# Agent Orange exposure



## Nathan (Oct 31, 2020)

Perhaps this thread should be in the Health section, but I thought maybe there would be more of an audience here.
I was exposed to Agent Orange, as were most veterans that served in Vietnam.    The VA has a list of illnesses and conditions which they do not dispute to be caused by Agent Orange exposure.  I just noticed that Peripheral Neuropathy(PN) is now included.  I have PN and am going to pursue a service connected disability, with hopes for treatment, if possible.
I would like to hear from those of you who have Agent Orange related experiences you'd like to share.


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## oldman (Nov 1, 2020)

It seems to me that cancer and diabetes were the main diseases caused by AO. My best friend from high school was in the Army and suffered with throat cancer for almost five years before succumbing to the disease thanks to AO. I had a friend from the Marines (Billy) that had diabetes for years. He was diagnosed just after five years of being home from Vietnam. He has also died.


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## ClassicRockr (Nov 1, 2020)

Nope, in the Navy, and onboard a Destroyer, never had to worry about that Agent Orange stuff in Nam.


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## Nathan (Nov 1, 2020)

A friend of ours died 10 years ago from AO related prostrate cancer. 

   Here is a list of presumptive diseases the VA accepts as being caused by  Agent Orange / service connected.

    Chronic B-cell leukemia
    Hodgkin’s disease
    Multiple myeloma
    Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
    Prostate cancer
    Respiratory cancers (including lung cancer): Cancers of the organs involved in breathing. These include cancers of the lungs,        larynx, trachea, and bronchus.
    Some soft tissue sarcomas
   AL amyloidosis
    Chloracne 
    Diabetes mellitus type 2
    Ischemic heart disease
    Parkinson’s disease
    Peripheral neuropathy
    Porphyria cutanea tarda


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## oldman (Nov 1, 2020)

ClassicRockr said:


> Nope, in the Navy, and onboard a Destroyer, never had to worry about that Agent Orange stuff in Nam.


I have a friend that served in the Navy onboard a ship for 7 months and parked in the South China Sea, who has diabetes. He receives treatments and his pills from the VA because he claimed his diabetes came from AO. He told me that the South China Sea was part of the war zone. I don’t know what to think.

One morning, we were getting ready for patrol and was told that we had to move out immediately because spraying would begin in two hours. We didn’t know the affects of AO back then, but probably someone did, but anyway, we got our gear together and luckily, we were able to hop a ride on a Sirkorsky (helicopter) and get out of there. Of course, where we were going didn’t have any carnivals happening, but I would rather face an enemy that I can see, instead of one I can’t.


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## oldman (Nov 1, 2020)

Nathan said:


> A friend of ours died 10 years ago from AO related prostrate cancer.
> 
> Here is a list of presumptive diseases the VA accepts as being caused by  Agent Orange / service connected.
> 
> ...


Parkinson’s is interesting.


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## squatting dog (Nov 1, 2020)

Our AO. (III corps) was sprayed regularly. We wallowed in it, drank water from crappy streams that were saturated with it. (no amount of chlorine helped). I watched some spraying at a fire base once, and within the hour, there was nothing living left out there. Birds, foliage, even a stray monkey... all dead.
 So far, prostate cancer has been my only fight.    I'm still kicking... can't say the same for some of my fellow grunts.
I get by saying "everyday above ground is a good day".


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## squatting dog (Nov 1, 2020)

Nathan said:


> A friend of ours died 10 years ago from AO related prostrate cancer.
> 
> Here is a list of presumptive diseases the VA accepts as being caused by  Agent Orange / service connected.
> 
> ...




Looks like they've added more to the list. Sad.


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