I have several SC Disabilities and I am filing VBA-21-4138 for an increase to my SCD.... I am looking for the actual codes I need to put in the 21-4138.

1. I have Migrane / Chronic Headaches that were rated as SC - 0%, since I got out they are occuring all most daily, and they are getting worse.

2. I have a shoulder injury on my left should that was rated at 10% when I got out but it was listed as temp.... It has gotten worse and I want the them to re-evaluate it.... I have limited ROM, and Painful movement. They have taken the 10% away 2 yrs ago.... This is my Dominate Arm.

3. I have a severe injury to my left ankle - Triple fracture and had 9 pins and a 4.5 inch plate.... I have had 3 surgeries on this ankle alone.... The VA gave me 10% when I got out in 2005, but the ankle is getting worse and more painful.

4. I have a right ankle injury that required 2 surgeries. The VA gave me 10% on it when I got out, but this ankle is getting worse as well. I have lost ROM and have painful movment in both ankles.

5. My Left wirst had a Cyst removed and I have pain that shots up my left arm all the time. This is my Dominate Hand

6. The TBI folks wanted me to come in for a followup a few months ago, but I never made it in, and I am thinking I should go back in for a the followup as my headaches are really getting bad, and are starting to affect my sight (Blurred vision in my right eye).

I am really tired of playing with these fouls up at the VA, and would like to go in fully armed..... Thanks in advance.

Sgt Will,
Welcome to Hadit.
If you want to know the Diagnostic Codes that VBA has rated your current
SC'd disabilities under, you can call the 1-800 number and usually get
correct answers for this question.

If you want to know all diagnostic codes VBA rates under, this is found
in 38 CFR - Part 4 - Schedule for rating disabilities.

Scroll down to the second part and ckick on any link that says,
Schedule of rating Blah - blah - blah.

carlie


http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-...cfr4_main_02.tp

I think you should go for treatment at the VA for all your problems. You should ask for a referral to both the pain clinic and psychiatry. You probably have chronic pain and that goes hand in hand with depression. Don't miss your appointments! You want to go to the VA and build a record of treatment. This will make it easier to get increases. You want to document continual treatment for all service connected injuries, or potential SC conditions. This is going to be a life long battle because many conditions get worse as you get older. When your PCP nurse asks you if you have pain don't down play the intensity of pain. What kind of pain meds are you getting now? If you have a condition the VA expects you to take medications or at least accept them.

The wonderful world of the VA seems to think all I need is Vitamin M "800 MG Mortin" I think this has destroyed my stomach.... I have been going to the VA clinic / MC since I got out of service.... I have asked for some pain meds, and they give me mortin. I have 30% PTSD as well, and they give me all the generic sleeping pills they can find, and it puts me to sleep so much I don't wake up for 10 hours and then I lose my job.... Had to learn to cope with only getting 4 to 5 hours of sleep a night..... I have to drive 50 miles one way to the VAMC in Dallas, and then it takes me 6 trips to get things done...

I have been logging all my headaches over the past year, and I hope this is enough to get them appoved with something other then 0%. My Family doc is considering sending me to e Nero specialist for an evaluation.... I just got off the phone with te TBI doc in Dallas, and they want me to come back in.....

Ask your Primary for a consult with the Copper Team (psych clinic,) Don Huff, PA.
Also ask your Primary for a scheduling with the pain clinic, Dr. Jamie Zavacavek (not the right spelling, everybody just calls her Dr. Jamie).
Are you seeing anyone in Ortho?
If your Primary Care is Clinic 14, then they'll at least try to work with you (Dr Harriharan Ramamurthy is my PCP. We have an understanding. He speaks Hindi, I speak Yiddish, he takes the notes that my wife gives me to give to him, BINGO! All is good.)

I had Dr. George as my Primary, and she doesn't seem to think I need any consults to the other Docs... I am thinking of changing to the Denton or Bonham clinic to make life easier for me.... Going to Dallas VAMC, was suppose to make it a one stop shot.... but no dice.... I am on the phone with the MC to try and schedule appt with doc.... Maybe the will give me a new Primary.

Also, does anyone have the dx code for Cronic Headaches, I cannot find it on the gpo site... I am trying to find the rating chart....

thanks

Sherman has a really nice, new, outpatient clinic.
I just got an "advertisement" in the mail from the VA, touting the clinic in Denton (I call it an "advertisement" because I don't know what else to call it except maybe a "solicitation").
But, for me, attending the VAMC in Dallas is no problem. Well, I say it's no problem, it's no problem BECAUSE I'm, like, there already, several times a week.

Welcome aboard SGT Will... You must live way north of Dallas. Doesn't Bonham have a VAMC? I remember visiting it many years ago. Seemed to be a nice place, back then.

I just read all your posts, Sgt Will..... I would advise you to keep the Nero specialist appointment, this time... Sounds like you are having way too many headaches. Have you ever been checked for TBI? Did you ever jar your jarhead, Marine?? You live 50 miles from the Dallas VAMC. Don't you qualify for fee basis? You can see a private Dr. in your town.???

I see Dr George at Hotel Clinic 11 in Dallas and I think that she hung the moon. She is on maternity leave and I would follow Larry's advise to the letter. As you deal with Dallas VA you will more or less learn that the PCP's Docs are so overloaded with patients that until they develop some sort of relationship with you they may seem aloof or uncaring.

If you continue with Dr George just talk to her about consults the only one that I have not been able to get so far is Cardiology and I think that she writes the consult but Cardiology does not do their part.

You might also try the Patient Advocate and see if one of them can help you.

Welcome to Hadit.

I have had Dr George for over 4 years and that is the longest time I have ever had a Doc at the VA. She has gone to bat for me many times over treatment issues and she takes the time to explain things that have helped me.

Yes, I knocked the jar a little lose a few times, thanks for asking..... As for the fee base how do I find out about that, I would prefer to see my private Family doc anyway, see looks better then my VA doc...lol..... I was checked for TBI about 18 months ago, but they told me I didn't have it then, and they dismissed my headaches as not important.... I have since started keeping a log of my headaches, and they are getting worse..... I called the Nero / Poly Trauma Doc yesterday and I am waiting on a call back for an appt. I will call them back today if I dont hear from them by 10am local.... I live in north of McKinney, and from my front door to the VAMC Dallas, it is 49.7 miles.... Bonham is actually a little closer, and I am thinking about switching to it... it is 38.3 miles from my front door. I have been using VAMC Dallas, because when I moved to Texas in 2006, I lived in Irving, and it was only about 15 miles to Dallas VAMC.

I think my biggest mistake was telling the doc last time that I am learning to live with the headaches.... That was before they got this bad..... None of the meds they have given me help...

Thanks for the info, I have had her since 2006 and she has not assisted me like that, I hope she will, I have another appt with her on the 24th of this month... I have asked for a consult for my headaches at least 5 times and she dismisses the request.... I asked her to refer me to see if I had sleep apnea and she refused, I went to my family doc and talked to her, she refered me to sleep med, and they conducted a sleep study twice and found that I have sleep apnea.... If she refuses to send me for a consult on my headaches again, I will contact a Patient Advocate, and then my family doc for a referral.... I know theses headaches are not normal, and something is wrong... I am tired of taking a pill to mask a problem.... I want this fixed....

Dr George is on maternity leave and will not be back till after January. If you fill in Doc does not help I would try and follow up with Larry's advise or in fact start the paperwork on your next visit.

Dallas will usually let you change Docs one time without any hassles.

Reading Sgt(s) post and I'm simply amazed. My PCP is Dr. T Brown and has been for the past 4 years... and like Pete said, I believe she hung the moon as well! Gets me in to all the consults I need in a timely fashion - In fact, have a Pain Consult for the 24th of this Month - MRI this summer revealed neck/spinal damage I never knew I had from a IED blast 5 years ago, who knew! Dr. Robinson in Poly Trauma is truly awesome when it comes to treatment and care - My Headaches are rated at the max of 50% - Bit of Advice - keep that tracking log accurate and current - if a migraine occurs, immediately seek emergency treament (if possible and medicine fails); this shows the severity of the pain you are suffering. Here is what they use to determine SC for Migraine Headaches:

8100 Migraine:

With very frequent completely prostrating and prolonged attacks
productive of severe economic inadaptability 50
With characteristic prostrating attacks occurring on an average once
a month over last several months................................................ 30
With characteristic prostrating attacks averaging one in 2 months over
last several months 10
With less frequent attacks 0


As far as daily headaches, that may be due to TBI - or other injuries received in service - Hope this helps.

Leap:

Nice to see you posting and good advice

"The TBI folks wanted me to come in for a followup a few months ago, but I never made it in, and I am thinking I should go back in for a the followup as my headaches are really getting bad, and are starting to affect my sight (Blurred vision in my right eye)."

By all means get the TBI evaluated. Ws this from IED or inservice accident?
Is this documented in your SMRs and/or your discharge certificate?

Are you unemployed presently?
If not have you formally applied for TDIU?

The motrin-
"VA seems to think all I need is Vitamin M "800 MG Mortin" I think this has destroyed my stomach.."

Claim the motrin as causing any secondary stomach problems you have been diagnosed with.

Have you applied for SSA disability as well as VA comp?

With problems in your dominant hand- this would lend anyone great difficulty in performing most types of work.

I will attach the TDIU form-next post

Do you have a rep vet helping you?




"I am really tired of playing with these fouls up at the VA, and would like to go in fully armed....." Thanks in advance.

"I am really tired of playing with these fouls up at the VA, and would like to go in fully armed....." Thanks in advance.

It is a War game on paper - but you have some good ammo here for TDIU- paid at the 100% rate-if you are not working.

You dont really need to put the rating codes in any claim for higher rating.

BUT understanding what code they used and why your evidence warrants higher rating under the rating schedule is an asset to anyone claiming higher rating.

You can access the code and rating schedule for any of these disabilities you have to see what evidence is needed for higher award.

In my opinion If you are unemployed I think the TDIU app will go faster in the long run for you-

Check Yes to # 18 and then apply for SSA.

Under Remarks # 25, refer them to separate page with your C file number, name and address on it,and tell them of the problems you had on the job due to your SC, and add anything other info whatsoever that would help gain a TDIU award.

Tell them of all side affects of all meds such as the Motrin and tell them how the right hand problems interfere with employment.

Your private doctor might be willing to support a TDIU claim with an Independent medical opinion.

Thanks for the info.... I have an Appt with my PCP on the 24th as well at 9am... I also have TBI followup and re-eval on the 24h at 3 pm.... I am keeping the head ache log up to date the best I can, my wife helps with it some as well.... As for the ER, I cannot afford to do this... I usually take the meds the doc gave me or some advil Migraine, and go to bed. Thanks for the Advice as well, I just sent in my claim for the Migraines under 8100.... According to the rating scale I should be around 50%, as I have an average of 4 migraines a month, and a headache at least 11 days a month.

I cannot access the form, I keep getting an error, is there somewhere else I can retrive this form? Thanks for the advice....

go to www.va.gov/vaforms and enter the form number in the search box

Well, that went better the I expected.... I got into see the Doctor in Clinic 14, as Dr. George was out on Mat. Leave.... He refered me to the Ortho clinic, Neuro Clinic, and the Pediatry Clinic.

The folks at TBI evaulated me and refered me to Neuro, Ortho, and Physical Therapy.

I am still waiting for Neuro to call me in for a follow-up, however my Family doc sent me to a Neurologist and he is trying some new meds, and is going to see me again in a month.