Crohn's Disease (USSF)

[jmays]

I was diagnosed late Feb this year with Crohns Disease and Gastritis, alongside some other things like hemorrhoids after a crazy amount of time going to doctors. (started late Oct with a visit to the ER) After talking to my military doctor, he informed me that using biologics is medboardable, and that they will begin a medboard after I find a good biologic that works for me. He also made me nondeployable temporarily.
I just began my first infusion of SKYRIZI Thursday after multiple 6 week tapers of prednisone and I have an appointment with my PCM on the 22nd to discuss that and some other ailments that I want to get documented.
Due to the severity of this disease, I am thinking about letting them retire me, so I have a few questions:

Since I have two different digestive problems (Crohns/Gastritis) and I can only be rated for one, if I get 30% for Crohns Disease and 30% for Gastritis, could it be lumped together into 50-60% or will it just stay at 30%?

Some of my symptoms so far are weight loss (150lbs down to 115, down to 108 at one point) anemia (was told this in november, also was told this Thursday) vomiting, defecating blood and stomach pain. Would I be eligible for 100% (or 60) due to anemia (and maybe malnutrition) or would I need to show more symptoms?

If these biologics work and all the above symptoms go away, will this affect my rating if I haven't gotten it yet, or can I talk about what symptoms I have during flares instead of what I have then?

I have heard that after 12 months of Humira for plaque psoriasis you are able to get a VA rating of 60%. Is this true for SKYRIZI and for Crohns Disease, or is this just for plaque psoriasis?

There are rumors of the USSF trying to hold onto people since its all specialized jobs that stay in the US and rarely deploy. Is there anything I can do to try and prevent this?

 

[Provis]

I was diagnosed late Feb this year with Crohns Disease and Gastritis, alongside some other things like hemorrhoids after a crazy amount of time going to doctors. (started late Oct with a visit to the ER) After talking to my military doctor, he informed me that using biologics is medboardable, and that they will begin a medboard after I find a good biologic that works for me. He also made me nondeployable temporarily.
I just began my first infusion of SKYRIZI Thursday after multiple 6 week tapers of prednisone and I have an appointment with my PCM on the 22nd to discuss that and some other ailments that I want to get documented.
Due to the severity of this disease, I am thinking about letting them retire me, so I have a few questions:

Since I have two different digestive problems (Crohns/Gastritis) and I can only be rated for one, if I get 30% for Crohns Disease and 30% for Gastritis, could it be lumped together into 50-60% or will it just stay at 30%?

Some of my symptoms so far are weight loss (150lbs down to 115, down to 108 at one point) anemia (was told this in november, also was told this Thursday) vomiting, defecating blood and stomach pain. Would I be eligible for 100% (or 60) due to anemia (and maybe malnutrition) or would I need to show more symptoms?

If these biologics work and all the above symptoms go away, will this affect my rating if I haven't gotten it yet, or can I talk about what symptoms I have during flares instead of what I have then?

I have heard that after 12 months of Humira for plaque psoriasis you are able to get a VA rating of 60%. Is this true for SKYRIZI and for Crohns Disease, or is this just for plaque psoriasis?

There are rumors of the USSF trying to hold onto people since its all specialized jobs that stay in the US and rarely deploy. Is there anything I can do to try and prevent this?

In IDES the military branches use the VA ratings. If the VA rates the conditions together than it will be one rating. I would look up the VA ratings for those conditions to see the rating percentage that you would receive by comparing each rating and the symptoms to get that rating. My guess is that those 2 conditions would be combined since they both involve the same system but you can easily check that out.

I strongly advice hiring an private IDES attorney. My wife was in a similar situation where she knew she was going to get MEB'd and she hired her IDES attorney before she even had her first IDES briefing with the PEBLO. There was no question that she would be MEB'd once her profile was updated due to being non deployable due to 2 separate health questions. Since she started early in the process being proactive she was able to have her attorney help her with everything. My wife's commander allowed input in her Commanders Impact statement which later on in the process resulted in the NARSUM writers to add a 3rd unfitting condition without even needed to appeal to get it added.

There are many on biologics with your medical conditions on the forum. I would use the search tab to find those posts to see what everyone else's experiences have been regarding treatment and if they were found unfit or not.

 

[rhonda1210]

In IDES the military branches use the VA ratings. If the VA rates the conditions together than it will be one rating. I would look up the VA ratings for those conditions to see the rating percentage that you would receive by comparing each rating and the symptoms to get that rating. My guess is that those 2 conditions would be combined since they both involve the same system but you can easily check that out.

I strongly advice hiring an private IDES attorney. My wife was in a similar situation where she knew she was going to get MEB'd and she hired her IDES attorney before she even had her first IDES briefing with the PEBLO. There was no question that she would be MEB'd once her profile was updated due to being non deployable due to 2 separate health questions. Since she started early in the process being proactive she was able to have her attorney help her with everything. My wife's commander allowed input in her Commanders Impact statement which later on in the process resulted in the NARSUM writers to add a 3rd unfitting condition without even needed to appeal to get it added.

There are many on biologics with your medical conditions on the forum. I would use the search tab to find those posts to see what everyone else's experiences have been regarding treatment and if they were found unfit or not.

what did you finally end up with? medical retirement?

 

[Provis]

what did you finally end up with? medical retirement?

It was my wife. I helped to learn everything I could to ensure she got the best result. She did medically retired and maxed out her chapter 61 retirement at 75% DOD + she got combat related designation on one of her unfitting conditions which makes her pension exempt from federal income taxes.