hypertension New to forum. Several questions

[Lomshooter]

Hello, served in Marine Corp from 1981 through 1992. Was pretty healthy during my time in. During Desert Storm my back went out I was taken to a field hospital overnight, given meds, and returned to my unit. After returning home I had two TIA mini strokes. Sent to naval hospital for test where it was determined I had a bi cuspid aortic valve. Basically a heart defect. After discharge I hired on with a government agency. Spent twenty years with them and retired due to medical issues. During this time I developed hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, sleep apnea, fatigue, joint pain, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, Degenerative disk disease, herniated disk, which I have surgery scheduled for on April 1. Do these sound like they could be service related?  I recently found out about Gulf War Illness and am going in to get the exam. I have never dealt with the VA because I figured I was healthy when I got out so they would say not service related. Thanks

[Vync]

Welcome to Hadit!

You may have read propaganda about how the VA does wonderful things for veterans, keep in mind that the folks who work on claims are human and often don't get it right (sometimes they do). I recommend you browse and search the forums and content here on Hadit for conditions similar to yours. Familiarize yourself with what other people have experienced and how they were handled. Also, check out the rating criteria for each condition: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=38:1.0.1.1.5 and the Combined Ratings Table http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=38:1.0.1.1.5#se38.1.4_125 to learn how rating percentages work. The more that you can learn, the better prepared you will be.

If you don't already have them, request copies of:

- military personnel record https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/
- claims file (c-file) from the VA (if you even have one)
- military service treatment medical records (STR's)
- any other medical treatment records since service

Get signed up for VA's ebenefits and myhealth.va.gov sites.

It might take time to get everything together, but it really helps to have all the pieces to the puzzle before you put everything together.

If there are conditions you indeed plan to file claims for, filing an "Intent to File" http://explore.va.gov/intent-to-file which gives you a year to get all your evidence together, but preserves your "effective date".

Service connection (SC) can be direct, aggravated by service, secondary, or presumptive.

First, for non-presumptive SC, you'll need an event in-service (illness, injury, etc..), current diagnosis, and a doc connecting the two (nexus).

Second, there are a lot of Gulf War "presumptives". Same requirements as regular SC except proof of service in the Gulf is substituted for the nexus.

 

The Gulf War exam is not the same as a disability exam, but it will help identify any issues which would fall under the list of presumptive illnesses.

 

The heart defect may be a problem depending on the circumstances. If it is a congenital defect, meaning you were born with it, the VA will try to fight, but that's why I mentioned "aggravation" earlier. Other defects may be acquired later due to various reasons, such as ischemic heart disease, valve problems, etc..

Unfortunately, I don't have time right now to respond to each of your issues, but I am sure others will pitch in, as will I later. Welcome to the Hadit family!

I hope this helps!

[Lomshooter]

Thanks. I just sent off for my Military Personell file and medical records. They say the defect was more than likely from birth but there was no mention of a heart murmur when I enlisted. I am searching through the forums now. 

[Andyman73]

Lomshooter,

Welcome to the club! While I was still at my A school, I got the flu and had a temp of 103. They heard a murmur while checking my vitals. Doc down played any significance of the murmur, told me it's most likely due to the fever and dehydration. 

Semper Fi.

Andyman

[Vync]

On 3/19/2016 at 7:15 PM, Andyman73 said:

Lomshooter,

Welcome to the club! While I was still at my A school, I got the flu and had a temp of 103. They heard a murmur while checking my vitals. Doc down played any significance of the murmur, told me it's most likely due to the fever and dehydration. 

Semper Fi.

Andyman

The big question for a visit like Andyman describes is was the murmur documented and was the medical rationale (downplay) also documented or just verbal?

[Andyman73]

I do believe it was, I noted it on following health questionaires, and the drs did comment. 

And about 2 years later I had a stress induced angina(chest pain?). And I drove right over to the ER, as I was driving when it happened! Scary!!! Not only was I in pain, but was driving, and couldn't step on brake and pull over, my arms and legs wouldn't respond! Thank the Lord I was on a straight stretch of road, and no body was coming or behind me.