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Posted 12/9/2012 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
(New Member Jim Wood posted on another thread)

I finished radiation 2 months ago and still have the hot flashes associated with the medicine. My biopsy was 9 out of 12 positive.

Ongoing symptoms include low energy level and of course lot of sweating with the hot flashes. Very little sleep and when I do fall asleep I wake up within an hour or so.

Does anyone know how they determine the % disability you retain after the re-evaluation period.

My psa was very low but the Dr said that was normal and it would increase when the hormone treatment wears off later. All comments are welcome..My first time on this board. Vietnam Vet 67-68 DaNang

Welcome Jim - I've created a new thread for your comments - 142

Posted 12/9/2012 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
Jim -

First, welcome, and as we usually say to guys visiting us for the first time, sorry you have to be here, but this is a great place to come for really good information and for support in general.

There are a number of us here who are Vietnam vets, myself included (86th Signal Battalion, 25th Infantry Division, Cu Chi, 1969-1970). Some of the others will no doubt weigh in here shortly.

I recently posted a summary on another thread of the filing process for applying for VA benefits as a VietVet with PCa, and I was going to provide a link to that for you right now, but since you are asking about retaining the disability rating and the % that would be involved "after the re-evaluation period," I think you are probably past that point, and have already been through the initial filing process.

Let me recommend this. There is a wealth of information available on this list from past posts, some going back years, but all of that information is very neatly organized and searchable using the Search function that is indicated above. (142, I assume the Search function is available to visitors as well as registered list members?)

So go to the blue line at the top of this thread, just above the title of this thread and click on "Search." In the search box that appears, type just "VA" (without quotes) and enter that. I tested it that way and got a number of hits that reference the question you are raising, and seem to provide some pretty good information.

I would try that and see if some of those previous posts can provide you with an answer. In any case, please do come back and tell us how you did looking for an answer. Also, with the number of us guys here who are both vets and Nam vets, we may be able to provide you with additional information that you may not find in the earlier posts.

Good luck!
Posted 12/9/2012 9:15 PM (GMT 0)
Jim,

Welcome to HW.

And salute to another Viet-nam vet, I am one also, U.S. Navy. I have been waiting 3 full years on my VA claim here in SC. Good luck to you.

David
Posted 12/9/2012 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
Jim,
I assume that you are already recieving 100% due to your Dx of PC as this is the standard.
After a year you will be scheduled for a reevaluation ( mine happened at the 2 year point). You will be asked to write out your treatments and any side effects from those treatments, then a doctor will examine you and most likely give a DRE and a psa test. Based upon what you have written along with the doctor's recommendations a board will review your status. If it is still felt that you have PC or are still recieiving treatment such as HT your 100% will be continued untill another reevaluation period.
If your PC is deemed cured, then your side effects, ED, Incontinance, Fatigue ect will each have a specific % value assigned and this should be your permanant disability %.
Posted 12/9/2012 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Jim,
I'm sorry that you are here but it's not a bad place to be--the members will do anything to help you..Thanks for your service in 1Corps..81GyGuy (the lieutenant) pretty much laid out the procedures, etc relating to claims so I would follow his "search" recommendations..We don't want to lose you as a member, but I would be remiss if I didn't tell you about another forum which deals almost exclusively with veteran's claims--See my post--"the eagle has landed"..
I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability--remember that I'm wrong 50% of the time..If you are continuing on lupron/casodex, etc prescribed to treat your pca then you will continue at 100%; if not then during the re-evaluation which may occur 6 months after treatment is stopped the examiner will question you concerning urinary frequency, pads used daily, and bowel movements..your answers to these questions seem to determine the percentage of disability you will be awarded..Fatigue/hot flashes/etc are not addressed--at least they were not at my exam..From what I've heard from other veterans, 20-40% is the range of disability that you can expect.
I was the CO--444th trans company--27th trans bn--8th trans group running convoys in the central highlands to AnKhe and Pleiku during 1968 and 69 when the NVA replaced the VC..A rough year.
Bill--Age 70--a "seasoned" vet
t3anomo gleason 8--Imrt completed Feb 2011 and lupron for 3 years--1 to go.
Posted 12/9/2012 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
81GyGuy

Anyone can search - Jim W. did create a login and is a new member, so he can post and search, as well as see "public" profile information

Posted 12/10/2012 3:03 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome or our little place in the world. Sorry you need to be here but it's a good place to be.

I had a bad case of fatigue during my radiation and some serious sleep problems the first month after then ended. Daily walking helped with the fatigue and I ended up going to the doc to get some sleeping pills. Took them for about a week to help reset my sleeping pattern. Seemed to work for me.

I also had a case of depression going that my doctor thought might also have been affecting my sleep. She said that the radiation can cause that and in some cases people need some medication to help them get over it.

All the best,
Andrew
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