Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts | Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users
- 0
ptsd Can I Get Benefits With My Health History?
Rate this question
Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts | Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users
Rate this question
Question
puppyduks
I am a gulf war vet, served in Dhahran from Nov-May. I was National Guard and got activated for the war, so after I came home I went back to being a guardsman(woman). I got an honorable discharge in 2006. Like so many others, I suffered from Gulf War syndrome and it has continued to this day. I never really pursued getting treatment or compensation for it because it was widely believed to be "all in our heads". Through the years I went to various private doctors for various ailments, but never tried to link them to Gulf War Syndrome. I have had pneumonia 5 times, bronchitis more times than I can count (every cold turns into bronchitis), my gallbladder stopped working and had to be removed, I have aching joints, chronic tiredness (not sleepiness), IBS, nausea/dizziness, wake up feeling unrested, PTSD, and on and on. Nothing that is extremely debilitating, I have a full time job with the federal government, but I have not spent a day without pain. It's like background noise to me after all these years.
In 1996 or 1997 I went to the VA outpatient clinic and complained of having Gulf War Syndrome. They began to conduct an interview with me. They asked me questions such as "Do you believe you were exposed to chemical weapons", etc. My reply was the same for each question, since my first reply was yes and the doctor immediately began grilling me for specifics, which I couldn't produce. So every question was answered with "Do you think the government would have told me if I was?" It ended in a stalemate. I refused to give a direct answer because it was very plain to see that the VA thought Gulf War Syndrome was simply battle stress. I never went back to the VA after that.
I have never seen a doctor for my aching joints, chronic fatigue, PTSD and sleep issues. So there is no record of that anywhere.
Should I pursue a claim for my "unexplained illnesses" AKA Gulf War Syndrome? Or am I just out of luck since I have never seen a doctor for many of my issues? Thank you.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Top Posters For This Question
1
1
1
Popular Days
Oct 6
3
Top Posters For This Question
Chuck75 1 post
broncovet 1 post
puppyduks 1 post
Popular Days
Oct 6 2012
3 posts
2 answers to this question
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now