Drug addiction caused by ptsd and chronic pain in VA Disability Claims (General) Forum

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Drug addiction caused by ptsd and chronic pain

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daclubkid	Drug addiction caused by ptsd and chronic pain		Lead	[-]
Posts: 4 Mar 28 12 4:34 PM	Tags : ptsd, disability, chronic pain, drugs HI, I am wondering if drug and alcohol addiction can be considered a disability if it started while in the service and still continues today. I have ptsd and since I came back from Iraq, I started doing drugs and drinking to help with the emotional pain. I never tested positive while in the service but I admitted to it. Was not discharge or punished for it, they just sent me to an AA and AN meetings. After I got out of the military I went to the VA and joined the drugs program they had at that time for about 8 months I was clean but the disease took over again. I cant find a way to stop doing drugs and drinking. I am seeing a civilian psychologist for help the VA dont want to help me anymore cause I keep popping positive on the drug test. I cant control myself when i get in that craving mode. My question is can I claim this sickness as a disability claim along with ptsd? how can I go about it? thanks
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armywife314		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 32 Mar 28 12 4:44 PM	Good question..........I husband has had problems in the past with rx drug abuse cuz while in Iraq they kept pushing percocets on him instead of addressing his back pain. They finally realized he had a severe back problem and he has since had a spinal fusion in 2007. But becuz he smokes pot now on a regular basis he cant get anything for his persisent back pain (as the surgery really did nothing for him) the discontinued his vicodin 6 months ago now he takes a mild narcotic, Tramadol, that really just takes the edge off his pain.........it sucks for him. Hang in there, I hope you have some luck with your ?
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russg		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 735 Mar 28 12 5:17 PM	The VA will provide treatment for drug abuse nothing else.
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Skinny Cat		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1952 Mar 28 12 5:38 PM	The VA frowns on what they call self-medication, drugs and alcohol abuse, and I doubt they will even consider this as a disability. Do you have a rating for your PTSD from VA, if so what is it. If your PTSD is so bad you need to overdose yourself with drugs and alcohol, maybe you should reconsider getting back into a rehab program and staying there for as long as it takes. PTSD comes in all kinds of sizes and shapes, so treating the individual can be a daunting task, but I guaranty your self-medication will cause you more harm then good. It sounds like you have an addictive personality, I've seen this in a lot of drug addicts and it can be more dangers then your emotional pain will ever be. Get help and stay with it. I wish you all the luck For those who fought for it, freedom has a meaning the protected will never know.
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witchdoctor		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 11385 Mar 28 12 6:16 PM	Keep using and there are only two possible outcomes: a lifetime of Jail or death from an overdose. Get into treatment and stay there. Nothing else matters until you can stay clean and know what it takes to stay clean.. Nothing. You must change your whole way of life. The reason you must change your whole way of life is because the life you are living now is self-designed to keep you using. That is what an addiction is. That is what an addiction does. Been there, done that. Self medicated for 15 years. Clean and Sober 25. It's worth it. Member-at-large: Disturbed Veterans of America.
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Thank God I am a Vet		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 58 Mar 28 12 6:19 PM	I take Vicodin 5/500 from the VA. I have taken less than 90 pills in the last year and a half. That's about doubled my usage now. I suffer chronic pain in my spine and the muscles spasms. I credit medicinal use of marijuana for keeping me from taking more opiates and any drinking problems. For me marijuana barely masks pain; but what it dose do is help me cope with the chronic-ness of it and other disabilities. There is no way in the world that I'll discuss the usage of it with anyone at the VA because of the consequences. I don't want to give them a reason to label me and stop the Vicodin. I feel that I can't manage the pain without it; cause some days are really bad. I also feel I can manage the amount of Vicodin I take better with the uses of medical marijuana. I do get some relief from Baclofen or Motrin. The Baclofen didn't well at first and I stopped using it. I tried it again and I'm getting better results now. Hope it's not addictive. I really wish pain didn't have to be complicated as to have to medicate in one form or another for it. Just! give me a pill with no side effects, addiction and actually works. I hope the best for you "daclubkid" and too all that have to deal with daily pain. Thanks for bringing up the subject it's important to many of us you not alone.
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The Old Medic		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 6043 Mar 28 12 6:58 PM	I take Hydrocodone 7.5/500, 4 tabs each and every day of my life, for severe chronic pain. I have been on the same dose of Hydrocodone for over 15 years now, and have not required an increase. If I am going to be unusually physically active (doing some heavy gardening, felling a tree, etc.), or have to be on my feet for prolonged periods of time, I also have Morphine Sulfate 30mg, that I can take from breakthrough pain. Both are prescribed by the VA, and I have been evaluated 4 times by pain clinics, and the medications have always been continued. If you have severe pain, get it properly treated and get off the illegal drugs and the alcohol. They will NOT properly treat anything, and as Witch says, you will likely either end up in jail, or dead if you continue as you are doing. Get some good psych treatment too, because that IS a factor, whether you want to believe it or not. US Army 1959-1969; Germany 1960-63; Medic 1964-69 SFC E-7 MOS: 55G10 (60-63) , 91B40, 91C40, 91F40 (64-69) Registered Nurse, 1968-2005 (Licensed, not practicing after 1975) Ed.D in Rehabilitation Counseling, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor Retired, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Independent Social Security Contract Vocational Expert 1983-2005, Contract Medical Expert 1987-2005 60% Service Connected Disabled; Life Member of the DAV since 1980
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SCPOUSN		#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 649 Mar 28 12 7:52 PM	I used to enjoy drinking alcohol, but now I take so many damn pain meds I don't drink because it scares the crap out of me. Heard to many bad stories, and don't want to be able to add to them. I take 6 to 8 hydrocodone every day for chronic severe back pain. My fusion surgery last year failed, have a bone growth stimulator that hopefully will create enough change so I won't have to go under the knife again, will know more on 24 Apr. I have a friend that has offered me marijuana and told me that it would definitely help with the pain. Didn't even give it a second thought to say no, because I'm not in a state that offers it medically, and not sure I would if I were. I'm not knocking folks that do it, if you have a script for it, then by all means do it. Hell, if you dont have a script and want to do it, it's your choice and I'm not here to judge anyone. I hope that those that are mixing drugs/alcohol to help with pain, will seek better medical treatment for your pain, and possibly drug/alcohol counseling or treatment. What didn't kill you yesterday, could potentially kill you today. Being healthy to me is worth a hell of alot more than any money that I could ever get for my disabilities. Hell, I would give 1/2 of my retirement back, if they could fix me physically. I'd love to mow my lawn and wash my car. Best of luck.
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armywife314		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 32 Mar 28 12 9:06 PM	Thank God I am a Vet:::::: I dont know how they don't know, the only reason the VA knows is because they test my husband constantly for pot! "There is no way in the world that I'll discuss the usage of it with anyone at the VA because of the consequences. I don't want to give them a reason to label me and stop the Vicodin."
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liboton21		#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 92 Mar 28 12 9:19 PM	My advise to those taking the vicodin on 500 mg of acetaminophen is to ask your PCP to lower the acetaminophen dosage and increase the hydrocodone. The reason being is prolong use of acetaminophen can damage your liver and it will speed up the damage if includes alcohol intake. I had to ask my PCP to 10/325 but I do cut them in half. It did help relieve the pain but I also take tramadol, nortriptyline and salsalate. As far as medical mj, it really does help the pain along with vicodin but it's limited by state regs. So far my PCP is trying to send me to acupuncture to deal the other pain in my bodies. To win a claim with the VBA: 1. Incident, injury, or disease on active duty. 2. Current diagnosis of compensible condition. 3. Medical evidence connecting #1 with #2 (the "nexus").
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redfish		#10	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1418 Mar 29 12 6:40 AM	daclubkid wrote: HI, I am wondering if drug and alcohol addiction can be considered a disability if it started while in the service and still continues today. I have ptsd and since I came back from Iraq, I started doing drugs and drinking to help with the emotional pain. I never tested positive while in the service but I admitted to it. Was not discharge or punished for it, they just sent me to an AA and AN meetings. After I got out of the military I went to the VA and joined the drugs program they had at that time for about 8 months I was clean but the disease took over again. I cant find a way to stop doing drugs and drinking. I am seeing a civilian psychologist for help the VA dont want to help me anymore cause I keep popping positive on the drug test. I cant control myself when i get in that craving mode. My question is can I claim this sickness as a disability claim along with ptsd? how can I go about it? thanks You can claim alcohol/drug abuse as SECONDARY to s/c'd disability: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/05/27/veterans-can-receive-secondary-va-disability-for-alcohol-or-drug-addiction/ http://www.va.gov/vetapp05/files5/0529097.txt Get some help. The VA has inpatient programs for this. At least the one here in NC does.
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jameschap		#11	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1536 Mar 29 12 7:02 AM	Thank God I am a Vet wrote: I take Vicodin 5/500 from the VA. I have taken less than 90 pills in the last year and a half. That's about doubled my usage now. I suffer chronic pain in my spine and the muscles spasms. I credit medicinal use of marijuana for keeping me from taking more opiates and any drinking problems. For me marijuana barely masks pain; but what it dose do is help me cope with the chronic-ness of it and other disabilities. There is no way in the world that I'll discuss the usage of it with anyone at the VA because of the consequences. I don't want to give them a reason to label me and stop the Vicodin. I feel that I can't manage the pain without it; cause some days are really bad. I also feel I can manage the amount of Vicodin I take better with the uses of medical marijuana. I do get some relief from Baclofen or Motrin. The Baclofen didn't well at first and I stopped using it. I tried it again and I'm getting better results now. Hope it's not addictive. I really wish pain didn't have to be complicated as to have to medicate in one form or another for it. Just! give me a pill with no side effects, addiction and actually works. I hope the best for you "daclubkid" and too all that have to deal with daily pain. Thanks for bringing up the subject it's important to many of us you not alone. Lessons are learned from mistakes made
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cruiser		#12	[url]	[-]
Posts: 17447 Mar 29 12 7:53 AM	To answer the original question, yes you can be service connected for drug and alcohol abuse; however, in order for this to happen there must be a finding that the drug and/or alcohol addiction was beyond your ability to prevent it due to a service connected condition. Although not specifically required, in most cases we are talking about someone who is not competent and deemed not responsible for his/her actions. Having said that, there would not be a separate disability evaluation for this. It would simply be rolled into the evaluation for the mental health disorder that rendered the person incapable of controlling the drug/alcohol use. Cruiser
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25ID		#13	[url]	[-]
Posts: 142 Mar 29 12 10:10 AM	I remember one member of this board being cut off his hydrocodone because he tested positive for MJ. If you are getting opiates from the VA just be mindful that they do toxicology screens for illicit medications. Edited 1 time by 25ID Mar 29 12 12:35 PM.
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jpapa		#14	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1952 Mar 29 12 12:12 PM	I could be an addict if I dont continue treatments & focus...Im on it Honor Bound To Defend Freedom! Retired USN 70% PTSD/ 90% SC, 100% TDIU SSDI
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hutch0024	Chronic Pain and Opioids	#15	[url]	[-]
Posts: 91 Mar 29 12 5:52 PM	I am a AK amputee and have RSD/CRPS along with PTSD/Mood Disorder, and chronic back pain. I take six pills in the morning, 5 in the afternoon, and 3 at night. I'm on oxymorphone 20 mg bid, hydromorphone 4 mg as needed, lyrica, cymbalta, abilify, backlifen, nortryptiline, prasosin, and Viagra for ED. I understand you are dealing with emotional traumatic pain as well as physical pain from addiction. If I miss a dose of medication my body lets me know. I begin sweating perfusely and the pain is unbearable. Kick the habit and get into see a good pain management doctor. I think addiction should be compensable in situation like yours. Good luck with kicking the monkey and your claim as well. USN 1990-1992 OP DESERT STORM 100% IU PERMANENT & TOTAL AK Amputee 60% PTSD/Mood disorder 70% RSD/CRPS 40% Scars 10% 90% total other 10% coming from IU
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Drug addiction caused by ptsd and chronic pain

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