Thanks for this through review of fibromyalgia. I have been recently diagnosed with it and filled my first claim. I understand it is a MUCMI presumption claim. I was combat deployed in Desert Storm which is the direct connection for which I have filed. APTTMHY
You are correct that it is a presumptive if diagnosed with fibromyalgia and service in the Gulf. What gets tricky is convincing the VA that your symptoms are “medically unexplained.” Examiners like to give diagnoses, and a diagnosis of anything other than fibromyalgia can be detrimental. That’s the difficult part of fibromyalgia claims. It’s a “rule out” diagnosis. All the best!
Going for my C&P tomorrow. I'm worried bc nobody gets it. I have a diagnosis and served in the gulf. So hopefully it goes in my favor. My DBQ also only has 1 page and 6 questions. It's from QTC.
I hope the exam went well! Fibromyalgia is a health condition characterized by unexplained pain throughout the body. Symptoms recognized by the VA include the following: 1. At least 3 months of unexplained pain in the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues 2. Points on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, or legs that are tender and hurt with pressure 3. Additional health problems such as sleep disturbances, headaches, memory problems, or morning muscle stiffness The most distinguishable factor we see is that fibromyalgia involves trigger pressure points of pain/discomfort. Best of luck~
Please explain the differance between Chrone Pain Syndrome for which I am rated and Fibromyalgia which I am not rated but have been diagnosed as having.
Hello. You are correct that there can be some overlap in assessing these 2 conditions. Hopefully the following provides some discernable differences. For VA purposes, a diagnosis of CFS must meet both of the following criteria: 1. New onset of debilitating fatigue that is severe enough to reduce or impair average daily activity below 50 percent of the patient's pre-illness activity level for a period of 6 months, and; 2. Other clinical conditions that may produce similar symptoms must be excluded by thorough evaluation, based on history, physical examination, and appropriate laboratory tests. It must also meet six or more of the following ten criteria: 1. Acute onset of the condition. 2. Low grade fever. 3. Nonexudative pharyngitis. 4. Palpable or tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes. 5. Generalized muscle aches or weakness. 6. Fatigue lasting 24 hours or longer after exercise. 7. Headaches (of a type, severity or pattern that is different from headaches in the premorbid state.) 8. Migratory joint pains. 9. Neuropsychologic symptoms. 10. Sleep disturbance. Fibromyalgia is a health condition characterized by unexplained pain throughout the body. Symptoms recognized by the VA include the following: 1. At least 3 months of unexplained pain in the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues 2. Points on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, or legs that are tender and hurt with pressure 3. Additional health problems such as sleep disturbances, headaches, memory problems, or morning muscle stiffness So, as you can see, there are some overlap in these conditions. The most distinguishable difference we see is that fibromyalgia involves trigger pressure points of pain/discomfort with fibromyalgia whereas CFS involves more generalized joint pains. Clear as mud! Best of luck~
Well...nothing with fibromyalgia is ever straight forward, but essentially this is saying you have musculoskeletal pain and tender points about 8 hours a day (one-third of the time). Hope that helps. Here's the actual regulation: www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/4.71a 5025 Fibromyalgia (fibrositis, primary fibromyalgia syndrome) With widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, with or without associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms: That are constant, or nearly so, and refractory to therapy 40 That are episodic, with exacerbations often precipitated by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but that are present more than one-third of the time 20 That require continuous medication for control 10 Note: Widespread pain means pain in both the left and right sides of the body, that is both above and below the waist, and that affects both the axial skeleton (i.e., cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back) and the extremities.
While the Military Unique Chronic Multifactorial Illness (MUCMI) program does streamline the claims process for certain Gulf War veterans, a diagnosis is still generally required. If you served in the Gulf War and have one or more of the designated MUCMI conditions, the VA presumes that your illness is service-connected. This means you don't have to prove a direct link between your illness and a specific event or exposure during your service. However, you will still need a diagnosis from a qualified medical professional to establish that you have the MUCMI condition. This diagnosis is necessary to determine the severity of your illness and to assign an appropriate disability rating.
Thanks for this through review of fibromyalgia. I have been recently diagnosed with it and filled my first claim. I understand it is a MUCMI presumption claim. I was combat deployed in Desert Storm which is the direct connection for which I have filed. APTTMHY
You are correct that it is a presumptive if diagnosed with fibromyalgia and service in the Gulf. What gets tricky is convincing the VA that your symptoms are “medically unexplained.”
Examiners like to give diagnoses, and a diagnosis of anything other than fibromyalgia can be detrimental. That’s the difficult part of fibromyalgia claims. It’s a “rule out” diagnosis.
All the best!
Going for my C&P tomorrow. I'm worried bc nobody gets it. I have a diagnosis and served in the gulf. So hopefully it goes in my favor.
My DBQ also only has 1 page and 6 questions. It's from QTC.
I hope the exam went well! Fibromyalgia is a health condition characterized by unexplained pain throughout the body. Symptoms recognized by the VA include the following:
1. At least 3 months of unexplained pain in the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues
2. Points on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, or legs that are tender and hurt with pressure
3. Additional health problems such as sleep disturbances, headaches, memory problems, or morning muscle stiffness
The most distinguishable factor we see is that fibromyalgia involves trigger pressure points of pain/discomfort.
Best of luck~
Please explain the differance between Chrone Pain Syndrome for which I am rated and Fibromyalgia which I am not rated but have been diagnosed as having.
Hello. You are correct that there can be some overlap in assessing these 2 conditions. Hopefully the following provides some discernable differences.
For VA purposes, a diagnosis of CFS must meet both of the following criteria:
1. New onset of debilitating fatigue that is severe enough to reduce or impair average daily activity below 50 percent of the patient's pre-illness activity level for a period of 6 months, and;
2. Other clinical conditions that may produce similar symptoms must be excluded by thorough evaluation, based on history, physical examination, and appropriate laboratory tests.
It must also meet six or more of the following ten criteria:
1. Acute onset of the condition.
2. Low grade fever.
3. Nonexudative pharyngitis.
4. Palpable or tender cervical or axillary lymph nodes.
5. Generalized muscle aches or weakness.
6. Fatigue lasting 24 hours or longer after exercise.
7. Headaches (of a type, severity or pattern that is different from headaches in the premorbid state.)
8. Migratory joint pains.
9. Neuropsychologic symptoms.
10. Sleep disturbance.
Fibromyalgia is a health condition characterized by unexplained pain throughout the body. Symptoms recognized by the VA include the following:
1. At least 3 months of unexplained pain in the muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues
2. Points on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, or legs that are tender and hurt with pressure
3. Additional health problems such as sleep disturbances, headaches, memory problems, or morning muscle stiffness
So, as you can see, there are some overlap in these conditions. The most distinguishable difference we see is that fibromyalgia involves trigger pressure points of pain/discomfort with fibromyalgia whereas CFS involves more generalized joint pains.
Clear as mud! Best of luck~
What does it mean when it says one-third of the time in section 3B? Over what period of time, a day, week, month, year?
Well...nothing with fibromyalgia is ever straight forward, but essentially this is saying you have musculoskeletal pain and tender points about 8 hours a day (one-third of the time). Hope that helps. Here's the actual regulation:
www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/38/4.71a
5025 Fibromyalgia (fibrositis, primary fibromyalgia syndrome)
With widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, with or without associated fatigue, sleep disturbance, stiffness, paresthesias, headache, irritable bowel symptoms, depression, anxiety, or Raynaud's-like symptoms:
That are constant, or nearly so, and refractory to therapy 40
That are episodic, with exacerbations often precipitated by environmental or emotional stress or by overexertion, but that are present more than one-third of the time 20
That require continuous medication for control 10
Note: Widespread pain means pain in both the left and right sides of the body, that is both above and below the waist, and that affects both the axial skeleton (i.e., cervical spine, anterior chest, thoracic spine, or low back) and the extremities.
Thank you, can you do one for CFS please?
We have put it on our list. Thx for the recommendation!
Any updates please?
No diagnosis needed if claiming it as a MUCMI if serve in gulf
While the Military Unique Chronic Multifactorial Illness (MUCMI) program does streamline the claims process for certain Gulf War veterans, a diagnosis is still generally required.
If you served in the Gulf War and have one or more of the designated MUCMI conditions, the VA presumes that your illness is service-connected. This means you don't have to prove a direct link between your illness and a specific event or exposure during your service. However, you will still need a diagnosis from a qualified medical professional to establish that you have the MUCMI condition. This diagnosis is necessary to determine the severity of your illness and to assign an appropriate disability rating.
@@VADisabilityGroup the Vba seem to say differently @ the 3:55 mark
ruclips.net/video/Pj9xK26SSP0/видео.htmlsi=E0k-V8L6BfBalEOk