Feeling Cheated
So this is a long story and I'm honestly fighting with myself on whether I should even post this or not but here it goes.
I've just recently received my rating and it totaled me out at 94% which we all know was rounded down to 90%. This new rating was an increase from 80% that I filed for. It was my first ever request for an increase and I've been rated at 80 since I got out in '13. My symptoms are drastically getting worse especially for my chronic pain. Anyways, I'm very confident that I should have been rated higher but I feel like the rater saw that I was a year out from my ITF and probably factored that into their decision. If I would have been rated 10% higher on any of my conditions it would have put me over the threshold and made me 100.
I have three SC 0% conditions. Rhinitis, Sinusitis and Achilles tendon strain/FHL tendonitis.
SC PTSD at 70%
SC Lumbar spasm/strain at 40%
SC Cervical strain at 30%
SC Migraines, Cervicogenic headaches at 30%
SC Radiculopathy on both sides at 20% each
I honestly feel that I should be at 100% PTSD but I'm glad it's not rated higher for personal reasons. But my other conditions are getting worse every year. My fear is that they'll eventually keep me from working as I have already had to take a significant amount of time off of work because of the pain and inability to even get out of bed.
My question, for anyone willing to solicit an answer, is how should I proceed with this?
Should I just wait to file again later? (To not poke the bear too quickly) Or just strike while the irons hot?
Should I file for some secondary conditions? (I actually JUST learned that these were a thing) Still have no clue what to even look for with these though. What qualifies and what condition to attach them to.
Or should I go for increasing one of my zero conditions? My Achilles strain has caused more issues since the original rating, I just don't know how id prove that since I haven't gone to the Dr about it in a long time.
Just looking for my best possible chances. I really don't think I should give up since I'm so close but I feel lost and discouraged.