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Prostate Cancer Longer Than 5 Years.

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texal1

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I FILED FOR PROSTATE CANCER IN 2004. AFTER DENIALS AND MUCH TESTING, FINALLY WAS APPROVED IN 2007& RETRO PAID BACK TO APRIL, 2004. HAD SEED IMPLANTS IN FEB. 2008 BY PRIVATE DOCTORS. PSA WENT FROM 14+ TO .070. LOST PRIVATE INSURANCE, AND USED VA. EXAMINED NOV. 2009. OUT SOURCED VA DR. WROTE CANCER STILL ACTIVE WITH A PSA OF .70, ACTIVE TREATMENT STILL ON GOING UNTIL MAY 2009. C&P EXAMINE IN NOV. 2009, WHICH CONSISTED OF TOUCHING MY ANKLES, PRESSING ON MY KIDNEYS, AND USING 6 MONTH OLD BLOOD RESULTS, AND A PSA TEST .037. VA WANTED TO REDUCE MY RATING FROM 100% TO 60% FOR RESIDUALS. VSO AND I FILED FOR A HEARING ON THE GROUNDS OF NOT PREFORMING A FULLY AND COMPLETE EXAM, REGULATION OF 5 YEARS RE-EXAMS, OVER 55 YEARS OLD. MY QUESTION IS: WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF KEEPING MY 100% RATING?

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I suspect that according to the info you have given that you don't have much to worry about keeping your rating but you should talk to you rep about making it permanent and what he intends to do to protect your rating. Keep in mind that when you have a hearing this rep will not be there and you will be dealing with another rep who you will meet and hour before the actual hearing and maybe less time than that,

At the hearing you can bring up some of the suggestions made on this thread. Its best to type them out before the hearing.

Good Luck

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Hi, I was diagnosed with prostrate cancer in 2004, I had a stage 2 tumor and underwent surgery at The City of Hope to have my prostrate removed. Thank god I had excellent insurance and a good job. My PSA scores are 0.0 for the past 5 years, so I'm doing better than a lot of folks. In 1997 I had a hart attack and underwent a angioplasty with a stent at UCLA. My last tread mill was normal for a 61 year old. Last year I came down with type II diabetes, and while doing research on this problem I came across a one line statement that said"if you served in Viet Nam you should contact the VA". Who knew!

My last contact with the VA was in the 70's and I was pretty much asked to leave. So I never thought the VA considered the Agent Orange as anything but some reason for us to complain.

I don't understand how a government could expose their citizenry to a known danger and not hold themselves accountable.

Now I working on a PTSD clam and somehow the fact that I chose to fight through the panic attacks, sleepless night and explosive temper that made my family afraid of me (although I could always stop before I became physical), but because I could struggle through I may not be rated as high as others. This is amazing. We're letting these VA goons qualify us on whether or not we can hold a job not and not on the effect it has on us or our life. I am not a job, I am a husband, father and grandfather. The effects of PTSD effected my relationship with my family. And that needs to quantified, not my ability to keep a job.

Thank for your time

jframe01

50% disabled

USMC

Viet Nam 1967 to 1969

K/4/11, 1st Mar Div

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This recent BVA decision shows how prostate cancer residuals are rated:

http://www4.va.gov/v...es1/1011587.txt

"AND A PSA TEST .037" was that an old test?

Do you have copy of the actual C & P exam?

"WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF KEEPING MY 100% RATING?" if your medical evidence warrants a continued 100% they should grant it- but I dont know if it does.

Does your SO have a copy of your med recs?

As Pete mentioned-has the SO suggested you apply for TDIU?

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BERTA, CALLED MY VA REP. THURSDAY OCT. 21, 2010. ALMOST A FULL YEAR HAS PAST SINCE I REQUESTED A DRO HEARING. WELL, MY REP. WENT TO THE HEARING SCHEDULE DEPT. (UP STAIRS) SAME BUILDING AT THE HOUSTON VARO TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. THEIR ANSWER WAS THEY SCREWED UP. PULLED MY FILE AND SUDDENLY RECEIVED MY DRO HEARING NOTICE TWO DAYS LATER. SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY 8 AM NOV 22, 2010. FILLING OUT THE IU FORM WITH THE SUGGESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED. MY QUESTION IS AFTER 5 YEARS, SINCE APRIL 2004, I'M APPEALING THAT THE EXAMINATION PREFORMED 6 MONTHS AFTER TREATMENT ENDED, WAS NOT FULL OR COMPLETE. THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING UNDER 38CFR3.344. WHAT THE VA EXAMINATOR (PA) PREFORMED WAS NOTHING CLOSE TO A THROUGH ANYTHING. DIDN'T TAKE ANY BLOOD WORK AND URINE, NO DRE, A COUPLE OF PUSHES, ASKED SOME QUESTIONS, AND SENT TO GET A PSA TEST. I HAVEN'T HAD A RECENT PSA SINCE JAN 2010 DURING THE TIME I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR KIDNEY PROBLEMS ( FELL LEAVING THE HOSPITAL AFTER ATTENDING PTSD GROUP THERAPY WANT TO ER, ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL OVERNIGHT) UROLOGIST SAID SHE WOULD SCHEDULE PSA EVERY 6 MONTHS. WELL NO TEST YET. MY PCP LAST MONTH SAID HE FORGOT TO ORDER A PSA, WOULD DO IT NEXT VISIT ABOUT MARCH 2011. FINALLY GAVE UP AND PAID OUT OF POCKET AND GOT MY OWN TEST DONE. PSA WAS 0.250. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GOOD, IF THE CANCER DESTROYED AND I'M CURED, OR IF SPREAD. WHEN I FILE FOR IU WILL I BE CONCEDING DEFEAT IN MY APPEAL OF THE RE-EVALUATION APPEAL? THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL FOR HELP.

ooops forgot to attach this.Give your rep my suggestions here and see what he says.

Even if they reduce the 100%, you could still maintain the 100% comp rate if they award TDIU.

Did VA Voc Rehab ever turn you down due to your SCs? If so that too is prime facie evidence of unemployablitiy due to service.

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They will still rate you on any residuals and the ratings are in this BVA decision:

http://www4.va.gov/vetapp10/files4/1032287.txt

As I stated in past post:

"WHAT ARE MY CHANCES OF KEEPING MY 100% RATING?" if your medical evidence warrants a continued 100% they should grant it- but I dont know if it does."

I dont know anything about PSA tests. am sorry-someone else here would know for sure.

In a past post I stated-regarding thew TDIU form :

"Tell them the side affects of any SC meds and tell them your PTSD has been compounded by this serious and service induced disease ( the cancer)

Can you expand on the "KIDNEY PROBLEMS"? Was the kidney ssue raised as a secondary claim?

Can you tell me the exact medical diagnosis of your kidney problems?"

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This case might help:

http://www4.va.gov/vetapp10/files2/1018544.txt

In part :

4. Improvement in the Veteran's service-connected

adenocarcinoma of the prostate was not adequately

demonstrated by the evidence of record at the time of the

January 2008 rating decision reducing the disability rating

from 60 percent to 20 percent.

also- Is it possible your SC hearing loss has gotten worse?

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