Camp Lejeune water and Male Infertility

[Huggy]

Greetings All,

I am wondering if anyone is familiar with being service connected for male infertility due to exposure to Camp Lejeune's toxic water?  I was there for a full year from 84-85 with the 10th Marines (Hadnot Point water supply system).  I know this condition is not on the presumptive list, but that doesn't mean that you cannot apply for anything else that may be attributable to a condition on its own merits--correct?  Got out in 85 at 23 years old, got married for the first time in '98--since both my wife and I were older than average (I was 36 and she was 33), we started to try for a family almost immediately.  After quite a lot of trying (no complaints there), we decided that maybe we should get tested--turned out I was the problem. 

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) focused on four chemicals that were prevalent (perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene (TCE), vinyl chloride, and benzene), but the list of other chemicals found in the water is much more extensive.  There is some limited info available that shows that TCE can cause male infertility, but not a lot.  Some of the other chemicals that were identified are considered endocrine disruptors--many of these types of chemicals are known to cause problems with fertility.  I have yet to find any info on concentrations of these other chemicals, but I'm sure it's out there if I dig hard enough.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if anyone has experience with this, or even if not, some general advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Huggy  

[brokensoldier244th]

You can apply for it on a direct basis if you have documentation of your time there, proof of exposure (this shouldn't be a problem- its well known), and a doctor that can and will link the existing literature to your specific circumstances. Sending in WebMD about Camp Lejeune won't help much- we all know that stuff anyway. What we don't know, and can't presume, except for the legally known presumptions, is that YOUR ED/fertility is tied to Camp Lejeune and Trichloro, etc. That's where your doctors opinion comes in. They have to tie your condition to that potential occurrence (since you were presumed sound when you entered) and allso (very important here- lots of docs skip/skimp on this one) WHY they think they are tied together. 

[brokensoldier244th]

Id start with a urologist- they can look at/deal with some of the sexual function issues plus them handle things like vascular problems in the corpus and emissary veins, etc, and can check your prostate- which can be an indicator of a whole host of things that you might consider to be related. Even a GP can prescribe stuff for "Wednesday nights at 1030 after the kids go to bed" to help with that, and write the referrals that your VA or private insurance may need to get started. 

[Huggy]

Thanks brokensoldier244!  I wonder what type of specialist would be best to try to tap in to?  Endocrinologist? Toxicologist? Urologist?  Any other specialties that you can think of?  I would assume any of those that I mentioned would be better suited than a GP/family medicine MD.