retiredat44

I would like to chat with some people who have Diabetes.. I would like to compare my expereinces with illenss .. I have some questions about some of my symptoms:unsure: thanx..

I have been suffering a very long time with tremors, and involuntary movements.. I finally got a diagnosis of Myotonic Dystrophy (like Muscular Dystrophy) a couple of years ago. I just went for a C&P exam and the neurologist docto was eamining me.. I wasn't real happy with the Myotonic Dystrophy diagnosis (I was happy to get a decent diagnosis.. don't get me wrong..) but, also I have a lot of symptoms that seem to be consistant with other diseases like MS and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. I would like to know if anyone else has any of these disease here in these forums.. I would like ot compare the sysmptoms.. thanx..

I had a C&P exam today, I have another exam next week.. I left a note in the C&P Forum section.. note: the VA Mission Valley office (San Diego) (not the building) really sucked bad,..

I too have been taking pain meds for 20 years... I settled on Morphine... Methadone had some side affects which made it a little worse as far as side effects,, the running nose problem... and dryness.. too.. I have had all pain meds.. I have had morphine pump... many years ago, I had the oxycontin, and the government treats people with chronic pain like criminals.. it's disgusting how they can treat chron pain sufferers like $hit... the doctors were running scared... suicide was the only other choice for people in severe pain.. our government really sucked bad for treating sick people like criminals..

I went to my Neuro C&P, (Neurology). It sucked.. I went to the VA Mission Vally office.. I got here one hour early. Went through the armed Xrays to enter.. went upstairs, I went into one line , I wanted to ask about getting another copy of some service records.. I stood in line,, I was the only person in that line... I stood there for 20 minutes suffering in pain.. they looked at me.. but never asked me to move to the counter, just blew me off ,, I moved to another line to another desk for the medical appoinemnt exams, and cheked in,, I went back to the first line.. then there were five people in front of me. I waited and waited, in agony.. I asked them if I could fil out paperwork in the Mission Valley office for service records.. ( must have given out my last copy to my VSO, and I want some new copies..) They told em to fil out a form,, but told me to go to table, even though I onlyu had to sign in and write my SS#. I said fine, so, I went to a table, and was shaking so bad in pain I could not write legibly.. they never even asked to help.. when I signed my named I had to get back in line behind five people again.. I was finally at the front and I stood there for five minutes to hand them the paper I signed.. They said something and I moved forward. they they ignored me and I asked if they called me, they refused to answer.. I went back to the red line.. a few minutes later they waved me forward.. They really really eed an attitude adjustment, they are so damned rude! I saw the doctor for my neuro, and this doctor acted like I was a liar, someone who was there trying to steal something.. He said I looked fine to him sitting in the chair.. and I said if he would exam me he would find I had problems.. He said why do you need a cane if you only had back surgery.. why would I need a cane if I had pancreas surgery, (implying I did not need a cane..) until he gave me some tests,,, as I shook and trembled, and several times I fell over and grabbed the desk after he made me put my cane down and told me to walk around the room. I told him about having to spend one year in a wheel chair and not able to walk.. I have to say I was humilatied, insulted, treated badly.. and treated like I was a criminal.. The VA Mission valley office is miserable.. All of the other VA clinics and the hospital are pleasant, and very, very nice people, great atmosphere, friendly.. There was a few nice people, but not may... One clerk that I went to to get the acess paperwok for the VA myhealthnet website was good to me.. and a few others.. But, event he gaurds at the front of the building that man the xray and search were less than nice, it wa slike the DMV.. it was like everyone was bad and had to be put in the place before they could enter.. I wass trying to look at the glass display cases with items on display from several wars, all of a sudden I hear gurads voices telling me I had to move to the other side of the room because that was not an exit.. They really have a god complex in their guard uniforms.. the main VA and the othe rclinics would never treat anyone as badly as they are at this Clinic.. I have never gone to a website to say bad things about any VA clinic before but this place really sucked.. I stil have one more C&P exam ther next week.. I probably should not even say anything here, esecially while my claim is in appeal.. as while I go through this process they might retaliate and deny me just because I said this stuff, but I was sick, and treated badly.. the droids at the Benefits help desk were so rude, indiffrent, and had such a crappy attitude... we are like cattle being moved through with a cattle prod.. anyone else ever visit there? feel free to let me know.. how they feel about this clinic..

when I am logged on I neve rhere a beep or anything and if I am not looking, I don't know anyone is in it,,, and people don't stay, if they dont see anyone they leave.. I stil think voice is better.. IMHO:tongue:

I want to say upfront, that this is only my opinion from experiences for false postive test results.. First of all, it hits you hard if you are told you have soemthing like HIV, when you do not have it.. I understand you were told that your might have been exposed.. I was actually told I had HIV, and I have had several, at least 4 HIV tests over the last few years at the VA. (They repeated the tests a few times and determined I was negative). I also had other tests that were false postive, and others tests showed positive that were positive.. I also had tests for lung disease (positive) which turned out negative after months of testing.. (yes months of daily tests..). But still had to have water drained form the area around my lungs, but those spots in my lungs turned out the xray machine was wrong (after weeks of daily tests..) What am I getting at..: The procedure for cleaning may not have been as good as they should have been, but chances are low.. and since all these months have gone by,, it is highly unlikely you have contracted AIDs. I vagely remember the doctors telling me that the testing would show it with a definte yes/no after a few weeks.. I have blood transfusions, I had several blood viruses and went through blood transfusions.. for several nights in a row I had the blood transfusions, I had to sign documents stating that I understood that the blood screening process tries to catch contaminated blood. now that's scary especially when you are laying in a bed dying.. Again, you are probably in the clear, as all these months of testing. and the VA labs are as good as any.. in fact probably some of the best, with all these inspections and scrutiny, they are probably safer than than many other labs.. I don't know you are anything you have been through.. I can only relate through personal experiences.. One sign of HIV is having yellow skin and yellow eyes.. Hepatitis. as long as you don't see that or start feeling ill.. you are ok.. btw, I had al my teeth removed 10 years ago, the intestinal disease melted my teeth away, and they were like shards of glass cutting through my mouth. They cut through my tongue, through my lips.. and had jagged sharp edges.. The VA refused to help. I had to go to a dental school and payu for them to removed the melted teeth.. They refused to even listen to my pleas.. The dental school (Loma Linda) took one look and said they all have to be removed.. MInd you , I had to drive at least 100 miles in each direction to go back and forth.. all the while taking methadone for pain.. IMHO If you have any good days, feel good in any way, enjoy the good days... take advantage of any and all good days..

MY VSO was advising me, that if I add more claims it wil slow down the claims I already have in the works.. it's a really hard decision.. because you have to live witht he decisions you make.. if there are timne limits consider that. if there are no time limits.. if you can deal with your claim being slowed down, if at all, by adding more claims... this really is wrong to have to try to outwit and out think the claim proces,s especially if you cognitive functions are impaired,, mine are defintiely impaired form illness, medicines, and the lack of legal training in these matters...

I thought I had MS, but the doctors said I have Dystrophy.. but at least I got a diagnosis of why my body is a mess..

Update: My VSO called me and is going to setup a meeting for this too.. to see where to go from here.. note: I already have an appeal and NOD pending, so this might really slow things down if I sned in more.. but I don't want to possibly miss out on soemthing important. so I will see soon, how it goes adding more claims.. This week and next I have some Comp and Pen exam appointments.. I don't want to confuse anyone.. I was in the hospital bed in a hospital for 6 months.. but I also have a hospital bed at home... and the VA gave it to me with a two home nurses when I left the hospital (they would help with nutrition and physical therapy.., hwish was for about 2 months..) I needed the head and feet raised because the swelling was so bad in my leggs and the intestines (pancreas) were in such bad shape, my head could not lay down flat.. also my back makes it hard to get out of bed whenit's flat.. I had to roll out of bed.. you are so right! They never ever tell you anything.. you have tpo either stumble on info, search for info... or get lucky.. and usually when you find something out, it turns out, you got the big shaft..

I have had severe adema in my legs with huge amount of swelling, expecially 2008. I took lots of diuretic to remove lots of water... I take some Furosemide often.. The swelling isn't real bad now.. but the burning is increasing.. feels like my legs are sunburned.. Peripheral Artery Disease must be getting worse... (though they never said I have PAD, I do have Thrombosis of some veins in my liver.. I am sick of telling the doctors about problems.. as I finally got a couple months of rest on not being at the hosptial constantly.. I do not have diabetes.. but do have necratizing pancreatitis. note: I never had contact with agent orange (that I know of..) as I was never in Vietnam..

It was in a hospital that i was in a hospital bed.... and my claim was filed within 1 year.. I was in the bed 2008 and filed for my claim in 2009.. this is the claim I am now that I am in the appeal/nod process with.. too complicated.. when I say I was in a hopital bed, I mean in a hospital bed.. anyways I hope that I willspeaking with my VSO this week, I faxed my my letter last week about this matter.. I have 2 Comp and pen exams coming, this wed, and next friday..

no... I left the USAF after 5 years.. as I got sick on the job.. they screwed up, and sent me to another job that the doctors old them I was unable to do because I was sick, needless to say I got very sick all over again.. so I was discharged.. but they never gave me a medical disharge.. (This is the short version..)

you really need to ask doctors these questions.. IMHO

I wrote a letter and sent it to my VSO, so they can look and help me work on this... they can help with forms and help me submit them.. my Veteran's Service Officer will get it this morning.. and I will talk with him in the coming days... thanx all..

how do you collect?

what does this mean: ?? •Temporary total evaluation (100%) based on hospitalization for a service connected disability in excess of 21 days; or surgical treatment for a service connected disability necessitating at least 1 month of convalescence or immobilization by cast, without surgery of more major joints. === example,, I spent six months in a hospital bed, does that mean I am entitled to 100% disability pay for that 6 months? ------ note: I am currently only rated at 50%, and my claim I have going I am trying t get the increase to full 100% permanent.. thanx..

oh, and btw, I had a pre-existing condition which they gave me a waiver for when I joined,, I had cataracts, but they were not growing at the time, and were dormant.. I recently had one removed... I stil have one in my other eye...

Al lthe time and very very often, my BP is bad, wrong, etc.. and the nurses always make me sit down and rest, then they take it again, and again, until they get the reading they need.. I though they did this with everyone that has a bad reading.. I have no idea if they write down each test in my records, or just the 2nd test..

In the service I had hypertension and was treated with Propranolol. I don't currently have the number handy,, too many papers to sort through.. I later had readings of my Blood Pressure of around 150, 120 for my blood pressure consistently.. then a few years later came the Thombosis diagnosis. and hospitalizations I was diagnosed with Portal Vein Thombosis.. a few years back, and pancreatic disease.. I wil find out sooon when my latest NOD/Appeal, exams, and hearing for Comp and Pen are finished whether or not al this can be sorted and I can get my 50% increased to 100%. I have not been able to work for 15 years... I was just very curious about the hypertension, and all documents and service records have al this documentd and submitted.. Very complicated... thanx for al the good info here and advice..

the chat is nice! I myself use a voice program called TeamSpeak ( http://www.teamspeak.com/ ) (I play some online with friends..) and we use this free program to chat with lots of people while we play multiplayer games, or just chat.. If you don't want to install a server on a website.. you can use free ones ( http://publicteamspeak.com/ ) .. or just connect directly.. Just need a microphone and speakers, or a headset with a mic.. (I am not pushing anything, I am just saying..) I like to avoid typing, with pain and shaking hands..

Thanx for the support.. I am always at the VA hospital for care, tests, and meds.. so it is impossible to get copies of everything every two weeks... I would have to ask for copies every two weeks... if they want the latest papers.. I am under care for my problems, so they must have the same access to I have through their channels through patient records.. I do have copies of a lot of stuff.. but then again, the VA has everything and plus they can use the computer to get access, when I have to ask for printed copies, and yes, I have tons of printed copies.. but if you saw the amount of papers I have you would roll over,, I need several people to carry them all,, and I seriously boubt, that if I brought my medical records in on a dolly in boxes, they would spend an hour looking through them.. but I will put them in the car when I go.. maybe I will show them the boxes and say have fun.. **actually the exam letters just say bring copies of any meds I am taking.. Last time I went to one of these medical exams, they poked me asked a few questions, and off I went... I have sent a copy of the exam requests to my Veterans Service Officer, so he wil let me know what else I need to do.. if anything.. I am very nervous... I hate going to these things, I feel as if I am on trial.

I got a copy of my medical records from a hospital stay at the VA where is was in a bed for 6 months.. they sent me pages the size of two large phone books.. mind you I have been a patient there 15 years.. so I could not imagine how many pages it were if I asked for them all..

I just got a letter to attend two medical exams for my Disability Claim Appeal.. I cannot extactly remember what happened when I went to one of these in the 1990's for my first claim.. I am baffled they need more exams especially since I spent so much time in the VA hospital... I guess I have to bring all my stuff with me, or just a list of meds.. I need to contact my VSO to let him know about the letter and appointments.. They only gave me a two weeks notice on the 2 seperate appointments for this month.. I am very happy it is proceeding forward.. I am just puzzled since they have enough records to fill a full file cabinet.. but i suppose it is part of this whole claim appeal procedure..

All were diagnosed on first hospitalization