Should I include PTSD in my claim for HCV?

Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 131

	08/16/10	#1

I put in a claim last week for PTSD and Hep C with a DAV NSO.From what I have been reading in the last couple of days here, it sounds like asking for PTSD at the same time would not help my Hep C claim?I have not had any problems self-medicating so no history of alcohol or drug abuse. No problems with the law either. I already have a 40% rating for RA. I have had hep c for along time (28+ years) like most of us vets. My symptoms are that I am sick most every day now and I have been quite sick since last year. I think I am past the panic stage now but I have a hard time concentrating and putting forth the energy to work my claim as I am exhausted most of the time. The NSO (DAV) seems like he knows the game and is familiar with the issues vets have with Hep C. In my case should I keep the NSO? My only Doctors are at the VAMC because I cannot afford private health insurance since I have not had a job in about 18 months. Thank you for being here! I just want to get this claim off to a good start with as few bumps in the road as possible.

squid_with_dragon

Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 131

	08/17/10	#2

I took out PTSD as part of my initial claim today…I just started the claim last Thursday.From what I have read here, it would be dumb to claim PTSD at the same time. But I do feel dumb most of the time now….wish I could say numb but have quite a bit of pain most every day.Anyway just being able to read about the others here in the last couple of days is helping me cope with this. I have felt “shutoff” and “dirty” for the last six months since I was diagnosed because even the doctors won’t tell me jack about this disease. Thank God for this forum! 🙂

NOD

Manager
Registered: 11/22/08
Posts: 652

	08/17/10	#3

You bring up a good point about filing for 2 separate claims that are hard to win on any given day. Hep C will be the most difficult unless you have a hep infection in your medrecs. Failing that, a combat environment, medic or tattoos/STDs are the winners. Jet guns are okay as long as they are a risk factor to be considered in addition to the above mentioned risks. As for the PTSD, inevitably they (VA) will separate the two claims by denying one or the other. You have to be very specific when you appeal by specifying you are appealing both and spell them out to avoid confusion. CAVC case law has decided that if you do not specifically appeal multiple issues. any that you fail to mention are deemed abandoned. PTSD will take a while to develop claimwise as your stressor will have to be confirmed. Depending on the type of stressor, your claim may go all the way to appeal if it depends solely on buddy statements. We don’t have one of those fancy crystal balls here to prognosticate with. Personally, Dealing with one claim at a time is advisable unless they are related to one another, inextricably intertwined or secondary to the primary disease you are claiming SC for. Never let yourself feel disconnected or dirty about HCV. It’s a disease just like any other virus. Imagine how straight guys feel about coming down with HIV. They probably feel pretty dirty, too. If you don’t know how you got it, you can assume it isn’t your fault. The only ones I can conceive of who might feel ashamed or dirty would be junkies. Even we have compassion for them in spite of their life choices. None of us are saints so having the disease is not the mark of Satan. I got mine from a transfusion, but I certainly got the”look”from the doctor in ’95 when the test came back positive so I know how you feel. Concentrate on winning and don’t look back. As for using an NSO vs. doing it yourself? Good question. If you feel your SO is competent to do this then go for it. Most Vets discover they end up carrying the water on these things in spite of the SO. The SO often just ends up being the mailman after you give him the info. He/she can be valuable for advice, though. Be aware the Post Office can accomplish the same thing and you can do a certified mail, return receipt requested. VA cannot subsequently deny they received it if they have to sign for it. I had an SO that lost several critical documents or failed to submit them that held up my claim for some time. Ultimately you are responsible for your own claim. Don’t blame anyone else if you fail to file on time. There are no do overs.

squid_with_dragon

Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 131

	08/17/10	#4

Thanks again!Being diagnosed with HCV is such a huge physcologic blow, yet the VA or the Health Dept. doesn’t work with the patient to really inform them about the disease. I live in a nowhere podunk small town on the plains and there are no support groups or people around me that even know about the disease. I seldom see relatives unless I travel a long distance to see the kids and grandkids.I needed to know what to do around my young grandchildren so I won’t infect them. They only tell you about having protection with multiple partners. They don’t tell you how to go about your normal daily life with your significant other. They used to show us a film on how to duck and cover in grade school, why can’t they show us a short film about living with the disease within the family? Even a 30 minute presentation with Q+A time would help. All of the information they give out which is very little, is so antiseptic. This is a very personal disease that causes individual and real emotional issues. I think they could easily help us with that when we are diagnosed. Rather than letting us go through a panic stage of “what am I going to do now?” Thanks for being here for us! 🙂

AZeeJensMom
Moderator
Registered: 01/05/09
Posts: 94

	08/18/10	#5

Squid… Good Morning to you. My husband was dx’d with HCV in 2001 by his diabetes doc who discovered high liver enzymes and told him “Take this report to your gastro doc when you go in for your next colonoscopy, he needs to follow-up on this..” I will never forget the day he came home and told me what the diabetes doc told him… We made the appt, and walked out of his office scratching our heads “What is this stuff he’s talking about ? “ We didn’t tell anyone for several months, fear, scared of what people might say….. it felt like a 2 ton brick was dropped onto our heads. It was very hard to tell anyone at first, but as we became more educated about the virus our walls of fear started to break down. After he started treatment, it was evident we had to start letting people know (family knew) as we really needed (especially me) a strong support system around us to help get through the next 48 weeks…. The main thing is no blood to blood contact, do not share shavers, toothbrushes or anything with anyone that could have bodily fluids or blood on them. You should not be fearful of going swimming with your grandchildren, playing with them or holding their hands in the park. I was tested when during one of my husbands three times on treatment (yup, 3 times) and I was giving him an insulin injection and when I put the cap back on the needle it poked through and stuck me. Tests came back that I had been exposed BUT….years prior, I was a regular blood donor and rec’d a letter back from our local health dept that I was exposed to Non-A Non-B Hepatitis and should refrain from donating blood…..I didn’t recall receiving that letter, it was sometime in 1990. We think I was probably exposed when I used a stipstik to stop a bleed after shaving – one my husband used and this was way before he was ever diagnosed. Never gave that letter a thought until the needle stick and I saw my doctor who still had a copy in my medical file… Bottom line is educate yourself….ask for information from forums like this, talk to your family and share with your friends. People were very ignorant when my husband was diagnosed and there were a few comments made, but overall the support came from those who really cared about us and the others, well….I just made it my mission to educate them and now I share our story with anyone who brings something up – helping others has helped me and my husband. Through the years since his diagnosis, we’ve started hearing more and more about new diagnoses from folks with HepC. People are more willing to talk about it and are more open to conversation now. In 2001 many labeled this a “drug users” disease….just like HIV was labeled. You live your life, enjoy those grandchildren, your family and friends….ask lots of questions, educate yourself so you can share that education with others and know that you are not alone in this. You are right, it’s an emotionally charged feeling to know you have hepatitis C and you are entitled to those feelings..we still get them. I will close in saying that what has helped us the most is educating ourselves and educating our family, friends and anyone who will listen. Share those feelings, the thoughts, the questions…we are here to listen and assist in anyway we can.

squid_with_dragon

Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 131

	08/18/10	#6

Thank you! :)That is a very nice reply and I really appreciate your thoughts.

rotorhead
Registered: 04/06/10
Posts: 10

	08/20/10	#7

Squid, very good advice from NOD and Amom, I did the same thing, filed 5 or 6 claims at the same time. It held up my decesions big time. Your C-file is a paper folder that has to be sent to some one every time you have a C&P exam. My understanding is that it is done by snail mail. It is a good move to only do one at a time.If there is anything I help you with let me know. I had my Hep-C C&P last Wednesday. Alot of questions as to where you may have come into contact with the virus. The examiner did’nt seem hostile but keep in mind that they listen to every you say and do.Dave

squid_with_dragon

Registered: 08/15/10
Posts: 131

	08/21/10	#8

Thanks Dave! :)That is good to know. If I would have found HCVETS before I signed over to DAV NSO then I would have started it myself and let you people guide me with it. I am in the beginning of the process. I am waiting for my medical records to show up. You folks have really helped me to formulate a nexus.The three things I have to work with right now: 1) I was Shore Patrol and Master-at-Arms for two years. I did drug busts (one was a heroin bust coming out of France). The dogs would hit on a foot locker or I would find paraphenalia on normal random inspections for drugs. But I don’t know if it is in my service record since it was temporary duty. I will need to look at my service record to see if it is in there. 2) I was injured in a typhoon with a severe neck injury I was at Yokusuka Naval Hospital in Japan in 1982. They did multiple EMG tests with reuseable needles. I also had one test done at the civilian hospital in Tokyo. Back in the 80s they did not even have disposable needles for EMG electrodes. I had 100s of those reused needles poked into me. 3) MUNJIS I was in for about 10 years and I went to most of the utter armpits of the earth so I was always getting shots for something. 4) Dental surgery As NOD was quick to point out: Since my genotype is 2b, number 2 is the most likely culprit of my infection. From what I am finding out, 2b is not likely contracted from IV drug use so number one is probably not very likely. In fact, when you look at the datasets for HCV infection, the most favorable calculation puts IV drug users at something on the order of 2% of the total population of HCV infections. HCV as a STD is like in the hundreds of one percentile. Yet, the CDC lists IV drug use as the primary risk factor and STD is right up there as well. Who is trying to snow who here? 🙂 Anyway, statistical analysis is my fortay. If you folks have some datasets that you would like to crunch please contact me. The bigger the “population” of data the better. Obviously, the government doesn’t want to spend the money on HCV. They throw some of the data out there which is more sparse than it should be, however only a small number of people are able to crunch the data to come up with the correct conclusions. That goes for VA comp as well as SSD. Thanks a bunch! 🙂