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Related to fibromyalgia

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I just recieved my determination for Fibromyalgia. They listed it as a disability, denied SC, but in the notes listed enviromental hazard. What does this mean? I wasn't expecting to be approved, since at the last moment, my primary PCM declined to fill out the Questionaire. Just wondering if anyone had any insight. Out of all the labs they took, the odd one was the Epstein Barr. I am not sure if that is to confirm, rule out FM... IDK. Thanks in advance for any insight!

fibromyalgia Not Service Connected

Environmental Hazard in Gulf War

 
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I'm not an expert on Gulf War conditions, but fibromyalgia is listed as a Gulf War presumptive: http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-gulfwar.asp

Epstein-Barr was likely to rule out mono

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Fibromyalgia is a bear to live with.  Ask your PCP to refer you to a rheumatologist, they are the ones to treat you and diagnose you and they will do a lot of blood test. The rheumatologist will or need to review your medical records both in service and post service  and they may monitor your condition before giving you a diagnosis but they are the ones to help you out.

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If your physician won't complete the paperwork you need to find one that will.  Were you in the Gulf War?  If you were, all you need is a diagnosis to get connected.

Having a physician state it is at least as likely as not won't hurt, but isn't a requirement.  Check out http://www.ngwrc.org/docs/2013 NGWRC Self-Help Guide.pdf

The NGWRC also has a couple of examples of NOD's.  It will help you get started on that.   

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That's not the only condition that the VA tests for to try to deny claims quickly. If you try to file for reflux or IBS, they will probably test you for H. Pylori.

Agree with your write up on Epstein-Barr. It is so prolific that it is near impossible for people to have no antibodies by the time they turn 40. Some never become symptomatic.

With fibromyalgia being a diagnosis of exclusion, they will try to look for every other cause in order to rule out a known cause.

VA docs are not supposed to refuse to fill out DBQs. I can understand them refusing to fill out one if you plop it out and request they fill it out on the spot. A professional approach would have been to refer you to a specialist right away instead of taking the long route. Take another DBQ to your rheumatologist and ask them to fill it out. Look on the bright side. A DBQ filled out by a specialist carries more weigh than one filled out by an Internist.

One more thing. If you are having sleep problems or just being dead tired all the time, ask the rheumatologist about it. My rheumatologist referred me for a sleep study and I learned I had sleep apnea. He said some people with fibro have it. I got a CPAP machine and it helps when I can keep the darn mask on all night.

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I'm not an expert on Gulf War conditions, but fibromyalgia is listed as a Gulf War presumptive: http://www.benefits.va.gov/COMPENSATION/claims-postservice-gulfwar.asp

Epstein-Barr was likely to rule out mono

Yeah that is what I thought, but I did a google search and found va disability appeals with Epstein-Barr related to both fibro and CFS among other Gulf War conditions. There are different aspects they look at, and I tested negative for an acute Epstein-Barr infection, but showed that I had the antibodies related to a past infection. I have documented upper respiratory infections and mono documented. 

 

The acute marker if positive would undermine the claim but that was the one negative I had in the panel of four. Therefore the similar symptomology of Epstein cannot be a more "convenient" explanation because my labs ruled that out. But I also read that Epstein Barr is suspected to relate/trigger/contribute to things such as CFS, FM, etc. With all that on both sides, it becomes a gray area where it could help or hurt either way makes it kind of confusing for the bottom line.

 

 

 

Fibromyalgia is a bear to live with.  Ask your PCP to refer you to a rheumatologist, they are the ones to treat you and diagnose you and they will do a lot of blood test. The rheumatologist will or need to review your medical records both in service and post service  and they may monitor your condition before giving you a diagnosis but they are the ones to help you out.

 I only go to the VA 2x a year, generally. I have a healthy distrust and prefer to go the civilian route. I had a PCM who was an Internist, who has been treating me with medication for nerve pain, fibro, chronic headaches, IBS, etc. I asked if I needed a specialist to confirm and he said no. Then after over a year of continual treatment, I brought the Fibro packet for him to fill out and he stalled and then refused to fill it out saying it was too confusing and that he didn't feel comfortable filling it out.

 

 

Once I requested his notes, I realized that only half of what he did was noted. I learned my lesson, periodically retrieve notes, and I should have requested a referral to a specialist months ago. Live and learn... Next week I have an ortho and Rheumatology appointments. This hassle with the PCM is a great segway to bring up everything right away. I didn’t want to bring up claim type stuff right away last time, because I didn’t want my PCM to be prejudice in his treatment. Since I have DDD/DA and issues in my cervical and lumbar/sacral, and fibro, I will explain all of it and just explain I want to figure out what the heck is going on. 

 

 

If your physician won't complete the paperwork you need to find one that will.  Were you in the Gulf War?  If you were, all you need is a diagnosis to get connected.

Having a physician state it is at least as likely as not won't hurt, but isn't a requirement.  Check out http://www.ngwrc.org/docs/2013 NGWRC Self-Help Guide.pdf

The NGWRC also has a couple of examples of NOD's.  It will help you get started on that.   

 Yeah that is where I am at now, I have multiple appointments with specialists next week. And I am a Gulf War veteran, I was deployed to Iraq and qualify for the registries related to the hazards.

 

 

Concerning the presumptive conditions, tell me about it! At least the VA recognizes I have FM. I am confused that they listed it as environmental hazard, but denied SC, esp since it is presumptive. I must be missing something…

 

 

 

 

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