Advice needed. frustrated and worried

808svt

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
I'm not sure if this is the correct section for this post but here goes. I'm Navy with 18 years service and I'm currently in the med board processs. My paperwork has been sent off and I'm still waiting on a fit/unfit finding. I know the results will be unfit but since it was sent off my condition continues to worsen. First I will list my conditions.

Lupus
connective tissue disease
rehumatiod arthiris
fibrmyalgia
major depression with anxiety
degeneritive disc disease in my back
possible pulmanry hypertension
possible asthma

I am also having new problems with my lungs and kidneys that so far are unexplained but thought to be related to my other conditions. I am in the ER 2-3 times a month for severe pain and trouble breathing. I am on 13 different medications that seem to be doing little to no good. Is it possible to be refered to a civilian hospital/doctor for a second opinion or would a be a waste of time even asking? I see 7 diferent doctors, my pulmanary and rehumatology doc about once a month but all they say is see you in 4 weeks. I'm starting to worry I may be suffering more permanent damage that could be prevented with better treatment. I'm at the point where I have no quality of life. Is it possible to get a copy of my medical records from my PEBLO? I just don't know what to do at this point.
 
Are you taking any kind of TNF type drugs for the rheumatoid arthritis.

Mike
 
Are you taking any kind of TNF type drugs for the rheumatoid arthritis.

Mike

No I'm not. For pain I'm currently on mobic, hydrocodone, valume, and tramadol. For the connective tissue stuff I'm on hydroxychoroquine. Depression/anxiety is amitriptyline. For my lungs I'm on symbicort, albuterol and singular. I also have gout and I take cholchcine. I have high cholesterol and I take lopid for that. I have been on the steroid prednisone for about 3 months as well. I go back to the doc on the 9th and I'm telling hime need to try something else. I'll research the the tnf type drugs and see if it could br helpfull. Thanks for the response.
 
All conditons are required to be covered in your MEB. You state you have gout but that was not on your list of conditions in your original post. Make sure all your conditons are covered and request a MEB addendum for any condition not covered.

The TNF drugs can be quite effective. I use the TNF drug Enbrel for my reactive arthritis. There are some serious potential side effects and your other conditons may prevent the use of TNF drugs. You need to make sure your docs have considered the option and that they explain to you why you would not be a good candidate if that is the case.

You have 18 years in. If you can get to 20 years active duty you would be eligible for CRDP which could mean thousands of dollars more a month to you. Be aware of the CRDP factor and determine if you want/can stick it out to 20 years. If so, do what you can to get to the 20 year point to include requesting permanent LIMDU.

Mike
 
The gout was listed for the MEB I just forgot to mention it in the first post. That is another thing, I can't remember or concentrate very well (also listed). With all my joint pains and such the VA had a list of 18 things they are looking to rate me on. Even reading about the stuff on here I get very confused and frustrated. I am going to try for permanent limdu but I have 3 prt failures due to body comp, all while on limdu so I'm not sure that will be an option. I'm also going to see about spinal fusion to try and fix my back which will gain me time to try and make 20.
 
Missed my call from Jag today because I was in the ER all day. My newest thing is sever upper right quadrant abdomin pain and test results from today show abnormal enzymes from my gall bladder. The funny this is I had it removed two years ago. Once again sent home from the ER (third time)with a bag full of pain pills and no answers. Is it possible to be seen by a civilian doctor and have it covered by Tricare? The pain is becoming unbearable. I've lived with pain for years now but I cried like a little girl for three hours untill 2 shots of morphine and the a shot of diluadin. I just don't know what to do at this point.
 
Update, not sure if it is good or bad but my Mother has contacted her congressman since she feels I'm getting screwed on my health care here. Should get interesting, I wouldn't want to tangle with her when she's pissed.
 
Finaly made it to meet my lawyer. The first 15 minutes went well untill I was taken away on a stretcher. FML
 
Went to see my rheumatologist for an update due to all the ER visits and had a major attach in his office. It was good and bad. Good for him to see first hand how jacked up I am but bad that I had to suffer the pain. He does not like to prescribe pain meds since they can mask symptoms while still trying to finalize a diagnosis but he loaded me up with the good stuff now. Still no answers on my new conditions but I feel we are getting closer.
 
Well, the latest MRI is showing there is some lung and kidney damage now. At this point I just hope I get out in time to receive some real health care before the military doc's just let me die. My rehumatologist is assembling my records to send out for a second opinion, not sure from who. Compiling my own set to send to my congressman (my mom contacted them) and they are sending copies to the U of M medical center for a look. I went from having an attach once a week or so to two or three a day. I quite going to work and just do a phone in muster since I can't drive or be left alone. I'm a walking zoombie from all the meds. I stopped breathing last night in bed so now I'm afraid to go to bed. It just gets crazier everyday.
 
I should have mentioned they did change up a couple of my meds and they do seems to help with the attacks (pain pills and tranqiliers) but still nothing to help with the original condition.
 
Last blood work is not showing the markers for RA, everything is strange with my case which is why we are calling in other opinions.
 
Have the looked at seronegative forms of athritis? TNFs work on these conditions as well.

Mike
 
My joint problems seem to be doing ok right now, not sure if its the combination of meds, the fact that I don't do anything physical or the disease is evolving. Currently my main concerns are my lungs and kidneys. I have asthma like symptoms but they won't say its asthma and I and having dibilitating pain in my kidneys. Currently switching my pulmanry doc the the wife of my rehumatologist. My latest MRI's show changes in my lungs and my right kidney. Just did more blood work and doing a 24 urine test so maybe something will show up in those. My case seems to stump all the doc's. I have symptoms and it can take months or years for it to show up in tests.
 
Have you had an MRI done of your Thoracic spine? Certain conditions can cause pain over the kidney area. It can also cause breathing problems. For instance, I have an extruded disk, several bulges, two hemangiomas, and several annular tears in the thoracic region. I get out of breath pretty easily, the area of my back over my kidneys hurts, and deep breathing is painful.

My condition was only discovered because I could no longer use a cane on my left side due to muscular weakness and numbness.
 
are you saying the cane can no longer help you cause you cant' hold the cane up?
 
I had a MRI Thursday for my L5-S1 problems. The lung and kidney crap is related to my mixed connective tissue disease. Spent the night in the ER again tonight. I'm on hydrocodone and clonazepam for the pain but when it get bad they can't touch it and I have to get dilaudid injections. I willl ask about the TNF's next time I see my doc. They are talking about sending me to the new Walter Reed aas well as sending my records to the University of Michigan to see if they can figure it all out. All I know for sure is I can't go on like this, its getting to be to much.
 
tell the docs to get their heads out there asses and figure something out, i hate seeing other fellow vets suffer and no medical expert can at least give them some comfort. seems like your getting blind attempts at things here. i do believe getting your package out to the UOM should prove more vital. take it easy.

godspeed
 
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