Heart Disease and agent orange

woops typo, that should be if it was caused by diabetes.  Diabetes is a presumptive condition by AO.

My father passed away in 1993 when he was 51 of heart disease.  He was in Vietnam for two tours of duty and in the highest sprayed (agent Orange) areas of Vietnam.  He started having the problems three years out of Vietnam.  You should find out what kind of test they can do to see if there is any relation.  We should have had a autopsy but it did not even occur to us till it was to late.  If you do not look into it now,  it is hard to get the Government to  acknowledge it and members to get benefits. Please let me know if you hear anything. My mother has an on going case with the government. 

I am sorry to hear that so many of my Vietman brothers have passed away and that so many of us are suffering some sort of disease from serving over there.  I am one of the lucky ones, lucky that I am still alive and kicking, today.  I too suffered heart disease and have lived with it for many years.  I also have applied with the Veterans Affairs for a service connected disability 4 times for my heart disease.  My first heart attack came at age 28, 6 years after I got out of the service.  Healthy as a horse up until then.  The VA does not recognise heart attack as a sypmptom of being expose to Agent Orange.  I keep trying and am about to reopen my claim in the next few weeks.  My disability with this defoliant is Type II diabetes, it came about a little over 2 years ago.  "Thank you very much", I was saying to myself.  I am now 63 and just 2 weeks ago I had a heart defibrillator implanted into my chest at a VA hospital in Portland, OR.  I hope the old ticker keeps ticking for a long time, but if something goes amiss this thing with shock it back in to rythum.   Anyone having any evidence of heart disease related to Agent Orange please let me know.  Love to wave it in the VA face and show them that they "could" be wrong.

J

Well this you can wave in the VA's face, Ischemic Heart disease has been recognized along with other health problems associated with exposure to agent orange and other herbicides.The website is

www.publichealth.vagov/exposure/agentorange/diseases .Hope this will be helpful to all fellow veterans.

I had a stent put in around June of 2009 and I found out about two weeks ago that the VA is recognizing the link to the Agent Orange that we were in while in Vietnam. I have reopenned my case. I have two more arteries that are about 40 to 60% plugged right now. I will be meeting with my Dr. on Monday Nov 23, 2009 to see what has developed since the last visit. The VA has recognized my diabitis and I now receive a 20% disability, but I have been fighting that since 1999 and I just received my benefit in Sep of 2008.

  Hello

  I too am a Viet Nam veteran.I was discharged in 1970,I had my first of many heart attacks at 29 years old(1974)my first open heart surgery in 1978 and my second in 1979,only 9 months apart.I have had stents and have been on cholesterol drugs ever since.My last heart attack was September 20,2008.

  I have tried to get VA compensation for many many years.I tried again in 2008 to no avail.VA says I need more information for them.They have copies of my medical records from my private physicians.34 years have passed-some of my doctors have passed I still have made NO headway.

First I would like to say sorry that you have had to go through all of this.  Our family has a case that is going to trial and we hope to make some head way on heart disease and Agent orange.  I will keep everyone posted. 

My husband was a vet also. and he was exposed to agent orange. he developed heart disease and died in 1997, he also had to have heart surgery de died from congested heart failure

 

My husband died at 45 and he was in VN in 66-67, he was in the Marine Corp - He had a sudden heart attack - after an autopsy they found atherscloris (heart disease).

Mine was in the artillery, Big Red One.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/27407020@N08/2654215668/

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE.  The news is out today that say that the VA is going to add three more conditions caused from Agent Orange.  One of them being ischemic heart condition.  This is big news!  Finally there is hope in site for all those who have suffered.  Please google Vietnam veterans and heart disease under News and you will see all the articles about it.

I got a notice in the mail today that the VA has added ischemic heart condition to its list of disease caused by AGENT ORANGE. YOU JUST NEED TO SHOW YOU WERE IN VIETNAM. I currently have nine stints in my heart due to heart disease. I have applied on more then three occasion for heart disease as being related to Agent Orange. I currently have a claim still pending on my heart disease.  I had three heart attacks since 2005. One happen at the VA clinc I go to. Good luck to all that have heart problems that served in Vietnam. Welcome all home as well.

Do you have any solid information about the link between heart disease  and AO? Please send it to me my email address is paulpohler@msn.com thanks

I have heart disease, like your father and the VA draws NO connection between Heart Disease and Agent Orange......How did your father get the VA to approve his case and how long did it take. Your response would be greatly appreciated by me, and no doubt, by other who will read this. Thank you very, very much.

My Mother has been working this case for 15 years now and there seems to be some hope.  They have sent her in loops to get this done and I guess they realize she is not giving up.  She has a attorney helping her.  I sometimes wish she would just move on , but she say she is doing it for all the others out there that need it done.  So they can get help.  I will keep everyone updated, if anything happens. 

Good luck to your mother after all these fifteen years....... keep this board informed.

 

Thank you.