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Agent orange and bladder cancer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted old_dood
  • Start date Start date

Deleted old_dood

the other day I got an email from the VA that said bladder cancer has been added as a condition presumptively caused by exposure to AO. I had 2 surgeries for bladder cancer and served in Vietnam 1967-1969. I'd like to hear about the process involved with making a claim. I've heard that others who served and developed prostate cancer received some benefit and would be interested in knowing what benefit was received.
 
Get a VSO, Submit a VA Form 21-526ez, Submit evidence that you are or were Diagnosed with the condition, whether through a Private Provider or a VAMC. If you have never filed a claim before we have to get your Military Personnel Records and Service Treatment Records from the National Personnel Records Center. Once this is all done we send it to Centralized Processing to verify Boots on the Ground or if you were Blue Water Navy, your ship was in the zone (Just Updated 2 years ago). If you go to VA.gov submit an ITF (Intent to File) this can give you a rating to the date you submit the ITF. If you are not good with doing that kind of Computer stuff. Down Load the forms and Fax to the Evidence Intake Center.
 
old_dood said:
the other day I got an email from the VA that said bladder cancer has been added as a condition presumptively caused by exposure to AO. I had 2 surgeries for bladder cancer and served in Vietnam 1967-1969. I'd like to hear about the process involved with making a claim. I've heard that others who served and developed prostate cancer received some benefit and would be interested in knowing what benefit was received.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your service!
 
Old dood, although I can't help with VA info I know about the health issues.
I went through all of it over the past 5 years, from biopsies (10) to finally complete removal of bladder, prostate and all connecting tubes (3 months ago) it is not fun or easy.
Being a retired fire fighter I will now start the workers comp paper work as it is now a covered illness.
My advice is and take it for what it cost is get a real good surgeon one with lots of experience with these surgeries ( urologist/oncologist ) then worry about VA benefits.
Not knowing the type of cancer you have I do know some are very slow spreading and they really don't worry too much about them and others will sit for months and then take off like wild fire (what I had).
Any questions I can help with I'll be more than willing to help.
I will pray you have more luck than me in your treatment. GOOD LUCK
 
Ok, you live in the right state. (In fact same hometown I lived in years ago)
Do not try to make ANY claim on your own.
I had the New York State Division of Veteran Services and I recommend them highly.
888-838-7697 Call and make an appointment. (American Legion, DAV, etc., offer similar services.)
My experience was with NYS Vet Services. They exist to make sure NYS veterans get there claims completed properly and submit them for you.
I don't know whether you are in the 'system' with the VA and I assume you are not.
Make no mistake you can not do this on your own. Make the call, and get and keep the appointment.
The list of presumptive illnesses from Agent Orange will continue to grow.
Do you have your DD-214? That is the 1st question I should have asked. And no it wasn't lost in a fire in St.Louis.......so in getting it do not be put off with that response.
If you want PM me.
I'm a bit confused as you state you "received an email from the VA". So you must be in the 'system' or how else would they know you.
If the above was a waste maybe it will help some other VietNam veterans.
 
M-61 said:
Ok, you live in the right state. (In fact same hometown I lived in years ago)
Do not try to make ANY claim on your own.
I had the New York State Division of Veteran Services and I recommend them highly.
888-838-7697 Call and make an appointment. (American Legion, DAV, etc., offer similar services.)
My experience was with NYS Vet Services. They exist to make sure NYS veterans get there claims completed properly and submit them for you.
I don't know whether you are in the 'system' with the VA and I assume you are not.
Make no mistake you can not do this on your own. Make the call, and get and keep the appointment.
The list of presumptive illnesses from Agent Orange will continue to grow.
Do you have your DD-214? That is the 1st question I should have asked. And no it wasn't lost in a fire in St.Louis.......so in getting it do not be put off with that response.
If you want PM me.
I'm a bit confused as you state you "received an email from the VA". So you must be in the 'system' or how else would they know you.
If the above was a waste maybe it will help some other VietNam veterans.
Click to expand...
The Fire affected Army Records 1912 -1960, and USAF 1948 -1960 Letters Last Names H-Z if you served after the end date your records weren't in the fire, doesn't mean the Service Branch Lost them or failed to send them to NPRC..
 
Department Service Officers with the VFW may be located near VA service centers, if not in the same building. If claims get bogged down in the system, these DSO's can help you navigate solutions. My wife and I assisted a neighbor work through a claim using a VFW service center. This included a video conference with a regional claims specialist. We went through the Cleveland VFW service center. Very professional and knowledgeable.
 
Thank you for your service. Lost my nephew a few months back to bladder & liver cancer from the AO!!! It was not pretty. It was let go too long by VA docs. Good luck with filing your claim. I'm not military but IMHO vets should be top priority when it comes to health. Afterall they gave up years of their lives to protect this country.
 
Retired Grunt said:
The Fire affected Army Records 1912 -1960, and USAF 1948 -1960 Letters Last Names H-Z if you served after the end date your records weren't in the fire, doesn't mean the Service Branch Lost them or failed to send them to NPRC..
Click to expand...
You are correct. My point was not to be discouraged by some clerk repeating a depressing statement. ( that if fact is not 100% true)
I do not know the OP. He served in VN exactly the same time I did so I can guess his age. I don't know his mental state nor writing skills. I never know how familiar vets are with the VA nor do I know if they realize the procedures
to file a claim successfully. I guess there may be a Vet out there that navigated the 'system' on his own and my hat is surely off to them.
A site member named JVON was a VN vet. He purchased a few things from me. We talked. I found out as we spoke his health was horrible. He had never been to the VA. I suggested more or less what I did to the OP. Well he did follow through. He was classified as 100% disabled. He never lived to cash his first check. That is my fear. A Vet who gets discouraged, too sick to follow through, no computer skills etc. etc.
So at the risk of sounding like a know-it-all I give a lot of basic information.
But I never know what the individual knows.
Every October I post for members to remember JVON. It was just too late for him.
I don't want to do anymore.
 
Last edited:
rjtfroggy said:
Old dood, although I can't help with VA info I know about the health issues.
I went through all of it over the past 5 years, from biopsies (10) to finally complete removal of bladder, prostate and all connecting tubes (3 months ago) it is not fun or easy.
Being a retired fire fighter I will now start the workers comp paper work as it is now a covered illness.
My advice is and take it for what it cost is get a real good surgeon one with lots of experience with these surgeries ( urologist/oncologist ) then worry about VA benefits.
Not knowing the type of cancer you have I do know some are very slow spreading and they really don't worry too much about them and others will sit for months and then take off like wild fire (what I had).
Any questions I can help with I'll be more than willing to help.
I will pray you have more luck than me in your treatment. GOOD LUCK
Click to expand...
the results of my case were no where near as severe as yours. Besides the 2 surgeries for tumor and polyps and 2 of the "live virus" treatments 11 years ago, I've had regular cystoscopies at gradually increasing intervals. I'm a whisker from 74 yo and during my last visit to urologist, who I see every 6 months, he said the next one would be in 5 years.

My God, after hearing what you've gone through, I consider myself very, very lucky that I went to doc as soon as I started pissing blood.
 
M-61 said:
You are correct. My point was not to be discouraged by some clerk repeating a depressing statement. ( that if fact is not 100% true)
I do not know the OP. He served in VN exactly the same time I did so I can guess his age. I don't know his mental state nor writing skills. I never know how familiar vets are with the VA nor do I know if they realize the procedures
to file a claim successfully. I guess there may be a Vet out there that navigated the 'system' on his own and my hat is surely off to them.
A site member named JVON was a VN vet. He purchased a few things from me. We talked. I found out as we spoke his health was horrible. He had never been to the VA. I suggested more or less what I did to the OP. Well he did follow through. He was classified as 100% disabled. He never lived to cash his first check. That is my fear. A Vet who gets discouraged, too sick to follow through, no computer skills etc.etc.
Click to expand...
NP, this is what I do for a living, and you are absolutely right about navigating the system, Sometimes wording changes the context of a claim.
 
To all Veterans reading this. In my state of Wyoming, we can take our DD214 to the county title office and they will put a copy on file. Other states may offer this service.

Find a Veterans Services outreach and use it. These people know how to get things done. And they will do it for you.

If you are a Veteran Get in the system. The Veteran's Services can do it for you. Get enrolled.
 
old_dood said:
the results of my case were no where near as severe as yours. Besides the 2 surgeries for tumor and polyps and 2 of the "live virus" treatments 11 years ago, I've had regular cystoscopies at gradually increasing intervals. I'm a whisker from 74 yo and during my last visit to urologist, who I see every 6 months, he said the next one would be in 5 years.

My God, after hearing what you've gone through, I consider myself very, very lucky that I went to doc as soon as I started pissing blood.
Click to expand...

Old dood for years I was told I had UTI's by my Dr. and a couple of urologist or that I had an inflamed prostate, apparently they were all wrong. When I actually saw blood in urine I went to see a different urologist and his diagnosis was totally different, that was 5 years ago that was 20 some years after original problem started.
Tell the urologist you want to be checked at least once a year regardless of the outcome.
My prostate cancer never showed up in any test or exam, but it showed up be time in the lab when it was removed (stage 4).
At this point I'm just happy to be alive, it was close, very close.

To anyone who is reading this post I urge you to PLEASE GET CHECKED, THIS CANCER CAN USUALLY BE BEAT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH, and yes I intentionally shouted that because I don't wish this on anyone, and it does affect women too.

Old dood sorry for the derail and getting on my soapbox.
 
Don’t be discouraged by the VA. Seems they try really hard to put you thru the ringer. They hope you’ll drop your claim over time. Remember your benefits start on the date you file your claim so, if it takes two years (not uncommon) your first check will be two years worth. GET A REP. I can’t say enough about these men and women. They will guide you thru the process. Don’t give up! If you disagree with the VA’s findings APPEAL.
 
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