diabetes Diabetes Claims Advice

[rootbeer22]

Folks:

I've been away from Hadit.com for the last few months due to work and travels issues. Anyway, I was recently diagnosed with Diabetes and prescribed Medforman and I'm wondering if its worth filing a disability claim for it? During my Army Career, my glucose numbers were always in the high range. Yesterday, I read the Diabetes Training letter and its a very scary disease. I'm already rated overall at 90% with a lot of the injuries stemming from a Tank Accident and Explosion that left me unable to do much physically.  Over the span of my time in the Army my lipid counts and glucose levels were always high (109). I was also SC for Hypertensive Heart Disease  during the processing of my claims.  Ultimately,  I'm trying to figure out if I should submit a disability claim for the Diabetes, because  I also got very sick in the Middle East as a result of Ecoli Poisoning that I had gotten sick from at Camp Doha, Kuwait.   After  that incident, my blood pressure shot and remained up and  my blood labs were never the same so there could be a connection?  I spoke about this with another Vet who said unless a Vet is Vietnam Era and exposed Agent Orange, that SC is tough to obtain?

I've always gotten good advice from this forum and appreciate your help in advance..

Rootbeer22

[syne7]

8 minutes ago, rootbeer22 said:

Folks:

Stayed up too late last night going over my medical records for this potential  Diabetes II claim and think I hit a snag? On my retirement physical it says that I had over 105 (actually 106) for a Fasting Glucose and they considered it as high via the lab report? Now they range from or 110-160 and I'm on Medformann? But when I read the VA Circa 2000 Diabetes Training Letter last night  it appears that a vet has to have at least a Fasting GLU of  over 126 in service  to qualify for a Diabetes diagnosis and compensation?  Also, despite what I did in service with diet, I had terrible high cholesterol, liver hepatic stenosis and very high hyperglycemia. I was also diagnosed with a fatty liver when I was in service as well. Frankly, I'm not sure if the symptomatology alone or the progression of the disease inn service  will get me over the hurdle to compensation now unless someone can give me a better  idea of how to attack the possible service connections for the Diabetes that I have? 

That said, before I drop this idea completely, I wanted to reach out one more time to you great folks at hadit.com to see what you think if I had a chance and should just drop the effort? I don't want to waste anyone's time or efforts unless I had a shot in the first place of getting a positive outcome. That said,  I realize there are no guarantees in this life but also want to be smart about this.

Thanks, Rootbeer22

Based on what you stated thus far.  It looks like you may have had Metabolic Syndrome in service, which is pre-indicate/cause of diabetes.  It's certainly worth a claim.  If you go to medical provider and get an opinion stating that your DM2 is connected to your military service. 

I would like for and IMO/IME/or Nexus letter from a known provider such as Dr. Ellis, Dr. Bush etc....

I would claim DMII for primary service connecting in Ebennies and Metabolic Syndrom Primary in Ebennies and DM2 Secondary to Metabolic Syndrome (MBS).

MBS is an objective diagnosis, you have the scores or you don't.

Also, you might have other service connected conditions that cause or exacerbate/aggravate DM2 for service connection.

My personal belief is that you can make this happen, if you are willing to the do the leg work of getting letters and the facts support the contention.

What are your SC disabilities currently?

[Buck52]

Rootbeer

Go ahead file the claim...only thing is is IF your denied  and after you get their reason and bases of the denial  then you can go from there.

I believe you will win this.

[Berta]

I completely agree....those conditions you mentioned are all indicative of diabetes.

Bu it is up to you,whether to pursue or not.

I mentioned IMO/IMe because even though VA is fully aware of all of the symptoms and complications of diabetes, 

and I knew my DMII AO death claim evidence was solid, still I obtained in all 4 IMOs,2 from Dr. Bash, 2,000 each, a freebee from a former VA neuro and than I even ordered a cardio IMO ,paid about 1500 for it, and the award letter came before the cardio IMO did.I had knocked down a PA cardio opinion myself but was not sure if the BVA would reject that VA opinion, and they did.The cardio forensic firm refunded about 800-900 bucks to me since their IMO was not even prepared yet, when the award arrived..

 

My point is, and Syne7's too, is that if you are willing to do the leg work, and then willing to shell out some IMO money, if you strongly feel it would be a good investment, then by all means file the claim.

I would not depend on VA to connect the dots on diabetes claims....and of course,in my experience,  they couldn't even diagnose it right, even with the metabolic syndrome clearly established in his VA medical records, causing my husband's death.

 

Anyone with diabetes can get strokes and/or diabetic cardiomegaly, that could cause their death, due to the diabetes, if it is not adequately medicated and controlled with diet. If you have a spouse, that is something to consider as well.