16 replies to this topic

[bergin c/o]

i am a gulf war veteran and recently had a foot of colon remove do to diverticulitis, my question is i had filled a claim for ibs that was denied do to lake of evidence . i had a hard time with my doctors once i told them i had filled a claim with the va . it changed from ibs to you know that most of america has stomach issues we can`t support the claim. anyway .haveing the diverticulitis does that give me enough to reopen the claim

[scscrewed]

Bergin, go over to the IMO section of this forum and read some of the topics. a few very expensive very good doctors are talked about in particular Dr. Bash. He will cost a fortune, but if your disabilities are service connected he will tie them together and write an IMO that ties the things together in a tight and neat package.

Berta and several others have posted about him and utilized his services. I believe his opinion would be considered new evidence and enough to open the claim back open, especially if he ties the IBS>diverticulities and other issues you are having together.

Edited by scscrewed, 22 December 2011 - 09:07 AM.

[rdawg]

you are a gulf war vet. if you served in SW asia and you have a diagnosis of ibs then it is service connected. That's the law.

If you have a diagnosis of divierticulitis then you will need an IMO linking the current condition to service.

[scscrewed]

The problem is the IBS diagnosis was pulled, and the put Bergin behind the eight ball. I understand it's the law, but his doctors aren't cooperating.

[john999]

He needs the IMO!

[Gulfvet45]

I have seen a lot of them denied do to the lack of evidence of it starting in service, but that is an error in the rating. You IBS does not have to start in the service it is a presumptive illness that you only have to have for 6 months or more and must start before 31 Dec. 2011. There are many claims out there where this error was made. They also did not take the statement of the veteran as to how his symptoms are as per the regulations and court case see Gutierrez v. Principi 2004.

Also the law was updated to FGID you can read about what it is at
http://www.med.unc.edu/ibs/patient-education/what-are-fgimds

i am a gulf war veteran and recently had a foot of colon remove do to diverticulitis, my question is i had filled a claim for ibs that was denied do to lake of evidence . i had a hard time with my doctors once i told them i had filled a claim with the va . it changed from ibs to you know that most of america has stomach issues we can`t support the claim. anyway .haveing the diverticulitis does that give me enough to reopen the claim

[bergin c/o]

Talked to my service rep. he said i need a more likely than not saying that the diveticulitis was caused by being in the gulf war .just having symptoms is not enough .even though the ibs is a presumptive i need a letter saying it was a result of the gulf war .i have not found a doctor willing to do that .still working on it .

[scscrewed]

Just find a doctor who makes their bread writing IMO's for veterans. They're out there... --and yes that's Kesey speaking.

[sleeper692]

An IMO would certainly help. Telling your VA primary care provider that you still have IBS symptoms will also help.

As far as I know, short of them having someone follow you around for a few days to witness the cramping, bloating and diarrhea, there aren't any tests for IBS. Your doctor should have done blood tests to rule out celiac disease as well as other food allergies, a stool sample colon cancer screening and, if they are really aggressive, a colonoscopy. Assuming all these tests come back negative they have nothing to go on but your statements and any witness statements you can include.

If you look at the Gulf War presumptive list it is astonishing how many of the illnesses listed can only be diagnosed by patient statements alone (along with ruling out other causes, of course). It's no wonder the docs unfamiliar with GWI look at us like we're looney.

My best advice is to just keep complaining to your doctor about the symptoms you are having. Keep a food journal if necessary. Whatever you do, if you want to claim IBS, you will need to get a diagnosis established for it again. You should not have to have any service-connection criteria as this is a presumptive illness. When you file your claim you should always say, "due to my service during the Gulf War" and then cite the appropriate CFR, etc. If you have a VSO that is educated about GWI (another area that needs work!), they should know how to word your GWI claim.

Half the battle is getting the VSOs and raters to understand the law about the GWI presumptives and service connection.

Good luck. I hope you get the compensation and care that you deserve!

Pete

[bergin c/o]

thank you

[logicc3]

I'm a newcomer to the site and to the retired community. I have just retired from the Navy in 2010. I have been troubled with Diverticulitis for about 14 of the 20 yrs . I had surgery which taken a foot of colon, chronic appendicitis so appendix take and jejuna coloenteric fistula, what ever that is but I also have midline incision with about 35 staples. I really thought I would get a certain rating but the VA gave me a 0% rating and I was wondering eventhough the diverticulitis is gone, I now been assessed with IBS and told I had it all alone. I really wanted to know could I place and increase for rating because of the continuing situation.I'm not putting in a claim for the IBS. Thanks for listening

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit

[john999]

Logic

Do you have Chron's Disease?

[T8r]

 



7328 ​Intestine, small, resection of:
 
​With marked interference with absorption and nutrition, manifested
​by severe impairment of health objectively supported by
​examination findings including material weight loss​60
​With definite interference with absorption and nutrition, manifested
​by impairment of health objectively supported by examination
​findings including definite weight loss​40
​Symptomatic with diarrhea, anemia and inability to gain weight​20
 
​Note: Where residual adhesions constitute the predominant disability, rate under diagnostic code 7301.
 
7329 ​Intestine, large, resection of:
 
​With severe symptoms, objectively supported by examination findings​40
​With moderate symptoms​20
​With slight symptoms​10
 
​Note: Where residual adhesions constitute the predominant disability, rate under diagnostic code 7301.

[logicc3]

TO JOHN 999

I really dont know if I have chron's are not because I have never been checked for that type of disease. I have already had the operation colon resection for the diverticulitis back in 2005 but still have some of the same symptoms.

[logicc3]

T8r,
I was wondering with already having the surgery for diverticulitis in 2005 and having a 0 % rating , how could I increase it for having large my colon removed.

[carlie]

logic,
You might want to start a new topic thread with your concerns.