Dan

Hi, I was recently denied on my first P & C exam. I have a couple of questions and I hope somebody might be able to help. The examiner was a PA from Primary care and not a MD or a specialist from Infectious Diseases, does this have any credibility for the VA or me? The MD that signed off electronically, 4 minutes later, was from Occupational Medicine. Never heard of him or ever saw him. I was 9 months waiting for my C file from St. Louis, the PA had it, but I didn't. I finally received it and there is earlier medical notes that may be relavent. I filed a NOD about 6 weeks ago but haven't heard back yet. I am represented by the DAV, how well??, I'm not sure yet. My civilian Doctor, a Hep and Liver Specialist has wrote a fantastic Nexus letter, I didn't know I was so SICK!! I have a form in my files somewhere that I guess gets submitted with Nexus letter. If I remember correctly my civilian doctor needs to fill this out. Is that correct? Thanks to all who have posted on this site, I have reaped a weath of knowledge. Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Thanks, Dan If I die, I forgive you If I live, we shall see Spanish proverb

Hi Lori, Thank you for your reply. Will keep you posted. Thanks, Dan

Berta and others, Had my P & C exam at Bay Pines, VA last Thursday, after 3 reschedules. Exam was given by a PA and not a MD or DO. They had my military medical records there, although to date I have not received my copy from St. Louis. I did go right to the Records and Information office to request a copy of his report. Hard to read how this will go. I would have liked to have had my records in advance so my private G.I. Doc. could have written me a Nexus letter. So goes it, one day at a time. Thanks, Dan

Hi Chiefhouse, They called and scheduled me for another exam date in 2 weeks. That's OK, it allows me more time to get ready mentally for it. Thanks for your reply. Dan

Hi Chiefhouse, There was message on my recorder when I got home this afternoon cancelling my P & C exam for tomorrow. I've been through the treatment three times and always a nonresponder, my reactions to the treatments were worse each time I took them. Currently doing 90 units of Pegasys once a week, self injection for maintenance therapy. Not getting any better, but not getting worse. Attribute contacting the disease while giving blood to the Philippine Red Cross in 1960 while serving on a aircraft carrier. I still have my blood donation card!! The VA was not very flexible in thier methods of trearment so I stayed with my civilian doctor who is Hep specialist. I would argue that one should be entitled to 100% after going through what I went through during the treatment. I'm very fortunate that I have a government job with a lot of flexibility, otherwise I never would have been able to tolerate the treatment's side effects and do a regular blue collar job. Good luck and contact me if I can be of any assistance. Dan

Hi Chiefhouse, I am going for my P & C exam for Hep C this Friday. Might I ask you; how, where and when was the basis of your claim? If you don't feel comfortable answering this on line in the forum please email me direct at navyveteranlex@yahoo.com Thanks, Dan

Thank you for your replies. I will reply this weekend after my exam. Dan

Hi, I just got my notice from the VA to go for my P & C exam next week, although I haven't received my "old" medical records from St. Louis yet. My records, since finding out that I have HEP C, are pretty extensive and complete. Should I take a copy of these with me for the exam? Any pointers or advice as to how much information I should bring to this, anything I shouldn't bring or admit to? I do have a NEXUS letter in my VA Medical folder and will be getting another from my civilian GI doctor after he has had a chance to review my "old" records. What should I ask for in the way of a transcript or a copy or the medical record from this exam? Thanks, Dan

Hi fellow vets, I have filed a claim with the V A for Hepatitis C and am seeking your advice and help. It is my contention that I contracted this hideous disease while giving blood to the Philippine Red Cross in 1960, I still have my donor card. Other means of possible infection could have come from sharing razors onboard ship, shaves and haircuts at E.M. Clubs in the Far East. In boot camp in 1958 we were given inoculations from hypodermic needles that were used more than once and possibly sterilized in- between uses with alcohol. I have some pictures of corpsmen (E-3, trainees) not wearing surgical gloves sitting on tables giving injections. I never saw them wash their hands or sanitize their work areas. I'm going to be assisting my Gastro MD in writing a Nexus Letter. Any help or tips in composing this letter, or a sample ofa successful Nexus Letter will be greatly appreciated Thanks, Dan

To: Vicki, Fla_Viking and Berta No I did not receive any treatment for Hep C while I was in the service, my service dates are 1958 to mid-1962. It was only in 1990 that a blood test was discovered for Hep C. The virus can remain hidden for 20 to 40 years. I do have a physicans's note in my civilian medical records that discusses the time frames. That same doctor is the Head of G.I. Dept. at the Tampa VA Hosp. He saw me about three months ago for first time since he left private practice 10 years ago. Good timing!! He did write into my VA medical records that my contracting Hep C was very likely during my military service, especially in the Far East due to the terrible sanitary conditions, especially in the Phillipines where I also gave my very first blood donation. I still have my Phil. Nat. Red Cross donor card and have had it verified by the current heads of the Phil. Red Cross. In 1992 I gave blood and received a letter from the blood bank that there was a problem with the donation and for me to contact my physican. He said "Don't worry about it". I never had a sickness or problem that would have indicated that I had any disease I wasn't subject to the air gun injections, instead they used stainless steel syringes, taking whatever we were getting from vials and just kept going down the line. I still communicate with 6 guys that I served with and they all were given their innoculations in boot camp the same way. I have the DAV handling my claim. I recently went to my Congressman's local office and requested that they write a letter to the VA Records in St. Louis to try and speed up the copying of my medical records from when I was in the service. No other claims with the VA. No I did not try for SSD, I'm 65 and still work because my wife still spends. I do have a good job as an appraiser with our county government with excellent benifits. I may retire if I can put this VA claim to rest. I tried to go through the Infectous Disease Dept at the Bay Pines VA but they are of one mindset only. I never thought of filing a claim. I've been on 3 seperate combination therapies and I can assure you that the cure might kill you first. I've been a charter member, director and served as an officer for the Tampa Bay Hepatitis and Liver Group and am pretty well educated on liver disease and Hep C. My private primary care doc is a liver and Hep C specialist and will help with the VA anyway he can. Great guy personally. So I just waiting for the VA to send the records, have my primary care doc. read them over and get a Nexus letter from him. All sounds too easy doesn't it!!!! I apologize for using all the "I's" and being wordy. Good health to all, Dan .

Hi, I served in the US Navy on board the USS Lexington from 1958 to mid 1962. In 1992 I found out that I was infected with Hep C. My contention is that it is very possible that I had contacted it while giving blood to the Phillipine National Red Cross, or getting a shave and haircut in any of the Far East Ports that we visited or possibly from a shared razor while at sea for extended periods. My question to throw out to the group is: Have any of you been successful in filing a claim with the VA for Hep C that you may have contacted prior to Viet Nam or under any of the circumstances that I've addressed? I do have a recent letter in my VA medical file saying that it was entirely possible and probably that I contacted Hep C due to the unsanitary conditions in the Far East, namely the Phillipines during that time. I can document all the events. I'm waiting on my medical records from St. Louis (4 months) and my Gastro Doc will write a very good Nexus letter for me. Any and all advice greatly appreciated. Dan