Fibromyalgia decisions — 2022

The Veteran's IBS, fibromyalgia, and CFS have been granted service connection due to their presumptive association with service in the Southwest Asia theater of operations.,The Veteran has also withdrawn her appeals for a higher rating on PTSD prior to June 29, 2019 and for undiagnosed illness claimed as menstrual disorders.

The Board has remanded the claims for increased ratings for fibromyalgia and IBS, service connection for hypertension and diverticulitis, and service connection for GERD due to inadequate medical opinions and failure to obtain new examinations.

The Board has remanded the claims for hearing loss, hammertoes, obstructive sleep apnea, psychiatric disorder (other than posttraumatic stress disorder), right knee disorder, right hip disorder, right ankle disorder, left shoulder disorder, neck disorder, and back disorder. The Veteran's fibromyalgia claim is denied.

The Veteran's left knee, left shoulder, and fibromyalgia disabilities are granted as service connected. The remaining issues of service connection for other conditions are remanded.

Service connection is denied for cervical spine disability, lumbar spine disability, right and left upper extremity neurological disabilities (other than bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome), right and left lower extremity neurological disabilities, bilateral hearing loss disability, and tinnitus.,The Veteran's current cervical and lumbar spine disabilities are not related to service.

The Veteran's right and left shoulder disorders, including fibromyalgia, are granted service connection. The left wrist strain is also granted as a result of an in-service injury.

The claims for service connection for fibromyalgia and back disorder were denied as new and material evidence was not submitted.

The Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia, hypertension, lumbar spine disability, and gastrointestinal disability (irritable bowel syndrome) are remanded due to the need for additional medical examination and review of records.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for plantar fasciitis of the left foot was reopened and granted.,Service connection was denied for chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for left shoulder strain, fibromyalgia secondary to PTSD, sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to PTSD, and peptic ulcer disease (PUD) secondary to anemia and/or PTSD due to insufficient medical opinions in the April 2016 VA examination.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia with tension headaches and irritable bowel syndrome symptoms are rated at a maximum of 40 percent, effective October 15, 2020.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, except for PTSD which is rated at 100%, do not preclude him from securing and following substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome are granted as they were manifested prior to September 2020. The claims for headache disability, bilateral lower extremity pain, and tachycardia are remanded due to lack of relevant VA treatment records.

The Veteran's irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is granted service connection as a qualifying chronic disability under the Persian Gulf Veterans' Compensation Act. The gastrointestinal disorder other than IBS and fibromyalgia are remanded for further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's claim for fibromyalgia was denied as there is no current diagnosis of the condition and it has not been shown to be related to service.,Claims for left knee strain and right knee strain were also denied due to a lack of evidence showing these conditions began during or are otherwise related to service.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection for fibromyalgia, sinusitis, bilateral fibrocystic breast disease, headache disability, and eye disability due to incomplete examinations and lack of consideration of relevant medical records.

The Veteran's fibromyalgia and OSA have been granted service connection as they are related to his active service, specifically his deployment in the Southwest Asia theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for service connection due to a request from his representative for information regarding the qualifications of the VA examiner who provided an opinion in September 2021. The appeal is being returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's bilateral tinnitus was granted service connection as it is presumed to have started during his military service and has continued since.,Service connection for fibromyalgia, skin disorder, and lumbar spine disability were denied due to lack of evidence linking these conditions to service.

The Board has granted service connection for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but has remanded the Veteran's claims for headache disability, hypertension, Meniere's syndrome, and acquired psychiatric disability due to lack of supporting evidence in the record.