yelloownumber5

I'm at 50 percent S.C. back to 1 Jan 2004. I sent a letter to DFAS last week, DFAS would not respond to it because it lacked my SSN, I thought that was incredible. I have heard some personnel have received their retro CDRP but I have not received a letter or anything just stating I qualify. :o

Allan, Thanks. I did look through my record and found a "brain MRI" from 2001 while on active duty and kind of confused with it I wanted to ask a few terms from the findings/impressions, I also did have another one today and will have a follow up with neuro in two weeks.

Another question from this............ "Nasal Septal bone and cartilage: Multiple fragments of grossly unremarkable bone and cartilage" I was denied claiming my deviated septum and lost the NOD because I could not show trauma but this should show there was trauma of some sort to the nose causing the deviated septum, right? It was actually from a car accident, however, the only documentation was for one lab test (urine test because they Navy Legal Services Office were going to make me pay for the vehicle that was totaled if there were substances present) and was addressed as multiple abrasions on arms and hands. No where in my medical record I have any medical appointments for a follow up from this accident, strange. No documentation of any kind of trauma, however, years later I did tell a few doctors but still denied trauma. thanks much.

What does this pre-op and post-op diagnosis mean? I do have sleep apnea but it was diagnoses 2 1/2 years after retirement and the below is while on active duty. I did search and find many meanings for ssa with nasal dyspnea, daytime fatigue. "Clinical diagnosis and history: 38 YO male with alternating nasal dyspnea and daytime fatigue presents for septoplasty and poss turbinectomy. Pre-Operative diagnosis: SAA Post-Operative diagnosis: Operative findings: SSA Post-Operative diagnosis: SAA" Serum Amyloid A? If this does equate to a sleep apnea, this diagnosis while on active duty and my sleep study will be sufficent for a claim? Thanks, y#5

Right and I think the VA says they can ingore medical evidence if it is to their advantage. I still don't know how with my NOD I submitted the EXACT same evidence but wrote a rather upset letter and was awarded not all but half of my denied claim but it was the same evidence highlighted from my medical record.

agree

Can you remove this http://www.va.gov/ well maybe not remove to straighten it out it seems to be like the http://www.irs.gov site Twins?

Berta & all, The advise is appreciated. I think my socks were down so I missed this and I want out of this box.

Pete, That sounds pretty nice......here at the Charleston, SC VA it is almost impossible to get any parking. I can say the hospital personnel staff are wonderful, I was shocked. Our parking has to be two on that ten scale. Don't ask about my lovely C&P Examiner he must listen to someone else while he examines me, there must be a Ventriloquist because it is not my answers to his questions that he writes down. A few on military.com as well posted comments on him but oh well......just another party.

Without a doubt there are good and bad VSO's. But for anyone to tell you when you walk into their office that you will not get anything off that claim just cannot be a "good" VSO......end of story, almost end of story......so you of course still file get 50% SC.......end of story.....now it's about "we did good work" blah blah blah P.S. It seems most VSO's are worried about that "working relationship" with the VA and like most orginazations have a maximum quota so they try to keep it down....IMHO from working with them. We have sense we are not submitting for our hangnails. I do not know the guidlines of the VSO's I do know he screwed me out of my board by telling me the incorrect date for the form 9 or whatever......but I take the responsibility for this.....and learned to NEVER NEVER NEVER trust a VSO. Put what you want together, how you want and tell the %#$&*^% to file it electronically. Can I get rated for conditions that the VSO has given me, lol.

Allen, Thanks for the information.........one day people will realize that individuals are not numbers and we will be given what is owed to us for our illnesses vs. you have a 1 in XXX of getting this illness.

Berta and Cloud, Berta that statement on my cognitive status came from from the VA Neurophysc which I have the notes.....That was a quote and I guess how and why I get confused is I gave that paperwork to my county rep that files the claim for me (I know he isn't the final word but he can make it hard getting claims in) and he said "you don't have a case to claim this". I was also going to request the notes from my vocational Rehab counselor as she was concerned she also pointed out my twitching which for me became "normal".... I am getting statements for the sleep apnea from friends because again even though it is in my record my non va rep that files my paperwork said in both cases for the Sleep Apnea and Memory Issues "you do not have grounds for the claim". I took him the VA Neurophysc notes and let him read......now with the Sleep Apnea I did not have statements but I told him and showed him paperwork I had that repeatedly in my medical record talked about "day time fatigue" with 8-9 hours sleep. My current wife was in nursing and she said I stop breathing in my sleep.....and that is how I got it rolling with my primary care physican, however, that was not diag until almost 3 years after I retired but those statement will roll in. Won't the VA say that since I have sleep apnea that is a diag and no CFS? Honestly I have this CPAP and stil tired, however, and I been fighting for my thyroid to be looked at for over 7 years in which they finally say there is a nodule but I have not seen any specialist yet but of course I retired in late 2003. Should I file for the sleep apnea first or it does not matter? Also due to my GERD/Hiatal Hernia I have now been diag with Barretts Esophgus, this is from the GERD, so do I just do a claim for secondary and what do I ask for.....my VSO Rep always handeled this......and I know if you don't ask for something the VA does not give it to you so I want to make sure I am asking for what I should ask for. Non of these have been claimed under the PGW but just regular claims. TY for ya guidance. Is there any connection of Thyroid problems and PGW? I was reading the BVA claims last night.....I was getting tired but seen a few ideas. I will look up those regs again.....my mind just does not function the best and I get confused, your words are my actions. Thanks. Cloud, Now, if I have these problems below I marked "yes" to but also diag with acid reflux (which is one below), won't they say the gas, naseua, and all that is related to acid reflux? My acid reflux s.c. was not claimed from the pgw but it should have been connected to that but I do not know how to do such......tks Thanks for that website.....it gets confustion because I have looked for PGW symptoms, presumptive conditions and find different information and I'm not sure of what is the latest. I'm starting to think I need to say to hell with my county VSO and get in communications with someone with DAV or something that would be more helpful. By the way, when I just had my VA PGW Registry I put on the sheet that I did take the pyridostigmine bromide and also I had two miscarriages with different women ironically both age 27 but he did not say anything nor did he even look at this part of the answers.......am I supposed to know that now I went thru this "va pgw registry" I can file a claim for such or? stomach cramps YES gas YES YES YES diarrhea YES nausea YES increased urge to urinate YES drooling YES only on the left side of my mouth sweating ? headaches YES dizziness YES eye tearing YES blurred vision YES YES YES runny nose Yes but also stuffy which is more annoying shortness of breath YES acid stomach, including heartburn or reflux YES GERD that has developed into Barretts Esphogus tingling of fingers, toes, arms, and legs YES but also Cervical and Lumbar supported DDD but it isn't all from DDD because my limbs will go numb without the rest going numb muscle twitching, weakness, or cramping YES same as above But like when I filed a claim for CTS which I have had sports medicine to an EMG which is bilateral positive and they did another test, well it was service connected granted at zero percent but they said most of my symptoms were due to my cervical damage..... Yes, confusion for me. I understand the C&P is only a physical of those parts at that time but if you have other issues they might send either mixed signals or over shadow what you are there for.......wouldn't it make sense for the examiner to know your current ratings and problems so they can try a little bit harder to seperate this from that (i.e. I have cervical issues that when he does this test and that and he asks what do I feel I may feel only my cervical problems because that is worse than this other test). Thanks very much......I'm just fustrated with my "representative" and getting confused with different thing I read. Love ya for all the assistance and patience with me.

Is there any way to link the a thyroid nodule (maybe it is more just was found but had not seen a specialist yet)to the PGW to support a claim?

Berta, I do have Sleep Apnea but I have not filed a claim for this yet. I am looking to get some statements from friends and shipmates. I do have in my record about day time fatigue often but never was diagnosed until 31 Oct 2006 and retired 31 Dec 2003. While on active duty and doing the CCEP Persian Gulf War physical this was one of my complaints but I never was sent to see anyone along those lines. I do get confused......Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is one of those undiag that have been related to PGW as presumptive for PGW but after I retired Sleep Apnea I was diagnosed so that cancels out the claim for PGW. correct? But would not the cognitive/memory issues qualify me to make a claim as undiag for the pgw or is this not good enough........The eitology was "Circumscribed deficits in verbal memory and visuoconstruction remains unclear; there are no clear antecedents or risk factors to which they can be easily attributed. The findings also do not appear attributable to motivational factors. Such deficits have at times been reported in Gulf War veterans, and even though (the member) does not appear to have been exposed to a high number of potential neurotoxins, this hypothesis remains viable. The presense of other apparently neurological symptoms, such as the numbness reported by (the member), has also been reported in some samples of Gulf War veterans" I just get told no no and no by the vso on everything but my vocational rehab counselor was extremely concerned from the neurophsyc remarks and thought I should file a claim for it... Thanks again, .

Also......... How can the VA say this. I enter the service and not have a deviated septum (not annotated on my physical and medical records) and then some how while on active duty I have a deviated septum but not being able to service connect it? I did have a record of some minor face trauma but both examples I submitted they said would not have caused this. My only other trauma was a car accident which I was on duty driving from Pensacola, FL to Hurlburt Field, FL......which is where it probably came from but I do not have anything in my record stating any trauma just blood tests and something else. The cause of the accident was I fell asleep while driving. Thanks again,

Berta, The eitology was "Circumscribed deficits in verbal memory and visuoconstruction remains unclear; there are no clear antecedents or risk factors to which they can be easily attributed. The findings also do not appear attributable to motivational factors. Such deficits have at times been reported in Gulf War veterans, and even though (the member) does not appear to have been exposed to a high number of potential neurotoxins, this hypothesis remains viable. The presense of other apparently neurological symptoms, such as the numbness reported by (the member), has also been reported in some samples of Gulf War veterans" My VA voc rehab Counselor was concerned about this and me going on with school, I did suck on their Visuo spatial test as well. Kind of funny that the voc rehab brought all this to my attention, I never received this report from the VA, after she said this I went to get this copy. With the allergic rhinitis/sinusitis. "You were seen multiple times for sinus infections while you were on active duty, primarily as a result of the allergic rhinitis. A CT Scan conducted in November 2002 did not show Chronic sinusitis was the cause of the sinus infections. The main cause was the deviated septum" "disability has not been clinically diagnosed as sinusitis" So, when I went to claim for a deviated septum, I was told there was "no record of trama" which is what they said I need for a deviated septum. I did have septoplasty surgery to try and correct my deviated septum. I did get a rating but at the big zero sc percent for Allergic Rhinitis. I guess I need to get the sinusitis diagnosed, I did ask the ENT last time I seen him but I'm not sure if that will matter since I retired almost 4 years ago now. Berta, also you said for the Cognitive claim you sent me, it did not say if the member filed under PGW regs or not.....I don't know what difference it would make for me but I was going to try to claim with the PGW but not sure of what advantages/disadvantages. Thanks much for your knowledge. Y#5

Hello everyone, I'm not sure if this site has been posted but anyone that was in the PGW can get a print out of their locations and what the army says odds of any toxins and what not with oil fires....just go to https://usachppm.apgea.army.mil/gwf/entry.asp I had a interview with the VA Neuropsyc he wrote "Thus, he meets criteria for cognitive disorder not otherwise specified (DSM-IV)." Is this considered a diagnosis? This was during the CCEP PGW Registry. If this is a diag do I claim it from the PGW or just as a claim? My Vetern Service Officer did not want to help me on this. Second question. I had the VA's PGW Registry phyical and all he did was take my paperwork that they sent me to fill out. He did explain about the mess with Agent Orange and said the VA is working on stuff. He as well did review my blood test, chest xray and urine. I was never given a "physical" or even looked at physically or asked about any conditions that I may have concerns with or anything that I may think had happened from the PGW. I do have a VA doctor and he did say address any issues with them and that is obvious but I thought this (VA Registry) was a way of connecting these conditions.....One of the scary things is I have had two miscarriages with different women and I do know that is another of the PGW "symptoms/effects" which were one of the questions on the form I filled out I did complete the CCEP (DOD PGW Registry) while on active duty and they were staight forward and asked for our complaints.....that is how I was set up with the Neuropysch, neurologist and all others. Thanks in advance and have a wonderful week! Y#5

I just completed my VA PGW Registry. I was just wondering if my so called exam was normal. I just dropped off the paperwork that was mailed to me by the VA and the guy double checked my PGW area dates, this was it. He asked if I had any questions about the program and I said I had a few things to talk about as in my condition I was told to just talk to my VA Primary care doctor for my problems. He didn't let me tell anything to him that was going on with me nor did he ask anything. This was different than the CCEP I completed while on active duty. Also, if a VA NeuroPhysc said I qualify for DSM IV and related problem of PGW vets is that not a diagnoses? My VSO told me I had no reason to file anything regarding the PGW? Thanks much, Y#5

I was trying to give someone information concerning this a while back, I believe it was specifically the C5-C6 but might be several Cervical Disks that can cause sleep apnea. Where did you find this information? Thanks in advance, Yelloownumber5