Opinion ID: 566017
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence of medical improvement:

Text: 14 Griego challenges both the ALJ's findings of medical improvement and his findings of ability to perform past relevant work. She first contends that the record does not support the finding of medical improvement. She complains that the ALJ gave insufficient weight to some of the medical reports, particularly the reports of Drs. Moon, Fong, Peters, and Snyder, and too much weight to her daily activities and her decision to forego strong pain-killing medication. 15 It was within the discretion of the ALJ to determine the credibility of the various medical reports in the record, and we find substantial evidence in support of his conclusions. See Moore v. Sullivan, 919 F.2d 901, 905 (5th Cir.1990). We find it significant that Dr. Moon last examined Griego in May of 1984, more than two years prior to the cessation of her disability. Dr. Fong's report lends little support to Griego; it merely notes her own complaints of pain. And Dr. Peters is a chiropractor; the relevant regulations accord less weight to chiropractors than to medical doctors. See 20 C.F.R. Sec. 404.1513(e). By contrast, the reports of Dr. Herbertson, Griego's treating physician from August of 1986 through October of 1987, lend substantial support to the ALJ's conclusions. 2 As to the evidence of mental impairment, we find no error in the ALJ's decision to weight the report of Dr. Pennal, a psychiatrist, over the report of Dr. Snyder, a neurologist. 16 It was also within the discretion of the ALJ to discount Griego's complaints of pain based on the medical reports combined with her daily activities and her decision to forego certain medications. While exclusive reliance on daily activities or a decision to forego a particular medication might concern us, we find no error in the consideration of these factors in conjunction with the medical reports. See Reyes v. Sullivan, 915 F.2d 151, 155 (5th Cir.1990). In the cases cited by Griego, the ALJ relied on these factors in discrediting complaints of pain despite substantial contrary medical evidence. See Brooks v. Sullivan, 882 F.2d 1375, 1378-79 (8th Cir.1989); Nelson v. Bowen, 882 F.2d 45 (2nd Cir.1989). Here, by contrast, substantial medical evidence supports the ALJ's conclusions. In fact, Dr. Herbertson recommended that the best approach for Griego's pain would be more exercise and less medication. 17