LINK between PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) since 2005From: Veterans’ Health: the VA Wellness Magazine for Veterans “Traumatic brain injury could be behind your health problems.” “Head injury to blame for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?”
A recent study [wrong - see my notes and links below] conducted by the military and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that there is a link between suffering at least one concussion (mild TBI) while serving in Iraq that could increase the risk of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Traumatic Brain Injury in the War Zone and Mood Disorders. (Buzzword for PTSD)
[AUGUST 2005]
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/6/633
(Note the VA claims (no pun intended) that “a recent study…by the military and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that” there was a link between TBI and PTSD. Check out the LINKS above and below and convince me that May 2005 and August 2005 are recent studies? Why did it take from May 2005 to April 2008 for the VA or the Pentagon to get these medical concerns out to the public?
BALL IS IN THE COURT OF THOSE WITH NOTHING TO HIDE!) Traumatic Brain Injury in the War Zone by Susan Okie, M.D. [MAY 2005]
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/352/20/2043 Ok, now that we got the credibility and sense of urgency of the Pentagon, VA, and New England Journal of Medicine out of the way. It is not the Journal of Medicine’s job to do Veterans or even active duty military health outreach anymore than it is a VSOs. THAT is the VAs job and THEY need to budget for it AND do a much better job than taking 3-years to make this PUBLIC!!!
Regardless, and BELATEDLY, the VA states that “while the results are preliminary, (say since 2005?) They do not surprise speech pathologist Laura Pretz. [Her name or opinions do not appear in the Journal of Medicine since 2005, I looked, but I’m not surprised.]
Anyway, Dr. Pretz says about 90 percent of the patients treated at her [VA] facility [in Cincinnatti, OHIO = O H I O] for TBI have also been diagnosed as having PTSD and are receiving treatment for it. [Question Dr. Pretz – have they been diagnosed and receiving treatment since 2005 when the initial ‘preliminary’ findings came out in the New England Journal of Medicine?]
Keep in mind that she is a VA employee who must [poliitcally and in a partisan controlled way] mind what she says under VA NEOCON upper management. Thus, she goes onto say that, “While the link may seem like just one more thing to worry about, there may be a silver lining [it should be golden given the 3-year timeframe between 2005 and 2008 the VA and Pentagon should have made this public?]
A TBI-PTSD connection could mean that mild [she is talking mild now NOT moderate or severe] brain injuries have a strong psychological component, which can be treated successfully.
[NOTE OF CAUTION: In order to overcome the stigma related to PTSD it is essential to always comment on the Disability Claims aspects of these findings as part of overall treatment. Just because a medical/psychological condition/ailment is treatable or even curable DOES NOT negate the Veterans right and self-interest in seeking VA compensation = STIGMA be damned! That leads to question two: how come with EVERY belated public notice of PTSD and TBI there is NEVER any mention of how to file a VA Claim? Could that be one of the reasons it takes from initial research findings in May 2005 until April 2008 to even mention this to Vets like me who already are 100% service-connected and getting treatment if not cured? I do not need this imformation just because I am on the VA mailing list. Most Veterans of all wars ARE NOT on the VA mailing list!]
Readers – my cynical criticism aside: THIS IS VERY GOOD INFORMATION THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED UP ON AND QUESTIONED BY THE VETERAN AND MILITARY FAMILY COMMUNITY, BECAUSE GO ON BELIEVE THIS CANNOT HAPPEN TO YOUR FAMILY – GO ON!
If the above was not enough to piss me off.
IS IT ALL IN YOUR HEAD? [Article in the same VA Spring Issue 2008] Again, read between the lines of my criticism, if any, to the valuable points made belatedly by the VA, Pentagon, and USE them to TAKE ACTION NOW!].
Memory problems, headaches and trouble focusing-you know something isn’t right, but you’re not quite sure what that “something” is.
For Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), these symptoms are not uncommon. They are often signs of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a disruption to the brain’s normal functions resulting from a blow or jolt to the head. [In young infants and babies it is called Shaken Baby Syndrome when their small, fragile brains are bounced against their skulls when shaken excessively by someone that kills them and is sent to prison or death row.]
Most soldiers diagnosed with TBI [since 2003] have been injured by mortar blasts or Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“We’re seeing a huge increase-even in just the past few months
[with studies beginning in 2005] of patients screening and testing positive for TBI,” says Laura Pretz, a speech pathologist with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center.
[Note and monitor this and what follows IVAW Cleveland, other chapters in Ohio, Brother Webster down in Cincinnati, and of course my colleagues in VCS and VFA]. VA is currently [finally] performing TBI screenings on all troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. [No that is not true, but it could be if we ACT now to pressure Congress to make that a true statement. The VA as confirmed in their LINK below is only authorized to treat up to two years only those troops released from active duty (Veterans), National Guard and Reserve members when not called to active duty – NOT ALL troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The VA makes no public distinction between ‘all troops,’ and VETERANS that is MISLEADING the public.]
If the VA were screening all troops returning from war zones, or it was ‘assumed’ that even the Pentagon was,
[show of hands of those who doubt it?] those who test positive during initial screenings go on for further evaluation. Based on the extent of the injury, Veterans
[now they got it right] may receive
[no will receive is the answer WE want to see and hear] physical and cognitive rehabilitation, as well as other treatments
[however, advice or mention of how to file a VA claim is intentionally OMITTED! This is what I’m willing to have my VSO dues focused on NOT a Flag Amendment or Outreach Program because the VA is not doing its obligation, responsibility or JOB regardless the EXCUSE! The entire management and support structure [VSO interference and influence] at the VA [under the smoke screen of volunteer programs] needs to be purged to make way for people who care and know what they are doing without political bias, restrictions and omissions to SAVE non-Veterans in Congress and the administration $$$] MILD TO SEVERE Brief changes in mental status are likely a sign of mild TBI. You may not even realize you’ve suffered a head injury until you start having any of the following symptoms, which can take weeks or months to appear.
[It is extremely important, especially for military family members and troops who are hesitant to seek help due to perceive stigma, or I prefer encourage stigma, with duration of symptoms STIGMA goes out of your mind if only to prevent SUICIDE or family melt down. This is also the main incentive for filing a VA Claim the second your symptoms appear - STIGMA be damned, because quick ACTION gets you on the long waiting list for VA Claim adjudication earlier while you are being treated. The VA can adjust your claim status [up or down] at any time you have proven progress or healing. Have no doubt, the Pentagon and VA desire Mental Illness STIGMA to prevent troops and families from filing claims, having an outlet from never ending deployments, or seeking help, for it would overwhelm the VA in work hours and $$$ moreso than it is NOW]: WHAT TO LOOK FOR [the SYMPTOMS]: - HEADACHES.
- TROUBLE CONCENTRATING
- MEMORY PROBLEMS
- INCREASED SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT AND SOUND
- BLURRED VISION OR TIRED EYES
- DIZZINESS
- EXCESSIVE FATIQUE OR SLEEP PATTERN CHANGES
- ORGANIZATION DIFFICULTIES [BEYOND BEING DISORGANIZED BY NATURE]
- THINKING, ACTING, SPEAKING OR READING SLOWLY
- BEING EASILY DISTRACTED
- MOOD CHANGES OR SWINGS
- CONFUSION [LOSE SENSE OF DIRECTION OR GET LOST DRIVING]
- RINGING IN THE EARS [TINNITUS IS A SYMPTOM OF OTHER THINGS AND RATES A VA CLAIM OF AT LEAST 10%]
- NECK PAIN
- LOSS OF TASTE OR SMELL [YOU ONCE SMOKED AND NOW CANNOT STAND THE TASTE OF TOBACCO OR DRANK ALCOHOL AND NOW CANNOT STAND THE TASTE OF IT-AN UPSIDE OF PTSD THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO STOP SMOKING AND CUT DOWN ON DRINKING]
- FEELING SAD, ANXIOUS, LISTLESS, IRRITATED, OR ANGRY FOR LITTLE OR NO REASON.
- ONE NOT MENTIONED BY THIS ARTICLE IS IRRATIONAL OR UNCONTROLLABLE OBSESSIONS. [YOU ARE SPENDING MONEY ON BUYING BINGES OR EXCESSIVE TRAVEL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. LOSS OF ABILITY TO HANDLE YOU OWN FINANCES FAR BEYONG THE AVERAGE AMERICAN OR CONGRESS – NO KIDDING]
[The other omission of this article is that ALL THE ABOVE are not only symptoms of PTSD they are also symptoms of the hereditary and physical illness Bi-Polar and Manic Depression. Don't take my experience for it, Google the terms and cross-reference the symptoms]. Mild and severe cases of TBI have similar symptoms, but severe TBI lingers for a long time. “Mild TBI results from an injury that may have knocked you out for a few seconds, while severe TBI stems from an extended period of unconsciousness,” says Dr. Pretz. “With severe TBI, you may also experience amnesia about things that occurred before or after the traumatic event.”
[The positive aspects of my symptoms for Manic Depression were so severe that I could watch a movie or DVD one day and watch the same movie a few days later as if I had never seen it before. Saves money on buying DVDs. seriously, it is the downside that is a KILLER. Major Hanafin]
GETTING HELP Because the VA is supposedly screening ALL returning OEF and OIF troops, [I believe they really mean once a troop is freed from Pentagon oversight and control], more and more cases of TBI are caught earlier-an important factor for successful treatment [Note that nothing is mentioned again about filing a VA Claim much less A CURE! There is NO CURE so get use to that FACT of LIFE if you seriously want to LIVE anything close to a Normal Life!]
Treatment of TBI includes a multidisciplinary approach [that OMITS filing a VA Claim or how to]. Doctors, neurophysiologists, speech pathologists, occupational and physical therapists, audiologists and case managers are all available to aid in the recovery process.
[VSOs, especially the more proactive ones VCS and VFA must ensure that either the case managers are giving guidance and instruction on filing claims or a VA Claims Examiner MUST BE part of this multidisciplinary approach, or we can wait until POST-2008 – GET THE PICTURE! Keep in mind that just because a young Vietnam Veteran took over the top position at the VA during the Carter Administration [Max Cleland] did not mean overnight change for Vietnam Veterans at the VA, [I was there] the American Legion, VFW, and DAV among others continued to call the shots and delay or outright oppose [PTSD, AGENT ORANGE, GULF WAR ILLNESS] services to Vietnam Veterans. Bobby Muller AND Charles Sheehan Miles can reluctantly confirm this. I know Bobby was a VA patient after coming Home to War!].
Dr Pretz’s role as speech pathologists includes guiding soldiers through cognitive rehab. [I went through cognitive rehab at a Private facility until Tricare [the active duty military] began to bureaucratically limit access to it for military retirees due to cost overruns. The VA claimed that I did not need cognitive rehab for early onset of dementia though I was diagnosed with cognitive problems. Go Figure. Is it any wonder I am so cynical? Thank God for my sense of HUMOR. Major Hanafin]
“You’re training the brain, working it to improve its skills,” says Pretz. “Like physical therapy for your body, the proper exercises and drills can help your brain get better.” [Fortunately, I learned enough from private off site (meaning not military or VA) cognitive rehab that the Pentagon [and I] paid for to know how to find exercises and programs on-line free should access be denied or cut off by either the Pentagon or VA. If you get access to cognitive rehab thourgh the VA or by some miracle from the Pentagon by all means inquire about how to access FREE on-line training programs and exercises from your neurophysiologist or speech pathologists, whoever. All else fails type in Free Cognitive Rehabilitation Exercises into Google or any other search engine and get a listing of LINKS.
Depending on the severity of a Vets injuries keep in mind that special adaptive computer hardware or software may also be needed AND should be paid for by the VA. Regardless, have a fall back up plan to look out for yourself should the VA, Pentagon, or any political administration go on a COST CUTTING BINGE.]
BELOW IS IMPORTANT TO MAKING YOU THINK AND FUNCTION ALMOST NORMAL(BEAT’S SUICIDE): Little reminders, your spouse can be very good for this if you are fortunate enough to still have one or have one
strong enough to handle your shopping list of symptoms above,
I am that fortunate. Personal Palm Pilots and GPS navigational systems are given to TBI patients
[at VA expense] who have trouble remembering daily tasks or who may forget directions [like taking medication(s), I have to try remembering over 15 drugs and not all for mental illness, and I’ve been forced to cut down on driving long distance –
STIGMA BE DAMNED!] While such devices can make life easier for those suffering from TBI, they are not a SOLUTION. If you are an OEF or OIF Veteran [that includes National Guard and Reserve members not on active duty] and have not received your TBI screening, set up an appointment at your local VA Hospital or Outpatient Clinic offering the screenings or request to be referred to a distant location that does with VA mileage reimbursement, REMEMBER also that the above devices and even mileage reimbursement to get screened or treatment MEANS that you must first file a VA Claim and get rated for TBI related disability to get access to the devices.
It is not by accident that the VA fails to mention or emphasise the LINK between filing a VA Claim and access to all these wonderful treatments and devices. Life is not as simple as they want you to believe. It is up to YOU and US to make it simpler or overwhelm the VA in the process forcing it and Congress to serve all of us and not take 3 years of studies to do so.
I would be remiss in not providing what the VA Outreach Program is remiss in. How do you file a VA Claim on-line in the comfort of your own home – STIGMA BE DAMNED and get authorized VSO sponsorship forms sent to the VSO state office, and VA at the same time. The Central Office for each state VA system, and VSO claims office are normally co-located in your state’s capital city and elsewhere. One only needs break the code, [never bring up your political views on Iraqnam unless they are all positive. Hold you views to yourself UNTIL you get a VA rating that you are satisfied with THEN let loose. WE do not have to be members of mainstream VSOs [nor abhere to THEIR partisan political views either direction] to do that.
Just have a legitimate claim, a decent lawyer [if you can afford 50 bucks interview fee] standing by, fill out the forms on-line with our withoutt the legal assistance you can afford [having a para-legal help fill our Claim forms is ideal, and WE need to push for bonifide probono legal groups to join in such an effort, then let the system do the rest.
I also do not mean to make it sound that simple – OK! It is a very complex claims process intentionally designed to discourage the average Vet from filing [STIGMA is irrelevant to design but of course plays a role], but politics plays the most important part. Once YOU understand that, you and your family can maneuver the VA Claims process in the most non-partisan way possible.
Until next time, my next post will be HOW TO FILE A VA CLAIM ON-LINE – THIS IS SOMETHING EVERY OIF AND OEF Veteran has an advantage over us old dudes who came back from Vietnam. If you cannot fill out an on-line VA form then you should not have made it past the recruiting officer to begin with. If your TBI or PTSD related injuries prevent you from using a computer PLEASE have someone you know and trust file one for you. I guarantee you it is much easier than filling out your Income Tax.
Robert L. Hanafin
SP/5, U.S. Army (69-76)
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired (77-94)
Not a VSO or expert on filing VA Claims,
But I got MINE and a Lawyer to protect them
From Political retaliation.
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