hypertension Heart Condtion Reduced Ideas About Imo

[oldman273]

Hello I am SC for enlarged heart secondary to hypertension recently put in for I/U and had a C/P VA did echo/EKG "Their Cardiologist says my heart is normal I am wondering if I should go get an IMO as I read the test results and measurements of enlarged area of my heart have actually increased. Any suggestions? I get the feeling the VA is lining me up to reduce my present ratting but I am always ready for that fact. If I were getting better and felt better I would be happy but I had the VA tell me that my heart was fine but still have same problems Shortness of breath, edema on lower legs/ankle. I am going for IU now that my Back is gone out on me and Nuerosurgeon already put in letter for IU to the VA so any ideas? Adios and have a good day

[Testvet]

is your back problems SC or a non SC issue? when you get into IU you need to make sure the VA can't use any non SC issue causing you problems as being the cause of your not being able to be employed you need a statement from your doctor to state that just your SC issues make you unemployable if the VA has anything to blame your unemployability on then they will deny a IU claim be ahead of the game and not behind the 8 ball

I know I should not pick on the 8 ball since some of the people here rely on theirs for answers rofl

I suggest you put their doctors name into your states medical licensing board and find out what their medical specialty really is, I have had a NP, and a radiologist do cardiac exams on me and the VARO stated they were cardiac specialists I don't think they would care if they had a "janitor" do your exam they would claim them to be a cardiac specialist. I am on SSD for cardiac problems the VA rated me at 60% go figure nothing they do surprises me any more

you may need an IMO to be able to beat them

Edited July 29, 2010 by Testvet

[*Bergie*]

Hello I am SC for enlarged heart secondary to hypertension recently put in for I/U and had a C/P VA did echo/EKG "Their Cardiologist says my heart is normal I am wondering if I should go get an IMO as I read the test results and measurements of enlarged area of my heart have actually increased. Any suggestions? I get the feeling the VA is lining me up to reduce my present ratting but I am always ready for that fact. If I were getting better and felt better I would be happy but I had the VA tell me that my heart was fine but still have same problems Shortness of breath, edema on lower legs/ankle. I am going for IU now that my Back is gone out on me and Nuerosurgeon already put in letter for IU to the VA so any ideas? Adios and have a good day

If you were diagnosed with enlarged heart it doen't just fix itself. There is no cure for the condition, I would definately seek an outside opinion. Especially now with the possibility of a reduction of benefits. You will need the IMO to counter the VA's cardiologist. Also, I'm sure you are on meds for this condition, what about that does this quack suggest you just stop the meds. Do not believe this idiot, consult your personal cardiologist.

JMO,

Bergie

[oldman273]

is your back problems SC or a non SC issue? when you get into IU you need to make sure the VA can't use any non SC issue causing you problems as being the cause of your not being able to be employed you need a statement from your doctor to state that just your SC issues make you unemployable if the VA has anything to blame your unemployability on then they will deny a IU claim be ahead of the game and not behind the 8 ball

I know I should not pick on the 8 ball since some of the people here rely on theirs for answers rofl

I suggest you put their doctors name into your states medical licensing board and find out what their medical specialty really is, I have had a NP, and a radiologist do cardiac exams on me and the VARO stated they were cardiac specialists I don't think they would care if they had a "janitor" do your exam they would claim them to be a cardiac specialist. I am on SSD for cardiac problems the VA rated me at 60% go figure nothing they do surprises me any more

you may need an IMO to be able to beat them

Yes Thanks my back is SC just had 3 level lumar fusion so far the pain is about the same but I used the advice on this forum to get my Surgeon to stand with me and he wrote about me not being employable due to my SC back. This Cardiologist was the same who said nothing was wrong with my heart prior to my being awarded 60% also. I just want a solid diagnosis for my heart if it is better I will take a better heart rather than any amount of money the VA can give me. Ijust do not belive my heart is better I will go to a civillian Cardiologist as soon as I can.

[Testvet]

Good that is one thing that can't beat you up with, I have three herniated disks as well L3-S1 and they won't operate on them due to my heart condition, they give me a liftime supply of percocets instead of surgery. Bad backs never seem to get better they only seem to get worse.......

Down playing heart problems seems to be a system wide problem, I have an ejection fraction less than 30% I have had 13 heart caths, 1 stroke, 7 heart attcks, a failed triple bypass, 2 stents that have closed off, 2 bypasses that have closed off and the RO says I only meet the requirements for 60% BS it was the VA's records that SS used to award my SSD claim if SSD was based on VA records how can the VA claim I am only 60% disabled as we all know SS is one rating either you are totally disabled or you're not they don't deal in percentages and with them either the 2 bypases being closed off and irreparable is a immediate grant of SSD or an ejection fraction less than 30% is another issue that can be used to award immediate SSD, my SSD claim was approved in 4 months my VA claim took 7 years for CAD and hypertension

I am SMC S so it's not worth the effort to appeal that issue any further I don't see anything to gain by trying to force them to admit my heart is a 100% level rating of 60% or 100% still equals the SMC S level

I had to get IMO's and an IME for my BVA appeal in the end it was worth it my lawyer had me go see a cardiac specialist a month before the BVA hearing for a IME it was well worth the 800 he charged for it it brought reasonable doubt into play and the Judge granted in my favor without that IME who knows which way he would have gone I know he wasn't pleased with the RO when he got the print outs from the state medical board about their C&P doctors not being cardiac specialsts as they claimed one of the C&P docs was a NP and another was a radiologist according to their state med records all 4 of my IMO's were done by cardiac docs licenses and specialty trained as the state record showed I got state recordssof all the doctors mine and the VA's

I really do think if they could they would let a janitor give the exams and just have a doctor sign off on them and declare that the reviewing doc is a licnesed doctor and that is all that is required. I trust them no further than I can throw them

Edited July 29, 2010 by Testvet