Upcoming pulmonologist appt/burn pits/ Jason help!!!!!

michigan0782

michigan0782

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
In september the VA said i had "moderate obstructive and restrctive lung disorder" However, no one ever calld me for a follow up. I didnt realize this was in the VA exam reports until a few days ago when I re-looked at them becasue I am being reffered to a pulmonologist for breathing issues. I have dry coughs, very quickly out of breath, breathe loudly (people often ask me. "are you okay" I reply with, "yea, why?" They say, "your braething loudly like you just ran a mile"

I was exposed to burn pits while deployed to FOB Warrior, Kirkuk, Iraq 05-06, Camp Victory 08 and various FOBs throughout IRaq 08-09.


I have been prescribed advair and singular from my PCM. I have been a smoker for a while but im pretty sure the burn pits at least aggravated the condition or sped up the process.

Does the VA compensate for this?

How can I get this service connected? Would i have the doctor write the phrase, "more likely than not aggravted or caused....."

Also, if the VA/DOD compensates what does a diagnosis do for my MED Board. I am at the final stages of my med board and im pretty sure the diagnosis and the informal results will come back at the same time. How do I get this added?

Any info is greatly appreciated.
 
Please read this material from the VA web site.

Exposure to burn pits is nothing to fool around with and it looks like a thorough check-up is strongly advised

If I were in your shoes, I would see the VA ASAP and get this documented and checked out.

VA documentation would definately help you out with your Military med boards.

v/r,
nwlivewire

http://www1.va.gov/opa/vadocs/gwvi_draft_report.pdf

http://www.warrelatedillness.va.gov/WARRELATEDILLNESS/nj/education/factsheets/burn-pits.pdf

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/burnpits/index.asp

VA benefits

Veterans may be eligible for VA disability compensation benefits and health care benefits for health problems associated with exposure to burn pits during military service.
 
the va documented the "moderate obstructive and restrictive lung disorder" per pulmonary test last sep. On the va cp report for general examination that whay was stated. Also a follow up was supposed up be five but Jo one contacted me. I have an appt coming up with a pulmOnologsy and that's when I will get an exact diagnosis. I just don't knke why no one caught this and contacted a long time ago for follow up. Well at least I will get a diagnosis while still active that say its service connected
 
This is a serious issue, and one that I'm facing myself after burn pit exposure at Balad and Bagram, see my post:
http://www.pebforum.com/site/thread...ge-from-burn-pits-please-read-this-now.14877/

You might have constrictive bronchiolitis (like me). I was originally diagnosed with asthma and COPD caused by "inhaled irritants" (burn pits) per my pulm., but a couple of weeks ago, my second pulmon. doc (who happens to be part of the VA team that is studying cons. bronch. from troops that were subjected to burn pits), diagnosed me with cons. bronch. on top of the asthma and COPD. So, you could possibly have the same situation as I do....constrictive (asthma, COPD etc.) and restrictive (intrinsic lung disease...cons. bronch.). I was told that having both constrictive and restrictive in combination is rare and is what the docs are seeing from burn pit inhalation injuries. This disease is often misdiagnosed because (unlike other intrinsic lung diseases), MRI/CT scans present normal. It isn't until the disease progresses to severe levels (often very rapidly) that anything will show on the scans. FWIW, I have been under the care of one of the best pulm. teams in the country at Creighton Med Center in Omaha, NE. I don't want to scare you, but (if you have it) this disease is life threatening.
Sorry I can't give you more direction in re to the board, etc., but I want to let people know about this from my first hand experience (ongoing). You could possibly just have asthma, etc., but if you were around any burn pits, you owe it to yourself and your family to ensure that the docs/board don't just blow off the possibility...get checked out, talk to your doc about cons. bronch. and make sure it is ruled out before you retire/separate, ask for a cardio pulmonary stress test! Especially if your doc says that you have constrictive and restrictive issues. Please keep us updated on your status, as will I as I proceed so that others may learn.
 
usafaviator said:
This is a serious issue, and one that I'm facing myself after burn pit exposure at Balad and Bagram, see my post:
http://www.pebforum.com/site/thread...ge-from-burn-pits-please-read-this-now.14877/

You might have constrictive bronchiolitis (like me). I was originally diagnosed with asthma and COPD caused by "inhaled irritants" (burn pits) per my pulm., but a couple of weeks ago, my second pulmon. doc (who happens to be part of the VA team that is studying cons. bronch. from troops that were subjected to burn pits), diagnosed me with cons. bronch. on top of the asthma and COPD. So, you could possibly have the same situation as I do....constrictive (asthma, COPD etc.) and restrictive (intrinsic lung disease...cons. bronch.). I was told that having both constrictive and restrictive in combination is rare and is what the docs are seeing from burn pit inhalation injuries. This disease is often misdiagnosed because (unlike other intrinsic lung diseases), MRI/CT scans present normal. It isn't until the disease progresses to severe levels (often very rapidly) that anything will show on the scans. FWIW, I have been under the care of one of the best pulm. teams in the country at Creighton Med Center in Omaha, NE. I don't want to scare you, but (if you have it) this disease is life threatening.
Sorry I can't give you more direction in re to the board, etc., but I want to let people know about this from my first hand experience (ongoing). You could possibly just have asthma, etc., but if you were around any burn pits, you owe it to yourself and your family to ensure that the docs/board don't just blow off the possibility...get checked out, talk to your doc about cons. bronch. and make sure it is ruled out before you retire/separate, ask for a cardio pulmonary stress test! Especially if your doc says that you have constrictive and restrictive issues. Please keep us updated on your status, as will I as I proceed so that others may learn.
Click to expand...

usafaviator is sooooo right!

PLEASE.... download those articles off the VA web site and take them with you to ALL your specialists - INCLUDING the VA. Tell them you have been exposed to Iraq burn pits while deployed!

And keep us all posted as to how you are doing and how things are tuning out!

v/r,
nwlivewire
 
thanks all. i will def bring all this up. youd think the va woulve made sure to follow up after a miserable pulminory test. then weeks after the day type into a report that i have moderate obstructive and restrictve lung disorder" i missed it when it all went into my meb package and so did everyone else for that matter. till last week when my pcm heard my heavy breathing at rest.
 
I'm stealing my husbands log in reading some things for him, however all 4 of his tours he had high exposure to burn pits. He has alot of sinus issues going on, he also has shortness of breath/wheezing, and other respiratory issues. While going thru this Med Board, he had a chest xray as part of his VA C&P exams. They found lesions on his lungs. They wrote on the section incidental findings that it was "granulomatous disease". I hope you've made progress Michigan & get the care you need. After reading these post, I plan to make sure he follows up himself with a pulmanologist to make sure his is ok. It seems like they like to call things everything in the book, except what they really are sometimes. :)
 
make sure you get lung biopsy done. I am glad I did, Army and VA can't hose me no more.
 
Like many of you I had exposure for 15 months and so far the Doctors all seem to care less. So far I just have 6-8 pulmonary micro nodules ranging in size. Still active duty and in IDES and they care less now. This is one of those bad things they ignore for 30 years.
 
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