u/SusieSnoodle

I bought a pair of Andis clippers and they were awful, so I decided to just buy another pair of Osters but the only people selling them are back alley sellers on Amazon, such as Dave's herbal teas. Are there any good clippers beside Oster? I liked the Andis because it had a smaller body and was easier to grip. I really want a good pair of clippers. Hard to believe it's this hard to find good clippers.

I bought a Green Star a long time ago...they said it retained the enzymes and minerals longer because it was slow juiced and there is never any pulp in the juice. I hated cleaning it (not sure why, it's not that difficult for the current recipe that I make) but then I bought a Hurom Slow juicer. I liked it at first but it does not do greens well at all.

My current recipe is kale, 2 apples, 1 lemon and 2 cucumbers.

So if you want to juice greens, I recommend the Green Star. I have the very basic model. I thought about purchasing the SoloStar but the Greenstar has twin augers which is critical to good juicing.

The Hurom is much easier to clean and good for most produce but not celery and kale, or anything with long fibers even if you cut them up.

I did wonder how the Nama J2 does but it is also made by Hurom. The grinding of the produce just seems clumsy to me.

I was wondering if anyone had the newer Greenstar juicer. The newer version does look easier to clean.

I was denied a claim for vaginal atrophy because it was not submitted as secondary...so I did an HLR.

I called VARO and she said to claim the incontinence and the vaginal atrophy separately, but on the DBQ it lists incontinence. The examiner was also incorrect on a couple of the DBQ answers, even though I told her. For instance, related to dx code 7632 (FSAD) I agreed that I it affected me and she wrote no. So I need to dispute that.

Since I have incontinence along with the vaginal atrophy will they increase the rating for the vaginal atrophy? The rating for incontinence by itself at my level is 40%. The examiner said my atrophy was controlled by meds, which it is not.

So my question is, can I claim incontinence if it's on the DBQ for gyn issues? TIA!

I kid you not

but today I cannot. Any idea what I can do to fix whatever changed? TIA!

during my military service and they won't give them to me. WTH?

They sent me a letter saying they would send them to my physician...well I want to read what they say. I don't have a mental health physician yet. I am one of those people that is embarrassed to even ask for a mental health referral.

I broke a filling on my tooth. The dentist said I needed a crown. They took an xray to make sure the tooth was okay.

I had the temporary crown for 2 weeks and not a bit of pain. They put on the crown and now that tooth is aching. When she put on the final crown, I had shooting pain in the center of my tooth but it died down after a second. I think it's the crown that is causing the pain, but the dental asst said I would need a root canal if it continued to hurt but it can't be the tooth because the tooth didn't hurt with the temporary on. Any suggestions appreciated.

I claimed osteoporosis as SECONDARY and the denial says that my claim is for Sleep Apnea and is denied. I do not have Sleep Apnea.

4. Service connection for osteoporosis.

Service connection may be granted for a disability which began in military service or was caused

by some event or experience in service. Service connection for osteoporosis is denied because

the medical evidence of record fails to show that this disability has been clinically diagnosed. (38CFR 3.303, 38 CFR 3.304)

A direct grant of service connection requires: 1) medical evidence of a current disability, 2)

evidence of the incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury in active military service, and 3)

medical evidence of a nexus (link) between the current disability and the in-service disease or

injury. (38 CFR 3.303, 38 CFR 3.304)

The evidence does not show an event, disease or injury in service. (38 CFR 3.303, 38 CFR

3.304) Your treatment records do not contain complaints, treatment, or diagnosis for this

condition.

Service connection for sleep apnea is denied since this condition neither occurred in nor was

caused by service.

Three elements must be met in order for a medical examination to be warranted. The presence of competent lay or medical evidence of a current disability or persistent or recurrent symptoms of a disability, the establishment of an event, and injury, or a disease in service, and lastly there

must be an indication that the diagnosis or symptoms may be associated with the established

event, injury, or disease in service.

We acknowledge receipt of your medical records; however, they fail to provide any evidence

which would warrant a request for an examination. Your service treatment records are silent for

treatment of the claimed condition and there is no lay evidence of the claimed disability.

Favorable Findings identified in this decision:

You have been diagnosed with a disability. Your VA records show treatment for osteoporosis.

Can anyone else make sense of why this was denied?

I am service connected for the hysterectomy due to medical negligence.

Here is the denial:

"Service connection may be granted for a disability which began in military service or was caused

by some event or experience in service. (38 CFR 3.303)

Service connection for vaginitis is denied since this condition neither occurred in nor was caused

by service. (38 CFR 3.303, 38 CFR 3.304)

Your examiner opined that your condition is less likely than not (less than 50 percent

probability) incurred in or caused by an in-service injury, event, or illness. Your examiner

provided the following rationale: The claimed condition is less likely than not (likelihood is less

than approximately balanced or nearly equal) incurred in or caused by the claimed in-service

injury, event, or illness. Rationale is The Claimant has a current diagnosis of atrophic vaginitis

on examination today. Medical records document findings consistent with vaginal atrophy in

June 2008 and a diagnosis of atrophic vaginitis in March 2017, which was treated with Premarin

vaginal cream. The Claimant is also claiming service connection for vaginitis.

Medical literature supports that atrophic vaginitis is primarily caused by estrogen deficiency,

resulting in thinning and decreased elasticity of the vaginal epithelium.

The Claimant medical history is significant for a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral

salpingo-oophorectomy, resulting in surgical menopause and estrogen deficiency. The

documented findings of vaginal atrophy and subsequent diagnosis of atrophic vaginitis is

consistent with the physiological effects of estrogen deficiency.

A direct grant of service connection requires: 1) medical evidence of a current disability, 2)

evidence of the incurrence or aggravation of a disease or injury in active military service, and 3)

medical evidence of a nexus (link) between the current disability and the in-service disease or

injury. (38 CFR 3.303, 38 CFR 3.304)

Service connection may be granted for a disability which began in military service or was caused

by some event or experience in service. (38 CFR 3.303)

The evidence does not show an event, disease or injury in service. (38 CFR 3.303, 38 CFR

3.304) Your treatment records do not contain complaints, treatment, or diagnosis for this

condition.

Three elements must be met in order for a medical examination to be warranted. The presence of

competent lay or medical evidence of a current disability or persistent or recurrent symptoms of

a disability, the establishment of an event, and injury, or a disease in service, and lastly there

must be an indication that the diagnosis or symptoms may be associated with the established

event, injury, or disease in service.

We acknowledge receipt of your medical records; however, they fail to provide any evidence

which would warrant a request for an examination. Your service treatment records are silent for

treatment of the claimed condition and there is no lay evidence of the claimed disability.

Favorable Findings identified in this decision:

You have been diagnosed with a disability. Your VA examination shows a diagnosis for atrophic vaginitis."

Due to medical negligence in the Air Force, I had to have a hysterectomy when I got out.

The VA did the hysterectomy and it is service connected. I developed vaginal atrophy from the hysterectomy, because the VA refused to give me HRT.

My denial says the Total Hysterectomy is related to the atrophy. And I have a VA diagnosis of atrophy. But the C&P examiner said it's less likely...so is that the entire reason they denied?

"The Claimant medical history is significant for a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral

salpingo-oophorectomy, resulting in surgical menopause and estrogen deficiency. The

documented findings of vaginal atrophy and subsequent diagnosis of atrophic vaginitis is

consistent with the physiological effects of estrogen deficiency".

We acknowledge receipt of your medical records; however, they fail to provide any evidence

which would warrant a request for an examination. Your service treatment records are silent for

treatment of the claimed condition and there is no lay evidence of the claimed disability."

I have requested the C&P exams....but this is cut and dry to me...what am I missing?

Appendectomy was done in service. And I had a hysterectomy that was service connected...so I am claiming osteoporosis, vaginal atrophy and mental health due to being denied HRT even after complaining about the atrophy and the mental health issues. They sent me for a C&P for the vaginal atrophy and appendectomy, which I simply showed her the in-service record for the appendectomy. Why did they not send me for a mental health and osteoporosis C&P exam or an ACE exam? So all of my claims are lumped together, and it says being rated. I am shocked....as there is no fact finding being done on their side. I'm assuming they will be denying the osteoporosis and mental health. There's no way they can deny the atrophy and appendectomy, but I could be wrong.

I really want to take it because it helped my joint pain...I am trying to stop the dairy but ugggh...I can eat very little as it is. The diet helped me for years but now I have joint pain in my knees, back and hips.

But at the 3 month mark I got blurry vision taking Plaquenil...and I just read that sometimes the blurry vision does happen but then goes away. I also had cataract surgery during the same time period so that complicated things as my cataract surgery was a fiasco.

So anyway, just wondering if anyone had blurry vision at first but then it went away.

There is nothing in my military treatment records. When I ask for them...do I need to specifically ask for inpatient?

The VA examiner opined my IBS was not connected to my Cholecystectomy. I didn't have a C&P exam but they called me without any notice and I was half asleep, by the way. Anyway, there are numerous research papers that show there is a causal relationship between surgery and IBS, especially abdominal surgery where they cut open your abdomen. Do they not have to show proof of some sort when they deny? They merely said the rater opined they are not connected.

One employee told me to use Quick Submit but then another clerk told me to go VA.gov.

But neither seem to let me specify what Disability I want it to be attached to.

TIA!

I wanted to share this. I have had SIBO since the year 2000 after I had a hysterectomy.

Besides the bloating, the other thing I noticed was my terrible under-arm odor. So I changed my diet, etc., took rifaximin occasionally and struggled through but nothing helped. Not til I had a terrible episode a few months ago.

I was very ill, I felt awful, including a weird headache.

So I was laying on the floor sick, and my stomach felt bloated and sick/upset, so I took some Pepto. In 30 mins I could sit up, the brain fog/headache/sickness just disappeared. I thought WTH!, so I researched and found info on SIBO and Bismuth therapy. So I took a dose of pepto twice a day for 7 days. I had an EGD scheduled a month later and the culture came back negative. when it had been positive before.

I'm telling this because now I can eat things I couldn't before. Even if it's temporary, it's a way to get some relief. I never realized how sick you can be from SIBO.

So the way to know if you have Hydrogen Sulfide is if your poo stinks so bad you can't stand it, and you have terrible under-arm odor.

I hope this helps someone that doesn't know about Bismuth Therapy.

I developed what appeared to be Reactive arthritis when I was 26, after a hospitalization, and, I just lived with the pain for 7 years until I got insurance. At 33, my xray showed demineralization in both the sacrum and ilium, along with SI and spine arthritis. No erosions.

So, I was told I simply had osteoarthritis at a young age.  I am just wondering if anyone else has the demineralization in their sacrum and ilium, along with sacroiliac and lumbar spine arthritis?

Later I did get a Rheum to agree I probably did have Reactive Arthritis with axial involvement but he sent me on my way and never offered to help.

I feel like my condition is worsening but no one will help me because they are looking for SI inflammation or erosions, and all I have is narrowing and sclerosis on MRI.  Now my hip is severely involved, and both my knees are trashed according to the Orthopedic doctor.

I’m wondering if I take the medical records that show the demineralization of the sacrum and ilium, and sacroiliac arthritis, if that’s enough for them to take me serious?

I am a female.

Isn't there a time frame that they can't remove a rating? It's a valid rating..but I've heard of people poking the bear and losing valid disability ratings.

I want to add onto this by adding the spine and knees because they just gave me a lump award of 20% which then became 10%. I want to add individual joints.

I'm 5'3" and 140 lbs, so your mileage may vary. I wanted to start early and do both bottles so I wasn't waking up at 4:30 am to drink the 2nd split dose. I also was afraid I'd be pooping on the ride there.

So, I took the Biscodyl at 2pm. The liquid I started drinking at 2:30 pm, instead of 5pm, and was pooping up until about 7:30. I mixed up the 2nd bottle and at 9pm, I only drank 2 sections and no more, because I was pooping yellow liquid at that time. The thing that was interesting was, the 2nd split dose, whooshed right through me.

So the next time, the day before the prep day...I'm going to just drink liquids. I made my own broth and it was delicious. I put the strained broth in the fridge and then skimmed the cold fat off to make sure it was clear enough.

Just wanted to share in case anyone else was worried about taking the split dose so close to your appt time. You can change the timing of the prep dose.

They denied me the first time. They talked to me on the phone and I did not know that was all there was to it.

Also, I read my GI doctor's note and he said..."Why she thinks she has this disorder, I don't know", when I was diagnosed in 2013 at the VA by another doctor...and I have the paper to prove it. How do I refute what he is saying when I have the proof? Also they said I have a sister with this disease LOL when I have no sister.

But my main concern is I'm being denied without having a C&P exam.