Medical Concerns

[Skywalker]

Anyone have any experiance with this as I'm truely afraid of procedures and have never has this before. 1st off since Feb 2008 I have had deep left side head numbness, really bad pain elivated by emotions of all flavors. Hurts like heck when I lay the back of my neck or left side head on pillow so I sleep on right side which works because that is where my CPAP machine is anyways. So, I push and push since Feb 08 trying to get a diagnosis and was/is very hard since USAF told med staff here to not give me a difinitive diagnosis and they simply would not pursue for as they said in an email that I obtain hard copy of he would benifit significantly financially on his AF retirement fro it. So, approx 5 or 6 months ago a Denver University Neruo doc, female, very smart gave me her full attention but she was working at the VA as they slide in over there and help out. So, while wearing her VA hat and listening to me for a couple hrs and was really into this and cared... she said V. Zoster Sine Herpete which broken down into plain language means Shingles on the brain. The VA being the way they are I put in a claim and they don't like it and want to see the shingles like the idiot this COMP & PEN woman from India was as I scream at her that its in my head and if you had read anything you would know. I demanded "how do you rule it in or out"? Blood work! Well praise be, is that all. So, blood work was done and it came back 2.08 past the infection rate and they sent me a certified letter expressing the grave concern and for me to seek immediate attention due to this can be a deadly disease when internal like mine is. So, they even order a 2nd blood work and it's positive as well. So, here we are today as I had a civilian neuro doc online as well as the VA Neuro doc and they both want to say I don't have shingles and it's to cover up for the Denver University. You see, since early 2009 to up to about 9 months ago I had TRICARE approval to go to the Denver University Neruo Dept and was told they don't care about the lesions on my brain and patranized and sent on my way with nothing much more then pull my finger and look into my light kind of junk. So, when one of their very own while wearing a VA hat nailed it and backed it up with bloodwork that proves I have shingles which by the way will gone untreated and I guess I'm at about the 25 month mark is a lengthly time can and will cause damage to nerves in spine and head meaning nerve damage... makes since on the left side head pain. Now, fourth follow-up with VA and a fourth different team of VA/Denver Neguro docs you better beleive they have put all this together and the nice female doc that nailed the diagnosis as I ask for her will not be coming back as I was told! I bet not! And each of the followup appointment is with new neuro docs and want to say as they did on my last appointment two weeks ago... I don't know how this disease thing got started! Trying to turn focus from the obvious. But both my civilian neuro doc sent me to his pain specialist to kill/damage nerves that feed head/face and the VA team is now wanting to do steriods injections into the neck which means putting me to sleep on both of these. Good story huh? Has anyone had or know of anyone with thoese two procedures and I'm not to keen on having the nerves killed/damaged that feeds my head and face nore the steriod injections. Thoughts of you that may have been there and done that or are in the medical field please.

[ronaldrwl]

Sorry, to hear about this. My dad had Shingles in his legs. The most pain he's ever been in.

[gnihcraes]

Sorry, to hear about this. My dad had Shingles in his legs. The most pain he's ever been in.

Yep, my father did too.

Sorry to hear about the problems. I don't have any suggestions.

I can also vouch for the UCHS Center Neurological department, good people there, they fixed me up a few years ago.

[HBARleatherneck]

no experience with your health problems. I do have much, much experience with the VA. I hope that you can stick with it and follow through with your claim.. The VA can make people wait long enough to drive people crazy. (you cant use that as a stressor statement for PTSD)
I just was finally approved to 100% after 6 years of claim rejections. I got out of the Corps after 2 honorable discharges, with some health problems. I got out at the end of my EAS. not a medical. i never saw the Medical people while i was in. I was gradually sicker and sicker but never considered going to the Va. untill 1 day I got hurt working on a tractor, and needed treatment. They started regular appointments, but it took years, and statements from guys in Iraq, etc. to finally get where I am. I honestly thought I would never be approved. Stick with it. And I pray someone has the wisdom to not only diagnose you correctly, but to also recommend a course of treatment that will cure you.

[Irving]

I've had Shingles before, but it wasn't bad at all.

[275RLTW]

I have had similar issues with the VA regarding spinal/head injuries. After many months of frustration going through the VA's red tape, my wife and I decided to see doctors without the VA authorization. I recieved the care that was needed to get me where I could continue fighting the C&P claim with VA. They, as expected, denied everything despite all of the tests and confirmations by VA and non-VA doctors. It took almost 3 years, but was finally covered and I was able to submit all of the costs associated with my treatment to the VA.
My advise: go to the best person out there that can help you. You may incur some charges untill VA gets off of their butt but money does you no good without health. Keep a log of all expendatures for this untill your claim gets approved so that you can request reimbursement. Remember, VA will fight you for every penny so be prepared. I can give you the name of good contacts at the Denver VA who actually care & will do what they can to help or point you to the right person. Just pm me. Also get the DAV involved. They have a lot of pull with the VA and can advise you on legal matters regarding your claims. On top of that, do not be afraid to call the patient advocate and let him know that you are not receiving the care you deserve. If the patience advocate does not solve the problem, call the Instector General. VA executives do not like calls from the top saying that are not doing their job and formal inquiries will be made into their facility. In short, be an ass right back at them, it's you life, your helthcare, you deserve to be treated.

[Fentonite]

PM Sent.

[Skywalker]

Thanks for the info guys much appreciated. Got to PM's and responded. I was really worried about the steriod injections from the VA and also have a civilian neruo doc that is wanting to guide needle as it reads by TRICARE approval form... [FONT='Times New Roman','serif']destroy nerve, face muscle, destroy nerve, neck muscle and guide nerve destroying needle. So, between the two of them the VA steriod injections seems better option as I don't want anything destroyed! The fight with the VA after they themselves diagnosed V. Zoster Sine Herpete is another story and may take some heavy backing to get put into the rating as i know that I have permanant damage because I have had deep left side head pain since Feb 2008 and no one did shid until found about 5 of 6 months ago with blood work. Thanks again my gun lovin friends! [/FONT]

[Colorado Osprey]

I had Shingles on my facial nerve running from my ear to above my lip.
It was mis-diagnosed 3 times and I was sent to a pain specialist who wanted to put me on opiates.

My body cannot take opiates and makes me deathly ill... so I lived with the intense facial pain for 3 weeks (read no sleep) before seeing my general practioner for a referral. The lack of sleep will almost make you insane.

My GP says, I know your problem and can cure it quick. In fact you can probably diagnose yourself. I'm like, ahh. don't think so.
He says you had chicken pocks before, right? I didn't even know.

Anyway gives me a perscription for Herpes and felt better about 3-4 hours later.

I'm sure you can get someone to write you a script for medication. If they won't and you are convinced you have Herpes Zoster (Shingles) consider a trip to Mexico for a perscription.
I had been given a script for the middle one that cured me.

BTW, 9 years and it hasn't returned.

Here are the 3 most common:

Famciclovir
Famciclovir (one brand name is Famvir) is an antiviral used to treat herpes zoster (shingles) and genital herpes. Famciclovir is used to treat herpes zoster (shingles; a rash that can occur in people who have had chickenpox in the past). It is also used to treat repeat outbreaks of herpes virus cold sores or fever blisters in people with a normal immune system. Famciclovir is used to treat repeat outbreaks and to prevent further outbreaks of genital herpes (a herpes virus infection that causes sores to form around the genitals and rectum from time to time) in people with a normal immune system. Famciclovir is also used to treat returning herpes simplex infections of the skin and mucous membranes (mouth, anus) in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Famciclovir is in a class of medications called antivirals. It works by stopping the spread of the herpes virus in the body. Famciclovir does not cure herpes infections and may not stop the spread of herpes virus to other people. However, it may decrease the symptoms of pain, burning, tingling, tenderness, and itching; help sores to heal; and prevent new sores from forming.

Valacyclovir
Valacyclovir (one brand name is Valtrex) is an antiviral used in patients with normal immune systems to treat herpes zoster infections (shingles) or to treat or suppress genital herpes. This medicine may be used in combination with safe sex practices in patients with genital herpes to help reduce the risk of spreading the condition to others. This medicine may also be used for cold sores (herpes simplex) or other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Acyclovir
Acyclovir (one brand name is Zovirax) is used to treat herpes infections of the skin, lip, and genitals; herpes zoster (shingles); and chickenpox. It does not cure herpes infections but decreases pain and itching and promotes healing.

[SA Friday]

Talk to an attorney, keep every scrap of paper, every document, every communication. You probably have enough for a medical malpractice suit.