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?

[Berta]

John-was that test the ECHO or just an EKG?

The results of an ECHO of heart can reveal extent of obstructions of effect of atherosclerotic heart disease, any ventricular hypertrophy-and should include an ejection fraction.

My husband got only 2 EKGs and one ECHO in years of being a VA patient and when I was able to comprehend them-they proved my malpractice claim.They were bonafide evidence of extensive cardiovascular heart disease.

The C & P exams are just that- geared only to a worksheet for a comp claim- NVLSP gave testimony to the H VAC recently as to the lousy way these exams are done- leaving out important portions of the worksheet requirements.

I agree that lousy C & P s border on malpractice but I am unaware of a C & P exam ever being used as basis for a Section 1151 claim.

Chest pains -for diabetics -particularily those diabetics with neuropathy- often don't occur.Silent heart attacks are common in diabetics-revealed via EKGs and other symptoms.

This is a well know medical fact to the standard medical community and to the ADA.

My husband had no chest pains with his initial heart attack- which he had at the VAMC-the documented other symptoms and the EKGS revealed this as ischemia (heart attack) and even when he put his hand on his chest and gave me an odd look over a decade ago in the barn- there was no indication of excrutiating pain at all, he dropped, and he died as I performed CPR-

death in "minutes" on the death certificate due to Sudden Death Syndrome-an unfortunate syndrome that can be caused by diabetic heart disease.

I don't mean to alarm anyone but diabetic cardiomegalopathy is nothing to fool around with-

a real doctor might find no cause for alarm at all- or could review your med recs and save your life-with proper treatment-

an IMO would help you get also the proper rating from VA.It could possibly be the basis for a Section 1151 claim if they did not give your proper diagnosis and treatment and you have additional CAD problems due to that.

But It is possible that this is not as serious as it could be-

but I am witness to the fact that the VA will cause the death of a veteran- not because they mean to- but because they are simply incompetent.

One thing I realized as I tried to reconstruct the 6 years of malpractice my husband got was I had to put myself in the shoes of each doctor to see what they did or didnt do right-and why they took or didnt take certain steps-

I found they were dealing with his med recs just like the VA deals with claims- only reading the most recent entries and NOT following up on the entire clinical record.

This is how they handle our evidence- they only breeze through the stuff on top of the file-and the most recent C & P exam (the recent stuff gets put on top) and the hell with the rest-

or if they see stuff that helps the claim when they open the c file- then they look for the negative stuff

It is up to your PCP to follow this through.

But I sure would see a real doctor if I were you. We never thought of that- we trusted them.And the VA-even when I directly confronted the cardiologist who read the ECHO-but he told me "Nothing" was wrong with Rod's heart.

( I then proved was that this was part of a cover up at a different VAMC-where the VA medical team knew for a fact Rod was headed for

a very limited lifespan because of what happened at the other VAMC)They never thought anyone would ever find out.

[stillhere]

one doctor said i have ischemic heart disease due to trauma from military service; what is the current rating on that?

Depends on your LV injection factor # 30 and below 100%, 30 t0 50 60%,

50 to 65 is normal.

Do you have a DX of heart disease? If you do get a electrocardiogram done or a stress test. Sometime the VA will rat on your mets test.

My left vetrigul is at 46% so I am rated 60% disabled and SC. secondary to DB2.

[john999]

I ended up with a 60% rating for heart disease on appeal. I am not sure this is correct. I don't think the VA rater has any idea of what he looked at due to conflicting test results. I went to a private cardiologist. He was skeptical of everything the VA did or said. I had the chemical stress test with an echo. My private doctor said the only way to really tell was to get a heart cath. I don't have symptoms. The cath could kill me.

[Testvet]

John I am 60% also for CAD my ejection fraction is either 25% by cath in Oct 2002 and SSD was approved or a May 2007 echo showed one doc read at 20% and another doc read the same echo at 38% you know which one the VARO used they are ignoring the fact the cath shows 2 of my bypasses are also closed off and can NOT be repaired. Either of those reason are enough for SSD to be approved the RO is ignoring the bypass failure the Thoracic surgeon wants to implant a defib because of my low ejection fraction and I won't let them do it it only works if you have electrical impulse problems in your heart I don't have that problem I have low blood pressure issues at times but not enough to make me want the implant they have to stop your heart and let the defib start you back up with my luck it wouldn't work and even if I get my CAD raised to 100% it doesn't change my rating SMC S is it regardless of any other ratings I am debating if I want to appeal the effective date though because they are still refusing to go back to Nov or Dec 2002 they are refusing to acknowledge the letter I wrote to Principi Nov 20 2002 for some reason the VARO Montgomery Ala responded to my letter telling me I had not filed a claim yet not in Alabama no the American Legion SO did not file the heart claim until Dec 28 2002 in Columbia SC why they sent the letter to Alabama I have no idea.....lost in space but that would be another 12 months counted towards my 10 year mark and about 25,000 dollars. Do I really want to file another appeal? I have some more time to think about it rofl

[john999]

TestVet

$25,000 is not chump change. Your health and peace of mind is the most important thing.

John

[Testvet]

Thats the whole deal John is that money worth another 2-3 years of fighting and stressing over the RO maybe trying to reduce me we are comfortable now and my cardiac problems seem to be stable as long as I don't exert myeself and fighting with the RO is stressful living a few extra years is worth more than 25 grand just my thoughts on it my award was sent to me on June 4 2009 I have a year to appeal right?