Spondylitis Association of America Forums General Discussion Military & Veterans Board How many c and p exams

I just got s letter for my 3rd c and p exam since this all started. I had my first one in town about 3 years ago, I had another one in BIllings---4 hour drive---about 1 1/2 years ago. This one is in Helena--1 1/2 hours away.


I don't think I'll go.

Jay,

You need to go to your C&P exam and this time force them to address and describe your conditions correctly.

Take with you the VA physician checklists for your conditions and insist they follow those steps when decribing your disabilities.

Take with you the letter I got from the VA that describes all the rating provisions that are applicable for Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Be prepare to describe your manifestations they apply to the checklists and the VASRD criteria. Take this information with you in writing and ask that it be included in your file.

Mike

Both of the ladies who did my two prior c and p exams commented on how bad I was. Hell, the last lady even said she wouldn't let me drive.

I'm just tired of being jacked around by an organization that is supposedly here to help.

SO far, it's been over 3 years and they haven't done jack. They don;t have a rheumy here for me to see and won't cover my civilian visits and they won't cover my enbrel or celebrex. Yes, I even called the so-called pateint advocate.

I'm thinking about firing the VFW service officer...he doesn;t answer my e-mails or return my calls anyways. Then I can give permission for my congressman to look into this.

Jay,

Send a certified letter (return receipt) to the VFW rep. Once you get the receipt consider him fired.

Then I can give permission for my congressman to look into this.

That can be an excellent idea.

I am finding out the problem is more often the rater vice the C&P exam. Get copies of your past C&P exams and see what they say. Then educate your rater via a notice of disagreement.

Mike

Apparently this next exam is with a rheumatologist.

Hey jay,

I share your frustration. I sent a letter to the supv of my NSO and just got a letter back from them indicating they have sent a inquiry to RO Appeals office re: my scheduling for a travel board hearing, which I requested in October 2005. It has been a total of 3 years and 10 months since I filed my initial claim for rate increase. It is almost 4 years later and I'm still waiting. I'm now "officially" filing a new claim for entitlement to service connection for the AS, since they keep adjudicating my claim for the AS. My NSO (locally) told me file a claim to have it service connected secondary to the lumbosacral strain, chronic.

Anyway, I also had three C&P exams. I'm probably about to generate a fourth. But in my last exam the rating examiner pretty much set the foundation for my new claim because he said in his report (I requested a copy from RO using Form 10-5345) he believed the AS "most likely" began in service even though radiographic evidence would not have shown it.

Hang in there. Mike is absolutely right. YOU must keep the appointment and go.

Cynthia

Oh no worries, I'm going to keep the appointment.


It's at 1000 and they want you there 30 minutes early, so I'll be driving down late Sunday afternoon and spending the night. Of course, I'll only get $20 back for travel. :rolleyes:

The lady who did my last exam said she wouldn;t even let me drive if it was up to her...and I wasn't even having a bad day then. With the flu going around here I have been off my enbrel a couple of weeks and I have been working on the house....installing laminate (fake wood) flooring. So I'm sick and I'm in a flare. Who would have thought that'd be a good thing? :p

I'm hoping this rheumy knows what he's dealing with. I hate spending half my appointment educating the medical staff. lol

Jay,

See if they have overnight guest housing. I've used it several times in Minneapolis. It's allot easier than driving home late on day only to return early the next morning. And it's free.
97 miles each way for $15.12 travel. Truck gets 16 mpg. You do the math!

I've stayed in those billets during my national guard time my senior year of high school. No thanks!!

I'll spend my dime and have a mini vacation. :p My bride told me to.