Diabetes type 2 and Nueropathy

[Larry Gazelka]

I have been a type 2 diabetic since in found out when i had a stroke in 2001. In 2003 I found out I had VA benefits coming, and that the type 2 diabetes was Agent Orange related. After  about 6 years on metformin, I had my doctor remove it from me, since my A1C went down to 6.1.  IN the mean time, I had carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve surgery to prevent the progression of the nueropathy in my hands. Needless to say, I protested to being removed from metformin, but is was to no avail. This caused the nueropathy in my legs to get much worse, i had vision problems, as well as increased cramps and stabbing pains in my legs. I finally went to the patient advocate and got a new doctor, who immediately put me back on metformin. Do I have any recourse against the Va for this?

[broncovet]

Do you have any long term issues because you were taken off metformin??  

My intuition says that you probably have no recourse.  Doctors vary on the meds they prescribe, and the fact that one did and the other didnt, does not mean much.   

[pwrslm]

If you had diabetes and they took you off medication, they should have monitored your A!C every time you visited your PCP. Diabetic neuropathy generally does not happen when someones A1C is in the proper range because the blood sugar levels have to be right to get the A1C result around 6. 

If you can, get a non-VA endocrinologist that deals with diabetes and get him to provide you with an opinion that your diabetes was not treated resulting in neuropathy and vision issues. This will let you claim an 1151 for failure to diagnose and treat, resulting in further disabilities.