Questions Re: Ms & Viet Nam/ Need Opinions Please

[57tom]

I have MS and I was stationed in Germany in 1976-1977. As I am reading about MS and vets, it seems that Agent Orange was the factor if a vet was stationed in VietNam. Those appear to be the vets that are successful in receiving compensation.

I don't think I came in contact with Agent Orange because I was in Germany.

I received the immunizations of who knows what. I was also gassed a few times in training

Do I even bother to apply?

How would I answer the question of "how is my disability related to my service in the military"?

Are there any other factors that I am unaware of?

I've just begun looking into all of this.

Thanks-

[john999]

MS is not a AO presumptive disease. You would need a doctor to say that exposure to whatever shots or gasses caused the MS. You need to build a solid case using medical experts. The VA won't give you this without a fight unless you got the MS within one year of service. When were you diagnosed with MS?

[57tom]

With MS there is a 7 year window after discharge for symptoms, since you can have MS symptoms for years before a diagnosis.

What is AO presumptive?

[john999]

I did not know about the 7 year window for MS after discharge. Presumptive AO exposure is for vets who were either boot on the ground in Vietnam or in certain other places where AO was used. If a vet can show that he was somehow exposed to AO then there is a long list of diseases he can be service connected for, but not MS that I know of at this time. Even non-presumptive AO exposure cases will sometimes fly if you have medical evidence that AO caused the disease. It is very hard to prove that as a rule. Just about every year or two now a new disease is added to the AO presumptive list. Is there medical evidence that AO causes MS? That is a new one on me. There is evidence and then there is evidence the VA will accept which is different.

[allan]

MS doesn't have to be tied to anything but "symptoms" you have in your service medical records. It doesn't need to be tied to AO, occupation or vaccines, nor do you need a diagnoses in service.

If your medical records show visual fluctuation, or blurred vision that comes and goes, specific hearing loss etc. Than a Dr can find these symptoms and be able to determine if its SC or not.

Were you diagnosed with MS within the 7 yrs following separation? Do you have records showing treatment for or symptoms of during service or the 7 yrs following?

If you do, than a medical opinion from a specialist stating the MS is service connected on a more probable than not bases may do it.

A statement from a Dr, absent any service records to back it up will not result in an award.

Again, you don't need an in service diagnoses, but you do need documented symptoms in your records.

Allan

[57tom]

All records have been destroyed because it was so long ago. I was hospitalized in 1983 with symptoms (half my body went numb) but the hospital does not keep records that long, nor does the doctor's office that I had seen in those early times.

I still know the doc and he would probably write a letter because he had suspected MS, but MRIs had not been invented yet and that is they way they diagnose MS now. So there are NO records from that 7 year window in existence.

Lost cause, I'm guessing?

[allan]

So you have no Saparation Examination or military service records of anykind?

No Hearing exams, eye or dental? Or is it that no symptoms showed during this time?

Records during active duty and the following seven yrs is what you need.

Most hospitals only keep their records 5 yrs then their destroyed.

There are still roughly 20% of us that don't show on MRI's or spinal taps.

The VAMC Dr's left me with a diagnoses of "Neuromuscular Disorder of Unknown Cause" for more than a decade.

Dr Craig Bash was able to serch through all my past med records and service records and make a firm diagnoses of MS I am very greatful he was able to determine what it was.

The average age of onset is 19. Thats when my symptoms started showing in the service records.

If the DVA would release the other 3 yrs of med records, that would have helped. But it's odd how our records end up missing like that, isn't it?

A fully favorable C&P exam, an exam and favorable med opinion by a private Dr I've seen for many yrs following service and three or four IMO's from Dr Bash along with records to back it up, has gotten me no where since the raters don't provide any weight to such evidence.

The only weight they apply to evidence is to their "contracted" IMO's.

I've been on appeal for over a decade, so I wish you luck.

Allan