Should I apply for a higher rating?

[david dupe]

I really need some direction please. I receive 100% I/u pt. They rated me as follows, All service connected. Bronchitis, chronic 10%, Arteriosclerrotic heart disease 60%, hypertensive vascular disease 10%, radius impairment 10%, degenerative arthritis (spine) 10%, chronic adjustment disorder 10%, prior to my rating I lost my spleen due to a infarction and it’s not rated. I was also denied on my central sleep apnea, I went through va sleep study and given a nasal cpap machine, they said it’s not service connected. Since all of these ratings I have the following wrong with me. Stroke,afib, stent(heart), aorta heart valve replaced(leaking), they noticed minutes before my surgery that I was enemic and gave me blood.ive been diagnosed with congestive heart failure a few times lately, I was first diagnosed with it and put on lasics in 2005. Should I apply for a higher percentage? I need some direction please!!!!

 

 

[john999]

I went to a private cardiologist and he put a BP monitor on me for 24 hours.  My BP was high on average even with meds 158/80.  VA was completely inadequate in their treatment.  Cardiologist said that the wall of my heart was getting a little thicker due to the HBP.  Now this is tangible proof of what HBP does over time.  If my heart were to continue to enlarge I would start to have heart failure at some time in the future.  The VA has not treated this as they should.  I do understand that VA has made the connection between HBP and Agent Orange?  If so I will be filing a claim.  I notice that VA does keep taking my BP to find a reading that is normal.  They cherry pick my numbers and settle on the best one.   They are screwing me and probably many other vets to try and get lowest BP readings.  They just want to save money.

Buck says truly that VA cannot reduce you because your BP is half way controlled due to meds.  They should not have reduced you , David Dupe, based on your meds.

[david dupe]

Is this monitor your cardiologist had you wear for 24 hours, the same heart monitor the va has u wear on your heart with leads all over your chest when your a inpatient?? If so I should have those numbers in my va health records. I've been a inpatient for my heart with the va atleast 4 times in the past 2 years. I read in recent civilian md records that X-rays showed a mildly enlarged heart, I've had heart failure diagnosis a few times.

they have most definitely been choosing my lowest bp reading after a few tries.

[john999]

David

 

                  No,  this monitor is a blood pressure cup that tightens up every half hour or hour all day long.  It is not an EKG.  It is really an easy and not very complicated deal.  There is a device hooked up to the cup that records your BP and then the doctor can download it and see what your pressure was over the day and night.   I would bet anything that your heart is enlarged at least partly due to your high blood pressure.  It is strange to me that the VA has not hooked you up to a monitor like me.  Every time you change BP medications the VA should do this to see if your new med is working.  When you revealed what your BP was untreated I was thinking how in hell could they reduce your rating.  I do think the VA may systematically under reporting high blood pressure among us vets.  If the VA does definitely connected AO to high blood pressure it will cost them millions if not billions.  This is why they stall on all these presumptive conditions and why they under report High Blood Pressure IMO.

[david dupe]

John999

i haven't used one of them before.. I can't believe they haven't referred me to a hematologist. I have thrombocystosis, red platelet problems, anemia etc. a lot of blood problems.

i guess I'm going to have to start demanding these things!!!

[david dupe]

I was told yesterday from my vso that I qualified for A/A  SMC since I was I/U and 60% CAD.  Does it matter if my va md. Or a civilian md. Fills out my va form 21-2680 ???