diabetes Diabetes Claim -- Do I Have What I Need?

[Dave]

To start, I am not a Vietnam Vet (so no Agent Orange presumption) and I was diagnosed with diabetes II outside of the 1 year window after retirement (27 months). I do have two high blood glucose readings -- 135 mg/dl from a fasting lab conducted by the VA for a Benefits Delivered at Discharge C&P during my last month of service. I only found out about these results 20 months after from a FOIA request. I have one other fasting reading of 115 from the military doctors a few months before the VA and the military doctor wrote "patient counseled on high blood glucose reading". My current diabetic doctor reviewed my military records and wrote "based on my review of the veteran's service records to include high fasting glucose readings, there is "no doubt" that his diabetes started in service." Now that I have a current DM II diagnosis, a record of 2 high readings during my last year of service and plus the doctors statement for nexus -- would this claim now be granted? I have a VSO helping me and I believe my doctors letter will help me establish direct service connection for DM II. Thoughts?

Thanks

Dave

[free_spirit_etc]

Sounds like you have a strong claim. Will it be granted? It SHOULD. But you never know about the VA. But your dots seem easy enough to connect, even for the simple minded. Hopefully you have enough to get the claim granted right off the bat.

Free

To start, I am not a Vietnam Vet (so no Agent Orange presumption) and I was diagnosed with diabetes II outside of the 1 year window after retirement (27 months). I do have two high blood glucose readings -- 135 mg/dl from a fasting lab conducted by the VA for a Benefits Delivered at Discharge C&P during my last month of service. I only found out about these results 20 months after from a FOIA request. I have one other fasting reading of 115 from the military doctors a few months before the VA and the military doctor wrote "patient counseled on high blood glucose reading". My current diabetic doctor reviewed my military records and wrote "based on my review of the veteran's service records to include high fasting glucose readings, there is "no doubt" that his diabetes started in service." Now that I have a current DM II diagnosis, a record of 2 high readings during my last year of service and plus the doctors statement for nexus -- would this claim now be granted? I have a VSO helping me and I believe my doctors letter will help me establish direct service connection for DM II. Thoughts?

Thanks

Dave

[free_spirit_etc]

Do you have any compensable complications from Diabetes that should also be rated?

Free

7913 Diabetes mellitus

Requiring more than one daily injection of insulin, restricted diet,

and regulation of activities (avoidance of strenuous occupational

and recreational activities) with episodes of ketoacidosis or

hypoglycemic reactions requiring at least three hospitalizations per

year or weekly visits to a diabetic care provider, plus either

progressive loss of weight and strength or complications that

would be compensable if separately evaluated 100

Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities with

episodes of ketoacidosis or hypoglycemic reactions requiring one

or two hospitalizations per year or twice a month visits to a diabetic

care provider, plus complications that would not be compensable

if separately evaluated 60

Requiring insulin, restricted diet, and regulation of activities 40

Requiring insulin and restricted diet, or; oral hypoglycemic agent

and restricted diet 20

Manageable by restricted diet only 10

Note (1): Evaluate compensable complications of diabetes separately unless they are part of the criteria used to support a 100 percent evaluation. Noncompensable complications are considered part of the diabetic process under diagnostic code 7913.

Note (2): When diabetes mellitus has been conclusively diagnosed, do not request a glucose tolerance test solely for rating purposes.

[jbasser]

Here is exactly what you need to do.

You must obtain a medical opinion from a Doctor who has reviewed the entire file and have the Doc say that the Earlier high Glucose readings were the Onset of your diabetes.

An opinion from a Diabetes Specialist would carry significant weight.

The onset is the Key.

J

[Berta]

My claim is based on high glucose readings too as well as countless other symptoms of diabetes-in my husband over a 6 year period.

I was able to find evidence in VA medical records within 6 years prior to his death to prove he had diabetes.

Diabetes can be symptomatic in other ways- he showed these symptoms at numerous ER vists yet no glucose readings were done.

The highest glucose reading he had were done while he was being hospitalized on a feed tube.

A VA doctor who opined on my claim based her opinions on the "outdated" ADA criteria as well as the fact she did not have the complete medical records.

I got 2 separate IM0s from Dr. BAsh with an attached brief statement from the sole VA doctor who wanted to rule out diabetes. They never did.

The VA might question those readings-but a solid IMO-which it appears you have -will put your claim into Relative Equipoise-

and it should succeed.

My IMOs have never been addressed by the VA yet-

WHat bothers me about these claims is that often the VA only takes periodic Glucose readings in veteran patients-

those readings can be early in the AM or after a vet has waited around for hours-without eating anything and they can be deceptive as a low reading when-in a few hours they could go up into a high level.

The HBIAC is usually a much better detector of DMII. They never gave Rod a HBIAC test nor a OGT test.

VA often doesnt even diagose diabetes until a vet has suffered a major complication from it such as heart attack or stroke.

VAs years ago considered glucose within high range at 105 in some VA's and at 110 in others-while that isnt too high, they are supposed to consider that with your creatine levels as well as your cholestrol counts.

Any red flags should trigger concern.

In Rods records his hyperlipedemia was noted (High TRgly/Low CHolestrol)and checked along with glucose readings-yet nothing else was done to rule in or rule out diabetes.

I think you have established yur inservice nexus and hope that VA does not question these readings.

[Dave]

Berta,

What a great reply. I feel sorry for what you and your husbamd went through. May God bless you and thank you again for your response.

Dave

[Dave]

VA rated me 20% for diabetes. My doctor wrote a great and true letter for me. Also, thanks also to you Berta for your advice.

Now I can continue to fight my diabetes and not worry about the rating anymore.

Dave