Jayco

Filed a claim for worsening condition of my service connected heart disease. Since I was first service connected for heart disease, I have had a heart attack and diagnosed with hypersensitive carotid artery which required a pacemaker. VA paid for both the heart attack and the pacemaker. VA wears me out, so I have to take time to build up the fortitude to file a claim. After a couple of years filed a claim for both of the above as worsening condition. Heart attack was approved, but rated 0. HCA was denied claiming it was not related to the heart, so it was also denied. Found an article on Pubmed where it said HCA was a marker of heart disease. Later received an error letter reversing their decision on HCA. They made it part of heart disease, but the heart disease rating did not change. On the same claim I filed for Parkinsons' which was approved. It put me to 100%. Not 100% P&T. If HCA and a heart attack doesn't qualify for worsening condition rating, then what does. The HCA alone required a pacemaker, quarterly visits to check the pacemaker, months of heart rhythm irregularities before getting the pacemaker set right, and an operation roughly ever 7 years to change the battery. Is the fact I hit 100% have anything to do with not being approved for a rating for worsening condition of heart disease? Thanks in advance.

Filed a claim first part of 2022. In Sept. 2022 received an email from VES for a records review. Heard nothing from the review. Figured everything had been finalized. Now fast forward to Feb. 2023 and I get 2 emails from VES on consecutive days stating they are doing a records review. Each email lists a separate doctor. Has anyone ever got two at the same time especially this soon after the last one and should I be worried? First thing that popped into my mind was an issue I have with the Foreign Medical Program. I'm not happy with them and they are not happy with me. They are not processing my reimbursement claims and they say they are. They're blaming the foreign mail services for me not getting my reimbursement checks. I mentioned in a couple of emails to them unless something starts happening that I would hire an attorney. Boy that did not go over well. Is it possible the FMP could have prompted the two records reviews out of anger about me hiring an attorney? I do not want to pi** anyone off, but I have $7,000 in claims that some go back two years +. I am at a loss what step to take and how to take it. Thanks, Mike

In 2017 had a pacemaker implanted for carotid hypersensitivity. VA paid for it. I am service connected for heart disease. This year I decided to file a claim for worsening condition of heart disease. Found an article on Pubmed that said carotid hypersensitivity was not a separate disease, but a marker for heart disease and arteriosclerosis. VA rejected my claim for worsening condition and said it had nothing to do with the heart. Said it was not service connected. I think they are absolutely wrong. If it is not service connected, why pay for the pacemaker. I've taken this claim as far as I can. I'm limited to what I can do. Would like to turn it over to maybe an attorney or some other professional individual or organization. Can anyone make a recommendation? By the way. I recently reached 100% disability. I have this claim and one other that can be pursued but wondering if I should leave well enough alone. Thanks in advance.

Back in 2012 I applied for disability with the VA: diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. They were all presumptive at that time. They approved all three and I received back pay and started receiving monthly checks. Then a few months later they removed hypertension but said I could keep all moneys already paid and that the monthly payment would stay the same. Removing hypertension happened to a couple of other guys I know. Monetarily no damage but would not be able to receive any treatment expense for the disease. Now I see as of 2022 hypertension is on the presumptive list. See anything wrong with applying for disability again for hypertension? Thanks in advance.

Been doing some research. Let me run it by you. Pacemaker was installed and paid for by the VA back in 2017. At that time, I was Agent Orange connected for diabetes and heart. For them to have paid for it, at least at that time they felt it fell under heart. I am just now filing a claim. Since it fell under heart when they paid, I filed a claim as worsening condition. Apparently, the coronary system and carotid artery system are two different items. One feeds the heart and the other feeds the brain. Argent orange covers the coronary system, but not the carotid artery system. If I understand their letter correctly, they are not going to let me file a carotid artery problem under coronary. So far, I cannot find any medical support for connecting agent orange to carotid sinus hypersensitivity. In fact, there have been 2 or 3 passages where they said agent orange had nothing to do with the carotid artery. I did find one study where dioxin was credited for plaque buildup in the carotid artery. Workers worked in a chemical plant that made agent orange. So, agent orange did have an effect on the individual's carotid system at least in the above study. I do not think there is going to be anything to support the carotid sinus problem. Not enough studies and not enough general information. Must be a small problem, so drew no interest. I was exposed to dioxin and the VA says they think that is the cause of the problem. But they want a doctor to provide a letter and scientific evidence to support his opinion. But the doctor has got to have information in order to do that. I will continue to search, but I believe unless I can go an around-about-way, I am not going to find anything. Thanks for the comments above. They were helpful. Any other thoughts? Thanks, Mike

Filed a claim for Parkinsons', hypersensitive carotid artery requiring pacemaker, and heart attack. Parkinson's was new. The latter two were filed as worsening condition of my already service-connected heart disease. Parkinsons' approved. Heart attack rated 0. Carotid artery deferred. VA letter says they believe artery problem is caused by dioxin. Wants a letter from a doctor supporting that it is caused by dioxin and evidence supporting her claim. According to this I found on the internet: "Dioxin is a member of the class of persistent organic pollutants which resulted from the deliberately accelerated production of 2,4,5-T, one of the components of agent orange". Since dioxin resulted from the production of agent orange, why are they questioning? Why isn't dioxin presumptive as part of agent orange? Coronary artery disease is on the list of presumptive conditions due to agent orange, so why even mention dioxin? Also, why the 0 rating on heart attack? Any thoughts on why VA is doing what they are doing would be appreciated. Thanks for your help.

Neither. I just submitted the claim for Parkinson's and saw Parkinsonism. It threw me.

Been diagnosed by one doctor that I have Parkinsonism, but in parentheses states most likely Parkinson's. Another doctor diagnosed my condition as just Parkinson's. For some reason VA has picked to rate me on Parkinsonism. At my physical doctor said it was definitely Parkinson's. Should I be concerned? Does VA rate both conditions in the same manner? Thanks.

Service connected for ischemic heart disease back in 2012. Since then I've had a heart attack and a pace maker implanted due to a hypersensitive carotid artery. Due to these two subsequent events I have filed a claim asking for a ratings review on my heart condition. That was what I originally planned to do. I received a message asking if I want to file a new claim or secondary claim or worsening condition review on the two above health events. As I stated I had planned to file for a worsening condition review. Never thought about filing a new or secondary claim. From a layman's view point I cannot see how either event could be considered secondary to ischemic heart disease. Too me it is part of the disease and not secondary to it. But then I am not a doctor. Also do not see why I would file a new separate claim for either event. I am concerned I may pick the wrong category which could cause me problems. Should I file using worsening condition as I originally planned? The carotid artery condition while related to the heart is different in nature to ischemic heart disease. One deals with blocked arteries. The other deals with the sensitivity of the carotid artery. The carotid artery may require a new claim. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Due to a heart attack and a pace maker since being service connected, I would like to request a review for a rating increase. Because I had heart disease and diabetes at the time of original filing, some people were surprised I did not get a 100% rating instead of 70%. Maybe the heart attack and pace maker will put me to the 100% mark. Also would like to file for a new condition. I have developed hand tremors and to a certain extent upper body tremors. Makes it difficult to function on a day to day basis especially eating. From what I have read you use the 21-526EZ for both the review and the new condition. Can I do both on the same form or do they each need a separate filing? Thanks in advance.

I am submitting medical bills to the VA under the Foreign Medical Program. Payments have slowed to an absolute trickle. For instance I received an EOB dated 2020 May 4 with a check dated May 6 just yesterday. Looks like the check just sit for 5 months after being printed. This is not counting the bill being 4 months old before they printed the the EOB and check. I know there is the pandemic going on. Is that the reason? The amount of money I am owed is becoming a burden. Thanks.

I have had a couple of people say that I was rated too low when first rated 7 years ago. I was rated at 70%. I was rated basically on heart disease and diabetes. Since being rated I have had a heart attack and a pace maker implanted. Other things I have wrong that have not been service connected is tremors in hands, 3rd stage kidney failure, and brain seizures caused by the side affects of the diabetes pill I was taking. I want to file a claim for a review. Do I put in the claim all conditions or just the service related. Kidney, tremors, and brains seizures again have not been service related. Thanks

Wanting to file a claim for third stage kidney disease as secondary to heart disease and diabetes type 2. Was diagnosed with kidney disease this year. Eight years ago cysts were found on my kidneys, but were claimed to be filled with water. Just need to keep a watch on them which I did not do. Reason being the doctor said they should be okay as long as they did not get too big. Blood work the last 8 years said kidneys were fine. This year blood work is coming back saying things are not fine. A few years ago I filed a claim for sleep apnea and got denied. I believe it was due to my inexperience in filing claims. I have severe sleep apnea, but yet could not get approved. If I file the kidney disease claim I want to be sure I am during it right. If I can find an attorney I will turn over to him. There is article after article on the internet showing how kidney disease is caused by heart disease and diabetes which I could use for support. But it is my understanding that is not what they want. VA wants proof of connection of "my" kidney disease to "my" heart disease and diabetes. Not general articles from the internet. I have a doctor treating me for kidney disease. I take medication. I get blood work done every two to four weeks. How do you connect to heart disease and diabetes? I could get a letter from my doctor, but I did that with sleep apnea and it did no good. Can someone tell me what the VA is looking for? Thank you in advance.

Living in a foreign country I am in the foreign medical program. Rated for heart disease and diabetes. I have to pay the bill and then get reimbursed from the VA. They only reimburse bills that are related to those two diseases. If I were in the states I would be treated free at a VA hospital for free whether related or not. I have submitted several bills to the VA for reimbursement via both email and regular mail. The amount of money that is owed me is mounting to the point it is creating a financial difficulty. The VA is not responding with an EOB or any correspondence concerning my claims. I do get a check on occasion, but no where near what I am owed. Anyone else having the same problem? Is the foreign medical program closed due to the virus? I was not sure what forum to post this, so if I posted wrong I apologize.

I have been diagnosed with cystic kidney disease. One about 8cm in size, another a little smaller, and then several small cysts. They are filled with water and pose no danger at the moment. If they grow, then they could pose a problem. Kidneys operating at 50%. Doctor says there is nothing to do at this point. Just take an ultra sound of them once a year and monitor their size. Is this something I can file a claim on and if so, file now or wait until the disease progresses. Thanks.

Sorry for taking so long to respond. Between fatigue, doctor, and dental appointments it is hard to get everything done. First, let me say I have never been treated by the VA. I was diagnosed with heart disease and diabetes prior to moving to Thailand and medical insurance covered the costs. But I did not learn about the VA program until I moved to Thailand. In Thailand as of 2012 I treat under the foreign medical program. I go to private hospitals, pay for the bills myself, and then apply for reimbursement, but only for heart disease and diabetes related items. The private hospitals are the ones who prescribed Glucophage. However, the VA according to them caused diabetes which required the treatment of diabetes. Do they have any responsibility? According to what I have read 1 in 3 diabetics that take Glucophage have a problem with magnesium. Yet when I ask a doctor here why do you not monitor magnesium he says no one has a problem with it. In my opinion 1 in 3 is enough to monitor everyone taking Glucophage and is a diabetic. According to the doctors I would have died had no one been in the room when I had the seizures. That to me is reason enough. I probably will not get anywhere with this. Everyone wants to say why didn't you do this or that. I'm not a doctor. I depend on him to take care of me. I know there are certain things I am responsible for, but there are certain things he should be doing. Monitoring magnesium falls into his area of expertise in my opinion. Thanks everyone for your input.

Drug, Glucophage, I have been taking for years. One side effect of it is diarrhea which explains the diarrhea I have had for years. I always thought it was the coffee. Diarrhea will lower magnesium. In October I had two seizers and was taken to critical care for 3 days and the recovery ward for another 3 days. Doctors at that hospital said the seizers were caused by the low magnesium of .2. Needs to be 1.6 or higher. They said had I been alone I would have died. A doctor at my heart hospital said that Glucophage caused the low magnesium for a while. Now she is saying "may". The hospitals are the ones who prescribed Glucophage. Who do I sue or do I? I am in Thailand. This occurred in Thailand, so should I get a Thai attorney? Or, should I get a US attorney? By the way. My hospital took me off Glucophage and put me on a new pill. The next day the diarrhea stopped and I have not had one case of diarrhea since. Right now I am having to take magnesium supplements not sure for how long.

Married to a foreign national and live in her country. Married 6 years. Once I die can she continue to receive disability payments and if so, what form number do we use to apply? 21-686C? Thanks

Diabetes, hypertension, and weight gain all occurred before 2001 bypass surgery. I vaguely remember there was a section that explained the acronyms used on this site. Looked for it, but could find. Could someone point me in the right direction? One thing that struck me is the doctors statement that no recent sleep study has been done to determine if my conditions have been made worse. He seems to be admitting that there is a possibility they have been. I would think since it has been 11 years since the last sleep study, the doctor would have recommended a new sleep study. Diagnosis for SA was obstructive back in 2006. I am inclined to think that it is mixed, partly obstructive and partly central. Thinking maybe I should get another test. If the new test found mixed, would that make any difference? Thanks.

Attached is a copy of the VA doctors response to my NOD. Also find two court cases. Thanks Redacted NOD Response.pdf Court case 2.pdf Judgement.pdf

Diagnosed by my GP, who was also a sleep specialist, at a private hospital in the US in 2006 . I was not even aware I could qualify for disability before 2012. After I arrived in Thailand Dec 2011, I ran into a fellow vet who explained the agent orange connection. If I had never come to Thailand, I probably would never have known. As I said earlier according to the study I stop breathing 20 seconds out of every minute. My oxygen level measured down around 89. I've never met with a VA employee of any kind. I filed the claim myself and received an email from the American Embassy in Bangkok to arrange an exam. Doing this off of memory, but seems like the embassy gave me a few doctor suggestions, but recommended an American doctor that was experienced in doing VA exams. He worked in a hospital in Bangkok. He gave me copies of the exam results. He is also the one who rendered an opinion in support of my SA claim. In my original claim I did list SA along with heart and diabetes. Since I did not know what to list, it was more of a list everything approach. At that time I was not sure what would be covered. They denied it. I did not pursue because I knew nothing about secondary conditions. Later once I knew more I filed a claim for SA secondary to diabetes. To speed things up, could I have a sleep study done here in Thailand and possibly take that study to your non VA sleep neurologist in the US? Could probably have the sleep study done in the next couple of weeks. If the neurologist needs to see medical records, that could take a while. I do not have a copy of my C file. If all he needed was a sleep study and do an exam, that could be done fairly quickly. Okay to post a copy of the VA response from their doctor on here? Gastone, did you handle your SA claim yourself? Thanks.

Something I failed to mention is that I am located in Thailand and am under the foreign medical program. It is my understanding that the FMP will not pay for non SC. In the US the VA would. I am at a point that I am willing to make the necessary trips to the US to get this done. I could possibly ask for assistance from my VR, but I do not have a whole lot of confidence. VA sends correspondence to him, but I am not sure I am getting copies of everything. The medical report concerning the VA doctors opinion on my SA was something that was not mailed to me. It was only after talking with the VR asking questions that he asked if I wanted a copy of the medical opinion. I thought I was automatically getting copies of all correspondence, but apparently not. Overall I guess I am okay with my VR. However, he did read the VA medical opinion on SA and discouraged me from pursuing. Sometimes you have to wonder who's side they are on. I don't have a copy of my medical records for anyone to review. I failed to ask my physicians to send me a copy when they mailed to the VA. Would my VA claims file have everything needed for a physician to review? I can request a copy from VA, but not sure how long that would take. In order to get a VA sleep study done, do I need to fly to the US, meet with a VA doctor, and request a VA sleep study or can all this be done from Thailand? Once the sleep study is done, can I use a sleep doctor here to write the opinion after reviewing the study results and my medical records? Again, I would be glad to make the necessary trips to the US to get this done if that would be best. Thanks.

I referenced in my OP a doctor who would not prescribe a CPAP or surgery for over weight and older people because they did not work well enough. Not everyone can use them nor do they work well at least according to one doctor for a certain group of people of which I am one. Over the 10 years of trying to use a CPAP, I have overcome some issues and have it down to one issue that prevents me from using a CPAP. Paper dry mouth. I use a machine that has a humidifier, but still not enough. Keeping my mouth closed has always been a problem, but even when I do I still get dry mouth. I wake up in the night struggling to swallow. I recently talked to my cardiologist about pursuing further treatment. I just havn't pulled the trigger. It is not covered by VA, so out of my pocket. I am service connected for CAD and Type 2 diabetes. Filed for SC first time in 2012. Was for hypertension, but that got cut. In my original filing I ask for SA, but then decided not to pursue. At the time did know if I could make a case for SA. Then later read where it was being covered for some people. Problems not service connected are over weight and SA. Recently had a pacemaker installed due to hypersensitive carotid artery which I guess falls under CAD. VA paid. I was diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes in the 90's. Bypass surgery in 2001. In 2009 determined one bypass is completely blocked. Nothing done. No danger of dying and unblocking could cause more problems. SA was not diagnosed until 2006 kind of as an after thought. One day my GP suggested I might want to do a sleep study. No one had talked about it prior to that. SA is severe. Test results showed I stop breathing on average of 20 seconds out of every minute. On why I think I might qualify for SC on SA, I've read one case where one person had SC approved for SA that at least on the surface did not seem any different than my situation. It came down to basically his diabetes caused him to be overweight as oppose to the other way around. Being over weight then caused the SA thus the SC. VA basically says that my weight caused the SA. It has been determined that “it is more likely than not” that my CAD and diabetes was caused by agent orange. If that is the case, weight gain did not cause CAD and diabetes. AO did. So what caused the weight gain? Is it possible for CAD and/or diabetes to cause weight gain? If yes, thus the SC. If not, then I think no reason to pursue. As I mentioned I read about one legal case which was won based on SC diabetes causing weight gain which then caused SA. I remember many decades ago my father having to go to court for SS disability. I remember a comment he made that almost everyone has to actually go to court to have a chance of getting approval. They try to make you give up. I have no evidence other than what I have already stated. Can you give me an example of evidence you are talking about? This is one reason why I need someone who has the expertise to handle the filing. I just do not have it. Thanks.

I filed a claim with the help of my doctor for sleep apnea as secondary connection. Denied. Filed a NOD. Denied. The NOD was denied over a year ago. A doctor for the VA said my sleep apnea was due to being over weight and that I "refused" to use my CPAP. They offered me a hearing, but I never responded. I have tried off and on for 10 years to use a CPAP and just cannot use them. Discouraged by the whole process I just gave up. Read this concerning weight: "Unfortunately, too many people disregard the other risk factors for diabetes and think that weight is the only risk factor that raises the chances of a person developing a disease for type 2 diabetes. Most overweight people never develop type 2 diabetes, and many people with type 2 diabetes are at a normal weight or only moderately overweight." Read this on CPAP machines and surgery in a forum in Thailand: "I went to Bummrumgard here in TH and the doctor told me he didn't dispense them to overweight people they didn't work well enough. He also didn't do the expensive surgery for sleep apnea on older or overweight people." Bummrungrad is a well known and highly respected hospital in Bangkok. I went there for heart disease and diabetes, but not sleep apnea. I'm now thinking about trying again. I have two questions: Do I start over like it is a new claim? Can someone recommend an attorney or doctor with experience in filing claims for sleep apnea? I think I have a case. It most likely will end up having to go to a hearing, so I need expertise in filing the claim. Thanks.

Update. Contacted my RO and he responded very quickly. According to my RO the payment was made Feb 1 and it should have been received. So, most likely the problem resides at my bank. I sent an email to a contact at my bank last Friday, but haven't received a response. Just sent another one. Rather than wait on the VA to contact me to correct the overpayment, I'm going to send a letter bringing the overpayment to their attention. I need to get this off my plate. Too much of a worry. Also, I need to figure out how to upgrade eBenefits. It keeps rejecting any previous address I had in the states. Now it says I have to call. Hopefully I can get through and get it set up. If I could have checked eBenefits first, I would have saved a lot of worry and other peoples time. Thanks everyone for your help.