Re: Getting treatment at the VA

[Guest guest]

Dear Kos,

I hope you will finally get the care and treatment you need; from

what I know personally, the VA in San Francisco, CA is putting lots

of patients on HCV treatment and paying them benefits--this from

someone who's drawing housing bennies while going to school. He did

say, that although the vets are getting their pay while treating,

nobody has admitted guilt to them....

Godspeed to you, Kos. I am praying for you.

Suzy

> I have had some people get rather angry with me and my attitude

> towards the way I am being treated or I should say not treated. It

> is very confusing and I feel like a red headed step child.

>

> First off no one told me I had a spot on my lung until a

consulting

> Dr from OU medical finaly tracked down with this news, this chest

x-

> ray was taken on May 12th 2004. My TB test was negative and they

> want to do a biopsy real soon to rule out cancer or fibrosis. I

have

> a nice sized spot on my right lung and they are concerned. While I

> am recieveing good treatemnt from the oncology dept, my Primary

care

> Dr doesn't seem to be the least bit interested in my liver or my

Hep

> C infection. I have been patiently waiting for her to set me up

with

> Gastro and do these blood tests to assess my liver and decide

> whether to treat or not.

>

> I was sent from the oncology dept to the lab for blood work to be

> drawn only to discover she ordered liver enzyme tests. No EIA, or

> PCR have been ordered. I still dont know what my viral load is or

> what my genotype is. My Dr has not called with the results or any

> consults from x-rays. I called to find out what she ordered and

was

> told to make an appointment with her. So I will see her on the

27th

> of this month. Meanwhile I have ordered all in service medical

> records and all records they have at the VA here.

>

> My theroy is the blood I was given before and during surgery in

1972

> is the point of infection. The DAV is going to represent me in

this

> matter and a law suit may be in order for them taking so long to

> treat me, which I care nothing about, all I want is for them to

> recognize this as service connected and pay me accordingly.

>

> It appears I have a serious battle in front of me. When I was

> discharged from service I didn't have to file a claim for comp.

They

> gave it to me automaticaly upon returning home. No claim was filed

> by me. Now I must be my own legal beagle and show evidence of

> infection which I feel I will have no trouble on doing since I am

> already drawing 20% for the surgery that I feel caused my

infection

> from tainted blood.

>

> Wish me luck guys and if you have any information that will help

me

> with this claim I would very appreciate it. I will keep everyone

> informed as the battle progresses. Kos

[Guest guest]

i have hep c and have been treated with no good results. i was doing a

second round of treatment when it was found that i have colon cancer. my

gastro said to forget any treatment until i finished with the cancer chemo.

i know they are watching my liver closely cuz the chemo ain't good for the

liver. my options are limited, but i feel comfortable with the way things

are going. hth

l_

(/)_. It ain't my revolution if it ain't accessible!

Oh well, I wasn't using my civil rights anyway!

www.now.org

Getting treatment at the VA

> I have had some people get rather angry with me and my attitude

> towards the way I am being treated or I should say not treated. It

> is very confusing and I feel like a red headed step child.

>

> First off no one told me I had a spot on my lung until a consulting

> Dr from OU medical finaly tracked down with this news, this chest x-

> ray was taken on May 12th 2004. My TB test was negative and they

> want to do a biopsy real soon to rule out cancer or fibrosis. I have

> a nice sized spot on my right lung and they are concerned. While I

> am recieveing good treatemnt from the oncology dept, my Primary care

> Dr doesn't seem to be the least bit interested in my liver or my Hep

> C infection. I have been patiently waiting for her to set me up with

> Gastro and do these blood tests to assess my liver and decide

> whether to treat or not.

>

> I was sent from the oncology dept to the lab for blood work to be

> drawn only to discover she ordered liver enzyme tests. No EIA, or

> PCR have been ordered. I still dont know what my viral load is or

> what my genotype is. My Dr has not called with the results or any

> consults from x-rays. I called to find out what she ordered and was

> told to make an appointment with her. So I will see her on the 27th

> of this month. Meanwhile I have ordered all in service medical

> records and all records they have at the VA here.

>

> My theroy is the blood I was given before and during surgery in 1972

> is the point of infection. The DAV is going to represent me in this

> matter and a law suit may be in order for them taking so long to

> treat me, which I care nothing about, all I want is for them to

> recognize this as service connected and pay me accordingly.

>

> It appears I have a serious battle in front of me. When I was

> discharged from service I didn't have to file a claim for comp. They

> gave it to me automaticaly upon returning home. No claim was filed

> by me. Now I must be my own legal beagle and show evidence of

> infection which I feel I will have no trouble on doing since I am

> already drawing 20% for the surgery that I feel caused my infection

> from tainted blood.

>

> Wish me luck guys and if you have any information that will help me

> with this claim I would very appreciate it. I will keep everyone

> informed as the battle progresses. Kos

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Suzy, Yes I finaly am getting treated, just not for Hep C has yet.

With me its not about the money, altho I could use it being on SSDI,

I just want them to treat me right and with respect. I have

discovered that a lot of Hep C patients face the stigma of being

labeled as a drug addict. Thats how they make me feel when I go in

there for treatment. That was the first question she asked me, Do

you use IV drugs? And when I replied NO she looked at me like Yeah

right. The VA and the CDC both state that IV drug use is the number

one way of transmission and intranasal use of cocaine.

Good to know that vets are being done right in San Fran, that just

makes my claim all the better. We shouldn't have to prove where we

got it from when so many of us have it. I have a brother that served

and he is disabled with Hep C also. Same era. Sad to know also that

funds approriated for vets with Hep C is being used to dispose the

governments debts, S 71 in the senate will show you where this money

being paid to one individual comes from. Money that was approriated

and not spent, which means the money approriated for vets with Hep C.

That is how I understand it.

Maybe I should move to Califronia,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I can sic Arnold on

them then. Blessed Be and Merry Meet,

Kos

> > I have had some people get rather angry with me and my attitude

> > towards the way I am being treated or I should say not treated.

It

> > is very confusing and I feel like a red headed step child.

> >

> > First off no one told me I had a spot on my lung until a

> consulting

> > Dr from OU medical finaly tracked down with this news, this

chest

> x-

> > ray was taken on May 12th 2004. My TB test was negative and they

> > want to do a biopsy real soon to rule out cancer or fibrosis. I

> have

> > a nice sized spot on my right lung and they are concerned. While

I

> > am recieveing good treatemnt from the oncology dept, my Primary

> care

> > Dr doesn't seem to be the least bit interested in my liver or my

> Hep

> > C infection. I have been patiently waiting for her to set me up

> with

> > Gastro and do these blood tests to assess my liver and decide

> > whether to treat or not.

> >

> > I was sent from the oncology dept to the lab for blood work to

be

> > drawn only to discover she ordered liver enzyme tests. No EIA,

or

> > PCR have been ordered. I still dont know what my viral load is

or

> > what my genotype is. My Dr has not called with the results or

any

> > consults from x-rays. I called to find out what she ordered and

> was

> > told to make an appointment with her. So I will see her on the

> 27th

> > of this month. Meanwhile I have ordered all in service medical

> > records and all records they have at the VA here.

> >

> > My theroy is the blood I was given before and during surgery in

> 1972

> > is the point of infection. The DAV is going to represent me in

> this

> > matter and a law suit may be in order for them taking so long to

> > treat me, which I care nothing about, all I want is for them to

> > recognize this as service connected and pay me accordingly.

> >

> > It appears I have a serious battle in front of me. When I was

> > discharged from service I didn't have to file a claim for comp.

> They

> > gave it to me automaticaly upon returning home. No claim was

filed

> > by me. Now I must be my own legal beagle and show evidence of

> > infection which I feel I will have no trouble on doing since I

am

> > already drawing 20% for the surgery that I feel caused my

> infection

> > from tainted blood.

> >

> > Wish me luck guys and if you have any information that will help

> me

> > with this claim I would very appreciate it. I will keep everyone

> > informed as the battle progresses. Kos

[Guest guest]

Dear Tobi,

Where are you at or where do you get your medical at? That is great

you are being treated. Thats as it should be, but for my paticular

VAMC, getting good treatment is a battle. You see it has been over

two months since I was told that I was positive for Hep C. I am sick

and weak and getting worse by the day and still there have been no

tests for assessment and no appointment to see someone in

gastroentrology,,,,,,,all of which must go thru my primary care Dr.

As a vet I am sure you have dealt with a PC. She has made no

recommendations. I found out from another source that I should be

vaccinated against Hep A & B immediatly. Everyone says IMMEDIATE

assessment is critical. I wonder is a two month time frame

considered immediate? AM I overreacting?

My VAMC is one of sixteen training hospitals within the VAHA. A lot

of our doctors are from India, in fact all of them are from India.

Learning to be drs at our expense,,,,,now I don't have a problem

with that or them as people, but when you can't understand what your

Dr is saying it makes it difficult. Viet Nam vets have a hard time

dealing with asian Drs, so they either don't get treatment or they

go elsewhere. At my last visit there was a guy that went off on his

Dr and set the whole place in an uproar. Some of the Drs are rude

and will talk about what is going on as if you weren't even there.

I just called a minute ago to see if i have any appointments set up

concerning my Hep C. There is no response from my doctor, and if

there is it takes 2 to 3 weeks to get in to see her, unless you are

sick and walk in, which you will be seen but only after all

scheduled appointments are dealt with. I have sat there in B mod for

eight hours once while sicker than a dog with my head pounding. I

was sent home from the ER with chest pains,,,,after they lose my x-

rays, which revealed a spot on my right lung. It is six to eight

weeks later that i learned those x-rays they lost showed the spot.

It was a training physcian from OU medical that fianly tracked me

down and told me about the spot and what they wanted to do. He has

no answers why it took so long to get the consult. My Dr doesn't

have a clue either as to why she didn't have the radiology reports.

Who knows who dropped the ball here. My TB test was negative so now

I am waiting for a biopsy on that spot, and still waiting for

assessment of my liver and to make a decision as to whether or not

to take the treatments.

Does anyone think this is right? I am just another patient or

statistic,,,,I am really concerned that I will not get treatment

here as they sure as hell don't think its neccessary to assess me

and my liver. The level of care and treatment should be the same at

each and every VAMC across this nation. I don't want to wait another

two or three months to be seen or treated. They think I have some

kind of a cerebral syndrome or a nuerological problem but all of my

symptoms can be related to Hep C. which are many and my Dr isn't

seeing it that way and insists I see nuerology in Nov. Thats all she

has me set up for,,,,,,so far.

I certainly hope you guys don't think I am just bitching for the

sake of it. I am grateful for what I get from the VA, but not

grateful for this shoddy treatment and lack of interest in my health.

My care shouldn't be compromised becuase this is a training hospital.

At least fifty vets a day enter the system here at this VAMC, ones

who until now had no use for them. And thats is becuase a lot of

them are sick and don't know why. I just went thru the entitlement

process and at least 30 or 40 vets came into the system that day.

Kosmikcowboy

> i have hep c and have been treated with no good results. i was

doing a

> second round of treatment when it was found that i have colon

cancer. my

> gastro said to forget any treatment until i finished with the

cancer chemo.

> i know they are watching my liver closely cuz the chemo ain't good

for the

> liver. my options are limited, but i feel comfortable with the

way things

> are going. hth

> l_

> (/)_. It ain't my revolution if it ain't accessible!

> Oh well, I wasn't using my civil rights anyway!

> www.now.org