Dm Ii And Vascular Disease

[harleyman]

Does anyone have referenes or experience in getting vascular disease of the lower limbs service connected as secondary to DM II?

Veteran is s/c for DMII and PN with loss of use of one of the lower extremity ( 2 K awards one for loss and the other for ED),and also s/c for IHD. But recent claim for DVT (blood clot and infection in lower leg secondary to DMII ,VA has denied stating the leg condition is not related to the DMII.

Might the veteran get the DVT (clot and or infection)s/c as secondary to IHD?

Thanks!

Edited July 27, 2013 by harleyman

[free_spirit_etc]

"27 cm long 8 cm wide and 5 cm deep. It went from his ankle to above the knee into the thigh. How could that VA doctor not want to do further testing. This is absurd. This was only the first of 3 surgeries. He ended up with a knee surgery from above the knee down over the knee cap and to the patella. about a 6 or 7 inch scar. The another surgery for I&D on the calf which is still mending even now. This scar is about 8" ilong and was 5 inches deep. Still is indented by about an in, this is nasty and the area is painful and very hard, like a board still. He also had an upper thigh asperation of infection fluid done by the radilogist after the seconda surgery."

I wonder how much muscle tissue they had to remove in these surgeries.

[free_spirit_etc]

Harley,

This almost sounds like a case for News Coverage. The lack of treatment was bad enough, but after almost killing him - they have the NERVE to deny him coverage --

I wish these VA examiners would have to be accountable for the crap they write. If a licensing board ever read some of their opinions, they should certainly decide they are no competent to practice medicine.

The C&P examiner was the idiot - yet he wrote the report to make it look like the veteran was not credible. He couldn't have reviewed much medical literature to make a remark that diabetes was not a risk factor for any type of infection -- especially lower limb infections.

My gosh! Even lay people know that diabetics have increased risk for infections. That is why they sell diabetic socks, diabetic shoes, instruct diabetics on proper skin care, etc.

[harleyman]

Harley,

This almost sounds like a case for News Coverage. The lack of treatment was bad enough, but after almost killing him - they have the NERVE to deny him coverage --

I wish these VA examiners would have to be accountable for the crap they write. If a licensing board ever read some of their opinions, they should certainly decide they are no competent to practice medicine.

The C&P examiner was the idiot - yet he wrote the report to make it look like the veteran was not credible. He couldn't have reviewed much medical literature to make a remark that diabetes was not a risk factor for any type of infection -- especially lower limb infections.

My gosh! Even lay people know that diabetics have increased risk for infections. That is why they sell diabetic socks, diabetic shoes, instruct diabetics on proper skin care, etc.

I am beginning to think the veteran claimed the wrong condition. The veteran claimed peripheral vascular disease when maybe he should have claimed "residuals of diabetic infection resulting in vascular blockage and muscle weakness due to surgical debridement X 3 and and 1151 claim for misdagnosis by VA for same. Maybe the best way to proceed on this is to just file a new claim and include a DBQ completed by the PRIVATE doc's for vascular residuals of Diabetes infection also know as cellulitius with amubulatory residuals AND loss of ambulation of left lower extremity requiring power chair and cane. . File for SAH/.SHA for wheel chair access. I think I am starting to get a grip on this on. Thanks for your help sometmes it takes a village.-H

Edited October 6, 2013 by harleyman

[free_spirit_etc]

It looks like cellulitis is pretty easy to diagnose (i.e. even a VA doctor could do it).

The symptoms are redness of the skin, where it is hot and painful to touch.

The average doctor should be able to look at it and pretty well know.

They confirm their suspicion with a blood test.

The fact that the veteran improved when he was on antibiotics and got worse when he was off of them should have set up a red flag that they were dealing with an INFECTION!

Untreated, it spreads -- and can even enter the blood stream and lymph system.

[free_spirit_etc]

Don't forget Aid and Attendance!

[free_spirit_etc]

Maybe we could set up a site on http://www.gofundme.com/ to raise money for his IMOs. And tell his story about how he walked into the VA and now is riding in a wheelchair - but needs to raise money to pay for a private doctor to examine him because the VA doctors don't know that diabetics are at risk for infections.