Ischemia

[john999]

The stress test I had at the VA indicated ischemia. My C&P exam skipped the stress test and made a diagnosis of no heart disease. I told my PCP and she got a stress test for me. Now I have a bad feeling about the care I have been getting from all my doctors. My private doctor said no need for a stress test unless I had symptoms and I don't have symptoms. I have not gotten my rating for heart disease secondary to DMII yet, but I know from the C&P exam it will be 0% or denied due to an inadequate exam. This really pisses me off, and I want to know what to do about it. The VA did not respond to my request for a new C&P exam. They are going to wait until I get the rating and force me to NOD it. Now I have evidence of active heart disease. I had artery disease in my legs and that is why I wanted an exam for my heart because the two often go together. I am currently 0% for arteriscelorotic heart disease. I am not really happy about this, but it shows how poor and inadequate our C&P exams are and how they skip steps to save a buck. I don't want to wait until I get a rating to head off a denial. I only got a echocardiogram and the C&P PA ignored it and just asked me if I ever had chest pains. The exam worksheet requires a stress test, but I did not get one before the exam. This is malpractice I think, but I know that the c&p PA was just doing the VA's dirty work. I wonder if I should just go to the VA and get the records and go to a private cardiologist. The VA will let me die while they discuss what cheap medication they can give me. You cannot trust a c&p exam to diagnose your problems. I got the results from the stress test in the mail today from my PCP at the VA. She is concerned but she is the only one. Any suggestions?

[purple]

if you can afford a private cardio doc....then go. your heart health is nothing to mess with. i have a heart condition that the VA doesn't know what to do with either....for now all they are doing (and this is my PCP doing this) is giving me nitro for the chest pain! my former civilian cardio doc dx me with SVT and i've had 2 ablation procedures and said if i had any re-currences i'd need a pacemaker. my PCP won't even refer me to cardiology!!! (and he knows my history).

i know if mine gets any worse...i'm going to a civilian cardio doc and making the VA pay for it.

good luck and i hope you get the care you so deserve!!

[Pete53]

About 4 years ago I had no heart trouble and a few months later I had a silent heart attack. So now when they ask if I have heart trouble I say yes. I have a diagnosis on CAD on my progile now.

Like Purple says I think you need to see a cardio doc asap.

[john999]

I think I will make an appointment with a cardiologist Monday and get my records from the VAMC in the meantime. They have done three echocardiograms on me and a stress test, but all were of poor quality. I had an EMG done for my PN and it was of poor quality. All the doctors were non-English speakers. How can you trust these jerks for anything? I would not like to have to depend for my life on these clowns.

I have DMII and now have HBP and cataracts and VA says there is no connection. After my CUE is decided I will file for all these conditions. The VAMC with its electronic medical records is supposed to be total care for us, and yet they never follow up on anything unless you get down on your knees and beg them.

[purple]

Yes, it seems that all of the cardio testing I've had done at the VA has also been "of poor quality". I think they put that in their interpretations to CYA. Never had that with any of my civilian testing....and I've had TONS of testing!!!!

I once had a 30-day Holter monitor (done by the VA)....while I was wearing it, some of the findings I reported to the recording center the lady called me back and told me to get to the ER ASAP because one chamber of my heart wasn't working!!!!! I went to the VA....they did an EKG, said I was fine and sent me home. They blamed the monitoring center for getting me all upset. They never did any follow-up from that test and said that the results were "within normal limits".

BS.

I routinely have heart rates that vary anywhere from the low 40s to the 130s...and my PCP said it's "normal for a woman my age"......oh BS....it's far from normal. (I'm only 44).

No more VA cardiac care for me....

[Pete53]

I had a VA Stress test April 2006 and another one at a read Doctor's and had a stent put in cause one artery had a blockage of 90% and to think that I had been trying to find out for over 4 years at VA why I had such a problem walking more than a few hundred feet.

I also asked for a cardio consult 4 months ago and have not even gotten an appointment yet. I think that the VA gives Veterans the false impression that they are treating them when in fact they are shelving us and waiting for us to die.

[john999]

I am 58 and I had to bust my ass to get my pulse up to 130. That is not normal for a resting pulse for anyone. I agree that the "wait and see if he dies" pattern is typical for the VA. If I really do have ischemia why not send me to a VA cardiologist instead of just my PCP giving me some new meds, maybe. If my heart is not functioning normally under stress I want to know what can be done, and what should be done. The VA is most conscious of the budget rather than the health of any one veteran. I do take what the VA tells me with a grain of salt, but I intend to get it checked out by a real doctor. The VA is failing us.