Sinuses, tumors, problems maybe started from feeding tube 12 years ago

[retiredat44]

Ok, long story short, ever since I had a feeding tube through my skull, into my intestines in 2008, removed after 6 months, I have had sinus issues. I complained shortly after discharge about the problems, swelling, discharge, pain. Now they finally are taking me serious after all this time. The discharge pain, and other nasty symptoms got me another cat scan. Now they found growths or tumors. They have to look some more to decide what to do. I have had double and triple vision for a long while. (been seeing some strange things too) Intolerable suffering of the space behind my nose and face, sever numbness and pain, especially when I wake up every day. Apparently, the scans show it right at my eyes socket, and they haven't done the better scans yet. The discharge has been horrific, but I don't want to gross people out. Has anything here gone through anything like this? I have no clue if there is cancer yet. As I wait for another appointment.. Thanx.

[broncovet]

As far as benefits go, if the feeding tube happened in the military, or, later at the VA, you may have something.  

You are gonna need evidence that your current conditions are at least as likely as not due to one of the above.  

If you allege this happened in the VA, this would likely be an 1151 claim.  

In any case it appears you are at 100 percent, so you are looking at smc.  (I think Berta said you can get an 1151 "in addition to" VA benefits, but Im not sure on that). 

Of course, if you can potentially get an additional 60% (combined), plus have a single 100 percent disability, seperate and distinct, you should be able to get SMC S.  If this causes the need of A and A, then you can apply for that.  

Hope this helps. 

[retiredat44]

not really going to get any more benefits,, the 1151 got me to another type of 100%, not the benefits. although I do have the full medical. I am wondering if anyone else has this issue and what happened.. even if the person didn't have the same medical issues as me.

 

I am working on the CUE for effective date change, in another forum thread.

[broncovet]

Are you getting seperate benefits for an 1151 claim "and also" regular disability percentages?  I would like to know that, it seems to be very cloudy if that is permitted, tho Berta said "you can get both".  

I like to seperate "Service connection" (yes or no), disability percentage, and effective date.  VA will, if you dont.  

To answer your question, many Veterans have had highly unsatisfactory medical treatment, tho specifics vary with each Veteran.  

My advice, if this is about unsatisfactory (and continuing unsatisfactory) medical treatment, you should change your provider.  There are at least 2 ways to do this if you dont want to go back to the old doctor who did this to you:

1.  Put in for a change of provider.  At MY VAMC there is a box near "prime care" where we can ask for a change, but you may have to inquire how its done in your VAMC.  

2.  Go to a different VAMC.  In my area, there are at least 3 different VAMC's within about 1.5 hours of me.  I would not hesitate to go to a different one "if the medical care at one was unsatisfactory". 

     I have a brother in law "who refuses" to go to our local VAMC and travels about an hour, one way, to another city VA medical center.  He gets travel pay both ways.  He has done this for years, if not decades.  

    I have not had consistently bad care at our facility, tho I have had some "incidents", that eventually got fixed.  So I go here.  You need to "take charge" of your medical care, and be pro ACTIVE, asking questions and not settling for unsatisfactory answers.  

    Example:  I went with my wife to a sleep doc.  (Not VA, but the point is being pro active).  The doc reviewed her (request for a cpap mask change), and brought her in a sample of a cpap mask "that I had tried previously and found it to very noisey."  

I told my wife she would not like that mask.  And, I told the doc "my wife's sleep is terrbile".  She can not go to sleep for an hour or more and she gets up every night and watches tv at about 2 am.

    The doctor listened to ME, even tho I was not the patient.  He did ask my wife if she agreed (with me), and she responded yes.  

    The doc gave her a sleeping pill which worked and it was a life changer for her and me!  She sleeps at night, so she no longer lays on the couch all day trying to make up for the sleep she missed the night before.  

    The point is you have to tell the doc.  My wife, a former nurse, was just gonna "go with the flow" and never "bother" the doc with her poor sleep habits.  I would not permit it, and told him and I got a new, more vibrant, less depressed more fun to be around wife, without even getting a divorce!! 

     Point is:  If you have an issue, and dont bring it up  to the doc, why would you be suprised when he does not treat it?  You have to be your own health care advocate.  Interestingly, my wife advocates for MY health, but not her own.  (Because she is so unselfish).  So, I have to advocate for her, so I do.  

     Advocate for yourself, if you dont have a family member who does it for you!