a means of addressing economic hardship. Look into VA Pension programs.
- The VA (rightly or wrongly) reviews and treats disabilities on an individual bases. Your friends status has no direct relationship to yours. Any weakness in your case is dependent on your inability to show continuous and sustained psychological problems to warrant a 100% disability rating.
Sorry, but I detect an invalid application of compensation if your situation is based on fear of loosing your home vs. concern that your compensation will not afford you the proper means of dealing with your care for having a medical or psychological disability.

- The Frog

It just means your claim is pretty fresh. The VA does not want to grant P&T right away. They hope you go back to work, or tell them you feel much better, or some such nonsense. The main thing is to stay in treatment and take your pills. Go to the VA and get treatment. I hope you have been doing this, but as long as you are getting treatment you can show that you are not better.

frog

I don't think you should be telling a guy with SC'ed PTSD to look into the VA Pension program. That is stupid. He is service connected. You are judging him as if he were faking it to get payments. Why would a guy with 100% SC PTSD look into the pension program? Are you working for the VA? I think you need to stick your head up your ass and detect your brains.

K. Let me clarify my question. I have been treated by doctors for PTSD and Depression for over continuous 30 years.

I applied for SC in July 2001 and was awarded in Dec. 2006 as 100& SC for PTSD and 30% for migraines.

I have been in non-stop treatment by drs and require meds which don't help much.

Since records show I've been in treatment for 30 years- why didn't they rate me as perm and total given my condition has become worse-not better? I spent 10.5 years on active duty then 8 years in the Reserves inclusing active Reservist for 6 months during Desert Storm situation. If that matters.

I have problems with anticipation anxiety so knowing what to expect(during Review C&P) would help me some.
I would become homeless if they were to take the Disability payment away. It's not that anyone in the V.A. would care about. There are few homeless resources for female veterans if my Disability pay were reduced..

The question boils down to what to actually expect during a Review C&P exam other than what is published in the Review Sheets. My symptoms are severe so I probably shouldn't worry.. . I've changed therapists so many times I don't know if they are saying I'm improving (because I don't tell them I think about suicide on a daily basis) or if what they are saying will support the fact that my symptoms are as bad as they really are. I don't tell them everything-embarrassed.

Thank you for your feedback.

Rose

They are slow to rate at P&T for several reasons. First is that it grants more benefits to Veteran and their family and second of all they usually want to see what happens. Not that I have ver heard of a real cure for PTSD.

Maybe you should ask them to reconsider and point out your circumstances?

TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF

CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSPART 4--SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES

Subpart B--Disability Ratings

4.129 Mental disorders due to traumatic stress.

General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders:

Total occupational and social impairment, due to such symptoms as: gross impairment in thought processes or communication; persistent delusions or hallucinations; grossly inappropriate behavior; persistent danger of hurting self or others; intermittent inability to perform activities of daily living (including maintenance of minimal personal hygiene); disorientation to time or place; memory loss for names of close relatives, own occupation, or own name....................... 100%

Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas, such as work, school, family relations, judgment, thinking, or mood, due to such symptoms as: suicidal ideation; obsessional rituals which interfere with routine activities; speech intermittently illogical, obscure, or irrelevant; near-continuous panic or depression affecting the ability to function independently, appropriately and effectively; impaired impulse control (such as unprovoked irritability with periods of violence); spatial disorientation; neglect of personal appearance and hygiene; difficulty in adapting to stressful circumstances (including work or a worklike setting); inability to establish and maintain effective relationships........................... 70%

Occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity due to such symptoms as: flattened affect; circumstantial, circumlocutory, or stereotyped speech; panic attacks more than once a week; difficulty in understanding complex commands; impairment of short- and long-term memory (e.g., retention of only highly learned material, forgetting to complete tasks); impaired judgment; impaired abstract thinking; disturbances of motivation and mood; difficulty in establishing and maintaining effective work and social relationships........... 50%

Occupational and social impairment with occasional decrease in work efficiency and intermittent periods of inability to perform occupational tasks (although generally functioning satisfactorily, with routine behavior, self-care, and conversation normal), due to such symptoms as: depressed mood, anxiety, suspiciousness, panic attacks (weekly or less often), chronic sleep impairment, mild memory loss (such as forgetting names, directions, recent events)........................................... 30%


Occupational and social impairment due to mild or transient symptoms which decrease work efficiency and ability to perform occupational tasks only during periods of significant stress, or; symptoms controlled by continuous medication............... 10%


A mental condition has been formally diagnosed, but symptoms are not severe enough either to interfere with occupational and social functioning or to require continuous medication..................... 0%

Star,

Not sure exactly what you mean by "The question boils down to what to actually expect during a Review C&P exam other than what is published in the Review Sheets." so you may already have this but here's a link to what the PTSD review C&P exam looks like:

http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/Benefits/exams/disexm56.htm

When I had my C&P exam (not PTSD, the standard initial mental disorders one) the shrink went through a computer program asking me questions in the exact order of the C&P exam posted on the VA website so I assume that your review C&P exam for PTSD should go in accordance with the PTSD Review Examination Worksheet you will find at the above link.

You will notice that the end of your review sheet, Section M, has the examiner give a medical opinion on your disability which is basically aligned with the mental health rating guide.

However, having said that, let me warn you that even if the examiner states you are 100% disabled and provides a rationale for that medical opinion (which is what my C&P examiner did) the rater may well disregard that and, against VA regulations that state a rater can't use their opinion over a medical professional, still rate you 50% (this is what happened to me - I got rated 100% P&T on appeal).

Also, we are in the same boat - I was treated in service 30 years ago for depression/bipolar disorder, had continuing treatment for said same 30 years, which the VA C&P examiner noted in the C&P exam (severe and chronic since first treatment in military) but the VA still rated me 50%. Again, I got properly rated on appeal to 100% P&T but it took several years.

I know what you mean about anticapatory anxiety. It sucks big time. I hope you will review the PTSD Review Disability Worksheet at the link above and that it will help you with your anxiety about your upcoming exam.

Just curious - why didn't you appeal for P&T in 2006 when you got rated 100% for PTSD? Don't feel bad if you didn't know about P&T - I didn't know jack before I found hadit so you're in the right place.

Hang in there and keep us posted,
TS Snave