Peripheral Artery Disease (pad)

[DuRock]

I have had PAD since 1999, has anyone ever heard if this has been considered as an Agent Orange presumptive? And should I go ahead and file on this since it is so close to the IHD conditions and is even mentioned in the new posting.

[DuRock]

DuRock,

Have you ever been checked for heart disease? I ask because PAD although it is in the peripheral arteries, can be an indicator of coronary artery health. Meaning that if your peripheral arteries are sick (PAD) than you may have sick arteries in your heart (IHD). If you have never seen a cardiologist than you should consider what I have explained and make an appointment. Also, you should have your "carotid arteries" checked as well, because PAD can be an indicator of problems there as well.

JMO,

Bergie

Bergie

Thank you so much for your replie, I see your name a lot and have come to respect your advice and opinion, my history is as follows.

1999 diagnosed with PAD and prior to triple bypass surgery in my right leg my vascular surgeon suggested that I have a cath performed to make sure my heart was ok. This procedure showed two heart arteries blocked 85% so stents were inserted, then I had my PAD surgery the next day. In 2000 my right leg became blocked again so my surgeon took the vein out of my left leg and replaced the entire artery in my right leg, major deal (187 staples, felt like a split frog). This procedure has been working since then but along the way my heart started giving me more problems and since then I have had 5 more stents inplaced, 8 ablation (laser) procedures, 1 shock procedure and my right coronary arterie is 100% occluted with no repair possible. Diagnosis as stated by private physicain as IHD, CHF, CAD, PAD, 50% or less fraction, and tried to do a teadmill 2 months ago and could only take it 3.4 minutes. I applied for IHD in Oct of last year. My real question is should I go ahead and apply for PAD just in case it becomes a presumtive in later years and that would inable me to get retroactive benefits from date of filing?

DuRock, Vietnam Vets Forever!!!

[chr49]

Bergie

Thank you so much for your replie, I see your name a lot and have come to respect your advice and opinion, my history is as follows.

1999 diagnosed with PAD and prior to triple bypass surgery in my right leg my vascular surgeon suggested that I have a cath performed to make sure my heart was ok. This procedure showed two heart arteries blocked 85% so stents were inserted, then I had my PAD surgery the next day. In 2000 my right leg became blocked again so my surgeon took the vein out of my left leg and replaced the entire artery in my right leg, major deal (187 staples, felt like a split frog). This procedure has been working since then but along the way my heart started giving me more problems and since then I have had 5 more stents inplaced, 8 ablation (laser) procedures, 1 shock procedure and my right coronary arterie is 100% occluted with no repair possible. Diagnosis as stated by private physicain as IHD, CHF, CAD, PAD, 50% or less fraction, and tried to do a teadmill 2 months ago and could only take it 3.4 minutes. I applied for IHD in Oct of last year. My real question is should I go ahead and apply for PAD just in case it becomes a presumtive in later years and that would inable me to get retroactive benefits from date of filing?

DuRock, Vietnam Vets Forever!!!

DuRock,

Well, you definitely have everything needed for the Ischemic Heart Disease presumptive. I don't have the answer to the real question on your post but hopefully some of our fine Hadit membership will assist you. I'll be interested to hear what they have recommend in your situation.

My question would be whether you should file PAD as a secondary to IHD at this point? It's obvious, to me, that you have severe issues with systemic atherosclerosis. Good luck and let us know how you proceed so we can learn thru your case.

[chr49]

Bump

[*Bergie*]

Bergie

Thank you so much for your replie, I see your name a lot and have come to respect your advice and opinion, my history is as follows.

1999 diagnosed with PAD and prior to triple bypass surgery in my right leg my vascular surgeon suggested that I have a cath performed to make sure my heart was ok. This procedure showed two heart arteries blocked 85% so stents were inserted, then I had my PAD surgery the next day. In 2000 my right leg became blocked again so my surgeon took the vein out of my left leg and replaced the entire artery in my right leg, major deal (187 staples, felt like a split frog). This procedure has been working since then but along the way my heart started giving me more problems and since then I have had 5 more stents inplaced, 8 ablation (laser) procedures, 1 shock procedure and my right coronary arterie is 100% occluted with no repair possible. Diagnosis as stated by private physicain as IHD, CHF, CAD, PAD, 50% or less fraction, and tried to do a teadmill 2 months ago and could only take it 3.4 minutes. I applied for IHD in Oct of last year. My real question is should I go ahead and apply for PAD just in case it becomes a presumtive in later years and that would inable me to get retroactive benefits from date of filing?

DuRock, Vietnam Vets Forever!!!

Du,

Thank you very much, I appreciate your complement. With that said, "WOW", you have so many health problems I don't know where to start. Unfortunately, I don't know very much about the AO presumptives since I am Gulf war era. I would like to see berta get involved with you and see what she could do for your situation. Personally, I think you should just file for everything, because you have so many things that something has to be AO connected. With that said though I really would like Berta to get involved with you. I think you need a new post and title it something like Berta I need your help. once you do that ask her if she will allow you to PM her and go from their. I hope I'm not offending Berta, but I think she is super smart and knows alot about AO claims.

Hope this helps, take care,

Bergie

[chr49]

Du,

Thank you very much, I appreciate your complement. With that said, "WOW", you have so many health problems I don't know where to start. Unfortunately, I don't know very much about the AO presumptives since I am Gulf war era. I would like to see berta get involved with you and see what she could do for your situation. Personally, I think you should just file for everything, because you have so many things that something has to be AO connected. With that said though I really would like Berta to get involved with you. I think you need a new post and title it something like Berta I need your help. once you do that ask her if she will allow you to PM her and go from their. I hope I'm not offending Berta, but I think she is super smart and knows alot about AO claims.

Hope this helps, take care,

Bergie

Bergie is thinking along the same lines as I was. I bumped this message in hopes that Berta would pick up on it. She's the best when it comes to AO claims. If you can get connected I'd go for it. Please keep us updated, OK? Those of us out here with PAD are always interested in others with the same problems.

[Berta]

Chuck is correct

"PAD

According to the proposed Ischemic Heart disease regs, it's not. It is, according to medical references, related to Diabetes. The VA likes to deny as secondary to Diabetes. "

If there is evidence that you definitely have IHD then the PAD should be service connected as secondary to it-unless they try to fgind some other etiology with full medical rationale.

I commented on this under the proposed reg and made 2 other points at the Regs Federal Register site- dont know if my comment is there yet-

"1.The definition of Ischemic heart disease, relying on Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine ( 2008 Edition on line per the regulation) isconcise enough for VA to properly identify and rate IHD even though the medical records could show a different nomenclature that means the same disability. The regulation, on page 5 of 20,separates HTN, PAD, and CVA from inclusion in the specific IHD regulations.

However the VA could (and should) infer any of these or other known medical conditions with an IHD etiology, that appear in the veteran's medical records, and establish a proper secondary service connected rating for them, if they raise to a compensable level,when they resolve these AO claims."