stillhere

Thanks Pete that is what the ER cardio said about mine too. Seems I had a silent one he thinks late Friday that woke me up. I felt like crap but insisted I was just indigestion and took tums and pebto for most of the weekend. Did not help much. Did not get much sleep and diarrhea of course. Went to the dump on Sunday AM and arms hurt so bad had to give the wife to help. She wanted to shop later and I did for a while and then was getting dizzy so we left. Called my private Primary doc and he could not get me into the afternoon and I said fine. Keep in mind the whole time I am having on and off chest pains and and still because the VA said I had no heart disease thought it was not my heart! Went in to the PCP and within 20 minutes I was in an ambulance and having an active heart attack! On the operating table and finished up in my room in less than 90 minutes! I intentional made this post in as much detail as I remember for those that might come along later with these symptoms. Do not do as I did! Go to the ER as soon as possible!

Exactly! I am saying that on Sept. 30th 2005 I had an exam by QTC and they said I had no signs of heart disease. Yet on Oct.24th 05 I was rushed to the ER and an emergency anigo plasty discovered blockages of 100%/70/40. I was then in emergency heart surgery and by waiting and not going to the ER right away I had damaged 40% of my heart. Less than 30Days!!

Go here and fill in the form. Just put in your form # and the form will come up. http://www4.va.gov/vaforms/

You missed the point? Less than 30 days after a VA exam told me I had no heart disease!

I have my Nehmer claim in for the IHD being added to the AO list. I was sitting here and going through some old decisions from the VA. I thought my last denial for heart disease was June of 05. I had a heart attack in Oct.05! The denial was actually in Dec. 06 and my last C&P exam by the VA was September 30,2005 In less than 30 days after their exam I had a major heart attack!! Now to all you vets out there please make sure you understand what and how your diseases can and do effect you!! If I do not get granted by Nehmer I think a conversation with a lawyer is needed? Right? Maybe even if I do?

I agree Hoppy, But I do like to let vets know what they could and will be probably in for with the VA. He has to be made aware of that also. Just like the case from the BVA you posted. I wonder how many others like that made it to the BVA and were denied?? A disabled veteran that comes here for advice on their claim should be able to get some honest opinions and that is what I gave. As far as comparing me to a VSO I personally don't see where that comes into play. Unless you are trying to discredit my opinion for some reason? When I first came to Hadit I soon after also joined another veteran board and between the two I often got conflicting results. I thanked them for both and went with what I thought would work for me.

In a claim like this with so many years between the events of the disease. Even though something is in your SMR's it is always better when you can show some kind of treatment for the condition that is continuous. I had in my SMR's a doc's notes where I was seen for stomach problems and prescribed a acid reducing pill. Now ever since I have been in Nam I have had problems with my stomach and have taken antacid pills most of my life over the counter. Like Tums, pep-to bismal and just about anything that was on the market. I have not filed for this because I have NO doc's notes or anything for treatments since 69. Now I might be able to win this claim but I would bet it would have to go to NOD and probably BVA for any kind of approval, I just do not have the stomach (pun intended) for it. Good luck on your claim! JMHO

Please correct me I answer your post because I thought you were a Vietnam vet and was already rated for heart disease. Is that not the case? Also I did a goggle of your heart disease: Cardiomegaly is the abnormal enlargement of the heart and is also known as macrocardia or megalocardia. Mild cardiomegaly is a common heart condition in many people and is more prevalent among athletes. The exact cause of the condition is not known but medical research shows that underlying conditions are the cause in most cases. Some common causes of this condition are valvular disease, congenital heart disorders, and alcoholic cardiomyopathy. In some cases, it is possible that mild cardiomegaly is a symptom of a more serious, under-lying disease or illness. The most common diseases likely to cause mild cardiomegaly are Ischemic heart disease, heart cancer and 1q deletion. Mild cardiomegaly can affect people of all age groups and sexes. Hmm this looks like what Berta said VA would do for this illness they are going to try any and all tricks not to award. If I were you I would wait for the rating but if you do not get something you are happy with I would use the above and anything else out there to fight it!!

A wise old ex VSR once told me when vets read there have been so and so people were hired to work the claims they tend to think great lets hit the floor running. Obviously that is not the case he said. Even the lower positions would take 2-4 months and this is just someone to open the mail! It takes well over 8-12 months to train an individual that is moving up to being a Jr. what we call rater. I though like to take the secretary at his word that the log jam will be caught up before the end of the year. I just don't have a clue how he is going to do it? Fire, floods,shredder or decisions??

Thomas this is no big deal to me but if it helps my claim is and has always been my SS. I have been on disability only since 03. I was 60% for cad secondary to DM2 and just increased to 100% P&T nothing has change since day one of my claim. If your claim is only 8 digits when was it applied to your claim? That should pretty much answer the question. Again this is no big deal to me and I apologize if I got you worked up on anything. I know you are just trying to help. Good luck on your claim!

Take a look at how the VA rates cardiovascular disease at the first page of this site. IF your LVE is 50% and your mets is 5.7 then supposedly based on the rating criteria you would be 60% because of your LVE or 30% because of your mets. The VA is supposed to give the veteran the highest rating they can. So in your case it would be 60%. Were did you get the LVE % from?

I have had the chemical test just recently. It wasn't to bad for me except after they gave it to me I got a real kind of loosing it kind of feeling and very warm/ The nurse and doc were right their and kept checking me and talking me down so I would be OK. After I was fine. This was my first of these that I remember I have had quite a few of the echo test. I think they give me these because of my readings and heart condition. I will probably have a angio cath sometime next year. Back to your question in your OP If your mets are 5.7 what is your left ventricle ejection % or were they not able to do that part? If you are based on the 5.7 you could go either way 30-60 but I agree the write does not help you but sure makes it sound like you feel better. I would guess you stay at 30%! Good Luck to you!

I have a feeling that time in Nam is going to start getting a significant look by Congress and is one of the examples that Webb was harping on. May not effect those that have already been awarded but those in the future awards are going to get looked at harder. This is my honest opinion and NO I do not have anything except gut feeling to back it up. I do plan on being at the senate meeting on the 23rd so I will get to see first hand.

Then I feel the post by Thomas that Nehmer claims are numbered differently is inaccurate. If our claim numbers or letter have only changed since the beginning of a claim. How would a nehmer claim be any different?? If they were I would be thrilled to know how to tell though

If the only info is from the 800# and not your RO directly I would suggest you call the 800# and ask for the RO's fax number tell them that you need to fax in some evidence. Then send the RO's playing dumb and just say I would like a copy of my last mental C&P if they do have it and it can be released then you are home free. If you do that and the RO sends you an email or phone call telling you they don't have it then do the same with the AMC. Fax them direct and ask for a copy. This will do two things 1 it will get everything in writing and two you will be dealing directly with those that ordered it and not some slush at the call center. Let us know how it goes and remember never ventured nothing gained.

Alan Simpson is the same Simpson that was a member of the Senate Veterans committee in 1991 that past the original 1991 Agent Orange Act bill! At the time he did mention that his vote was not whole hearted but he did vote for it to make it unanimous. It was also passed my the house and the senate without a single NAY vote! If all remember we were at or getting ready for the first gulf war and the congress wanted to show how they support are veterans!! Yeah right? Now they don't need to use the Vietnam vet anymore and quite honestly I feel they who just rather we die and go away! We have become to costly! by the way Allan he is not in office now he has been voted out I believe.

I certainly agree with you 100% and feel as you do we should all pay attention and voice our concerns whenever and wherever we get a chance. I plan on meeting at the meeting and am checking not to see what the sop will be to speak or ask a question. September 23rd will be here before we know it so lets all send a message to our reps. Alan Simpson has come out and said this is going to put our country further in debt! I wonder how much the country pays in pension to these people after serving just one term? Thats right after one term they are vested at 100% wonder how much we could save??

Berta, If you don't mind please post if your claim number has changed since your first claim.

I read at the VA website today that the secretary plans to have the backlog taken care of by the end of this year! If I was a vet with a claim in I would not go on vacation right now or at least make sure they are checking their email, mail and all means of communication that they have provided to the VA. Do not give them the opportunity to deny you by not responding. Just a heads up!

This just amazes me after everything that the government has put us through. I am planning on being at the meeting on the 23rd and hope to get to ask a question or two of these folks myself. If anyone has a question to ask I would consider all and ask the ones that don't get asked and pertain to this issue. One question that I am leaning heavy on is if the congress thinks it is appropriate to be putting Vietnam through yet another set of questions after this was granted after a 40 year fight for benefits. Another thing I am worried about is all the vets who are now retired and disabled being able to survive if they change the rules now so late in life. Many of us are over 60 years old and can not stand to have our benefits taken from us. I believe that if that happened you may be seeing quite a few more suicides. Just my opinion and hope I have not ruffled any feathers.

I think all this is just a bunch of media fed bunk because it involves money! This will die down and if it doesn't quite a few vets will be up in arms!! The scientific data is shown my IOM to support the findings and all procedure outlined by congress have been followed. Trust me the service orgs will be all over these articles. Send an email to the ones you belong to and tell them to get on the stick and condemn this pansy azzed reporters. We fought over 40 years and had many of our brothers and sisters to die before us because of these issues.. I hope senator Webb is starting to realize how much damage he has done to the Vietnam vet.

Yes I have been called a couple of times in the past from them to set up C&P's. Now if this C&P is for the issue you have before the BVA on appeal. I see this as a good thing! Many times appeals get in front of the BVA and have to be remanded for a C&P. This really gums up the works. Also not to get your hopes up but if your claim is still at the RO and waiting to be certified to the BVA the RO also takes a look at it to see if they can grant it at the RO. All of this is a good thing and shows movement. I have an appeal in waiting to be certified at my RO that has been there since June 09. Wish it would move!

Your claim number stays the same as long as you have any claims at the VA. In past before SS numbers were used the VA used a numbering system. Now almost all if not all claims for veterans is tracked by their social security number. If the VA is using any other number then it is likely because you have an early claim that had a number and it will not change. I have not seen or heard of any special numbering of claim file folders due to any other reason.

What does it say on the death certificate as cause of death?

well finally finished the function paper work and put it in the mail. Took me almost a month and once I started almost 8 hrs.of writing!! My PTSD really plays hell with my head and getting stuff done and memory is just wasted! I probably blew the whole damn thing but at least I got it in. I really hated doing that. Sometimes I feel pretty good and think I could race the teenager down the block but in reality I know I would never get out of the blocks!! Ha Ha! Anyhow screw it I will just sit and wait and hope for a decent Christmas!