Getting a Secondary Service Connection for Medication Side Effects

As a veteran, you likely take medication to help you cope with a service-connected disability. Every medication comes with side effects and risks. Some side effects like headaches, drowsiness, and nausea can be minor and short-lived. Other more serious side effects can turn into lifelong disabilities. 

Veterans experiencing side effects from a medication used to treat a service-connected condition may be eligible for VA disability for medication side effects. In this article, we explain some of the most common medication side effects and how to file a claim for a secondary service connection. 

What is a secondary VA disability rating?

A veteran can receive a secondary VA disability rating for any health problem that is medically related to a service-connected condition. That secondary condition will be rated based on the symptoms you are experiencing.

To prove a secondary service connection, you have to provide medical evidence linking your primary service-connected condition and secondary conditions.

For example, a veteran with a service-connected traumatic brain injury (TBI) who later develops post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because of it can claim PTSD secondary to their TBI. The same principle applies to side effects from medication.

---

---

Common medications for secondary VA claims

Before you begin a new medication, make yourself aware of all the potential side effects. Some side effects can negatively affect your quality of life and may eventually make you eligible for a secondary VA claim.

Below we describe several medication side effects that are commonly reported among veterans. If you are experiencing any of these side effects due to medications you are taking for a service-connected condition, you may be eligible for a secondary service connection. 

Immunosuppressive drugs

A normal immune system targets viruses, bacteria, and cancer cells. Sometimes, instead of fighting infection, the immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues by mistake. Immunosuppressive drugs are prescribed to stop or slow down this adverse response.

If you were diagnosed with lupus after exposure to environmental contaminants during military service, for example, you may have been prescribed an immunosuppressant. 

Corticosteroids like prednisone are among the most commonly prescribed immunosuppressive medications. While taking these medications, your immune system doesn’t fight invaders as well as it should. Because of this, taking immunosuppressants could increase your risk of potentially life-threatening infections including:

• Blood infections like MRSA and sepsis
• Skin problems such as thrush and skin fungus
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Osteoporosis
• Respiratory infections like pneumonia

Antibiotics side effects

Antibiotics are some of the most important medications because they treat and prevent the spread of bacterial infections. As a veteran, you may have been prescribed an antibiotic after surgery to fix a service-connected wound.

However, if you misuse antibiotics or take them too often, the side effects can be serious. 

The potential side effects depend on the specific antibiotic you are prescribed. Ciprofloxan, for example, is one of the most common generic antibiotics. Although rare, this antibiotic can cause:

• Depression
• Mood changes
• Confusion 
• Muscle weakness
• Tinnitus

Doxycycline, another common antibiotic, can cause:

• Severe stomach pain
• Severe headaches
• Pancreatitis
• Tinnitus
• Chest pain
• Irregular heartbeat 
• Vision problems

Antidepressants and VA disability

Many veterans are prescribed antidepressants during and after military service due to the difficult and often traumatic nature of the experience. When taken under a doctor’s supervision and used as prescribed, they can be effective in treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. 

Antidepressants, especially when you first start taking them, can cause side effects like loss of appetite, diarrhea, loss of sex drive, and insomnia. However, those side effects tend to improve within a few weeks. 

Some antidepressant side effects are more serious. 

Serotonin syndrome is an uncommon set of side effects linked to antidepressants. If serotonin levels in your brain get too high, it can lead to:

• Seizures
• Irregular heartbeat
• Loss of consciousness 

Elderly people taking antidepressants may experience a severe drop in sodium levels, called hyponatremia. When sodium levels drop, fluid inside the body’s cells can build up. Severe hyponatremia can cause:

• Disorientation
• Agitation
• Psychosis
• Seizures
• Feeling tired
• Stopped breathing
• Coma

Long-term use of antidepressants has also been linked to developing type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal issues, and in rare cases, suicidal thoughts. 

If you were prescribed an antidepressant to manage a service-connected mental health condition and now you’re experiencing any of these side effects, you may be eligible for additional compensation from the VA.

NSAIDs and common side effects

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Aspirin, Motrin, and Ibuprofen, are medications that can reduce or relieve pain, fever, and inflammation. 

Pain from arthritis, a disease affecting the joints, is common among veterans and is often treated with NSAIDs.

If you take NSAIDs for a long time or if you take more than the recommended dose, you could be at risk of:

• Stomach ulcers
• Heart failure
• Heart attack
• Kidney failure
• Liver problems
• Stroke

Gabapentin VA disability

Gabapentin is often prescribed to veterans to relieve the pain and aching of back disabilities. It’s also sometimes used to help control seizures in people who have epilepsy.

Some side effects of Gabapentin can be serious. These include:

• Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, or eyes
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Confusion

---

---

Mefloquine side effects

Mefloquine is a medication taken to prevent malaria, an infectious disease spread by mosquitoes. Until 2009, the drug was often prescribed to military personnel, especially those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Aside from the mild and more common side effects, mefloquine can cause more concerning side effects including:

• Convulsions and seizures
• Confusion
• Mood changes
• Bad or vivid dreams
• Agitation
• Suicidal thoughts or behavior

How to file a VA claim for medication side effects

If you’re experiencing side effects from a medication you’re taking to treat a service-connected condition, you may want to file a secondary VA claim for your side effects, especially if you have an official diagnosis from a doctor. 

For example, if you are taking Zoloft to treat service-connected PTSD and you start experiencing seizures, you are much more likely to receive a secondary service connection if you are diagnosed with epilepsy. 

To get a secondary service connection for medication side effects, you need the following:

• A VA disability rating for the primary service-connected condition
• Documentation of your side effects and often a diagnosis from a medical professional 
• A medical nexus showing that your side effects are a result of taking the medication to treat your primary condition

When you experience side effects, take notes. Be sure to describe what you experience, when, and how severe your side effects are. This will help you, your doctor, and the VA understand how your side effects are linked to the medication.

When you’re ready to file your claim for medication side effects, you’ll need to fill out VA Form 21-526. This is the same form used to file any other VA disability claim. If you need help filing your claim, an accredited VA disability lawyer can help you figure out which forms you need and how to fill them out correctly to receive your maximum VA rating. 

How Woods and Woods can help

Woods and Woods has been fighting for people with injuries and disabilities since 1985. Our team of accredited VA disability lawyers, case managers, legal analysts, and intake specialists knows the ins and outs of the VA so you don’t have to do all the hard work. Call us today for your free and confidential case evaluation. 

Talk to Us About Your Claim: 
(812) 426-7200

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS