Odds Area Of Va's Swasm Gets Expanded.

[gbat]

Hi,

I been having some some IBS and some other stomach issues. I went to a doctor and recived a colonopscapy, and a cat scan and MRI. The diagnosis was diverticulitis and moderate IBS. I had him fill out a form for VA saying the same.however he didn't believe it was from back then. i reminded him of the word presumed. i was going to submit it for a VA claim for presumed illness for Gulf war. I recieved the SWASM back in 1991, however after looking on the internet my ship served off the coast of Isreal and turkey, basicly the whole eastern Med. Now I know i'm not SC for the gulf war because I was not in one of the designated areas. I also served in the Persian gulf in 1981 and 1983 when Iraq and Iran were at war. I don't think I could ever get a doctor to link that time to current diagnoises. Could I still take gulf war registry for the future and hope the turkey and isreal might get added or try to get a VA doctor to link it back to the eighties. or not bother to clog the system.I havn't told my VSO yet but probably this week....thanks

[Philip Rogers]

First off, don't worry about clogging the system. It's your claim and no one worries about "you" more than "you." IBS has many causes. Try having your doctor say "it's as least likely as not" (ie: 50% for, 50% against, could be, can't be) caused by your service, then??

pr

[63SIERRA]

CONSIDER everything, did your ship get food from the gulf states, is it possible that the depeleted uranium dust drifted around your ship, did your ship fire any depleted uranium coated rounds, did u get the anthrax vacc, ect, ect,

[john999]

Maybe if you can get it presumptive for your circumstances you can set an example for thousands of others. You never know with the VA.