If the medicine you took in the service had unexpected or long-term effects, you may be eligible for VA disability for medication side effects.
When you start a new medication, you’re probably aware that you may have some side effects. Many medication boxes warn of things like nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, and the like. But what happens if your symptoms don’t show up for months or years after you took the medication?
Many people may not realize that medications can have long-term side effects as well as short-term ones. These long-term effects can be serious and even life-threatening. If you took the harmful medication while you were in the military, you may be entitled to some compensation.
In this article about veterans suffering from the side effects of medicines:
- What Qualifies as a Side Effect?
- Common Side Effects Veterans Experience
- Pain Medication Addiction
- Sleeping Pill Addiction
- Hypertension Medications
- Benzodiazepines and Anti-Depressants
- Antipsychotics
- Medications for PTSD
- Side Effects from Antibiotics
- Common Over-the-Counter Medications
- What to Do if You Have These Symptoms
- Some Side-Effects from Medicine Qualify for Veteran’s Disability
- VA Rating Schedules
- Different Ratings
- Secondary Conditions
- What to Do If Your Claim Is Denied
- Get Compensation for the Side Effects of VA Disability Medications
What Qualifies as a Side Effect?
Before we start discussing side effects of different medications, let’s talk about what a side effect is in the first place. Side effects are symptoms you experience as a result of taking a medication that are not part of the medications’ intended function. For example, your stuffy nose clears up when you take an antihistamine, but you also get very sleepy.
Side effects can be short-term or long-term. Short-term side effects last only as long as the medication is in your system. But long-term side effects can appear months or even years after taking the medication and can be permanent.
Common Side Effects Veterans Experience
You’re likely familiar with many of the common short-term side effects of medications. We’ve all heard the warnings in medication commercials. Headache, nausea, rash, dizziness, diarrhea, dry mouth, and insomnia can all be common short-term medication side effects.
Long-term side effects can be much more serious. These tend to be systemic issues, including kidney or heart damage, memory loss, or movement disorders. Many medications can create chemical dependencies, leaving patients who are prescribed the medicine too freely addicted.
Pain Medication Addiction
One of the most serious long-term side effects we’ve seen in recent years is addiction to pain medications. Opioids are incredibly effective at managing chronic or severe pain. However, they are extremely habit-forming, and in recent years, we’ve seen how bad the opioid crisis has gotten.
If you were injured during training or combat, you may have been prescribed pain medication. And if your doctor was not careful about how they managed it, you may have found yourself addicted to this medication.
If you believe you are addicted to opioids, first and foremost, seek treatment. Ask a trusted friend to look into VA disability or call us at (866)232-5777.
Sleeping Pill Addiction
Sleeping pills are another drug that can be powerful when used properly and dangerous when abused. Some studies have suggested that as many as 54 percent of soldiers battle with insomnia. Given the stress of active duty, many veterans turn to sleeping pills to get rest.
But sleeping pills can be habit-forming, too, especially if they’re taken without understanding all the risks they carry. Over time, veterans may find that they can’t go to sleep without these pills or that they get cravings for them. Some people may even begin to see multiple doctors to get the prescriptions they need or experience memory loss from taking these pills.
Hypertension Medications
During your time in the service, you may have been diagnosed with hypertension or high blood pressure. Your doctor may have prescribed alpha-blockers or alpha-2 agonists to help manage the condition. But these medications can have dangerous long-term side effects, including increasing your risk of stroke and even death.
Alpha-blockers work by dilating your blood vessels so your blood has an easier time moving through them. Alpha-2 agonists target your sympathetic nervous system to open your blood vessels. But in addition to raising your risk of stroke by about 250 percent, these medications can lead to greater variation in your blood pressure.
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Benzodiazepines and Anti-Depressants
Many veterans may also be prescribed anti-depressants during their service. Some medications like SSRIs and SNRIs are relatively safe, with side effects mostly limited to short-term, relatively minor issues. But benzodiazepines can be extremely addictive, especially if taken regularly.
Routine benzodiazepine side effects can include memory loss, problems with balance and coordination, and an upset stomach. But you may also be at higher risk for cognitive decline, hip fractures, and overdose. If you become addicted, withdrawal symptoms can include depression, sleep problems, and even seizures.
Antipsychotics
In general, antipsychotic medications are used to treat schizophrenia and other extreme mental disorders. These medications are usually reserved for these extreme cases because their side effects can be very severe. Routine side effects can include hallucinations, feelings of agitation, and blurred vision.
In the long term, antipsychotics can create a physical dependency that can be very dangerous if the user stops taking them abruptly. You may suffer low blood pressure, uncontrollable tics and tremors, or even seizures. And these medications can lower your white blood cell count, which lowers your immune system’s ability to fight off disease.
Medications for PTSD
Medications to manage PTSD are also common among soldiers for obvious reasons. And in some cases, these medications are crucial in order for a soldier to continue functioning in their life. Unfortunately, many times, the medications used to treat PTSD are the same as the ones used to treat anxiety.
Benzodiazepines are one of the more common treatments for PTSD. Antipsychotics are also a popular choice for doctors looking to control symptoms. And even the safer drugs can impact everything from sexual function to sleep patterns.
Side Effects from Antibiotics
It may seem strange to have antibiotics on a list of medications with dangerous long-term side effects. After all, these medications are the reason we no longer die from infection after surgery or lose limbs every time we cut ourselves. But too much antibiotic use can be incredibly dangerous.
The more bacteria are exposed to antibiotics, the more they mutate to form antibiotic-resistant strains. Antibiotics can also deplete the helpful bacteria living in your gut and lead to a serious condition called C. Difficile. If your doctors overprescribed you antibiotics due to multiple illnesses or operations, you may find it harder to treat future infections, and the smallest infections can become deadly.
Common Over-the-Counter Medications
You may also be surprised to learn that there are some over-the-counter medications that can have dangerous long-term side effects. Among these are Benadryl, acetaminophen, and NSAIDs.
Many people take Benadryl to deal with allergic reactions or even as a sleep aid. But if used for too long, it can lead to addiction, lower mental cognition, depression, fatigue, confusion, and even hallucinations.
Acetaminophen, better known as Tylenol, is a very effective pain medication for short-term use. But long-term use can cause liver and kidney damage that may not be noticed until it’s far too late to resolve. You may have records of taking this over and over in the service, or you may have buddies that you are still in contact with that took it all the time too.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, include pain medications like ibuprofen and aspirin. When used too consistently for too long, they can increase risk of ulcers, stomach bleeding, increased blood pressure, and even kidney damage and heart failure.
What to Do if You Have These Symptoms
If you took any of the medications we discussed and you’re now experiencing unusual symptoms, talk to your doctor. Some of these long-term side effects can be very dangerous, and the sooner you catch them, the better chance you’ll have at treating them. This is especially important if you’re still taking the medication you think may be causing a problem.
When you go to your appointment, take a list of any unusual symptoms you’re having. You also need to bring a full list of any medications, vitamins, or supplements you’re currently taking. It’s a good idea to bring a full medical history, including any medications you took during your military service so your doctor can determine if these are connected to your symptoms.
Some Side-Effects from Medicine Qualify for Veteran’s Disability
If you experience any of these side effects, you may be entitled to VA disability compensation. But first, you will need to prove a connection between your symptoms and your service record. In order to qualify for VA disability compensation, you’ll need three things: a diagnosis, a documented event in your service record, and a medical nexus connecting the two.
To begin the qualification process, you’ll need to visit your doctor and confirm that your symptoms are a long-term side effect of a medication you took. Then you’ll need to get hold of your service record and be able to show the specific incident in which you were given the medication that caused your problems. Your doctor will then need to confirm that your symptoms are the result of that specific incident in your record.
You can also call our office and we can review your medical records. We have doctors on staff that are familiar with what the VA looks for on your application, and we can advise you on how to make a fully developed veteran’s disability claim.
VA Rating Schedules
Once you get approved for VA disability compensation, you’ll be assigned a specific code for your condition. Which code you receive will depend on what your symptoms are. For instance, if you have seizures as the result of taking benzodiazepines, you’ll receive a schedule code for Neurological Conditions and Convulsive Disorders.
Each schedule contains different ratings based on the severity of your condition. So in our seizure example, if you’ve had one major seizure any time in the last two years or two minor seizures in the last six months, you’ll receive a rating of 20 percent. If you’ve had between four and eleven major seizures in the past year or at least eleven minor seizures a week, you’ll receive a rating of 80 percent.
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Different Ratings
Your specific disability rating will determine how much tax-free money you receive from the VA each month. So if you receive a disability rating of 10 percent, you’ll receive $171.23 per month. If you have a rating of 20 percent, you’ll get $338.49 every month.
The VA also considers how many dependents you have for some higher ratings. If you have a 100 percent disability and no dependents, you’ll receive $3,737.85 per month. If, however, you have a dependent spouse, child, and parents, you could receive more per month.
Secondary Conditions
In some cases, your disability claim for medication side effects may be considered a secondary condition. In essence, these conditions are considered to be the result of another condition. In our seizure example, your anxiety would be considered the primary condition, and your seizures from taking benzodiazepines would be the secondary condition.
If your disability is determined to be a secondary condition, you’ll need to fill out VA Form 21-526b. While this application is simpler to fill out, it can be harder to convince the VA that your condition is directly service-connected. Having an experienced legal advocate on your side during this process can be very helpful.
What to Do If Your Claim Is Denied
Many veterans with secondary conditions find that their disability applications are denied. If this happens to you, don’t be discouraged. You still have options for appeals.
The first thing you should do if your application is denied is to make sure you gather all evidence relating to your case that you can. This should include your claims file, your service record, your medical record, and any documentation you’ve sent to or received from the VA. You may also want to hire a lawyer who specializes in representing disabled veterans to fight your case for you.
Get Compensation for the Side Effects of VA Disability Medications
If you were prescribed or given any of the medications on this list during your military service, you may be entitled to compensation. The side effects of VA disability medications can be serious and can last for years. Talk to your doctor about if your symptoms could be connected to any medications you’ve taken in the past.
If you’d like help applying for VA disability benefits, get in touch with us at Woods and Woods. We fight for veterans every day, and you don’t pay unless we win. Contact us today to start getting the compensation you’re owed.
Neil Woods
VA disability lawyer
Woods and Woods
VA Accreditation Number: 44739