Changing Presumptive Requirements, How?

[kate7772]

Who actually decides or who would need to be contacted regarding changes in agent orange presumptives.

I especially wonder about neuropathy which according to VA has to have been manifested to at least 10% within one year of discharge. But, according to multiple sources, this is a disease that was not even diagnosable until recently. That makes it impossible to meet the requirements for presumptive.

So, who could actually introduce a change?

Thanks

Kate

[john999]

Unless you PN is due to DMII it is just about impossible to get it SC'ed under AO presumption. I would not hold my breath for too many more presumptive conditions being added to AO list. We will mostly all be dead in 20 years so why make more old vet SC and have to pay surviving spouses? Unless I get hit by a truck I will probably die for heart disease. I have that as presumptive for AO. We are all going to die for AO presumptives I think.

John

[georgiapapa]

When I filed my claim for AO presumptive multiple myeloma, I also filed a claim for peripheral neuropathy of my lower extremities secondary to multiple myeloma. My neuropathy did not start until several years after I was discharged. I had a lot of diagnostic tests to determine the origin of my neuropathy. After ruling out numerous other possibilities, my neurologist provided me with an IMO stating my neuropathy was "more likely than not" caused by my multiple myeloma. I was service connected for multiple myeloma and peripheral neuropathy secondary to multiple myeloma. Since being service connected for neuropathy, I had another neurologist at a Emory University Neuro Clinic conduct more diagnostic tests and she concluded my neuropathy was directly related to my multiple myeloma.

I have also been recently diagnosed with DMII (another AO presumptive disease) so I will probably get a double dose of neuropathy.

I believe it is highly probable that chronic neuropathy is directly caused by agent orange exposure and that it often does not manifest itself until many years after the exposure to agent orange. I believe the VA put the one year limit on neuropathy as a way of saving money. Hopefully, they will eliminate the one year limit at some point in the future. JMO

[georgiapapa]

John,

I have to agree with your comment that we (Vietnam vets) are all probably going to die from AO presumptives. I now have three AO presumptives and I would not be surprised if I was diagnosed with additional AO presumptives. They really poisoned us good. Now they are just waiting for us to die. JMO

[oz]

Yeah, but I plan to outlive all those  admin SOBs in spite of AO, CAD, Renal failure,  Stage 4. Kidney Disease, PN and Coronary Artery Bypass Graft - 8 blockages. Just to spite my 40% rating being looked at again even as I type this.

[FormerMember]

Ain't no time to wonder why. Whoopee we're all gonna die. Pick an AO presumptive and ride it like a bronco, guys. I saddled up Porphyria cutanea tarda and rode it to a 100% rating. Whatever you do, pick one that kills you or can be rated for the big bucks. Forget about chloracne and all the sub-acute PN xxxxx stuff. Go for the shit that is gonna kill you. Find the doctor who will write that golden nexus that says  the cancer in your throat is due to AO. We're running out of time. There are only about 850 K of us left.