hypertension C And P Exams Monday Just Got Notice Questionaire Yesterday 2 Days To Prepare

[Capt.]

Hello All,,,, Well after 5 years I got a call Thurday afternoon informing me of C and P exams by QTC not 2 miles from my house. They will be for Coronary Pulmonary Disease, Upper Respiratory Infection , and Gastroenteritis.

OOOhhhhhh yes they said on a Thursday that your C and P for these will be this MONDAY at 11 am. Please bring in the paper work we are fedx to you. I said ....isn't this a little short to prepare for it and how are you going to get me my questionaire??????? The kind dear gentleman said we were FEDX and it got here Yesterday afternoon. I hope some of us a paying attention to not getting notice for a c and p just a day or two before you get it , so you could easily miss it. I asked him what I would have been out of town for a 2 or 3 day period and he not to miss a C and P. Its like the VA is trying to make sure I don't know about it until the very last second. Still hours of work later and I am not sure if I am ready. So after pulling all files out and trying to see what went where and how to answer questions with backed up Doctors statements and Environmental Scientist that opined with Nexus on these and added the Forts Medical records and Cardio recent reports.......I am posting them for you to see and hopefully.......

`1. Did I put too much on the questionaire? I don't want to put alot of irrelevance that does not support their question. I want to make sure I answer and support my claims with good doctors statement.

2. I did it last night and was so tired I could hardly right from the reports but hope all can read it and give opinions.

3. There may still be a chance to change it if it looks like I butchered it before the Monday meeting so if you see a change nescessary then let me know.

4. THE BIG ONE IS at the bottom page 2B where the PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IS LISTED ....if I can service connect the Restricted lung/COPD/Upper Respiratory Infection which I listed the ones from Fort ALL 6 URI's were recorded , then VA says PHTN is 100 % P and T all by itself. I don't want to blow it so PLEASE HOPPY , Carlie , Berta , John, Pete, Sharon, Jbass who have knowledge of Pulmonary ,,,,just chime on in here and quick ....The exam is Monday morning.

5 Also the exan will cover my gastroenteritis so help with that Paragraph if you can.

6. I have another ENT in another VAMC about 160 miles from here and that is in 2 weeks and on tinnitus , right ear infection and hearing loss. At least that one I can have some paperwork ready to go but not wanting the long drive and they are paying for that one.

As always I am tired , stressed out because of the time alotted ,,,,,just 3 days and hopefully we will get a favorable ruling . I dont enjoy having the lung issues with the Pul Hypertension but maybe we can get the rating from the Report and the Diagnosis of it posted here. Once again thank you folks. I thought this day would never get here. I am never up this late and the ambian is really coming on now.But I had to let my HADIT SISTERS AND BROTHERS CHEW on it for awhile with me. NEVER GIVE UP. God Bless. C.C.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Capt.Contaminate

[Pete53]

CC

I am no expert pulmonary but from my review you are sticking to simple but effective presentation. Make sure that all hospita; and what reason are documented and included.

Good Luck Brother short notice are not you are coming to a decision.

Pete

[Berta]

The SMRs could help,if you had continuous medical treatment from the time you left service for these 2 problems.

The Agent Orange statements-in my opinion-will not help these claims.

I know of a vet who also had an opinion from an 'environmental expert' to establish his exposure to Agent Orange in Alaska.

Reading your statement it almost sounds like the same guy and almost the same opinion.

I will try to find it.

Unfortunately this opinion -if the same one or from the same 'expert'-will not help anyone prove any nexus to AO.

Agent Orange disabilities outside of Vietnam which don't fit into the Korea and Thailand AO criteria

need absolute proof of exposure (such as the James Cripps AO award for exposure at Fort Gordon, Ga.)

Once exposure is proven- then the disability must be on the presumptive list or have a VERY strong medical opinion to support the nexus with an intricate medical rationale.

The AO awards for non -presumptives are few and far between.I can only recall one award like that in the last 15 years.

The entire time it took James Cripps to get his award ( 5 years) he did extensive research and went back to Fort Gordon many times to find more evidence to prove his exposure to Agent Orange by virtue of his MOS and his proof that AO was used there.He certainly accessed all DOD records and FOIAed for what he needed too.

I intereviewed him at an SVR show and cant remember if it is hadit archives or elsewhere where he told his story of how he roved his exposure to receive the very first AO CONS award in the USA.

Your strongest points for these 2 disabilities comes from the SMR entries as well as medical records that show you had continuous treatment since service and that VA has obtained all of your medical records.

Edited December 4, 2011 by Berta

[Berta]

Just to add:

Some conditions are chronic by their nature.

Some Chronic condition fall under the Chronic Presumptives - a list of disabilities that is searchable here.

Others require a continuity of symptoms, as within what this regulation states:

For the showing of chronic disease in service, there is

required a combination of manifestations sufficient to

identify the disease entity, and sufficient observation to

establish chronicity at the time. If a condition noted

during service is not shown to be chronic, then generally, a

showing of continuity of symptoms after service is required

for service connection. See 38 C.F.R. § 3.303(b). The

chronicity provision of 38 U.S.C.A. § 3.303(b) is applicable

where the evidence, regardless of its date, shows that the

Veteran had a chronic condition in service or during an

applicable presumption period and still has such condition.

Such evidence must be medical unless it relates to a

condition as to which, under the Court's case law, lay

observation is competent. Savage v. Gober, 10 Vet. App. 488,

498 (1997).

Edited December 4, 2011 by Berta

[boomer2]

CC

Berta has given some very good advice. I can't help on your C & P on Monday but, I may be able to give some advice on your ENT C & P. If you are going for tinnitus keep in mind that if you don't have a hearing loss they may deny it. I would recommend that you study the VA guidelines for hearing loss before going to the exam. Also, is your tinnitus constant or recurrent and one or both ears. They will also look at your MOS to see if it is on the list that is highly likely to cause tinnitus. Also, in regards to your ear infection. If it is Otitus externa that is compensable if you can prove you had it in service or it is secondary to something you are SC'd for. Usuallyfor those of us who have it it is caused by hearing aids. I am attaching the MOS list for you.

Duty%20MOS%20Noise%20Exposure%20List(2).xls

[Berta]

I need to correct this statement I said :

'I know of a vet who also had an opinion from an 'environmental expert' to establish his exposure to Agent Orange in Alaska.'

The opinion regarding numerous contaminants, not specifically AO. But AO was claimed. The 'expert' never met the veteran he opined for,so he could not verify that the veteran was exposed to anything, and since he is not an environmental doctor, he could not opine at all on any nexus regarding the veteran's disabilities for any exposure issue.

[Berta]

You referred to Dr. Bash's IMO which seemed to regard Peripheral Neuropathy.(Hard for me to read)

Did his IMO raise the GERD issue or the pulmonary issue at all?