Hypertension: How far back in Order to Claim?

[VietNamVet1969]

My hypertension started perhaps 10 years ago? I finished my term in VietNam in 1969.

But so far, all I have found is 2018 with BP readings at and around 165/100/74 and the like. I see that the Diastolic is only in the 10% disability range, and with meds I am moving well below toward 144/103/86 down to 114/80/88 range.

 

So with BP meds I am improving. So can I go back to before meds, if I can find the records on my cd, in order to Service Connect?

And by the way, I have records show only from Basic training then nothing for Viet Nam, then again starting in 2010-ish? Still reading a huge volume on the cd

[GBArmy]

Hypertension is not on the current list for presumptive conditions for A.O., but it is recognized by numerous medical journals as the cause. In fact, it is on the short list that the VA is supposed to disposition, possibly by the end of this month. So yes, if you can get a good nexus letter from an outside doctor, you should have a good shot at getting a disability if the numbers are there.

[GBArmy]

Hypertension is not on the current list for presumptive conditions for A.O., but it is recognized by numerous medical journals as the cause. In fact, it is on the short list that the VA is supposed to disposition, possibly by the end of this month. So yes, if you can get a good nexus letter from an outside doctor, you should have a good shot at getting a disability if the numbers are there.

[GBArmy]

Hypertension is not on the current list for presumptive conditions for A.O., but it is recognized by numerous medical journals as the cause. In fact, it is on the short list that the VA is supposed to disposition, possibly by the end of this month. So yes, if you can get a good nexus letter from an outside doctor, you should have a good shot at getting a disability if the numbers are there.

[GBArmy]

Hypertension is not on the current list for presumptive conditions for A.O., but it is recognized by numerous medical journals as the cause. In fact, it is on the short list that the VA is supposed to disposition, possibly by the end of this month. So yes, if you can get a good nexus letter from an outside doctor, you should have a good shot at getting a disability if the numbers are there.

[Berta]

I had only posted a summary here of the actual 716 page  report, in our Agent Orange forum -which states:

Hypertension (category change from Limited or Suggestive in Update 2014)

And the change from that was this:

“ There is sufficient evidence of an association between exposure to the chemicals of interest and the following health outcomes:

Soft-tissue sarcoma (including heart)

* Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

* Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (including hairy cell leukemia and other chronic B-cell leukemias)

* Hodgkin lymphoma

Chloracne

Hypertension (category change from Limited or Suggestive in Update 2014)

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)(newly considered condition)”

https://www.nap.edu/read/25137/chapter/2#7

 

SUFFICIENT for HBP !!

In April I suggested that anyone who has a potential AO presumptive listed in the NAP report, to write to Secretary Wilkie and try to make a strong case for your disability and why it should become presumptive.

 

Secretary Robert Wilkie

Department of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Avenue

Washington, DC 20420

I made, what I felt was a very strong case for why HBP, with sufficient evidence associating it with AO, should be a new Presumptive.

I also made a medical argument for why any incountry Vietnam veteran who suffers from an Ischemic Stroke and who had been service connected for AO IHD, should receive presumptive status for the ischemic stroke.

Ischemia of the heart can definitely cause ischemia of the brain, by all known medical literature.

Has anyone here written to the Secretary about possible new presumptives?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[VietNamVet1969]

Berta,

Very informative, but if I may, as to the letter inserted to Secretary Robert Wilkie:

 

Would a letter worded as such be accompanied by the form titled, HYPERTENSION DISABILITY BENEFITS QUESTIONNAIRE,  OMB Approved No. 2900-0776 Respondent Burden: 15 Minutes Expiration Date: 03/31/2021

Or would I let the doctor fill this out? And in asking this would it be best to ask my VA Specialty Care Doctor or an outside doctor?

 

Many Thanks, I have missed on the burning and pain in my feet, since Basic Training, and do not want to miss on this one. I was exposed to the chemical Agent Orange numerous times as a truck driver in VietNam. I would drive by the Nippipal, as we called it, in the morning and by the afternoon it was completely wilted, that's how strong it was sprayed by helicopter.