ptsd Restrictive Airway Disease and Asthma

[culpepper]

I'm an 80% combined PTSD, IBS, Fibro and Tinnitus.

I have been dealing with SOB and breathing issues since I got out.  I got out of the Reserves because I couldn't pass the PT test in the run.  Anyway, fast forward to today and it's affecting my life and job.  I'm on 3 different meds and a rescue inhaler.  At 45, I never thought I would be in this bad shape.  Plus, I do not have a HX of smoking or occupational exposure.

What I can say is I have been exposed while deployed to numerous choking dust storms, oil well fires, noxious burning fuels, and burn pits.  There are more items, but you can get the point. My lay statement is the only nexus I have.  No in service connection in my SMR's.  But I do have a DX from VA doctor who indicated the exposures in my notes.

I'm considering filing for this.  I am also considering getting an IMO before I file.

I'm open to opinions to see if it's worth my time.  I feel like my environmental exposures have contributed to this disease.

Thanks

[broncovet]

File.  To get a nexus statement from a doctor, ASK him if he thinks your xx disease is related to AO (or whatever) exposure in service.  If he says, "Yes", ask him to please note that in your records.  

Then order your exam file and see if he did. (give you a nexus)

If he refuses, your options are to:

a) do nothing.  (not recommended).

b) Try to get another VA doc to supply a nexus, repeating the above.  

c) Get an IMO/IME

d)  YOu can try an exercise in futility:  Keep on persuing your claim without a nexus.  You have a better chance of winning the lottery and NOT buying a lotto ticker.  Not recommended.  Get a nexus.  

[rhoe]

What theater of operations were you deployed to? 

If it's anywhere in SWA (Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations, 38 CFR 3.317), some exposures will be presumed based on the location of service (burning trash pits, sand, particulate matter etc.), and if you claim a restrictive airway disease as the result of environmental hazard exposure, a VA examiner will provide a nexus opinion for you (positive or negative, depending on the medical evidence). 

You could also follow broncovet's advice and try to get the opinion yourself beforehand, but if you claim this as a result of a conceded exposure, you will get an exam/opinion (one way or the other) without taking this step as well.

[culpepper]

I was deployed to ODS so I fall under CFR 3.317.  However, I'm thinking since it's diagnosed, then it would need a nexus to service.  

I will try and get the last docs note word for word.  But in my opinion he did state only that I had HX of exposure to oil fires and dust storms during deployment to SWA.

[rhoe]

I can see what you're saying, but undiagnosed illness/MUCMI presumptive service-connection is different than environmental hazard SC - environmental hazard is basically just like direct SC:

1. In-service event = environmental hazard exposure.

2. Current diagnosis (you have one of these)

3. Link between the two (nexus) is the last thing you need, so if you supply the VA with testimony that the one is linked with the other, you should get an exam.

[culpepper]

Here is what the pulmonologist wrote in my notes.

"He is a 45-year-old white male nonsmoker, who was referred to pulmonary clinic for evaluation of reactive airways disease/asthma. He had no history of asthma or breathing problems prior to exposure to oil fires and other fumes during the Gulf War 19901991. He failed his exercise test because of shortness of breath in 1997 and was discharged from the Army Reserves.

CT scan of the chest was done to exclude the possibility of pulmonary emphysema, interstitial pulmonary fibrosis or mixed dust pneumoconiosis as the cause of his lung disease with his significant history of exposure to oil fires and other noxious fumes. "

 

On 2/4/2017 at 0:12 AM, rhoe said:

You could also follow broncovet's advice and try to get the opinion yourself beforehand, but if you claim this as a result of a conceded exposure, you will get an exam/opinion (one way or the other) without taking this step as well.

I likely will be following broncovets advice.  I need to gain the evidence first though.

My chain of evidence will include my lay statement of my exposures to oil well fires, organophosphate pesticides, burning diesel fuel and human feces, burn pits and dust storms among any others that I can think of.  i'll also include how this is affecting my life and occupation.

I'll also need to get a pulmonologist to look at me records and offer his/her nexus statement that based on my HX of nonsmoker and occupation that it's as least likely as not related to my exposures of military service.

I am open for any tips or suggestions that may help with this.  And of course, if you think it's a waste of time please let me know and I'll reverse my course.