Hi, I am new and need some help

Posted on September 26, 2011 by asknod

Dana1999
Registered: 10/10/09
Posts: 3
10/10/09 #1
I served in the Army from 1997 – 2003. I currently have 60% service connected disability and I am getting paid 50 %. I went for initial treatment visit to a new VA center two months ago; the Dr. order some routine labs and x-rays (included HCV test).  I went back for a f/u appointment; the Dr. at the VA center told me that everything was ok,  gave me a Rx for CHL, and told me to f/u with my civilian Dr. for my pain because they are getting 1,000 new patients every month and they don’t have the time to see everybody. I request copy of my labs and X-Ray, went to my civilian Dr. when she see my labs she ask me if I have HCV. I told her no. She said the test results say that you are HCV + and show me where the lab have informed this Dr. about my test results. She ordered new labs and the results were positive. I went back to the VA center and raised hell because the Dr. did not informed me about my lab results I also request copy of the VA protocol to treat patients with HCV; however it was not given to me. They ordered more lab test and told me that they will mail me a referral to see a specialist which I haven’t received yet. I wrote a letter to VA requesting a review of my case for HCV service connected disability. I received a letter stating that they have received my request.
At this moment I don’t know what to do. I still don’t know how I got infected with HCV.  Like the majority I received shots with air gun injectors, I was also involved in a terrible car accident while stationed in Germany.  I was stabilized in a German hospital for 3 days, than transferred to Landstuhl.  I don’t have records or any recollection of what had happened during those three days in that German hospital. Came back to the States and had a series of treatments in military and civilian hospitals, I also received treatment out of the country for pain related injuries involving acupuncture. Bottom line is that I don’t know for how long I been having HCV or how I got infected. I been marry for 12 years none of my children or husband is infected, I have two tattoos one of them was done at the same place and time my husband had his, no alcohol, or drug history. I don’t know if VA is going to treat me, all my symptoms which are also HCV symptoms and I have for long time have been always attributed to my PTSD, fibromyalgia,  IBS or  any other condition for which I am already being compensated. Please enlighten me  as how should I handle this VA treatment facility and what should I expect as far as compensation.
RobD1956
Avatar / PictureModerator
Registered: 11/22/08
Posts: 31
10/11/09 #2
Welcome Dana,That’s a lousy way to find out about this disease. It happens to many of us. I myself found out by donating blood a long time after my separation from the service, where I contracted it. The very first thing to do is file for all your service medical records or SMR’s. By filing a SF180 form available here in the FAQ section. Try to obtain any blood tests performed. You more than likely contracted it from the auto accident if blood products were used. That will be your best shot at the VA. The VA not telling you is criminal but not unheard of. All the information we have we will gladly pass on to you. DO NOT share any person items that may have any type of your blood on them with your family ie razors toothbrush nail clippers and such. On the main page there are dos and don’ts for those of us that have this disease. I know what I have told you may scare you a bit but don’t panic, we have most of the answers you seek. Compensation can range from 0 to 100% depending on the damage done to your liver. So far it sounds as though you have a real strong case. You do however need to find when they knew for certain.__________________
Mod
Dana1999
Registered: 10/10/09
Posts: 3
10/12/09 #3
Thank you for your advise. This disease is very new to me I hear about it, but I did not know what it was all about. This is very distressing especially when you don’t have a clue how you got it. You start thinking about  dental work, pedicures, and any other procedures where supposedly medical equipment have been sterilized specially in military facilities where the standards are clearly lower then in civilian hospitals, and than thinking about VA hiding information so they don’t have to treat you or denying compensation is very disturbing.
I will request the SF 180 and I will be in contact.
RobD1956
Avatar / PictureModerator
Registered: 11/22/08
Posts: 31
10/12/09 #4
Don’t be deceived into thinking it’s just the VA with lax standards on medical equipment sterilization . It becoming more common in the medical industries as a whole as far as HCV is concerned. It is by far the most dangerous disease to the liver in the world. More prevalent than HIV and more deadly. There is another thing you can be doing while waiting for your records. That is getting the medical people you have been dealing with to specify a Genome type. Or Genotype of your infection .There are 3 main Geno types of hcv 1,2,3, and numerous sub types 1a,1 b  2a, 2b, etc this is quite important to know. Some are more curable types than others. Geno type 2 and 3 have a very good success rate while others like 1a are much harder to eliminate. When you have this knowledge we will be able to guide you further on the help you will so desperately need.. Our goal is to provide you with all the help and information that is available to beat this virus. You are not alone by any means. Each and every one of us on this site either have this disease or have someone very close that does. It it very important to us to help all we can. I know some of this information is confusing but look around the site it will become more clear as time goes on. Ask questions never think that your questions are of no importance because they are. Everyone of us here was new and confused , filled with questions.__________________
Mod
Dana1999
Registered: 10/10/09
Posts: 3
10/12/09 #5
I found out I am genotype 2 don’t know a or b and I think viral load 107,000. I don’t really know what this means.
NOD
Avatar / PictureManager
Registered: 11/22/08
Posts: 652
01/01/10 #6
Dana 1999- Genotype 2 is generally associated with duty in Japan, Okinawa and Korea. There are two main subtypes- A&B. Rob1956, one of our moderators is behind the curve a little bit. There are now 6(yeah, count them) Genotypes of HCV and scientific talk about a seventh. 1 A and B are unarguably the hardest to kill with Interferon/Ribavirin therapy. 1B seems to be marginally easier to kill but still has a rotten response rate. 3A is the easiest to kill with a 60% success rate in 26 to 40 weeks. I haven’t studied the 2 A and B rates of success so am hesitant to venture an opinion. Google it and I’m sure you’ll find info on the subject. As for your viral load, 107 K is very low. Mine has been as high as 8 million and usually grinds along at about 3 million. When your liver becomes compromised and your Liver Function Tests (LFT) go up, so does your viral count. Elevated LFT info is usually manifested by high AST/ALT readings. Some labs still refer to them as SGOT/ SGPT. When my liver is misbehaving, my ALT has gone up as high as 650 (normal is 35-50). If your AST is higher than your ALT, that usually indicates you are drinking liquor. That is a different form of the disease- Hyaline cirrhosis. It’ll kill you just as dead, but you have the choice not to drink and live longer. So too if you quit smoking. Think of it like this. If you fly back east (or west)you usually have to change planes or land at one of the hubs that airlines keep in the central part of America- SWA in Chicago, American in Dallas, etc. You have to go thru one to get there. Your liver is the Hub. Everything you eat or drink has to go through the liver to filter out the bad stuff. Treat your liver right and you’ll live longer. Many of us here feel the Interferon therapy is worse than the disease. You often come out the other end afterwards with cognitive dysfunction and other impairments. Add to that the spotty record of successes with 1A and B and you may decide a good vitamin regimen is far better. I hesitate to advocate for or against any therapy. You, as the patient, and your doctor should be the judge of that. Be very careful to have your doctor check your Anti-Nuclear Antibodies (ANA)test and make sure it isn’t elevated (i.e. >1:360 or greater). If it is, that indicates an autoimmune response is already active in your body. Interferon is like throwing Napalm on a fire in this environment. Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis are autoimmune diseases and are warning signals. If you have these or arthritis symptoms, be careful. There are very few well trained physicians out there that are knowledgeable about this disease. It ultimately falls on you to find out the skinny on it and tell your doctor-especially if you’re using VA doctors. The M.D. after their name is no guarantee that they didn’t sleep through the Hep C lectures. In the end, you are your best line of defense against this disease and all the other ones related to it (depression, DM2, PN, PCT, etc.). Good luck with your fight.
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About asknod

VA claims blogger
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