Gulf War Registry Exam Questions

soaringeagle17 · July 1, 2010

Greetings Again and thanks for the initial answers to my other questions on re-opening my VA disability claim. One of the forum members mentioned to me about going to the VA and being added to the Gulf War Registry and having the exam to determine info to establish a Gulf war Syndrome/Illness claim. I downloaded the Va Form 10-9009a(rs) and am going to fill it out tomorrow and then drop it off at the VA to have them schedule me for the exam.

I was wondering if any of you have done this and what I might need to do as I prepare for this. I served in the Gulf War in late 1990-early 1991 and I have had amny symptoms that seem to be related to the Gulf War Illness symptoms. I have not gone to the doctor for this prior to now but have done research and many of my symptoms seem very related. Anyway, just looking for some guidance for this process as I go through this process. I also am beginning to schedule medical appointments for my service connected disabilities to attempt to have them re-open my case and increase the ratings. Anyway, I thank all of you for your feedback and input and again I thank the founders for establishing this great site. Have a great and blessed evneing.

v/r

soaringeagle17

john999 · July 1, 2010

Bring your DD214 to show you served in the Gulf war. A copy will do I am sure. There is no way to prepare for the exam. It is not a big deal. I did the AO exam. It is a general exam. If they find conditions that match with possible Gulf War presumptives they will list them.

Berta · July 1, 2010

I suggest you read some of the topics in this forum such as:

to see if your symptoms fall into a qualifying chronic disability due to your SW Asia service.

Also the recent post from Larry on the 9 proposed new presumptives might help too.

Do you have a complete copy of your SMRs?

soaringeagle17 · July 2, 2010

Hi Berta,

Thanks again for your support. I do have a copy of my Service medial records. Also, even though this is a sensitive topic for me I sat down and wrote out all the issues that have been bothering me and I am listing them below. These are the things I want to try and have looked at from the doctors but that I also want to address with the VA to have them provide an increase to my ratings and to add these other items as consider those as well. I am to the point they are really impacting me and I have to put aside my pride and stubborness. I am worried though that as a result of me not having a continual doctor history for these things they will deny me. Anyway, I guess I will see what happens. Again thanks for your advice to myself and others and have a blessed evening.

Health Concerns Related to Gulf War Illness/Syndrome-Gulf War Veteran

-Sleep Issues

-Gastrointestinal problems

-Joint and muscle pain and constant weakness and fatigue

-Chronic fatigue feeling without exertion

-Headaches

All the above conditions have been occurring since my return from the Gulf War. I have dealt with these issues over the 20 years and never wanted to constantly complain. Additionally I was afraid to address the issues because of fear of having to leave the service by medical evaluation board. Also, since I retired I have not had sick or vacation days until now to visit with a doctor to discuss these issues. The issues above and below have intensified to the point I can’t continue to attempt to ignore the issues because they are impacting my daily living and working ability.

-Urination issues-a constant feeling like I have to urinate. When I go to urinate I often have a weak stream and a feeling like I have to urinate a lot and just a little comes out and often times I will stand at the toilet feeling like I have to go but nothing or a few drops of urine come out. Then a short duration later (anywhere between 15 minutes and 45 minutes later I have to go again. This has become a huge issue and is impacting my everyday life and impacting my sex life as well. Often times I will go to the restroom and urinate and then attempt to have intercourse with my spouse and after a short time I am unable to continue because I either can’t achieve or I lose my erection (impotence) and have to go and urinate again and it impacts me from being able to continue being intimate with my spouse. This urination condition also causes me to not get a good nights rest. I wake up between 5-6 times each night to urinate leaving me tired everyday.

Continual right elbow pain and fatigue as a result of surgery. The weather changes continue to cause pain and fatigue and limited mobility of my right elbow and pain as a result of motion in my right arm

-Chronic enlarged prostate issues

-Continual gastrointestinal/stomach pains and cramps

-Acid reflux and heartburn on a continual basis. This has been a concern on and off since 1989 and has become more severe and I was prescribed 40 mg of Nexium in 2009 and still take it presently

-Continual Upper, mid and lower back pain (Disc Degeneration) without exertion causing decreased movement. This condition has caused me to not exercise because of the pain and impacts my daily living and normal activities which I used to enjoy participating in. I feel pain, muscle spasms, and fatigue after short periods of time sitting and attempting to type or write reports. Additionally, I wake up with back and neck pains that radiate into the back of my head and cause headaches on a continual basis.

-Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in left rest and left thumb causing weakness, fatigue, and continual pain without relief. The pain is continual with or without movement and I have decreased movement, tingling, numbness due to pain. Additionally, as I attempt to hold the car steering wheel with my left hand it gets very weak and I have to grab the wheel with my other hand because of the fatigued feeling. This condition impacts me on a daily basis at work as I attempt to type reports

-Left knee pain. I have continual pain in my left knee and loss of motion with even simple tasks such as walking and standing on it for extended periods of time. In addition to the pain my knee gets very fatigued after sitting for relatively short periods of time and also gives way after any type of exertion.

-Fatigue lasting 24 hours or longer when I do not perform any exercise or after exercise as well. I also have generalized muscle aches and weakness in the morning when I first wake up in the morning and it continues throughout the day. I get muscle spasms in the middle of the night in my legs and calves

-Increased sensitivity to pain and widespread pain throughout my body. My body aches from changes in the weather, constant morning stiffness, issues with sleeping, headaches, light headedness, muscle twitches and weakness, inability to sleep through the night, jaw pain, urinary and pelvic issues, occasional issue with dysuria (burning sensation while urinating), unexplained weight gain. I believe the issues are related to fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. These issues have been occurring on and off since 1991 and in the last year have intensified greatly.

I suggest you read some of the topics in this forum such as:

to see if your symptoms fall into a qualifying chronic disability due to your SW Asia service.

Also the recent post from Larry on the 9 proposed new presumptives might help too.

Do you have a complete copy of your SMRs?

Berta · July 2, 2010

It pays to lay out these symptoms to the VA particularily when the PGW regs are so complicated.

Do you have any medical documentation of some of these symptoms?

Do you have a vet rep who could determine the best way to present this claim?

If this is a re-open of a past similiar claim the VA will want new and material evidence.Maybe the PGW Registery exam will reveal that new evidence.

rmvtrebor67 · July 19, 2010

Hi all, I am still on active duty and presently following up on alot of the same symptoms. I have in my medical record saying possible Gulf War Syndrome but the treatment for it supposedly has been discontinued from what I am being told by Naval Portsmouth Medical in Virginia. I tried to be seen by the VA but they denied the request. What I was told is that they will treat each individual symptom and go from there.

I dont know if this is because Im still active duty, or what I am expecting when I do retire but I have been following up with treatment for 2 years now with nothing working. Im frustrated and worried about a Medical Board myself, so I am out of answers and would like a little guidance if anyone has any?

Not to mention some of the meds I was put on had such bad side effects that I couldnt keep using them unless I wanted to not have a productive life. Lessen one symptom to worsen another or add to my symptoms. Frustrated to say the least.