[Diabetes]

Good info Slick I'm trying to find an old A1C lab to see what I'm at. I think I'm in the pre-diabetes stage which is just as bad(mother had diabetes II GRHS) My PCP records since getting out show random high and average readings for glucose which doesn't make any sense. And the majority we're fasting. Bleh.

[Radiculopathy Progressed Into Neuropathy?]

Thanks

rpowell01 good info there. I may have radiculopathy at a minimum. I know the MRI read says ddd and arthrosis. Throw in my PAD and claudication which I'm having doubts about since I'm not 100% convinced that the DDD or the PAD is causing my issue but with the low ABI's and ddd I'm a mess. And the vascular DR says to walk....well throw in my knee issues pain, instability and I think it's that the arthritis stage already, popping/locking/grinding a dozen times a day what the heck am I supposed to do. I know stay up late because of the worry and insomnia and read about my health probably more now than all the DR's combined that have ever seen me. I'm so looking forward to my 8 or 9 C&P exams.

Update: MRI of knee shows meniscus tear of said knee and unknown if ACL is even present because of the screws and MRI view. Radiologist used the word "artifact" which I don't understand. So essentially my 24 year old ACL repair while in service has worn out. And I'm not a candidate for TKR replacement which is good I guess. But have to wait for the scope to see how damaged it is in there.

[Radiculopathy Progressed Into Neuropathy?]

I've been researching this but can't find anything. I've been seeing a Pain Management and Neurosurgeon facility since Sept-October 2014. They decided to give me an EMG yesterday because of the pain and numbness/tingling I have. The pain started down my buttocks into the bottom of my feet and toes back in 2012. Currently I have loss of sensation that has wrapped around to the top of my feet and up into my shins. After the EMG the MD said he had to put everything together for his report and will call me back in for the FULL results. He did say his initial results are that if I only had L5-S1 Bilateral Radiculopathy in 2013 then its getting worse and has progressed into Neuropathy.

I've read in the past on the differences of these two things. Radiculopathy means one nerve is being pinched and Neuropathy means that more than one nerve is DAMAGED.

So my question is how can Radiculopathy progress into Neuropathy? BTW I am not diabetic and never have been. See the Regional Office approved me IU but denied my legs and I and I am thinking they were "hoping" I would get diabetes so they could say "We can't distinguish between the two"....Yes I read this exact phrase on my wife's Uncle Report from a claim.

See I started seeing this Neurologist/Neurosurgeon place because the VA has done NOTHING to properly treat my spine condition. The only thing they did was in 2013 was to send me out for ESI in Clearwater, FL. That was the WRONG treatment because I have DJD and little DDD even though I herniated a disc back in 2012. Now whenever I asked my VA PCP through secure message on declaring me P&T he said no he can't do that. Don' t worry Dr. Bash has already done this and Voc Rehab has declared me unemployable. Anyway my VA PCP had the nerve to tell me that one of James A. Haley PM specialists stated that I had "too many cooks" for my treatment. What such BS (Jesus please forgive me for saying that).

First I was having Thyroid issues that my VA PCP refused to treat me even after 2-3 blood results showed high Thyroid levels since 2013 so now I see my private PCP. Second the VA pain management wasn't doing anything, nothing to help me, nothing. I couldn't even see a surgeon after I requested it to PM. So whenever I finally was able to qualify for medicare I decided to go see a private PM facility. But the VA PM had the nerve to say "too many cooks"?

Guess what I am going to file a complaint with the IGs office because the Neurologist in Pain Management who improperly treated me wrote up a report stating he did a full exam on me. Guess what he never did that exam, I secured messaged PM at James A. Haley about this and secured messages shows he he called me back after I caught him in a lie after reading over the report. He calls me back in to finally do a proper exam. He lied and this is unethical. How many other veterans have been treated this way from James A. Haley?

See, I've complained and complained and complained about my low back and lower extremity issues and James A. Haley with no results. Luckily I secure message everything.

Hello, I can't answer too much of what your asking or offer much guidance yet. What got me on your post were the ESI shots for the DDD, I have the same and roughly the same age, if I understand what your saying that the "ESI shot were wrong to do for treatment of the DJD/DDD" why is that? I'm curious because my path went from calf pain investigation, DDD lumbar L-X everything messed up, to PAD because the spine DR couldn't find my pulse on my left foot and quote"you need to get to a vascular surgeon to check that out now".

So we did and now diagnosed with PVD/PAD of both lower extremeties discovered after ABI's test resting and after treadmill test were below .40 both , MRI with contrast done to see blockages I was really and still messed up because of all this emotionally. But my main point was I started to get treated for one issue, and I still need to get treated for that, during this process a more severe issue was discovered (PVD/PAD/AAA) Not to cause alarm because so many conditions manifest way later in life I have two that normally happen to people in the mid 50's and later or not even until they are well into their 60's. For me I've been lucky that the ortho people on my back MRI found I have a 3CM AAA(abdominal aortic aneurysm). So getting the right DR or small group of DR's, to make sure they refer to one another is quite all right to have a few cooks in the kitchen IMHO.

How can someone without diabeties, which I don't have either but I suspect I have pre-diabetes which is just as dangerous because I've seen high glucose results a few times post-service, never checked during service.

What years did you serve? For me 84-97 Persian Gulf Vet. What bothers me most is how can someone only 48 years old have the body of 65 year old, no offense you older VETS. These silent diseases are a real (fill in the blank) when not found early enough. Also why in service are we not checked every 2 or 3 years for basic metabolic panel and cholesterol is beyond me. And the kicker for me is I tore out my left ACL during the prepping exercises for the push north for the ground phase and dealt with that the next 6 years and then finally got out because I was tired of keeping getting profiles for running etc . I gave up basically and didn't re-enlist because I couldn't deal with the knee issue anymore and didn't look like they were going to medically retire me. So basically two choices: forced to keep on keeping on or exit the military on your own which I did. I would loved to have stayed the next 7 years for full 20 years. Always the famous have some motrin and Return to duty.

[First Vso Meeting]

Question: Was the VSO rep supposed to give me a copy of all the POA and claim forms we filled out? Or do they mail you a copy? I feel dumb right now about this. I did ask what do you expect time wise for the next step. He said 2 to 3 months. We filled out the forms and I gave some documents from my PCP, didn't want my copy of STR's I have. I sent a follow up email that night thanking them for starting this off for me because it's a bit overwhelming at first, still is. I also sent an email with some additional documents I had with me that day but we didn't get a chance to give them. Granted I was there for two hours at least and we did cover a lot of ground as I have a lot of issues. I wish I could post them but I'd rather keep them private right now. Also, during the gathering evidence step I should be able to add supporting documents, new MRI's, findings etc correct?

[Hubby Is Now Part Of 100% Club, Plus P&t]

So skipping the appeals process gamble really paid off for you (literally) you are right, the new claims are treated in rapid fashion. A VA appeal is treated like step children.

I'm new and learning and have only just started this whole process. This jumped out at me and I don't fully understand. So can someone enlighten me?

[First Vso Meeting]

Thanks all much appreciated! Thanks Berta on the EED I'll have to look that one up. I've been out of the service awhile so I tend to be playing catch up reading...a lot!.

[First Vso Meeting]

Hello all,

We had our first VSO meeting to start the claim process. So this will be my official start date I guess. Also, claimed for GWI/GWS for a few of the symptoms that I had not thought of and thought best to add all I could think of or what is my SMR etc. and PCP's.

I've been reading here for a few weeks learning, noting, and quite frankly you'all make me proud! Keep up the great work of supporting each other!

Spearhead91