Service Connected Hypogonadism Is Secondary Is This Doctors Statement Enough?

[Boracay]

I was diagnosed with hypogonadism "low testosterone in the military but it is actually secondary to a pituitary issue. Is this doctors statement enough to prove it? This was the final paragraph by the private doctor

" Current endocrine diagnosis is partial hypopituitarism (with hypogonadism, hypothyroidism and low IGF-1), etiology could be related to prior multiple head trauma that he sustained. This condition is often diagnosed long after the initial presentation. It is possible that his history of hypogonadism could be a part of the pituitary problem. The condition may be insidiously progressive or stable for several years. Management is directed towards replacement of deficient hormones. "

Would I need to get additional doctor statements or anything else to prove that is it service connected? This was diagnosed a few months after I fell down the stairs "SC hypogonadism "

[rootbeer22]

Berta:

 

I realized this is a very old post but hope you can shed some additional light on this issue for me?

 

I know this is an old post and I saw that Boracay was eventually service connected at 100% for the Hyperghonadism. I am also pursuing service connection secondary to my TBI also. My doctor is now also reviewing all of the evidence in my case to include my TBI residuals and it looks like he is going to sign off on the DBQ to that effect.  I gave him a series of articles on the subject and he said that the evidence in my case is very compelling and the evidence supports it very well. He said, once, "I can't understand why your T ratings are so unusually low and fluctuate so much but he said once he looked at the evidence, it's pretty clear that the traumatic explosion that I was involved with made the difference? I realize that a letter from doctor Bash seemed to make a difference in Boracay's file board outcome. The other issue is that I am not housebound at this point and don't know if that will have an impact on granting service connection for hypoghonadism and TBI residuals/

Anyway, have you come across any more cases like this since you've supported the hadit.com forum for this or anything like this?

Thanks  Rootbeer22. 

[Berta]

I saw that he was 100% SC for PTSD,not hypogonadism.

Can you link us to the post that says he won the hypogonadism secondary to TBI claim? I thought that was SCed due to a different basis than TBI

I spent some time at the BVA using search terms of hypogonadism and TBI and also pituitary gland and TBI but found nothing to really help.

It is always a good idea for all of us to spend time there:

http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.jsp

(actually it can take quite a bit of time to search for stuff at the BVA but I feel it can be well worth the effort.)

"The other issue is that I am not housebound at this point and don't know if that will have an impact on granting service connection for hypoghonadism and TBI residuals/ "

If you have an IMO that fully follows the IMO criteria here at hadit,and your doctor's credentials carry equal or better weight than the VA C & P examiner, it is  possible that you can get this service connected.The doctor will need to bolster their opinion with some strong medical treatises or articles and provide a full medical rationale.

If the TBI blast caused direct injury to your testicles,  possibly noted in your SMRs, that too could possibly cause this disability and support secondary service connection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.index.va.gov/search/va/bva.jsp

Edited July 18, 2016 by Berta

[rootbeer22]

Berta:

 

Thanks for your efforts...

I saw it on another forum aside from hadit.com but will find it tomorrow and post it. It was posted 3 years ago and I'm not sure that Boracay even participates in hadit.com any longer? A lot of recent evidence came out about the Pituitary Gland damage and the blast effects upon the brain recently. A recent study was conducted on over 300 solders and their  blast effects and their lower than normal testosterone issue were considered a very significant findings. Unfortunately, I did not have a helmet nor hearing protection when the blast occurred and I  have never been the same since the blast. It's covered with well in my medical records and the doctors & VA call it a "traumatic blast".  Dr Bash wrote a letter on behalf of Boracay which made his case and I 'd like to see if I could see what he wrote and if it even applies to my issue? Based upon the new studies, I'd like to  get it linked to the TBI as a secondary or residual if possible? I'm thinking that I could contact Dr Bash directly but it may turn into a very expensive proposition and the risk/reward needs to be at least even.   My doctor had a "Eureka Moment" after he read the testostrone study that I provided to him about the issue. He's usually very skeptical when it comes to anything to do with the VA but this got his attention. 

Take Care, Rootbeer22

 

 

[rootbeer22]

Berta:

I made a mistake. The person that I saw the information related to was cg1979 and not Boracay and I first thought and it was a cut and paste error on my part and I apologize that. However, from what I was able to see in the hadit.com posts, around 2013 spring, cg1979 was awarded 100% for hypogonadism and lesser percentages for other issues and then soon after around August 2013, he  received a notice of reduction letter from the VA proposing to reduce the rating from 100% to 10% because of some minor improvements in the hypogonadism? Of course, he was very surprised that the reduction came so soon...but looks like the VA must have thought that they made some kind of mistake in his rating? It looks like the service connection held up for the hypogonadism but at what level, I'm not sure and am continuing to see this? Right now, there's a lot of new evidence coming out and I'm sure that cg1979 did not have the benefit of the new evidence at this time. Anyway, I'm trying to contact him directly to see how it all turned out and hopefully he will contact me in the near future as I have requested... It appears that the letter generated by Dr. Bash appeared to make the difference in this award and I'd like to see the evidence and medical rationale if I can?

 

Godspeed Rootbeer22

[Berta]

Your previous post stated this:

Hormonal Problems How Do I Link To Tbi

Started by Boracay, Feb 20 2013 08:29 PM

"I have Serviced Connected Hypopituary which is a number of imbalanced Hormones. I have Low Testosterone.Low Thyroid, Low Growth Hormone, Low Dhea, Low Fsh. I also rated 100% PTSD with HouseBound. This disease is related to TBI but how do I prove it. In my records I have records of me falling down stairs and Breaking my Leg with a mattress falling on top of me which i helped carry when i supervised a working party and being tackled at a different time that broke my arm. My Endocronologist said even if it doesn't show on a MRI it is more than likely and a strong possiblity its linked to a TBI in service"

The diagnostic codes VA used for that decision to SC the hypopituary disability, might well have covered the other related disorders:

"Current endocrine diagnosis is partial hypopituitarism (with hypogonadism, hypothyroidism and low IGF-1)"

The doctor's statement you posted does not comply with what VA wants in a valid independent medical opinion.

We have info here on how the IMos should be worded. It is in our IMO forum.

I am confused here.

What do you want from VA as far as a TBI claim goes?

The VA granted the endocrine disability for a reason. If the decision and the diagnostic codes cover all of the above endocrine issues, why would VA or you be willing to seek another reason for SC such as the TBI for the same issues?

[Boracay]

Your previous post stated this:

Hormonal Problems How Do I Link To Tbi

Started by Boracay, Feb 20 2013 08:29 PM

"I have Serviced Connected Hypopituary which is a number of imbalanced Hormones. I have Low Testosterone.Low Thyroid, Low Growth Hormone, Low Dhea, Low Fsh. I also rated 100% PTSD with HouseBound. This disease is related to TBI but how do I prove it. In my records I have records of me falling down stairs and Breaking my Leg with a mattress falling on top of me which i helped carry when i supervised a working party and being tackled at a different time that broke my arm. My Endocronologist said even if it doesn't show on a MRI it is more than likely and a strong possiblity its linked to a TBI in service"

The diagnostic codes VA used for that decision to SC the hypopituary disability, might well have covered the other related disorders:

"Current endocrine diagnosis is partial hypopituitarism (with hypogonadism, hypothyroidism and low IGF-1)"

The doctor's statement you posted does not comply with what VA wants in a valid independent medical opinion.

We have info here on how the IMos should be worded. It is in our IMO forum.

I am confused here.

What do you want from VA as far as a TBI claim goes?

The VA granted the endocrine disability for a reason. If the decision and the diagnostic codes cover all of the above endocrine issues, why would VA or you be willing to seek another reason for SC such as the TBI for the same issues?

I believe I rate SMC T