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

[FormerMember]

Before KIA (Killed In Action) the abbreviation was Killed by Hostile Action (KHA). BNR is Body Never Recovered. We were not in Laos militarily during the war, hence we couldn't carry in our dogtags, Military ID/Geneva Conventions Card etc.  We were sheep dipped at the American Embassy in Vientiane. We left all our ID there. We were issued US Agency for International Development (USAID) ID and a Laotian Driver's license. If you crashed and surrendered, they executed you on the spot. That's why I always quote Theresa's logo- Leave no one behind. I had to do it once. It sucks. You'll dream about it the rest of your life.

[kanewnut]

8 minutes ago, asknod said:

You'll dream about it the rest of your life.

Ouch! Sorry you have to go through that.

[VietNamVet1969]

On 6/21/2019 at 11:36 AM, Berta said:

So it is now just a little more than a month from 2 years later on this question

Berta, or anyone....has there been any progress on the VA determining if HBP is now a presumptive, according to Secretary Wilke for Vietnam Veterans?

[GBArmy]

VietNamEraVet19 Sorry to say, no, there has been no movement. The last they said was they are waiting for a morbidity report (data) and it will not be available until late this year. But hay, you got to cut them some slack It takes a long time to figure this stuff out. Maybe 50 years,I'm guessing. 

[VietNamVet1969]

Yeah Uhuh, ok well I'm living proof, today anyway, that I can outlast them. But I may not be able to make that claim tomorrow

[GBArmy]

VietNamVet1969 Of the 4 that the VA is "considering" as new presumptives, hypertension has the strongest evidence. I have confidence that they will add at least that one to the list in the next year or so. Keep your fingers crossed. The VA can't keep the shell game going forever. (We wont let them.) Their problem is it is an old man's disease because so many older people get it that it's going to cost them a mint when the do approve. But if I remember correctly, a veteran exposed to AO has a 1/3 greater chance of getting high blood pressure than the general population. That's pretty significant. There has been some approvals at  the BVA for it recently as exposure to AO/dioxins, but I believe they also had other conditions that were presumptive, so its wasn't clear cut.