See How They Treat Their Veterans

Hi,

My name is James. I was taking Alprazolam that was prescribed to me from the V.A. for the last 10 years 3 mg a day.

Now they say no more. They cut me to 1 mg a day for 2 months. That's it.

Well with me it dosn't work that way. Anyway they don't care it's starting to get really bad. The tinnitus that is.

I am a veteran and I have never had anything like this! What can I do? They won't do anything for it.

They say it will ease up, but all it's doing is getting louder. Any one share with me?

 

Your profile shows tinnitus since 2018 but Alprazolam prescribed for 10 years. What was the Alprazolam prescribed for?

Another thing to keep in mind is, due to opioid concerns, the VA is now testing (without telling you) during your annual physical for opioids, benzodiazepines, and marijuana in your system. I’m not saying you're testing positive but it would be a reason to discontinue your Alprazolam.

Ranting about “see how they treat their veterans” may not get much sympathy here because the VA does provide veterans with help with their tinnitus that many non-veterans cannot afford.

If you think the doctor who cut your benzodiazepine prescription is wrong, I might respectfully suggest you talk to the Patient Advocate at your home VAMC for assistance.

I’m not criticizing you, only trying to help.

Bobby

 

Did your tinnitus occur because of your service? If it did, file a claim for service connection. The VA will then provide all kinds of support for your tinnitus and any fallout that occurs from it. If you are a veteran that is service connected for anything, then the VA will give you hearing aids that will help your tinnitus.

VA will help, you just need to be proactive with them.

 

they spend more money on habituation instead of trying to find cures for tinnitus and hearing loss.
they don't care about getting veterans or anyone real help.

basically i'm living with tinnitus, hearing damage and several untreated mental illnesses and no one cares, i'm a nobody but you actually did something useful with your life where you deserve help being a veteran.

Check out 2012's tinnitus budget
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...s-research-and-treatment-act.575/#post-347968
less then 1% of the budget went towards research and the majority is just coping mechanism's for tinnitus and hearing loss.

American's are far more intrigued by homeopathy and faith healers, ect (useless garbage) then to give any appreciation to scientist.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/interesting-observation.26546/


Tinnitus in the majority of cases is caused by hearing loss, if you got hearing damage via military service then obviously that is your case

 

@Contrast I do not wish to debate habituation or research. I’m happy that you’re passionate about your beliefs and I support anything that helps you or others. I also do not wish to get into a debate about what any group, including the VA, may or may not be doing to help our cause. And it is our common cause.

I do want to say that the Portland VA Medical Center does have a large research center dedicated to speech, hearing, and tinnitus since Tinnitus and hearing loss are the 2 largest service connected disabilities by numbers of veterans. I have participated in one of their trials and they have provided me with unlimited help to ease the suffering of my tinnitus and fallout from tinnitus. Could they do more? Can anybody else do more? I suppose they all could but, in my little world, the VA is doing the best they can and so I’m grateful.

I guess my hardest task is trying to remain positive while suffering this silent to others yet incredibly loud noise to me. Again, no criticism nor disrespect intended to either you or the OP. I truly applaud your passion and dedication to our common cause.

Bobby

 

that's awesome you got to be in a trial