General Medicine

» floorburns - Fibromyalgia agent orange Vietnam - gulf war

In response to Fibromyalgia agent orange Vietnam - gulf war posted by rlafave:
I too have FMS. Almost 10 years now of waiting on the VA to do something. They keep saying I didn't pass my Agent Orange screening way back in 1984. They said I should have come forward right after I came home(1971) after 18 months.. Nothing was known about AO then. I had to retire from my job as a mail carrier because my body couldn't stand the pounding it was getting walking 14 miles a day. I have been able to work in a job were I pretty much dictate what I work at as to how my body feels, but sometimes I push it when I start feeling good and pay for it later. In 1998 while going through the disability physical by a third party Dr. I was sent to a pain control specialist. This Dr. put me through days of tests, unlike the VA with the 30 min. torture test by some foreign DR that I couldn't even understand his questions and I know he didn't understand my answers. I was diagnosed with FMS by this private Dr. I have been trying to get another evaluation from the VA. Got a hold of my congressman just 1 week ago and I have the huge pile of papers to fill out. My County Service Officer said to say NOTHING in the forms about AO and to treat as a NEW exam. I have had problems since around 1975 as I started to loose feeling in my thigh muscles. I have also lost all the hair on my legs and the stabbing pains are worst when I'm driving or lying down. Very few full nights sleep. Thanks to the internet we now have many more spray maps and even the amounts that were sprayed in these area's. In 1984 I was told I wasn't at a certain base camp or that area wasn't sprayed. I have since collected proof of all my area's of service and also of course these maps. You are not alone in your quest.
Floorburns

-- posted by floorburns