If any member of the site is a Veteran and has dealt with TN and the VA, I’d like to hear about your experience.
I just joined the site, and seen your post. I am Active Duty Air Force at the moment, been in eight years, diagnosed five years ago. The TN has only been really bad without long breaks between for the past about 2 years.
I am, however, in the process of a Medical Evaluation Board...my second, which I dont think is going to "well" as in me being able to stay in. I guess I just need to look at the medical retirement differently. I finish my B.S. degree this semester, pretty happy about that :)
I'm a Vet and have TN. I developed TN after being discharged, but being that I am service connected, I am authorized to have the VA treat my condition.
I developed TN 5 years ago, and they were very reluctant to confirm the diagnosis that their emergency room physician gave me. I ended up going to a private practice for my initial visits and later got into VA Neurology clinic, where they also ordered a MRI, which showed compression on both sides. I had to have the private doctor sign paperwork for temporary disability while I was working. Two weeks after going back to work, I was laid off.
I see the VA Neurologies 2x a year. I was on Tegretol for 1.5 years and then her sister drug. I discovered that moving south that the warmer weather kept the pain down, but nothing stops the constant sensations to my face. However, after moving to Austin, my symptoms have picked up and living without meds is becoming more and more difficult.
I'm currently trying to get another appointment with Neurology at the Austin Outpatient Clinic. I don't want to take their swills, but it looks I may have to, especially if I want to apply for SSDI.
Feel free to contact me off list as I'm not on this support site very often.
IF you have a GP doctor, you can get a prescription for Lidocaine Cream for your face, or Lidocaine Patches for your face!!!!! Helps to keep the SWILLS away and lower those meds!
Maeve said:
I'm a Vet and have TN. I developed TN after being discharged, but being that I am service connected, I am authorized to have the VA treat my condition.
I developed TN 5 years ago, and they were very reluctant to confirm the diagnosis that their emergency room physician gave me. I ended up going to a private practice for my initial visits and later got into VA Neurology clinic, where they also ordered a MRI, which showed compression on both sides. I had to have the private doctor sign paperwork for temporary disability while I was working. Two weeks after going back to work, I was laid off.
I see the VA Neurologies 2x a year. I was on Tegretol for 1.5 years and then her sister drug. I discovered that moving south that the warmer weather kept the pain down, but nothing stops the constant sensations to my face. However, after moving to Austin, my symptoms have picked up and living without meds is becoming more and more difficult.
I'm currently trying to get another appointment with Neurology at the Austin Outpatient Clinic. I don't want to take their swills, but it looks I may have to, especially if I want to apply for SSDI.
Feel free to contact me off list as I'm not on this support site very often.
When you apply for SSDI make sure you tell them about your worst days. If you just say "I'm ok now." That's how they'll see you. And yes you want a papertrail with VA because they will also look at that. Nearly everybody gets turned down the first time. I suggest when you apply for SSDI get a Social Security lawyer. This is the only thing they do and they do it right. You don't have to pay them anything. They only get a portion of your backpay from the date of your application. When you finally get SSDI they are paid directly from the government. I am also service connected and I get all my psychiatric care there but my husband carries excellent medical insurance and I usually go to Kaiser for everything else now. Before that I had to go to VA for anything and everything but I'm in Denver and it's probably one of the better VA's since they share doctors with an outstanding medical school. I've only been to see a neurologist once at VA, many years ago, for migraines. I'm also losing my hearing and I had to start a paper trail for that since they'll pay for my hearing aids when it gets bad enough.
Maeve said:
I'm a Vet and have TN. I developed TN after being discharged, but being that I am service connected, I am authorized to have the VA treat my condition.
I developed TN 5 years ago, and they were very reluctant to confirm the diagnosis that their emergency room physician gave me. I ended up going to a private practice for my initial visits and later got into VA Neurology clinic, where they also ordered a MRI, which showed compression on both sides. I had to have the private doctor sign paperwork for temporary disability while I was working. Two weeks after going back to work, I was laid off.
I see the VA Neurologies 2x a year. I was on Tegretol for 1.5 years and then her sister drug. I discovered that moving south that the warmer weather kept the pain down, but nothing stops the constant sensations to my face. However, after moving to Austin, my symptoms have picked up and living without meds is becoming more and more difficult.
I'm currently trying to get another appointment with Neurology at the Austin Outpatient Clinic. I don't want to take their swills, but it looks I may have to, especially if I want to apply for SSDI.
Feel free to contact me off list as I'm not on this support site very often.
I had my first MVD at the VA for the simple fact the then head of neurosurgery went to bat for me. The VA does not look at quality of life when it comes to them doing surgery. I got so sick of the way the neurologists acted, I went back to my primary care doctor and had her over see my med management. When I was illegally dropped from VA care, I decided to not fight it as it meant I could now go back to OHSU for care.
Navy vet myself. You?