J-pouch & Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

[Guest Ret_SMCS]

I have a rating question for everyone pertaining to my J-Pouch & Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

When I was finally given a rating, it totaled 40%. The breakdown was this. 30% for my asthma, and 10% for my J-Pouch with Primary Sclreosing Cholangitis.

I appealed the 10%, and they came back and said they can raise it to 20%, but that it will not change the total.

I said no way to that, and have a VA hearing at the end of the month.

In Sept of 2001, my entire large intestine (colon) was removed, and an internal pouch was created out of my small intestine. The problem, is that I have the same sort of cautions as someone who has a colostomy bag, yet who probably has a decent rating.

The PSC is a degenerative liver disease which affects the bile ducts. For that, I am required to take pills every day, or my Alk Phosphate #s will go up, my liver will go into failure, and I will end up on a transplant list. My numbers still have to be monitored semi-annually.

I personally think it should increase the total, and it should be at least 30%. Am I off base? What should I expect at the hearing? Will the hearing officer be a medical officer familiar with my medical problem, as in had experience medically with my problem?

Edited August 18, 2005 by Ret_SMCS

[Guest VetWife Advocate]

I have a rating question for everyone pertaining to my J-Pouch & Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

When I was finally given a rating, it totaled 40%.  The breakdown was this.  30% for my asthma, and 10% for my J-Pouch with Primary Sclreosing Cholangitis.

I appealed the 10%, and they came back and said they can raise it to 20%, but that it will not change the total.

I said no way to that, and have a VA hearing at the end of the month.

In Sept of 2001, my entire large intestine (colon) was removed, and an internal pouch was created out of my small intestine.  The problem, is that I have the same sort of cautions as someone who has a colostomy bag, yet who probably has a decent rating.

The PSC is a degenerative liver disease which affects the bile ducts.  For that, I am required to take pills every day, or my Alk Phosphate #s will go up, my liver will go into failure, and I will end up on a transplant list.  My numbers still have to be monitored semi-annually.

I personally think it should increase the total, and it should be at least 30%.  Am I off base?  What should I expect at the hearing?  Will the hearing officer be a medical officer familiar with my medical problem, as in had experience medically with my problem?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What was the reason for the removal? Cancer, any soft tissue presumptive? Why kind of Vet are you? Retired? What kind of meds are you on? Affects of those meds? What is your nexus to S/Connection? Yes, I agree, it sounds like it should be a lot more than that. New procedure that has the "bag" inside!! What wonderful breakthrus they are making!! Let us have more info. Thanks, Brenda

If you have an outside Dr., they should give you a letter correlating it to a pouch. You have a VAMC dr. They can do the same, if they want. Regs say so!!

[Guest Ret_SMCS]

I had the hearing on Wednesday. It went much better than I had expected. The DAV Rep did a great job. The judge listened to what I had to say and seemed very interested in what the DAV Rep was recommending.

As to why my colon was removed. I had Ulcerative Colitis and it was unresponsive to any medication. To create the pouch, they take a length of small intestine, split it lenghtwise and fold it back to itself creating a much larger pouch if you will than the standard diameter of a small intestine. They sew everything together, and then attach that to a very small piece of the large intestine that is left. I still have the same precautions as someone with a colostomy bag as far as types of food I can eat. Beyond that, I have some other pretty intense side effects that I know were not taken into account.