agent orange connection to PD

[wolfetrack]

My husband Kippy is a marine who served off the coast of Vietnam during the war. He is 58 years old and was diagnosed with PD in 2011. His physical therapist at the VA told us that he is seeing more guys coming in with PD in his age bracket all the time. The government signed off on the fact our soldiers were exposed to agents in the air at that time. There is no compensation for them at this time. If enough people show they are becoming sick, perhaps there maybe a chance. Any advice on this?

[wifeofparky]

Studies have shown a connection between chemical exposure and PD and other neurological disorders. Proving it is hard. I know several from the Viet Nam era who were diagnosed with ALS, PD and associated syndromes. All you can do it apply for a DBL pension and get as much documentation as you can find to plead your case. Good luck.

[margie]

AGENT ORANGE ACCEPTED AS A CAUSE OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has acknowledged Agent Orange as a cause of Parkinson's Disease. For more information go to the News report. Agent Orange is the name given to a herbicide used by the U.S. Military during the Vietnam War as a means of warfare. For more information go to Agent Orange. In practical terms, those Veterans who served in the Vietnam War and who have Parkinson's Disease will not have to prove an association between their Parkinson's Disease and their military service in Vietnam. This acknowledgement simplifies and speeds up any application they make for benefits. For their web site go to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

Their acknowledgement of an association is based entirely on the "Veterans and Agent Orange Update 2008", which can be read here. Although the report claims to "link" Agent Orange to Parkinson's Disease, it fails to provide any evidence at all showing that Agent Orange had caused Parkinson's Disease. There have been over 300 published studies on the effects of Agent Orange, yet none of them have shown that Agent Orange has ever caused Parkinson's Disease. Toxic exposure can not begin to have an effect on Parkinson's Disease years or decades after toxic exposure as is often claimed. It can occur in almost anyone without toxicity being the cause.

Please have your husband go back to the VA about this.

VA benefits for Parkinson's disease Veterans with Parkinson’s disease who were exposed to herbicides during service may be eligible for disability compensation and health care. Learn about VA specialty care for Parkinson's disease. Veterans who served in Vietnam, the Korean demilitarized zone or another area where Agent Orange was sprayed may be eligible for a free Agent Orange registry health exam. Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of Veterans who were exposed to herbicides during military service and died as the result of Parkinson's disease may be eligible for survivors' benefits. - See more at: publichealth.va.gov/exposur...

I hope this helps.

[PatV]

Thank him for his service. War is a terrible thing and we all pay the costs. I hope our veterans are treated better. PD is not fun.

[michaela13]

There are a lot of articles on this. i was also exposed to herbicide and got breast cancer and Parkinsons. They are definitely linking the two.

[justaninconvenience]

My intown old wrestling teammate had his PD doc re-classify him w/ Supra nuclear Palsy instead.

please get a 2nd opinion. Good luck & God bless.

[Hidden]

Have a look to this study:

"The patient is a Vietnam veteran working as a computer specialist who at the age of 55 years began to experience tremor in the left upper extremity, which led to the ­diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

The only portion of the patient’s history that seems relevant to the etiological factors involved in the development of the Parkinson’s disease was his exposure to Agent Orange during the course of his tour of duty in Vietnam while serving in the military. Agent Orange is a known neurotoxin."

Amino acid management of Parkinson’s disease: a case study. (Marty Hinz, Alvin Stein, Thomas Uncini)

neurosciencemyths.com/09_Pa...

[margie]

For the Marine with Parkinson's . My heart goes out to you. I found this. My husband is a retired Marine but does not have PD,. I do. I My movement specialist does a lot of volunteering at the VA for Parkinson's. I don't know where you are located but have him continue to go to the VA with items such as this_ have him appeal this. I care.

Regulations issued in 2010 by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mean that thousands more veterans are eligible for VA disability compensation benefits.

Nearly 150,000 veterans were affected by changes to VA disability regulations regarding Agent Orange, specifically those filing disability claims with Parkinson's disease (PD), ischemic heart disease, and hairy cell and other chronic B-cell leukemia, according to Eric K. Shinseki, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.

The changes added these diseases to the list of diseases presumed to be related to Agent Orange exposure. It resulted in part from a study released in 2009 showing that there is evidence exposure to Agent Orange and other herbicides is associated with an increased risk of PD.

Vietnam veterans exposed to herbicides in service and who suffer from PD can avoid the difficulty of proving an association between their health issues and their military service. It is now easier for Vietnam veterans living with PD to qualify for VA disability benefits.

PD is a common neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There is no cure, and those with the disease can live for 20 years or more after diagnosis.

Primary symptoms include tremor of the hands, arms, legs or jaw; muscle rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk; slowness of movement, and impaired balance and coordination. Other common symptoms may include pain, dementia, sleep disorders and disturbances, depression, constipation, anxiety, hallucinations, muffled speech, loss of control of facial muscles, urinary problems and issues with walking.

The United States military sprayed 19 million gallons of herbicides over Vietnam to reduce the jungle growth, clear vegetation from base camps and destroy crops, according to Shinseki. The main chemical used was Agent Orange, mixed with several other compounds and toxins.

Allsup encourages veterans who served in Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, to see their physician. In the U.S., an estimated 60,000 individuals are diagnosed with PD each year, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF). Many Vietnam veterans are among the ranks of the 1 million people in the U.S. with the chronic disorder.

In the U.S., the cost of PD that includes treatment, Social Security payments and lost income from inability to work is estimated to be nearly $25 billion per year, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (PDF). Costs for medication can average $2,500 a year, and therapeutic surgery may cost up to $100,000.

Here are more Parkinson's disease facts from the CDC and PDF:

PD is the 14th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Seven to 10 million people worldwide suffer from PD.

An estimated 4 percent of people with PD are diagnosed before age 50. Incidence increases with age.

Statistics show that men are more likely to have Parkinson's disease than women.

The American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) and the VA Sierra Nevada Healthcare System (VASNHCS) operate the Veteran Information and Referral Center for Parkinson's Disease. Support groups and resources are listed online. Go to apdaparkinson.org and click on Veterans Center.

You also can visit the APDA's booth at the Allsup True Help Disability Web Expo to find more information.Go to WebExpo.Allsup.com to register.

[justaninconvenience]

CAREFUL WOLFE - my friend w same has been misdiagnosed and now learned to have Supra nuclear palsey