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The following information was sent in by Richard Holdcraft: VIETNAM VETERANS: LISTEN UP! If you were in-country you may be entitled to compensation for exposure to Agent Orange. The Veterans Affairs Department is now accepting claims for diabetes mellitus (Type II) as a presumptive condition for in-country Vietnam veterans. Agent Orange was the code name for a herbicide developed for the military, primarily for use in tropical climates. The purpose of the product was to deny an enemy cover and concealment in dense terrain defoliating trees and shrubbery where the enemy could hide. It was used in tests in the early 1960’s, and brought into ever widening use during the height of the war. (1967-68). The product was combined with kerosene or diesel fuel and dispersed by aircraft, vehicle, and hand spraying. An estimated 19 million gallons of Agent Orange was used in all areas of Vietnam.
The VA has accepted claims for diabetes as a presumptive condition for in-country Vietnam veterans. Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down intro a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use the hormone insulin, made in the pancreas, to help them process blood glucose into energy. People with type 2 diabetes cannot produce enough insulin for the bodys’s need. Over the years, high blood glucose damages the nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, gum infections, and amputations. Because TCDD in Agent Orange is known to effect the endocrin system in humans, diabetes may occur. Many people have no signs or symptoms. Symptoms can be so mild that you might not even notice them. Here is what to look for:
Sometimes people have the symptoms but do not suspect diabetes. They delay scheduling a checkup because they do not feel sick. Many people do not find out they have diabetes until complications develop, such as blurry vision or heart trouble. Early intervention is important in treating the disease and from further damage to the body. A simple test can help determine if you have diabetes. Either your physician or the VA can give you an examination and administer a test called an A-1C. For more information check out the following web sites: www.va.gov www.va.gov/diabetes
http://www.va.gov/agentorange/ |
