Question: I WAS A YOUNG U.S. MARINE IN THE MID 70'S, I DONATED BLOOD AT EVERY ON BASE BLOOD DRIVE, MOSTLY FOR THE TIME OFF GRANTED. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD NO LONGER DONATE BLOOD DUE TO HIGH CALCIUM LEVELS. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT BECAUSE I WAS AT WHAT I CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST PHYSICALLY FIT AND ACTIVE TIME OF MY LIFE. I WAS DISCHARGED IN DECEMBER1979. FOR ABOUT 3 TO FOUR YEARS I BEGAN FEELING WHAT I NOW KNOW TO BE THE SYMPTOMS OF WHAT I NOW KNOW TO BE HYPERPARATHYROIDISM AND THE CAUSE OF MY OSTEOPOROSIS. I WAS DIAGNOSED IN THE YEAR 2000 WITH SEVERE OSTEOPOROSIS AT 44 YEARS OF AGE. I WENT THROUGH VISITS WITH MY ENDOCRINOLOGIST TO GET THE HYPERPARATHYROIDISM DIAGNOSIS. I HAD SURGERY TO REMOVE THE ONE BAD PARATHYROID MY SURGEON FOUND, THIS WAS IN 2001. I HAD 4 YEARS OF TREATMENT WITH FOXIMAX AND CALCIUM BEFORE I WAS DEEMED TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO WORK. BECAUSE I RECOGNIZED THE SYMPTOMS I FELT I WAS OUT OF REMISSION FOR BOTH THE HYPERPARATHYROIDISM AND OSTEOPOROSIS ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. I WAS LIVING AND RUNNING A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES IN MY FATHER'S HOMELAND OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. AS THEY ARE A SMALL NATIONAL POPULATION THERE ARE NO SPECIALIST. SO I SOLD MY BUSINESSES AT GREAT LOSS AND MOVED BACK TO THE U.S. FOR PROPER TREATMENT FROM THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION MEDICAL SYSTEM. I SAW THEIR ENDOCRINOLOGIST AND HE CONFIRMED A DIAGNOSIS OF OSTEOPOROSIS, BUT I HAVEN'T ASKED YET BECAUSE I ASSUMED THAT IT IS DUE TO HYPERPARATHYROIDISM. I SUBSEQUENTLY FILED FOR DISABILITY FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, AND THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION. I GOT A LETTER FROM THE V.A. TODAY STATING THAT I DO INDEED HAVE A DISABILITY BUT IT COULD NO BE CONNECTED TO MY MILITARY SERVICE. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN I HAD HIGH CALCIUM LEVELS ON ACTIVE DUTY I WAS INTO PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM, BUT I REMAINED PHYSICALLY ACTIVE RUNNING 2-3 MILES EVERY OTHER DAY, I BELIEVE THIS DELAYED MY INITIAL DISEASE ONSET GREATLY. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A SET AMOUNT OF YEARS INVOLVED IN MY DISEASE PROGRESSION PARTICULARLY FOR A PHYSICALLY ACTIVE MAN AS I INTEND TO CHALLENGE THE V.A.'S DETERMINATION.