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New Agent Orange 100% For Hypertension?


Smokepole

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Most of us know about the "automatic" 100% service-connected Agent Orange disability compensation for vets who have a dozen or so assorted medical conditions (such as ALS and prostate cancer).

Recently I talked with the VA's Agent Orange coordinator at the VA Medical Center here in Tucson.

I just idly asked him if he knew of any NEW medical conditions that would qualify RVN vets for 100% Agent Orange-related disabilities.

He said YES...that hypertension (high blood pressure) was very likely to be added to the list.

Only downside was that he figured it would take two years for this condition to be approved.

I haven't confirmed this news anywhere else, but I spoke with the guy only by happenstance, when I was trying to reach another VA department. I feel pretty sure he was giving me straight scoop.

As a vet who's had high-blood pressure for many years (as well as already being 40% VA-disabled for other conditions), I am just hopeful that this new med condition gets approved.

It sure would make living easier as I, and all other Viet-Vets, wind down their final years.

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And the list just keeps going on. And it will as us Viet Vets get older. This agent orange stuff is just now starting to rear it's ugly head in the worst of ways. Not meaning it hasn't already, just saying more and more will be discovered a we age. I know as I am also one of the victims of that agent orange and am now at 100% disabled due to unemployability. Only 90% actual, unless you want to add up all the percentages then its way over 100% but not according to the government calculations. If you are 150% in totals it doesn't mean you are 100% disabled. I know...........confusing to say the least.

 

Dave

Dave & Linda

2011 Bighorn 3670

2000 Ford 7.3 PS diesel white and tan in color Now Fulltiming since May15, 2010

 

Semper Fi Marines!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

FNG here.

 

There are about 15 AO related conditions accepted by the VA.

 

You don't want any of them.

 

None are automatic 100%.

 

Diabetes II, for example, starts at 20%-you need complications for higher rates.

Insulin requirement and regulation of activities only gets 40%

 

Hypertension is only 10%.

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FNG here.

 

There are about 15 AO related conditions accepted by the VA.

 

You don't want any of them.

 

None are automatic 100%.

 

Diabetes II, for example, starts at 20%-you need complications for higher rates.

Insulin requirement and regulation of activities only gets 40%

 

Hypertension is only 10%.

Bullseye.

Brian
USAF Ret


"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'" (Author unknown)

Vets with PTSD and Other VA Issues

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
~ Thomas Jefferson..

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Another "FNG" Here.... I would like to see "Hypertension" added to the list also, that would be a huge check since I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and filed a claim in 2007 and was denied. They put me on three different blood pressure pills, asprin and Plavax for life after my heart attack in 2007 and installed 2 heart stents then Service Connected me with Type 2 Diabetes w/ upper an lower Peripheral Neuropathy, Ischemic Heart Disease and PTSD all contributed to Agent Orange.. (The Gift That Keeps On Giving).

S/F Brothers,

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FNG here.

 

There are about 15 AO related conditions accepted by the VA.

 

You don't want any of them.

 

None are automatic 100%.

 

Diabetes II, for example, starts at 20%-you need complications for higher rates.

Insulin requirement and regulation of activities only gets 40%

Hypertension is only 10%.

 

 

 

 

Exactly where I am at and how I got there. It just keeps getting worse. Diabetes. Neuropathy is incurable, all you can do is try to slow the desease is my understanding. Hypertention also.

 

Agent Orange is flat ugly!!!

 

Dave

Dave & Linda

2011 Bighorn 3670

2000 Ford 7.3 PS diesel white and tan in color Now Fulltiming since May15, 2010

 

Semper Fi Marines!!

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  • 3 months later...

How does some vets get compenstation for high blood pressure and some don't? I was denied my claim of high blood pressure that I have had since the mid to late 70's. I was discharged in March 1972 and have had a really bad time with the VA health group. But the said ok to my type II diabeties but not the neuropathy.

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Earlier today I ran across an article referring to this. Unfortunatley I did not make note of of the source but there must definitly be at least on article printed somewhere.

 

I have 3 heart issues (yet no heartattack yet} but not ischemic, hypertension and have had skin cancer including one melanoma taken out last Dec. 4,2012 at VA in Memphis. I also have a pacemaker that will have to be replaced about May/June after only 2 1/2 years of service. I am still not service connected and have co-pay. I am not all that upset about all that but some other issues at the VA's. Like the one I have mentioned before about having a $.01 cent overdue because of they policies along with $15. admin. charge for being late. Or the bill I got for $.04 cents. ( I beat the late fee) that I paid all in pennies to protest. :) A real good bit of this is not the VA's fault but is the result of congress trying to keep anyone from cheating the system. :o:) On the other side of the coin if they end up owing me $.01 cent at the end of the billing cycle they have to send me a check. :P (Postage -how much :ph34r: ) I love it when a good plan comes together. :rolleyes:

 

edit due to screw ups typing faster than I can thiMk.

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How does some vets get compenstation for high blood pressure and some don't? I was denied my claim of high blood pressure that I have had since the mid to late 70's. I was discharged in March 1972 and have had a really bad time with the VA health group. But the said ok to my type II diabeties but not the neuropathy.

I can't explain why they turned you down for the Neuropathy, but I can explain how I went about it. I went through my family Dr. who sent me to a neurologist to have testing done for neuropathy. They detected it and I took the findings from that specialist along with my Dr's notes and sent them to the VA myself, with triplicates of everything. Anything and everything I felt was pertinent to my case was sent to the VA. I bombarded them with every single thing that had happened to me and also sent my own opinions in writing with copies. I also always sent two copies just because. Things seem to get lost a lot there.

 

Keep plugging away, its a daunting task and at times you feel like giving up. Exactly what they want you to do.

 

Dave

Dave & Linda

2011 Bighorn 3670

2000 Ford 7.3 PS diesel white and tan in color Now Fulltiming since May15, 2010

 

Semper Fi Marines!!

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I gave up on fighting the VA myself and went to the Arizona state agency that was set up to help veterans deal with the VA's nightmare of rules, regulations and policies. They sent me in to the interview with an agent who had the VA guy stop recording after every question while the agent went over exactly what my answer needed to be to meet their rules. Sometimes a single word choice that I would have made would have gotten me denied if said with the recorder running.

 

https://dvs.az.gov/

 

Still it was five years and submitting my file to the DC appeals board to get everything corrected and finalized.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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  • 1 month later...

I went to a Neurologist for nerve testing on both feet and the doctor at one time worked for the VA on Neuropathy cases. After the test she showed that I had severe neuoropathy in both feet. So I took her findings report straight over to the VA and filed a reconsideration claim. I was told that would be faster than waitig 3 to 4 years for an appeal. But I was also told that high blood pressure was not covered under agent orange. Sign up for important alerts from the VA on new agent orange disabilites added to the list.

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How in the world do we really know what we were exposed to while serving in the Military!!! Even not in the Military at some of the places I worked. Unless you were rich you could not fight the place of employment and take it to court! I pointed out some chemical hazards one day to an employer that we used in the repair shop. I was told to be quiet and get back to work!!! No one overherd this; so no proof he said it!!!

 

The companies that make the hazardous stuff don't care! Just stick a warning label on it and if people don't heed the warnings! Tough!!

this sounds exactly what the Chemical Companies did when the military bought it. Some of the bigger corporations abide by the OSHA rules becuase of possible 'watchdogs" looking at them; but how many smaaler run companies do!

 

Yes; the people are the ones who suffer the consequences because; AO complications are taking many military lifes. I lived near an Apple Orchard in NYS and they sprayed the trees most likely with DDT every Spring for at least 25 years of my life; maybe that is where some of my health problems came from!

:) Living Life One Day At A Time!

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How does some vets get compenstation for high blood pressure and some don't?.....................

 

In my case I had documented high blood pressure while I was still active duty in my last 3 years of service, so the approval (10 percent) was easy.

 

Where I really screwed up was on sleep apnea. I had sleep apnea for at least 8 years of service, but never brought it up to the doctors and never documented it. My wife says I had all the apnea symptoms for years, but I just decided to live with it and didn't think there would be a good solution (I was wrong).

 

I also didn't claim apnea at retirement in 2002. In 2012 I mentioned to a VA doc the apnea, and he scheduled me for a sleep test. Apnea confirmed, but no way to prove the service connection, so no service connected rating. A CPAP machine was provided by the VA at no cost to me, but no service rating. Apnea is rated at 50 percent, so it was a huge mistake on my part not documenting it back in the day.

Dan - SKP club member

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In my case I remember when they come overhead on choppers spraying for mosquitos right over our heads. Yea right, next thing you know the foliage is all brown. Pretty good indication of agent orange.

Dave & Linda

2011 Bighorn 3670

2000 Ford 7.3 PS diesel white and tan in color Now Fulltiming since May15, 2010

 

Semper Fi Marines!!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Be careful, I was told by my DAV rep (disabled American veterans) that anytime you file for a claim it opens up your file for reevaluation of you % of disability. Could go up with new claim could go down. Tough choice I Know

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Be careful, I was told by my DAV rep (disabled American veterans) that anytime you file for a claim it opens up your file for reevaluation of you % of disability. Could go up with new claim could go down. Tough choice I Know

 

That is a true statement. When you file a disability claim, past claims and awards are reviewed for validity and are subject to revision. I was “almost” negatively impacted by that policy but it worked out for me.

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Be careful, I was told by my DAV rep (disabled American veterans) that anytime you file for a claim it opens up your file for reevaluation of you % of disability. Could go up with new claim could go down. Tough choice I Know

Definite rule to live by. Here's a couple more.

 

1. Service connection for a specific disability cannot be severed by the VA after it has been in place for 10 years unless they can prove fraud.

2. % of disability rating for a specific disability cannot be reduced after it has been in place for 20 years.

Brian
USAF Ret


"A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of 'up to and including my life.'" (Author unknown)

Vets with PTSD and Other VA Issues

"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
~ Thomas Jefferson..

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Guest GVROOTS

During my Naval basic training swim tests, I contracted German measles, then Pneumonia. Every year afterward, until the mid '80's, before relocating to South Florida from a northern climate, I would come down with Upper Respiratory infections, leading to scar tissue on both lungs.

According to the VA many years later, even though I sent in a telephone book stack of original medical records that scanned my time in service, along with all the proper forms, I was denied twice for lack of up-dated medical records. PTSD is also documented at my local VA medical clinic.

I can't hike steep grades without gasping, nor can I stay in high elevations for extended periods. Other then that, my condition doesn't really prevent me from doing much else.

Before coming off the road, I Workamped campgrounds for 12 years, working side-by-side with other Vets that seemed mentally stable, healthy and strong, even though they qualified for a 100% VA disability. They would always 'smirk' when I asked them how they went about getting their rating. One gent claimed he got his because he couldn't take orders well and had PTSD. Another said he got headaches because of PTSD. I can go on and on but, I'm sure I've pissed a few "takers" off by now.

It would be interesting to find out just how many vets 'claims' are actually 'service related' and not just 'old age' issues, or medical conditions that were in place BEFORE service. My wife, and I must agree, stated "I just don't know how to play the system!"

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

VA disability seems to be sex related also. We have 4 female friends...all retired....all high disability ratings....last one retired more than 20 years ago, spent those 20 as a janitor. Her back started hurting....went to VA...doc said....woman marine in Vietnam....ordered 20+ xrays....gave HER 80%... Think 20 years of hefting mop buckets contributed??? She loves the extra drinking and gambling $$$.

 

Men friends with legit problems fight for years.

Cindy B


2014 Southwind 36L
Jeep Wrangler 4 door
Traveling...

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  • 4 weeks later...

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