Fibromyalgia decisions — 2008

The Board has reopened the veteran's claim of service connection for fibromyalgia and granted it. The claims for hypertension, pseudofolliculitis barbae, chronic rash/rosacea, and a periumbilical scar have been addressed.,Pseudofolliculitis barbae and chronic rash/rosacea were found to be incurred in service.

The veteran's claim of secondary service connection for hemorrhoids was granted, and he is now receiving a 10 percent rating for his right wrist disability. His left clavicle fracture with fibromyalgia and myalgia also received a 10 percent rating effective from October 2, 2001. The veteran's GERD remains at a 10 percent rating.

The Board has determined that the veteran's PTSD is incurred in or aggravated by her active duty service, and she is granted service connection for this condition. The claim of service connection for fibromyalgia remains pending as it was not addressed in the original decision.

The veteran's fibromyalgia has been productive of symptoms that are present more than one-third of the time, including widespread musculoskeletal pain and tender points, stiffness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal problems, and anxiety. However, her symptoms have not been refractory to therapy.

The Board has remanded the claims due to insufficient evidence and further development is needed.

The Board has determined that the veteran's chronic musculoskeletal pain syndrome, currently diagnosed as fibromyalgia, is related to her active service and grants her claim for service connection.

The veteran's appeal is being remanded due to the need for a new examination of his fibromyalgia condition.

The Board granted an effective date of November 23, 1992 for the grant of a 40 percent rating for residuals of low back injury with disc involvement and fibromyositis. The veteran's claim for earlier effective dates for increased ratings and service connection was also granted.

The Board found that the veteran's lumbar spine disorder and fibromyalgia are not related to her active duty military service, thus denying both claims.

The veteran's service-connected disabilities prior to December 7, 2005, have resulted in obvious disruption of his industrial capacity and warrant a separate 10% evaluation.

The Board denied an increased disability rating for fibromyalgia in July 2005, finding that the veteran's symptoms did not meet the criteria for a compensable rating under Diagnostic Code 5025. The veteran appealed this decision on grounds of CUE.

The veteran's joint pain and muscle aches are presumed to be related to his service in the Gulf War. Fibromyalgia is also presumed to have been incurred during service. The veteran was granted service connection for these conditions.

The veteran seeks payment or reimbursement for unauthorized medical expenses incurred at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from September 1 to September 2, 2004. The case is being remanded due to the need for clarification on Medicare payments and outstanding balances, a request for a VA opinion regarding whether any condition treated was related to her service-connected disabilities, and the need to verify the veteran's contentions about ambulance diversion.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as secondary to the veteran's service-connected degenerative disc disease status post laminectomy. Service connection for acid reflux disease is denied. The veteran is also granted entitlement to a total disability rating based on individual unemployability.

The Board denied service connection for a right knee disability, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cervical spine disability, and chronic sinusitis as there was no evidence of these conditions in service or sufficient evidence to link them to the veteran's active duty.

The veteran's initial evaluation for fibromyalgia was denied as the evidence did not support a rating in excess of 10 percent.

The Board remands the claim for a VA examination to determine if the veteran's fibromyalgia is related to her in-service stress fractures and orthopedic complaints.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for service connection for fibromyalgia, finding that it was not present in service or for many years thereafter and is not related to active service.

The veteran's hemorrhoids were granted service connection, while hypertension, fibromyalgia, and headaches (claimed as due to undiagnosed illness) were denied.

The veteran's anxiety disorder with features of post-traumatic stress and depressive disorder is manifested by severe symptoms, including daily panic attacks, severe depression, sleep impairment, inability to concentrate, flashbacks, impaired impulse control, isolative behavior, difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances, neglect of personal appearance and hygiene, flattened affect, paranoia, suicidal ideation, and an inability to establish and maintain effective relationships. The Board finds that the veteran's disability more nearly approximates a 70 percent evaluation.