How Can The Va Overlook Coronary Heart Disease

[Pete53]

Its a mystery to me that the VA could say everything is fine after a stress test 7 months ago and after a stress test thursday the Doc is scheduling me for an emergency angioplasty.

I will never again step foot in a VA Medical Center.

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[Berta]

If any vet feels that the VA did not take proper steps to diagnose and treat something as serious as heart disease or any condition at all-

and they have suffered additional disabilty due to it-

as it seems all three of you here have-

They should file a Sec 1151 claim, get a good IMO , and also sue the VA -by filing a SF 95-available at hadit and the VA web site.

I found it was by far easier to sue them under federal tort laws then succeed in my claims.

I had no IMO and no lawyer- but I had the evidence.

I diagnosed my husband myself- transcient ischemia, improper VA medications, and heart disease.

I suggest however-unless yu have medical background, to get a good IMO.

The cost of it could ether alleviate your stress wondering if they screwed up or it could get you more compensation or a FTCA settlement .

IMOs- I always recommend Dr. Bash-

And Pete-it sounds like you already have a good IMO - if the doc puts this on paper- you have a clear cut prime facie case for FTCA and Sec 1151.

[Guest jstacy]

Everyone is correct in their prospectus of the sutuation for heart disease.

I have said before that Hospitals are putting too much emphasis on the (RUTB) tests.

These tests may find a problem and they may not. A heart cath is the only test significant as far as I am concerned. The only problem is that the test can be dangerous. I believe it is worth the risk given what I have read here. I too have the same story as Pete. For major issues, I always go outside to get a second opinion.

Edited September 15, 2006 by jstacy

[Pete53]

I appreciate the replies and I have this to add.I think that if I had not gone outside of the VA I would have had a heart attack. In all actually my ekg's indicate I have had one or two already called silent heart attacks. I think that if you have a heart problem waiting on the VA can really be dangerous. I had to wait from November last year to Feb this year for VA Stress test. And to top that off my stress test was misinterpreted and I should have had an angioplasty than. Fortunately for me I survived till now and had one almost immediately by a Doc not an intern who does it a lot.

Berta I am going to put together my information and I see my Heart Doctor on Sep 28th for follow up on my angioplasty and will ask him for a brief IMO about how I could have been missed from VA stress test. His comment when I had his stress test and I asked him why he said the VA had the newest and best equipment and no one who knew how to use it. Would that ever make a great IMO.

The main reason I am considering the claim is to have my heart disease service connected if that makes any sense.

Once again I do appreciate all the comments and I wish the best to all in their recovery from angioplasty and heart disease.

[Berta]

Pete -dear friend of almost twenty years------can you believe that-----Peter Sawyer has been in the electronic veterans community for as long as I can remember being in it-supporting you men and women relentlessly to pursue your claims until you succeed-

I am so grateful that you have had these problems discovered and that you are getting excellent care.

If the VA service connects this under Sec 1151 they will award your wife DIC if you die due to heart disease-

It is just horrible to think that vets are being treated with VA medical negligence- vets with diabetes and that is a known medical fact-diabetes can cause heart disease-

Yeah what an IMO that can be!!!!!!

I got a beauty too Pete from Dr. Bash- his 2nd opinion had the VA quacola opinion to work with and it was great! We had a good laugh over this VA Doc rendition-before he got the med info and sent the 2nd IMO-

If the VA had not killed Rod 12 years ago, this VA doc sure would have-based on her "expert" opinion.

Diabetics can have silent heart attacks- or heart attacks that give warning but due to peripheral neuropathy the vet does not "feel" the pain as one without PN does.

Rod just put his hand on his heart- we were in the barn and we had been talking about the horses.

Then he looked at me in a very odd way and said "I think I am going"-suddenly he shot right up into the air and then came down and collapsed on the floor of the barn and died as I gave him CPR.Died in minutes- Sudden Death Syndrome well know to be diabetic cause of death.

It was a massive heart attack,per Autopsy, and yet the PN he had and the numbness prevented him from any expression or feeling of pain-

Just an odd look -like a look of surprise---and that statement he made with his hand on his heart and his life was over.

File an 1151 claim Pete and think about suing them too--

Your value to yur friends and family and the veterans community is just priceless and the VA better not

"hasten" your death as they have done to Rod.

Edited September 15, 2006 by Berta

[Alex]

Berta --

I suspect that you succeeded in your FTCA calim because you brought it during the 1991 - 2000 window in which you did not have to prove negligence -- only increased disability. That is generally a no-brainer

Now you need specialists who are willing to testify against their colleage about degree of care, and these guys do not come cheap -- at least $1,000 a day for depositions (coun on at least 4) and trial work. And they want their fees in advance, which means that you have to bankroll them out of your pocket. Big law firms can bankroll these trials, but nost vets can't.

ALEX

[Berta]

I was part of the moratorium Alex-I had to PROVE negligence.