[John]

MG is not on the presumptive list for Agent Orange. It is presumptive only if it manifest within 1 year of separation.

Certain chronic diseases, such as Myasthenia Gravis (an organic disease of the nervous system, are subject to presumptive service connection if manifest to a compensable degree within one year from separation from service even though there is no evidence of such disease during the period of service. This presumption is rebuttable by affirmative evidence to the contrary. 38 U.S.C.A. §§ 1112, 1113; 38 C.F.R. §§ 3.307(a)(3), 3.309(a).

John

[John]

Update:

I just received a 30% disability rating for my Ocular MG. I submitted initial application in June 2022, and additional info August 2022), numerous technical papers showing the relationship between Dioxin/AO and Autoimmune disease and MG is an autoimmune disease. Also submitted Citation Nr: 1539119 shown above. I did all this without any outside help. I’m seeing a neuropathologist and asked him to write a nexus letter, but they approved before his letter would have been submitted. I’m out of the country and couldn’t follow up with him. (of all places I’m in Saigon for the next 6 months).

So it is possible to get the rating!!!!

Still waiting on AO disability for my peripheral neuropathy.

 

[John]

Hi.

I was recently diagnosed with Ocular myasthenia gravis. I served in Vietnam 1966-1968 in the central highland and was exposed to Agent Orange via spraying, and working in ranch-hand C123’s.

I have been complaining to my Ophthalmologist for more than 5 years about double vision, which would come and go, and of course never when I was at the office. He always said it was dry eye. Last summer it became so bad that I had to wear an eye patch to function. The Dr. said I needed special glasses, so after spending $$$ on glasses, which didn’t work because my eye kept changing, he finally sent me to a Neuro-Ophthalmologist (6 month wait for appointment) who thought it might be Acquired Brown Syndrome, but to be sure he had me do a blood test for MG. Sure enough it was MG. He put me on Pyridostigmine 4 times a day. After about 1 week I was able to stop wearing the patch and my eyes are functioning nearly normally. The brain is correcting for some of the shift (since it still isn’t perfect.

I submitted a disability claim to the VA and the response was “show us scientific evidence”!!!

Have found a few references to AO and other autoimmune diseases. But like so many other things the VA won’t  admit that it is connected.

I am hoping I’m in the 15% that doesn’t progress to gMG.

Will fight it with VA Disability Lawyer once I get a formal denial.

John