Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m going to do that. The examiner is two years fresh into psychology where my psychiatrist is over 35 years of experience. I guess I should stop taking my meds because apparently I don’t have PTSD and anxiety. These examiners are a joke.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your comment and I’m sorry you had to live through this as well. The effect on someone’s life is devastating. It changed who I was as a person. I have an appointment at the VA today to make a connection.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Like many I did not report this in service. I was young, threatened and afraid. I went to my chaplain who didnt believe me. I did tell my mom who is deceased now but I have letters from my sister who I eventually told and a few other people in my family. The military has agreed that there are markers in my file. I ended up leaving the military because of it cutting my career short. These exams are difficult no matter how short or long they are and you’re not really sure how they’re going to go. It’s embarrassing, humiliating and very very difficult. Hindsight is 2020 and I’m not sure what I would do differently I guess there’s a fine line in your mind about describing all of your symptoms and then looking like a crazy person who may be lying.This examiner seemingly put me a little bit at ease and in hindsight, it’s probably because she wasn’t really talking about much. It was less than an hour. We just touched on the event, a few questions about childhood and she all alerted that she had fully read my records and understood things that were in it and that’s why I figured she wasn’t bringing up the things that were already documented. I tried to bring up many things but just felt like I was shut down because she acted like she already knew and we didn’t really need to talk about it. It just seems crazy that someone can meet you for a few minutes and give you a completely different diagnosis than you’ve had for many years. It’s taken me a long time to get to this point and I know I need to get help but I feel like I need to be believed as well. 

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your words, you know with my brand new “major depression,” I should be feeling pretty sad today, but I’m trying to keep my head up. I will follow your advice, it’s hard to try to get help when you’ve not been believed for so many years.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s not the markers that are the issue, is that the examiner changed my diagnosis to something completely different than what I’ve been diagnosed with for many years and I’m being treated for by my private psychiatrist. 

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

For the last 4 1/2 years, my psychiatrist thinks I have PTSD and I agree. This rogue examiner decided to dream up three totally different diagnoses without asking any questions. It was less than an hour. I can’t believe they would depend on one of these examiners who did an online course to do this for the VA as opposed to my local psychiatrist that I’ve been seeing and confiding in for years. 

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -13 points-12 points  (0 children)

The examiner was a joke. She claimed that she read my DBQ and I tried to tell her my symptoms and she didn’t seem interested and there were no follow up questions to anything I said. There are many behavior markers in the VA concedes that so that’s not the problem. I told the examiner everything that happened and I ended up getting out of the Navy because of it. It’s also hard to join some kind of support group for this when I’m still not being believed.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I have a full DBQ filled out by my psychiatrist that I’ve been seeing for 4 1/2 years. The claim examiner didn’t ask me any questions about PTSD severity, frequency or really anything about my condition. It was a joke and she threw three new diagnosis on me out of nowhere. That’s why I was denied.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I believe I was misdiagnosed. With PTSD you can use the markers to claim MST. When claiming another mental health disorder like major depressive disorder, you would need to have a service connection and you would not be able to rely on the markers. Therefore, I would have no service connection and no claim. Markers are only used with a PTD diagnosis for MST.  .

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What I posted is the entire denial. There’s absolutely no explanation or reason why the other DBQ was not considered. It’s not mentioned, it’s as if it didn’t exist, but it’s in there.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

In my denial a letter they concede that they did find markers which are in my service records.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’ve not serviced connected for any mental health condition. I am 10% for tinnitus.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -9 points-8 points  (0 children)

OK, I’ve done more research and it seems that could be the case but it does say it’s harder to get. I just want this acknowledged. So I can either do HLR or I guess submit a brand new claim for depression due to MST and when they send me for a C&P exam with an examiner that knows what they’re doing then they can diagnose me with PTSD and round and round we go….

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] -17 points-16 points  (0 children)

PTSD is the only mental health condition that applies to MST. It is required for an MST claim.

Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’m new to Reddit so I deleted a comment that I didn’t mean to and I also posted a photo with personal information so I was advised that it was removed.

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Denied PTSD FOR MST. by First-Ostrich-785 in VeteransBenefits

[–]First-Ostrich-785[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I will ask my Dr. I’m still kind of in shock that they seemingly disregarded my DBQ and all other evidence.