I posted this on the MEB forum as well, but have not had any responses yet. As I was looking around, I found this one, and thought maybe I should post it here, because it's regarding Fibro.
Here is the short version: or possibly long..
I was in the Active duty Army for 4 years and got out in 2008 and went straight into the Reserves and have been there since. I have been suffering from unexplained widespread chronic pain since about 2006 while in AD (it started with back pain). But like many soldiers, I didn't goto the TMC or sick call a lot for it because when I did, all the docs would do was give me ibuprofen 800mg and tell me to ice and rest. So I don't have a ton of military medical documentation regarding it. Ok, so I get out, join the reserves and I got a Mil-Tech government civilian job. Which basically means in order to keep my full time civilian job, I have to maintain dual status and be a member of the reserves as well. I eventually got the civilian diagnosis of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. But since I couldn't get out of the reserves, I was kind of stuck, even though I wanted to because it became harder and harder to participate at drill and be a soldier. Fast forward to last year March, I finally found a regular civilian govern. job, so I immediately made my PHA (Periodic Health Assesment) appointment and told the doctor everything. That led to me getting my perm profile for "Generalized muscle pain" 729.1 - MYALGIA AND MYOSITIS UNSPEC. in Sep of last year. The profile recommended me to the MEB. So my MEB packet was due by NOV 2012 to our higher HQ. Fast forward now, and my packet is STILL at my UNIT!
So this is what I need help on. Originally my unit said they would do informal LOD back from active duty because I am trying to get it service connected. I have no doubt in my mind that the Army either caused and/or aggrevated my conditions. I had no pain whatsoever before the Army. ok, so yeah an informal LOD was done and submitted to my higher command this past couple weeks (I think, because they don't tell me anything). Just today I got an e-mail from someone in my unit that they are changing it to a formal LOD. The e-mail said this"
"For lumbago and chronic back pain condition has been returned to your unit for request of a formal investigation. Based off the documentation you have provided the condition you FM or fibromyalgia can't be proven as a service connected injury. It is as illness that is diagnosed based off of genetic composition or determined as being pre-genetically disposed to this condition based off family lineage and physiological composition.
The purpose for a formal investigation is to appoint as officer to conduct further investigating of all the documentation to submit findings to the commander to make a final determination as to whether or not the illness is in fact service connected. You have an opportunity to submit additional medical treatment records, if you have any , in order to argue favorably in your case. Please let me know if you have anything else to submit other than what has already been received."
I had submitted like over 300 pages of medical documentation both military and civilian for my MEB packet. So I dont know what else to do. I am exhausted by this process, my unit has had this for 8 months. I've done some reading on this forum before and I know people had gotten service connected for fibromyalgia. does anyone have any advice on what I should do next? Or what I can do? Any documentation that you recommend? Also, with regards to the e-mail I got from them saying that FM is 'pre-genetically disposed" and all that, I have done research, and I don't think anyone knows for sure what causes it. Can't I still say that the military aggrevated my condition, and how would I go about that?
Any help or advice you can offer would be so appreciated, you have no idea. Sorry this is super long.
Thanks in advance for your time!!
-Melissa
Here is the short version: or possibly long..
I was in the Active duty Army for 4 years and got out in 2008 and went straight into the Reserves and have been there since. I have been suffering from unexplained widespread chronic pain since about 2006 while in AD (it started with back pain). But like many soldiers, I didn't goto the TMC or sick call a lot for it because when I did, all the docs would do was give me ibuprofen 800mg and tell me to ice and rest. So I don't have a ton of military medical documentation regarding it. Ok, so I get out, join the reserves and I got a Mil-Tech government civilian job. Which basically means in order to keep my full time civilian job, I have to maintain dual status and be a member of the reserves as well. I eventually got the civilian diagnosis of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. But since I couldn't get out of the reserves, I was kind of stuck, even though I wanted to because it became harder and harder to participate at drill and be a soldier. Fast forward to last year March, I finally found a regular civilian govern. job, so I immediately made my PHA (Periodic Health Assesment) appointment and told the doctor everything. That led to me getting my perm profile for "Generalized muscle pain" 729.1 - MYALGIA AND MYOSITIS UNSPEC. in Sep of last year. The profile recommended me to the MEB. So my MEB packet was due by NOV 2012 to our higher HQ. Fast forward now, and my packet is STILL at my UNIT!
So this is what I need help on. Originally my unit said they would do informal LOD back from active duty because I am trying to get it service connected. I have no doubt in my mind that the Army either caused and/or aggrevated my conditions. I had no pain whatsoever before the Army. ok, so yeah an informal LOD was done and submitted to my higher command this past couple weeks (I think, because they don't tell me anything). Just today I got an e-mail from someone in my unit that they are changing it to a formal LOD. The e-mail said this"
"For lumbago and chronic back pain condition has been returned to your unit for request of a formal investigation. Based off the documentation you have provided the condition you FM or fibromyalgia can't be proven as a service connected injury. It is as illness that is diagnosed based off of genetic composition or determined as being pre-genetically disposed to this condition based off family lineage and physiological composition.
The purpose for a formal investigation is to appoint as officer to conduct further investigating of all the documentation to submit findings to the commander to make a final determination as to whether or not the illness is in fact service connected. You have an opportunity to submit additional medical treatment records, if you have any , in order to argue favorably in your case. Please let me know if you have anything else to submit other than what has already been received."
I had submitted like over 300 pages of medical documentation both military and civilian for my MEB packet. So I dont know what else to do. I am exhausted by this process, my unit has had this for 8 months. I've done some reading on this forum before and I know people had gotten service connected for fibromyalgia. does anyone have any advice on what I should do next? Or what I can do? Any documentation that you recommend? Also, with regards to the e-mail I got from them saying that FM is 'pre-genetically disposed" and all that, I have done research, and I don't think anyone knows for sure what causes it. Can't I still say that the military aggrevated my condition, and how would I go about that?
Any help or advice you can offer would be so appreciated, you have no idea. Sorry this is super long.
Thanks in advance for your time!!
-Melissa