FloridaNative

In my instance I contacted the facility I was last in and was told my records had been transferred to the National Archives. As in my previous post I began a months long quest to obtain copies of my medical records which I finally did. The VSOs I worked with were nice but not much help. They did do me a great favor though and had me file a notice of intent. As previously mentioned a few years of my VA health records disappeared. The VA blamed the loss on a facility move. I am a registered nurse. No longer practice but I still know how to read medical records and do medical research. In the course of reviewing the voluminous records (old Sears catalog size) I discovered a significant diagnostic error. I have chronic kidney disease rated at 80% along with other conditions that resulted in a rating of 100%. It appears someone took the easy way out and decided my type 2 diabetes was the cause. I discovered upon looking at my eye exam I had "no diabetic retinopathy" but I did have hypertensive retinopathy. Hypertension was one of the conditions I was service connected for. I confirmed my findings with my endocrinologist. My A1C blood sugar readings were over 7 only twice in 20 years. Occasionally they were in normal range. Under 7 isn't high enough to do the kind of damage my kidneys have. A later visit with a VA nephrologist further confirmed my findings. He told me after reviewing my records I have a profile of a prediabetic. With 1 exception (I had a qualified practitioner do my records review for 1 condition) I did my own scholarly research (via Google Scholar) and created files for each of the secondary and tertiary conditions. When I went for my comp physicals the examiners agreed with the research documents. I ended up with a 100% service connected rating on my first attempt. VSOs know which forms to file but do not have a medical background. I was told by one I saw that he would file my claim when I had a physician statement supporting my conclusions. I actually filed the claims myself online after I had all my research info. As I said before the VSO kept me from losing a year of benefits by having me file the notice of claim. For that I am forever grateful.

I don't know where you are in terms of getting a diagnosis. Thought this might be helpful. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7831134/

I had to get my records from the National Archives. My first request got me a narrative summary not the complete records I had requested. I contacted my US Senator and his staff sent another request. Got more records but still not my complete files. Notably they lacked the records of my lengthy hospitalization. The third try with the Senators office got the rest of the records. Noteworthy my records with the VA for a period of several years after I was discharged magically disappeared. Fortunately I had enough to file my claims. Good Luck. If you don't get what you request keep trying and request assistance from your senator or congressman.

Back in June of this year I went to our local veteran's service officer. I was advised to file a notice of intent and to file a fully developed claim. I am service connected @ 10% for hypertension, and 0% for sarcoidosis with secondary pain and a skin condition. I sent release of information requests to my local VA in Gainesville, Fl, To the regional office in St. Petersburg, fl for my C-file and one to Tampa for the time I was living in Tampa. When I applied earlier in the year for my military medical records after 3 attempts they finally sent the records for Naval Regional Medical Center, Jacksonville. They claim they cannot find my records from Orlando which is where I was first hospitalized. Likewise I have my records from Gainesville but the Jacksonville outpatient office claims they can only find records bacK to the mid 1990s. The records from Jacksonville contain my medical history immediately after discharge in 1976. I am working with Dr. Bash to obtain nexus letters for my various medical conditions that are linked to my service or secondary to my service connected conditions. Among my conditions is stage 3 CKD. One of the VA docs apparently without looking at my history decided my CKD is secondary to type II diabetes. He apparently didn't notice I had hypertensive retinopathy and NO diabetic retinopathy listed ever since they began doing eye exams looking for diabetic retinopathy. I was seen by a VA endocrinologist this past week for another condition. I asked the 2 docs present if my CKD is hypertensive related given my hemoglobin A1Cs (all in the very good range over they years) and my retinopathy. Both said it was hypertensive. Unfortunately they did not put that part of the visit in the record. I would like to go ahead and file for the CKD while continuing to work on developing the other conditions. Is they any reason I would not be able to file on the single condition given the multiple conditions on my notice of intent?