diabetes Diabetes And Disability

[t.acord]

I spent 10.5 years AD Army. During the last couple of years in service, I had excessive thirst and a two episodes where my blood sugar dropped into the 50's. Since I left the service, I continued having issues with excessive thirst. This year I really started to become worried and after a visit to my pcp, I was sent to an endocrinologist. I'm now on two types of insulin and take 4 injections a day. The doctor stated that I had all the signs of being a diabetic while in the service with the excessive thirst and the drops in blood sugar, and this is the typical outcome where years down the road, I would be on insulin.

Question: is there a possibility I can make a claim for this disability? The doctor stated he would write a letter for me stating my history, with past explanation while in the military how this was a sign that I was a diabetic. I was also diagnosed with hearing loss while in the service and now have severe tinnitus and menieres syndrome. Can all of this be claimed?

I've never made a claim with the VA and I'm going through the Texas Veterans Commission to help with my claim for other military related injuries.

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit.

Yes I think that you can make a claim and win it based on this cursory information.TVC is helpful but you can perfect your claim on Hadit.

You need a Doc to write a Medcial Opinion that backs up your diabetes started during your service. It has to be strong no and buts or maybe's.

Good Luck

[john999]

I am really surprised you did not get a DMII diagnosis in the Army. However, I agree that you should make a claim for DMII. You had the symptoms of DMII even if not the diagnosis in the Army. I sometimes think they avoid making this diagnosis because they know it will cost them. They may say something like high glucose readings or pre-diagnosis. There really is no such thing.

[t.acord]

Thanks for the input. I now need to send off for a certified copy of my medical records. Not sure how long that will take, but at least I'm on the road to getting my claim in the system.

It's almost absurb how on my discharge paperwork stated I also have asthma, HTN and PFS, but not once did they try to let me file for a medical discharge. Isn't Asthma an automatic medical discharge? I developed it around 4 years after I was in after being around a lot of smoke from explosives.

Well, I'll keep everyone posted and I'm sure I'll have a lot of questions.

thanks,

Tracy

[Berta]

WOW! claim it all-

It would be GREAT if the doc can follow the IMO criteria and support your DMII claim.

It is under the search feature (or a separate topic called Getting an IMO-

the IMO doc must cover certain bases -otherwise VA will reject the IMO-

Also the ADA changed the DMII glucose criteria in 1997 and this factor could possibly help other vets with diabetes that showed up in military but at values that were different than what the ADA and WHO (World Health Org) accepts today.

Make sure that -regardless of what your DD 214 shows your MOS as-that the VA understands that you were exposed to acoustical trauma-

(bolier engines, jets, gun fire ,turrets , etc) and I sure assume-and let VA know too- that you were not issued protective hearing gear (unless you were but probably not)

[Doc904]

I was in the military medical field for 21 years. At that time the line was 160 for a blood sugar reading if you were over that you had diabetes, now it's 124 according to the ADA. Also being in the military I was running 9 miles a day and watching what I was eating, all this was doing was hidding the diabetes and it didn't pop up it's mean head until I was in nursing school after I retired. Going to school 5 days a week and 8 hours plus a day, didn't leave any time for running the 9 miles a day, so hear came the diabetes and it took over my life. So most people in the military do PT or you wouldn't be able to stay in the military, it's after you get out that the diabetes will hit you, stress also causes it, sleep apnea etc. Good Luck,

Doc904