So I suffered a concussion from a blast in 2003.. I don't think "TBI" was going around then. I ended up filling out TBI Screening forms at Mental Health with no follow up on them. I got a concussion from a 50cal barrel in 2006, same thing, filled out a peice of paper.... Had another incident involving loss of consciosness (sp?) in 2011 where I was sent to the ER.. .still nothing.. am I doing something wrong here?
Why haven't I been screened for TBI?
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Have you followed up with your PCM, or MH? If you believe you are having issues, bring it up to them. Just filling out the paper sometimes is not enough. You have to follow up on them.
If you have screened positive during your post-deployment questionnaire, you should certainly bring this up to your primary care manager. You can ask them to refer you to a physiatrist.
Are you currently experiencing any symptoms of TBI related conditions?
If you are a Ft. Hood, same thing happened to me. Took the Army 3 years for them to recognize my first TBI...
I was in a similar situation with all the signs and symptoms of TBI, but tested negative on the screening. I finally had to list all the issues similar to what you did in the first post and tell my primary care provider at the VA that I want an MRI to rule out TBI. I just had the MRI on 18DEC2013 and waiting for results. Push for it and you will get it eventually.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
Indeed, continue to follow-up with your Mental Healthcare Clinic for assignment of a behavioral health counselor in order to potentially obtain a TBI, mild TBI or Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS) official diagnosis.
Remember that a PCS diagnosis is now a recognized mental health condition per the DSM-V regulatory criteria which it seems that the DoVA has currently adopted at this point.
To that extent, never default acceptance to potential injustice; fight then continue to fight some more in my opinion!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
If your MRI doesn't show any positive medical evidence for an official TBI diagnosis, then remember as based upon your symptomatology that either a mild TBI (mTBI) official diagnosis or a Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS) official diagnosis (per new DSM-V criteria) can potentially result.
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
Jason Perry
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You may want to contact and/or get a referral to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center: http://www.dvbic.org/
Does VA recognize Post Concussion Syndrome? After returning from deployment in 2008 a military doctor diagnosed me with Post Concussion Syndrome. I had no idea what it was. Leave active duty in 2010 and enroll in the VA. Had a TBI screening that was negative. I filed for Post Concussion Syndrome based off of the notes from the doctor that examined me before I left active duty. I was denied. Filed for TBI after that. Again denied. There are all the signs and symptoms of TBI but the VA still says no.
I never heard of www.dvbic.org like Jason mentioned so I will check that out. Anybody else used DVBIC? Just curious.
I never heard of www.dvbic.org like Jason mentioned so I will check that out. Anybody else used DVBIC? Just curious.
I haven't used DVBIC but literally the same thing happened to me. "TBI" wasn't really recognized in 06-07 when I was hit so I ended up getting statements from my fellow soldiers. I combined their statements with the medical evidence and ended up with an LOD, which seems like the end all be all of that it actually happened.
I just went through a bunch of old notes. Trying to find any new evidence. Found 6 more notes from doctor visits while active duty regarding post concussion syndrome along with other issues. Notes from being referred to the mTBI clinic after seeing the doctor who raised concerns about the post concussion syndrome. Also found a DBQ for evaluation of residuals of TBI. A couple of concerns with it...
Section I:
3. Evidence Review
"Was medical evidence available for review as part of this examination?"
Yes is marked on the questionnaire. Next question is
"If yes, indicate evidence reviewed as part of this examination."
Out of 12 possible options to select, nothing was marked. "Other" is also left blank.
Section II:
Further into the questionnaire...
1. Memory, attention, concentration, executive functions
"No complaints of impairment" is marked. But notes from previous doctor visits with the VA and while on active duty showed concerns with memory and concentration.
Section III:
1. Residuals
"Does the veteran have any subjective symptoms or any mental, physical or neurological conditions or residuals attributable to a TBI (such as migraine headaches or Meniere's disease)?"
"No" is checked for the question.
Out of 15 or 20 selections for residuals to be identified, nothing was marked. Reading through them I believe a few should have been. The three that I certainly have issues with is that I have a Tinnitus, Migraines, and PTSD w/MDD all diagnosed through the VA.
So why would they mark the "No" box to this question?
Preparing for another round with an appeal for TBI/Post Concussion Syndrome.
Section I:
3. Evidence Review
"Was medical evidence available for review as part of this examination?"
Yes is marked on the questionnaire. Next question is
"If yes, indicate evidence reviewed as part of this examination."
Out of 12 possible options to select, nothing was marked. "Other" is also left blank.
Section II:
Further into the questionnaire...
1. Memory, attention, concentration, executive functions
"No complaints of impairment" is marked. But notes from previous doctor visits with the VA and while on active duty showed concerns with memory and concentration.
Section III:
1. Residuals
"Does the veteran have any subjective symptoms or any mental, physical or neurological conditions or residuals attributable to a TBI (such as migraine headaches or Meniere's disease)?"
"No" is checked for the question.
Out of 15 or 20 selections for residuals to be identified, nothing was marked. Reading through them I believe a few should have been. The three that I certainly have issues with is that I have a Tinnitus, Migraines, and PTSD w/MDD all diagnosed through the VA.
So why would they mark the "No" box to this question?
Preparing for another round with an appeal for TBI/Post Concussion Syndrome.
Since the new edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was approved and published on/about 05/18/2013, the DoVA has now officially adopted its use; therefore, Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) is a recognizable medical condition for potential VA disability compensation under VBA guidelines.
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
In retrospect, post concussion syndrome (PCS) is a common sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI), and it is a symptom complex that includes headache, dizziness, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive impairment. PCS is most often described in the setting of mild TBI, but it may also occur after moderate and severe TBI, and similar symptoms are described after whiplash injuries as well. Remember, the a loss of consciousness (LOC) event does not have to occur for PCS to develop.
Moreover, PCS is very controversial, especially in its protracted form. The symptoms are vague, subjective, and common in the general population. The affected patient population is heterogeneous with varying degrees of injury to the head and brain. As such, individual patient characteristics may alter the expression of the injury while the underlying pathophysiology is undefined. To that extent, test results may or may not be abnormal; when present, test abnormalities do not follow a consistently defined pattern.
It's known that Mild TBI results after a blunt force, non-penetrating head trauma, and it is most often defined as mild by a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 to 15, 30 minutes after head injury. So, a Concussion is a subset of a mild TBI (mTBI) , and it is a trauma-induced alteration in mental status that may or may not involve a LOC event.
With that all said, I have experienced very similar results with not receiving an official mTBI diagnosis while on active duty in the U.S. Army albeit it was well documented about my PCS diagnosis and its symptomatology.
Currently, I am appealing the VBA's decision to not military service connect my original VA claim for TBI albeit it will probably be denied again if they use the straight TBI criteria (e.g., an official TBI diagnosis) and not the mTBI criteria (e.g., a PCS official diagnosis).
As such, I have rebutted using the DSM-V criteria for a "chronic" PCS medical condition as shown within my well-documented symptomatology. Hopefully, it shall be granted a military service-connection disability under VBA guidelines using the 38 CFR VASRD code 8045's facets of evaluation of cognitive impairment and other residuals of TBI not otherwise classified.
Indeed, please continue your fight for PCS to be granted as a military service-connection disability under VBA guidelines; I know that I definitely shall continue the fight until the very end at this point in time!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
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You are welcome; indeed and thanks, also!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!