diabetes &p Evaluation For Diabetes 11 And High Blood Pressure

[brentakar]

I completed my C&P evaluation. for Diabetes 2 and high blood pressure today. I sent in all my documentation to the VA when I filed for the 2 seperate claims. They took my blood pressure 3 times,I had 3 reading of-top number 1. 156/113 2. 161/111/ 3. 165/115. what tpe rating does this suggest based on these numbers? Also I had high blood sugar numbers while in the army, have a copy of my lab results.I was never told I was border line diabetic or anything.I was o% service connected high blood pressure, and now have diabetes 2 which I filed for.The doctor asked me a few questions on blood presure, and nothing about diabetes? what does this mean.Please reply

[Berta]

Here is how VA rates DMII :

It is under Diagnostic Code 7913:

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=c130ec487ea61b8a40ad0836188b94bc&rgn=div5&view=text&node=38:1.0.1.1.5&idno=38#38:1.0.1.1.5.2.109.61

[brentakar]

The info in this link can help you determine ,if they service connect your DMII, what your rating should be and also if the inservice readings conform to a diabetes diagnosis.

If you were never exposed to Agent Orange,(I assume you were not) the SMRs can be critical to your claim as to the glucose values.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....lth/PMH0002194/

This link has the exact info as to diabetes classifications after 1997 that you need to copmpare to your inservice glucose readings.

Also DMII has many significant and ratable complications.Anything from skin rashes, to foot problems, to vision problems , to cerebrovascular strokes, to atherosclerosis and heart disease.

It takes a medical statement and rationale to link these complications to the DMII.

I dont use email for claims stuff.

[brentakar]

Thank you for replying back Berta. I tried to get a letter from my VA doctor and from the Diabetic VA clinic when I was diagnoses with Diabetes 2, stating they thought my Diabetes is connected to my high sugar readings while i was active duty.The VA doctor said to me that he could not provide me with a letter from the VA or they would get in trouble.I thn tried to go to my civ tricare doctor for the first time and asked him for a letter coorlating the Diabetes and the high sugar readings in the army together and he would not .The Diabetic clinis here at the VA letter from a civilian doctor.The Diabetic clinic said to me they thought the two are related and service connected. As I mentioned earlier, I filed a claim and submitted my high sugar numbers from my active duty time in the army as well as submitted all lab results from the VA Hospital.As mentioned earlier, the C&P doctor did not ask one thing about my condition.He said no need to to any exams, everything is in the computer. Your thoughts Berta on this matter and also on trying to obtain a letter from another civilain doctor to support my claim should I or shouldnt I try and get a letter or should I just wait till I receive my rating then do it? Please reply back.Thank you.

[Berta]

As long as you claimed the DMII, and the VCAA letter you received reflected that claim, I feel they will either give you a C & P for the diabetes or ,perhaps they already have enough current medical evidence for the DMII (treatment records and blood glucose values) to rate the DMII without a C & P. It sounds like they do based on what the doctor said.

It would help to get a civilian IMO on this but IMOs can be very costly and maybe best to wait for the decision.

I helped a local vet with a similiar claim as yours (however he had no diabetes diagnosis in his SMRs but many unusual documented symptoms with no other etiology but for DMII.I dont even recall a single glucose reading in his SMRs.

This is also how I succeeded on my DMII claim.

My husband had no diagnosis at all from VA nor any treatment for DMII.

After I did considerable research on diabetes and did many reviews of his VA med recs, I was willing to pay for 2 IMOs ( and got one freeby as well)to prove he had undiagnosed DMII due to his exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and that the diabetes contributed to his death.

The IMO doctor in this other vet's case didnt understand SMRs or VA lingo and didnt follow the IMO criteria here at hadit.VA rejected his IMO.

I had to spell it all out for this doctor and I got a run down from healthgrades on him for the vet to submit with his IMO because the doc thought he was so well known in field of Endocrinology here in NY ,that VA would never question his opinion.He was angry when they did.

But with the new IMO from him and our detailed medical rebuttal ,the vet won 12 years of retro. This IMO was from his private diabetes doctor and both opinions were free (but quite an ordeal)

The only problem here that I foresee in your case is that VA could question continuous disability from service regarding the DMII.

But if the Glucose readings reflect diabetes in your SMRs,it would be very difficult for VA to say your current DMII is not stemming from the inservice diabetic condition.

If you have had any post service treatment from private doctors for DMII make sure VA has those records.

As long as your SMR readings fall into the Diabetes criteria, however that should not be a problem in your case.

One can never anticipate however, what the VA will do.

Edited December 23, 2011 by Berta

[brentakar]

Hi Berta, I appreciate your wisdom and knowledge. I am so sorry for your loss.Yes I did claim DMII as well as an increase in High blood pressure,since I was rated at 0% service connected for the HP only and yes the VCAA letter you received reflected both Diabetes and HP.I think you are correct in waiting for the results before I start trying to get letters from civilian doctors since the VA will not provided me one. I may not need a doctors letter from a civilain doctor based on twhat the doctor said to me , "everything is in the computer and all lab test are current no need for any exams he said." Also you mentioned that the only problem you foresee in my case is that VA could question continuous disability from service regarding the DMII. I do not understand what this means, please explain so I can understand.Yes all my reading that I have taken at the VA lab have said that I am a Diabetic 2.My A1C when I was first diagnosed 2 years ago at the VA hospital was 8.9, dropped to 6.7 with diet and exercise.The VA increased my metformin from 1 pill to 2 a day.Please reply back and give me your feedback as far as waiting to see a civilan doctor to try and obtain a letter till the results come back.Also, I f the VA does not award anything for this claim, what are my options since the doc never said one word about Diabetes?Thank you Berta.

[Berta]

I meant this-

if the DMII was evident in service and then many years passed without a formal DMII diagnosis and treatment,the VA could possibly say there was no continuity of symptoms and treatment from discharge to present and try to say the current DMII is not related to the inservice DMII.

I really don't think that would be the case here-

but after 20 years plus dealing with VA I learn to look for the potential landmines.

"I f the VA does not award anything for this claim, what are my options since the doc never said one word about Diabetes?Thank you Berta."

If your medical evidence warrants a ratable percentage of SC, and VA does not award any percentage-you can file a notice of disagreement.

You can compare your medical evidence to the rating schedule in the link I posted here.

I am glad you realize that your DMII rating, even if SCed, might be low.