Marine Veteran in need of help/advice asap

curious2garden

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
Muskegman said:
live in Alaska and have ptsd. I have to go to the VA and do an annual check up where I know I will be tested and have blood taken. This is all new as I never had to do this before . I am rated at 60% disabled and have a prescription for Xanax due to anxiety/ panic attacks/ nightmares. I take it when I need to. A lot of the times I don't get the script refilled because I have gotten a little better without taking them but sometimes it's the only thing that helps. Then I found out my yearly script has expired and i have to physically go see a doctor do get my new yearly script. I do occasionally smoke weed because sometimes it's better and helps me sleep and is rather not take pills , but during the day I can't smoke weed and when I have panic attacks during the day at work and such I take a pill. So now, I've heard and I am extremely worried that they will see that I've been smoking and take my Monthly benefits away and or my meds. Does anyone have advice ? Experience? Know anyone to call and talk too? Losing my benefits would devastate me and my family would be homeless . Without a doubt . I live in remote Alaska and the VA is paying for me to fly there and bought the tickets already. Should I just not go and cancel and wait until I'm clean ? I'm sure they would stick me with the bill if I did that . I just don't know what to do and I'm stressed the fuck out to the max right now . I'm supposed to leave this Tuesday
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They won't take your veteran's benefits but as someone else said they often then refuse to give you any schedule 2's and sometimes 3's if they are real pricks and it's up to each individual physician. Once it's in your record you are treated differently, because you are now classified, to them, as a drug abuser and in a land of limited resources classification is used as a system of denial. So I would not give them that datum.

I'd get some inconvenient head cold (so you can't fly without risk of rupturing an ear drum) and re-schedule. I'd also look into EMDR (which is also very helpful for PTSD).

Take good care of yourself and thank you for your service and I really mean that, my hub did 22 years and has a bit of PTSD himself. Be kind to yourself.
 
curious2garden

curious2garden

Well-Known Mod
Staff member
rollitup said:
I get my healthcare through the VA, and I have told them about my marijuana use for over 10 years now. My doctors ask me about it every time I go there. They are curious more than anything.

I don't think you will have any problems with the VA vilifying you about your marijuana use. The memo that came out in 2010 by the VA specifically instructed VA doctors to NOT discriminate against Veterans who use marijuana in States where it is legal. There has been legislation before Congress for several years to allow VA doctors to actually issue MMJ recommendations, like the CARERS Act.

So do what's best for you, and don't fret about the VA.

:mrgreen:
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My hubby had just the opposite experience at the VA he goes to. Not everyone is on the same page, yet, and there is no hard and fast policy, that I know of fwiw.
 
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BarnBuster

BarnBuster

Virtually Unknown Member
yeah @757growin , that article was mid Jan I think, but i'll try to see where it's at in the process. I didn't have a clue about that act and when i was reading up on it, i did get the impression from others like @curious2garden said that it could be different at each state/center
 
Muskegman

Muskegman

Well-Known Member
Every single one of you ^^^^^ thank you ! I'm feeling a lot better about the situation. To be on the safe side I rescheduled my appointment for the end of March and should have no worries now . Once again, thank you all for helping me out . It's good to know there are people out there that care . You all rock !
 
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doublejj

doublejj

Well-Known Member
Muskegman said:
Every single one of you ^^^^^ thank you ! I'm feeling a lot better about the situation. To be on the safe side I rescheduled my appointment for the end of March and should have no worries now . Once again, thank you all for helping me out . It's good to know there are people out there that care . You all rock !
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W

WeeblesWobbles

Well-Known Member
If you haven't had a discussion with your physician about terazosin (brand name Hytrin) give it a shot. It's an alpha blocker (originally a blood pressure pill) with really minimal side effects, mostly lightheadedness if you stand up quickly. Huge numbers of men take it for prostate issues. It's non-scheduled and off patent.

Taking it for PTSD is an off-label indication but it's completely legal to do so. I once had a lot of young vets working for me (the business is owned by them now) and many have PTSD. Some say it's a godsend, others meh. It basically moderates the adrenaline dump you experience along with the PTSD episode. It doesn't stop nightmares but it does seem to stop the racing heart/panic breathing associated with them caused by the adrenaline dump. You'll still wake up going "Whoa! Fuck!" but you'll be able to get back to sleep.

My daughter grew up in a war zone so I've been dealing with her PTSD for almost 20 years. If you want to, PM me. I have other things you can try.

Best of luck son. I hope things work out for you.
 
P

pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
In my experience:

I use the VA. My primary care doc couldn't care less if I smoke. Hell, they have programs for vets that are addicted to drugs and alcohol. They don't deny them coverage.

Your doc usually has nothing to do with your coverage. They don't know what level of coverage you have, or why you have it. They're just there to treat you.
 
VTMi'kmaq

VTMi'kmaq

Well-Known Member
Muskegman said:
live in Alaska and have ptsd. I have to go to the VA and do an annual check up where I know I will be tested and have blood taken. This is all new as I never had to do this before . I am rated at 60% disabled and have a prescription for Xanax due to anxiety/ panic attacks/ nightmares. I take it when I need to. A lot of the times I don't get the script refilled because I have gotten a little better without taking them but sometimes it's the only thing that helps. Then I found out my yearly script has expired and i have to physically go see a doctor do get my new yearly script. I do occasionally smoke weed because sometimes it's better and helps me sleep and is rather not take pills , but during the day I can't smoke weed and when I have panic attacks during the day at work and such I take a pill. So now, I've heard and I am extremely worried that they will see that I've been smoking and take my Monthly benefits away and or my meds. Does anyone have advice ? Experience? Know anyone to call and talk too? Losing my benefits would devastate me and my family would be homeless . Without a doubt . I live in remote Alaska and the VA is paying for me to fly there and bought the tickets already. Should I just not go and cancel and wait until I'm clean ? I'm sure they would stick me with the bill if I did that . I just don't know what to do and I'm stressed the fuck out to the max right now . I'm supposed to leave this Tuesday
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Semper fi my friend. Curious2garden is truly a light at the end of a dark tunnel for us vets. I consider her family tbh. E-7 here. (Inactive for awhile)Anything you need if i can help im here. Bear in mind i have tbi and nerve damage so i can be a space cadet at times.
 
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