First time user here. I am looking for experiace or advice on VA disability ratings for narcolepsy. I have just retired because the Army said I was non deployable and was to be medically retired because of my narcolepsy. I was told to just straight retire with 26 years and submit to VA for disability. I just got my rating, 10%, how can I be 10% if I wasn't fit for continued military service? I'll have to start an appeal so any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
THAT IS HOW THE VA WORKS. THEY START YOU OUT WITH A LOW RATING AND FIGURE YOU WILL BE HAPPY WITH THAT AND GO AWAY. YOU NEED TO APPEAL THAT RIGHT NOW. IT WILL TAKE AWHILE BUT KEEP WORKING AT IT
They rate it as Epilepsy, petit mal. That is always 10%. You can have a minor disability and still not be fit for World Wide Deployment. You can still go out and get a job. I would have a sleep study and make sure you do not have Sleep Apnea. Much higher rating potential.
I had 2 sleep studies back in 1995/96, one at the University of Louisville KY, and one at Walter Reed. Back then I had no idea what narcolepsy was all about and when the Army brought up medical retirement at 15 years active I was pretty scared and just wanted to do anything to stay in. Their solution was Ritalin, then moved up to Aderal, and now 200mg 2X per day of Modafinil. I have seen several army doctors since in order to keep receiving meds and have had to talk my way around their first reaction of "hey you shouldn't be in the Army and how do you function?" They all got the same story, "I'm a soldier so I just deal with it" then we talk about my symptoms... chronic fatigue, rapid onset of sleep, headaches, memory loss, "black-outs" or disorientation, paralyzed joints & muscles upon waking up. And backed up with the medical history they never saw the need to perform another study. In the eyes of several Army medical doctors and neurologist I had a pretty sever case of narcolepsy and since I kept telling them the Army was my life and I wanted to stay they just kept upping my meds and I kept avoiding a MED board or eval. So here I am today, forced to retired after 26 years, I feel as if the army just threw me way and now I get a slap in the face from the VA with a 10% narcolepsy rating? *^#$!@#$ that makes me mad. And the sorry part is the COFR 38 refers narcolepsy to epilepsy. I don't have epilepsy or epileptic siesures I have narcolepsy with narcoleptic episodes. So I’m really looking for anyone out there that has narcolepsy or who has been VA rated for it. Sorry for the venting. Thanks for reading.
Can you stick to one thread. I answered the other. I do not cover Army as much as Veterans Disability Comp. I stick my head in once or twice a day if I remember and have time.
Hello, Their Steps that you can take right now. Go to the Dav Closes to you and also the American Legio and turn everything that you were giving upon your discharge. Have them work for you. I Dont mean the VA let the DAV and AMERICAN work for you, Contact me my profile is on Military.com Under John T McDowell SSG RETIRED USARMY
I am currently getting medical discharge due to narcolepsy. I am getting severance pay with 10% disability rating by the Army because I've served for about 5 years. I am planning to file the disability claim with the VA as soon as I get out. I hope that I get more than 10% and I hope your appeal will work out for you. Good luck
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Originally posted by 13335379: I had 2 sleep studies back in 1995/96, one at the University of Louisville KY, and one at Walter Reed. Back then I had no idea what narcolepsy was all about and when the Army brought up medical retirement at 15 years active I was pretty scared and just wanted to do anything to stay in. Their solution was Ritalin, then moved up to Aderal, and now 200mg 2X per day of Modafinil. I have seen several army doctors since in order to keep receiving meds and have had to talk my way around their first reaction of "hey you shouldn't be in the Army and how do you function?" They all got the same story, "I'm a soldier so I just deal with it" then we talk about my symptoms... chronic fatigue, rapid onset of sleep, headaches, memory loss, "black-outs" or disorientation, paralyzed joints & muscles upon waking up. And backed up with the medical history they never saw the need to perform another study. In the eyes of several Army medical doctors and neurologist I had a pretty sever case of narcolepsy and since I kept telling them the Army was my life and I wanted to stay they just kept upping my meds and I kept avoiding a MED board or eval. So here I am today, forced to retired after 26 years, I feel as if the army just threw me way and now I get a slap in the face from the VA with a 10% narcolepsy rating? *^#$!@#$ that makes me mad. And the sorry part is the COFR 38 refers narcolepsy to epilepsy. I don't have epilepsy or epileptic siesures I have narcolepsy with narcoleptic episodes. So I’m really looking for anyone out there that has narcolepsy or who has been VA rated for it. Sorry for the venting. Thanks for reading.
I've got a friend just retired from the VA. When he retired from the Army, the VA gave him a 10% rating for his knees and back. He appealed and they raised it to 60%.
Another friend was shot in the head, three times, in Iraq. He lost an eye, is deaf in one ear (because the right side of his head was blown off) and had his jaw shot off. He now has an artificial jaw. They gave him 60%. He appealed and got 100%.
It's a game the VA plays. They lowball or deny the disability figuring most people will not appeal.
Hi I was woundering how long dose it take to make a decision its been at the rateing bd. for over 5 mounths i have had 4 surgrys on left knee and 5 on the right knee they say i,m to young for new knees now i am having problems with my back and both hips. is there anyone can help me. please e-mail me at wserback@twcny.rr.com thank you.
So no one knows why it takes so long at rateing board can you get extra for hips and back my dr said it because of my knees being bad why my hips and back are getting bad. can i get anything for them i get 40% right now for my knees i have had 5 surgys on right and 4 on left they say i,m to young to get them replace i am on oxycodone and methadone for pain is there any help for me. thank you.
First time user here. I am looking for experiace or advice on VA disability ratings for narcolepsy. I have just retired because the Army said I was non deployable and was to be medically retired because of my narcolepsy. I was told to just straight retire with 26 years and submit to VA for disability. I just got my rating, 10%, how can I be 10% if I wasn't fit for continued military service? I'll have to start an appeal so any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
HI 1ST SGT, MY NAME IS SGT. MICHAUD I ALSO HAD QUESTIONS WHEN I GOT BACK STATE SIDE. I WAS AT MY VA CENTER HERE IN FLORIDA , AND WAS GIVIN A NAME AND NUMBER TO A VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER. THEY DO NOT WORK FOR THE VA. THEY WORK FOR VETERANS. THEY HELP YOU WITH YOUR CLAIM , ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND YOU CAN SIT AND TALK ABOUT YOUR SITUATION . THESE GUYS ARE RETIRED MILATARY LIKE YOURSELF, FROM ALL BRANCHES.TRY CALLING YOUR LOCAL VA AND ASK FOR A VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER IN YOUR AREA.
Ok,I have a question about Narcolepsy and Rating. I was Medically Discharged with a 10% Rating after an injury and four surgeries. It seemed to me that I was automatically referred to the VA and given a 10% Rating. That is what I recall from 1990. I requested an Evaluation in 1994 because of severe myofascial muscle and nerve pain. I had also been walking into walls for some of those years. I stopped driving and doing a lot of things. But this year, I finally decided it was time for another Request for Increase of Comp.
This time, I finally got a good DAV Rep. who made a list of something like 12 things I missed the first two times. He detailed the "secondary" residuals attatched to my original injury. Now, in the past few weeks, my VA General Practitioner has requested a Sleep Study. It occurred to her that my Neurologists and a few other doctors had said I was "Delusional" in my charts/records. I was getting more and more p.o.'d at those doctors for stating that while I had actually been trying to explain that I feel that I had a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury along with my original injury.
I felt that had caused me nerve damage. They diagnosed me me with PTSD this year. But the Narcolepsy has all the symptomology of my particular PTSD. I mean, I also have moments of dreaming awake vs. asleep and waking through my sleep such as listening to myself snore but not being able to move. In other words, I am not just falling asleep. I am entering a state of dreaming while I am awake. I had a complete conversation on the cell phone with my partner while I was seeing other worlds. It has become part of my day to day normality since my injury and subsequent surgeries. However, over the years, as I was getting used to it, I would meet new people and talk to them as if my experience was normal and they would always recoil into the "what drugs are you doing?" look. My point is that this is worth more than my PTSD even though I will probably get the most mileage off of my PTSD.
Is it entirely certain that Narcolepsy is only 10%?
I'm a TX Army NG soldier but have been on continuous active duty orders working for the state HQ. After being diagnosed 1 1/2 yrs ago, the medical command began the discharge process on me. Upon completing the packet, a LTC downgraded my profile from a 3P to a 2P without first sending me through the MEB against the regulation. Believing that my higher CoC knew what they were doing, I didn't question it b/c all in all, I wanted to stay in. I had only been in the military just under 2 yrs at that time. I wasn't ready for it all to end like that without a fight. So I went on doing other training and then took on an opportunity to change from a 27D Paralegal Specialist to a 35M MI HUMINT Collector for the TX 636th MI Bn mission to Afghanistan this month. I had been pushed through numerous SRPs and was cleared b/c in teh end, against the civilian personnel's regards, the military "doctors" said I'd be "fine" and was "G2G". Well, I began deployment and was excited but upon reaching Washington, I was immediately sent home after 2 weeks of medical appointments and so on. Now I'm having to go through the MEB and have been given no reassurance that I'll even have a chance to stay in. Anywho, now that I have to bite the bullet, I'm pursuing where I left off from the first time I was to be discharge and am validating regulations (with use of my old Paralegal knowledge) and would love advice and to offer whatever help I can. As for now, I'm a lil frustrated to hear about this 10% VA ********, excuse my language. Under regulation, the amount given is 80%. Forgive me however for I am currently at this moment searching through my archives and other research in order to post the regulation. Thanks!
If you visit the below webite, you’ll find the following information I have copied and pasted. Narcolepsy is rated under epilepsy, petit mal; however, epilepsy, petit mal, is rated under minor seizures. The table below lists the rating you’ll find per the 4.124-20 Schedule of Ratings as of 12/5/2008. Hope this helps!
Now I'm having to go through the MEB and have been given no reassurance that I'll even have a chance to stay in. Anywho, now that I have to bite the bullet, I'm pursuing where I left off from the first time I was to be discharge and am validating regulations (with use of my old Paralegal knowledge) and would love advice and to offer whatever help I can. As for now, I'm a lil frustrated to hear about this 10% VA ********, excuse my language. Under regulation, the amount given is 80%. Forgive me however for I am currently at this moment searching through my archives and other research in order to post the regulation. Thanks!
I couldn't find the issue nor the question in your post, so I can only assume that you're "venting"
My 2 cents.
Since you didn't oppose the "Profile change" It is interpreted as being in agreement with. The same situation with that deployment. I'm not sure where your referencing that 10% vs. 80% disability rating either assigned or otherwise from the DVA, but I can tell you that you cannot simply state that it's against a "Regulation" for that argument is not going to fly. The DVA uses the rating schedule and your disability is measured against it. That is not to say that the DVA is going to be right, and it certainly doesn't mean that the rating is fair. Having said that, the reason for the thousands of "appeals" is because of disagreements in the rating process, but it's up to you to provide the medical reasoning required commensurate with your disability. You can research your issues in 38 CFR that the DVA uses, or, 38USC.
Since I have no idea what the disabilities are, I can't offer you anything. Wishing you the best. Eres Tu! Freddy PROUD MEMBER: "DERELICT VETERANS GROUP"
