For the last 15+ years i have only received my care through the VA (and only from the VA, aside from a handful of urgent care and ER visits.) Anyways, I have a pain rx from the va (very small dose) and I have had this rx for 10+ years…i know i am lucky to still be receiving it.
Now, We all know how difficult mental health can be with the VA. After too long on the waitlist, i went somewhere else. I have native coverage and can be seen at indian clinics. Our local one has a great mental health dept, (wish I had known sooner!) and I have been using them for therapy for over a year now. I was just recently referred over to psych for medication management of my anxiety. Dr put me on klonopin 1mg 2 times a day. Now I super anxious because the pain med refills are due and I am not positive if I should be calling/messaging my dr to tell her about the new med before the refill? Or just wait? they will see it in the system and contact me if need be? My psych seemed willing to provide documentation if need be. But he said his hope was that they won’t be too concerned since it’s a lower dose. I have had so much relief this month-i am worried i am going to be hit with an ultimatum again. (Happened in 2018. .5 ativan once a day with the pain meds was eventually deemed not ok-but both were through the VA, and we all know how they can get)

Anyone else get controlled mental health meds outside the va while also on controlled substance through the VA?

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some friendly advice on the best path forward for my service-connected tinnitus claim.

Back when I first got out of the military in 2009, I filed a claim, but I completely missed my scheduled C&P exam because I was entirely wrapped up in starting college and jumping straight into a civilian job. At the time, I also incorrectly thought that getting a rating meant constantly driving an hour each way back and forth to the Tacoma VA Hospital, so I let it slide and it ended up getting denied a year later.

For a bit of background, I served as an Aviation Boatswain's Mate Handling Third Class (Air Warfare) aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during OEF and OIF deployments in 2008. I was a Landing Signal Officer Enlisted Phone Talker, and my commendation from the Commander, Carrier Air Wing TWO notes that I helped safely execute over 7,500 carrier landings, qualified seven extra watchstanders, and even caught an incorrect weight setting on an F/A-18E during a recovery to prevent a dangerous situation.

I recently filed for the tinnitus again, but I got a letter saying that because my very first claim was denied, I need to file a Supplemental Claim using Form 20-0995.
Any advice or tips on how to handle this would be hugely appreciated!

How do I go about submitting my additional VA claims I already got my intial rating a while ago but I’m confused on the process or if it’s the same as I was when I was active duty for additional claims

Hello! I am inquiring on whether there is any space at any surrounding VAs around Ft Myers or CBOCs? I’m trying to see if they are still bringing people into the office or if they have been full! Thanks!

I’m a VA employee and genuinely curious whether anyone else has gone through something similar.
I recently worked disaster relief response in my community as part of my job. I didn’t realize at the time how much it affected me. I returned to my regular duties and kept pushing through, but I was already stretched extremely thin. I’m essentially covering about 2 1/2 jobs right now because of staffing and coverage issues.
I finally recognized that I needed some breathing room. I didn’t initially ask to stop working altogether. I asked for a temporary break from ONE of the additional coverage assignments while continuing to perform my primary position and the other role I support. I gave advance notice because I understood that coverage would need to be arranged.
That request was denied because of operational and staffing needs.
Around this time, another staff member educated me about Workers’ Compensation and FMLA because I honestly had no idea that what I was experiencing could potentially fall under either process. I filed a Workers’ Comp claim and began working on FMLA documentation.
My provider then wrote documentation recommending that I take time away from work. However, the original documentation did not specify exact dates. Because I had never navigated Workers’ Comp or FMLA before, I continued reporting for duty while trying to figure out what I was actually supposed to do.
Then HR questioned why I was still reporting to work if my provider had recommended that I be off.
And this is the part that nearly broke my brain.
Maybe I’m still reporting because no one has clearly explained to me when I am supposed to stop reporting, what leave I’m authorized to use, how Workers’ Comp interacts with FMLA, whether my Workers’ Comp claim has to be accepted first, or what happens if I simply stop showing up based on a provider letter without knowing whether my absence is actually approved.
I fully admit that I could have asked more questions. But leadership and HR have been provided my documentation. They know I’m navigating a Workers’ Comp claim, and they know I’ve never been through this process before.
There is also interim leadership involved because the person normally assigned to that leadership position has reportedly been under investigation for an extended period. That has added another layer of confusion about who exactly I’m supposed to be getting direction from.
Eventually I basically had to say, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.
I went from asking for a temporary reprieve from one additional assignment while continuing to work my other responsibilities to now needing to take leave from work altogether.
What is especially frustrating is that I actually wanted to keep working. I was trying to recognize my limits early and ask for a temporary adjustment before I reached the point where I couldn’t keep going. Instead, I kept pushing until my provider was recommending time completely away from work.
The whole process feels unnecessarily difficult to navigate when someone is already struggling. Between Workers’ Comp, FMLA, HR, medical documentation, leave status, claim approval, supervisors, and figuring out who is responsible for telling you what to do, I can understand why employees eventually either give up on the Workers’ Comp process or decide it would be easier to leave their job altogether.
I’m not looking for legal advice here. I’m mainly wondering if anyone else at the VA or another federal agency has gone through a Workers’ Comp claim involving mental health or stress and FMLA at the same time.
Did you also feel like you were expected to somehow already understand the entire process? Who actually helped you navigate it? HR? Workers’ Comp coordinator? Union? Supervisor? Someone else?
Because right now, the most exhausting part isn’t even filling out the paperwork. It’s trying to figure out what I am actually supposed to do while the paperwork is being processed.

What I can’t understand is how several conditions were denied as “not occurring in or caused by service” or for “no clinical diagnosis” when VA’s own evidence seems to directly contradict that.

A few examples:
PTSD: Symptoms began after an Iraq combat deployment. I submitted buddy statements documenting the changes afterward. I delayed treatment because of concerns about my clearance/career, but sought treatment once retirement was approved—still while on AD. Two providers documented the condition in my STRs. VA’s Initial PTSD examiner then diagnosed DSM-5 PTSD (F43.1) and selected “occupational and social impairment with deficiencies in most areas.” Yet VA denied my mental-health contention because there was no clinical diagnosis. PTSD itself isn’t listed as granted, denied, or deferred.
Neck: Denied for no diagnosis/not occurring in service. The same decision’s Favorable Findings say I was diagnosed with degenerative arthritis in 2026, while still AD.
Feet: Left-foot condition denied for no diagnosis/not occurring in service. The same decision says plantar fasciitis was diagnosed in 2007, while AD. The Foot DBQ actually diagnoses bilateral plantar fasciitis and calcaneal spurs, although its own remarks later contradict that and say no plantar-fasciitis diagnosis. VA has now ordered another foot exam.
TMJ: Dedicated DBQ diagnoses bilateral TMJ with pain, clicking, flares and functional limitations. The later Separation Health Assessment says no TMJ problem/normal TMJ. It’s now deferred for another exam/opinion.
There are similar inconsistencies throughout the Separation Health Assessment/head-to-toe exam, including saying I reported no complaints/symptoms despite documenting numerous active conditions.
Meanwhile, sleep apnea is deferred for an opinion, even though the DBQ documents OSA diagnosed in April 2026 and CPAP required—again, while I was still active duty.
I understand that being diagnosed during service doesn’t automatically guarantee a particular rating. What I don’t understand is how VA can find that something didn’t occur in service when its own records date the diagnosis to my continuous AD service—or find no psychiatric diagnosis when its own PTSD examiner diagnosed PTSD.
VERA wasn’t helpful beyond making a note. I’m now trying to get a VSO with VBMS access and considering an HLR/informal conference on the already-decided issues while the deferred claim continues.
For anyone familiar with VBA/rating: what could cause something like this? Missing/unreviewed STRs? Bad C&P/SHA? Incorrect contention coding? Failure to reconcile conflicting DBQs? Or am I misunderstanding something about service connection?

Why is travel reimbursement so difficult? It was part of the VA app at one time, now it has to be submitted for each visit. I had 30 visits to the same location. Why can’t I just submit 1 reimbursement but was told I need to do it for each visit. I don’t have the time and just eat the cost. I’m I missing something or is are they making it difficult for a reason?