Meniere's Rating

J

jdjohnson

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
I wanted to know if anyone has been rated for Meniere's diesease. I have looked at the VASRD and I believe I should be rated 100%. I have spells twice a week sometimes three a week. I justed wanted to know what actual ratings people have received.

Thanks
 
I have Meniere's as well, with attacks 2-4 times/week. I'm in the IPEB process now, so I haven't gotten my ratings yet. I'd be thrilled to get 100% from the Air Force, but I'd be satisfied with 60%, the next level down. My only concern is that my records and the VA C&P reports don't mention cerebellar gait, since I wasn't having an episode that day. I hope that doesn't hurt my chances at a higher rating. It is taking so much out of me to try to work even 4 days a week with this disease (taking leave every Wednesday), I don't know if I could stand having to wait for an appeal.

I know there is at least one person who had MD on this forum. If you do a forum search for Meniere's, you should find them.

Where are you in the process?
 
CaptWeeble said:
I have Meniere's as well, with attacks 2-4 times/week. I'm in the IPEB process now, so I haven't gotten my ratings yet. I'd be thrilled to get 100% from the Air Force, but I'd be satisfied with 60%, the next level down. My only concern is that my records and the VA C&P reports don't mention cerebellar gait, since I wasn't having an episode that day. I hope that doesn't hurt my chances at a higher rating. It is taking so much out of me to try to work even 4 days a week with this disease (taking leave every Wednesday), I don't know if I could stand having to wait for an appeal.

I know there is at least one person who had MD on this forum. If you do a forum search for Meniere's, you should find them.

Where are you in the process?
Click to expand...

I'm also in the IPEB process they received my package on 27Aug12. At my VA exams they made me do a balance test which I could not pass but I was not currenly having a spell. However I also have a journal of my spells in my records that the board can look at. In the start of my MEB I asked my friend who is a lawyer and happened to have JAG experience and he told me to look at the VASRD and write down the issues they use to rate and then fill my journal out and check off each issue I had on each day. So I'm hoping that will help out with my rating. I'm hoping for 100% because currently I can't even work a full week at work and I don't even remember the last time I worked a full week. I'm very worried about the future and need a high rating to support my family because getting a job in the civilian world is going to be tough until I get my spells somewhat controlled.
 
The only balance test they did was the romberg, where you stand with eyes closed and they see how unstable you are when pushed. I've been in vestibular rehab for a couple months, where they've worked with me on that very test since the second week. If I'm not having a bad week, I can now pass that test with moderate concentration. My package was sent about the same time as your's. Hopefully we'll hear back kinda soon. From what I'm hearing, it's looking like 3 months or so to get results on average for the AF. Thankfully my husband works, so we don't need my full salary to get by. This is a terrible disease, but I hope that once the stress of work and the IPEB are gone, I'll be able to get the attacks stabilized better. Already had one surgery that didn't help, and none of the medicines help enough, so I'm kind of SOL for the next few years until they're reasonably certain it isn't going to go to the other side. Do you follow the My Life and Meniere's Disease blog? It's been helpful for me since I got this diagnosis.
 
Meniere's Disease is a disease that symptoms comes and goes so no test other than the one where they check the pressure in your ear shows that you have it and even that one is inconclusive at best. I was given a 100% rating for Meniere's. There are certain criteria you have to have to get 100% and the number of attacks is one of them.
 
CaptWeeble said:
I have Meniere's as well, with attacks 2-4 times/week. I'm in the IPEB process now, so I haven't gotten my ratings yet. I'd be thrilled to get 100% from the Air Force, but I'd be satisfied with 60%, the next level down. My only concern is that my records and the VA C&P reports don't mention cerebellar gait, since I wasn't having an episode that day. I hope that doesn't hurt my chances at a higher rating. It is taking so much out of me to try to work even 4 days a week with this disease (taking leave every Wednesday), I don't know if I could stand having to wait for an appeal.

I know there is at least one person who had MD on this forum. If you do a forum search for Meniere's, you should find them.

Where are you in the process?
Click to expand...

You need to have that said in your records. You can go days without it but then have attacks several times a day for weeks. Cerebellar gait is something, for me at least, that comes and goes. It is not a constant thing. So if you have had it in the past you need it in your records. Staggering when you walk, dizzy when I walk, veering to the left or right at times during or after attack. All of these could be cerebellar gait but if they don't say cerebellar gait you won't get it. If you have it and the doctor agrees that it is what you have, have him put it in your records and then mention it during your VA appointments. Example: Doctor- Describe your attacks. YOU- I have vertigo attacks BLANK times a week on average, I have cerebellar gate during these attacks and sometimes afterward. Not I stagger when I walk or can't walk during or after attacks.

So basically they want it in your records to be verefied by a doctor and you need to be real clear what you have when you are doing your VA doctor visits.
 
CaptWeeble said:
The only balance test they did was the romberg, where you stand with eyes closed and they see how unstable you are when pushed. I've been in vestibular rehab for a couple months, where they've worked with me on that very test since the second week. If I'm not having a bad week, I can now pass that test with moderate concentration. My package was sent about the same time as your's. Hopefully we'll hear back kinda soon. From what I'm hearing, it's looking like 3 months or so to get results on average for the AF. Thankfully my husband works, so we don't need my full salary to get by. This is a terrible disease, but I hope that once the stress of work and the IPEB are gone, I'll be able to get the attacks stabilized better. Already had one surgery that didn't help, and none of the medicines help enough, so I'm kind of SOL for the next few years until they're reasonably certain it isn't going to go to the other side. Do you follow the My Life and Meniere's Disease blog? It's been helpful for me since I got this diagnosis.
Click to expand...

I have had it for a year and a half, the terrible part for me is not knowing when you will have an attack. Driving is dangerous for me and I have anxiety every time I go out for fear of an attack. It's embarassing to have attacks in public as for me there is nothing to do but lay on the ground and wait it out. There are other tests they can do. I see a specialist in St. Louis who specializes in the inner ear. The medication lessens the severity of my attacks. Valium helps me cope during an attack. I have had the shunts put in my ears but they have not helped me. Currently just trying to live as normal a life as possible and hope they lessen with time.
 
So basically they want it in your records to be verefied by a doctor and you need to be real clear what you have when you are doing your VA doctor visits.
Click to expand...

My package is already at the IPEB; is there anything I can do now to update it, or do I just have to wait for the findings and then appeal if I don't get the right rating because my records never specifically state "cerebellar gait"? My records do indicate that I am doing vestibular rehab because I was so impaired after the shunt/decompression surgery.

I've had this for just over a year now. Due to the rehab, I can drive during the daylight but not in the dark or in inclement weather. Pretty much all of the medicines knock me out; I'm not sure if they help much at all with the vertigo - they just put me to sleep. The diuretics were worse than the disease for me, since my BP is already at the low end of normal. The whole time I was on the diuretics, I felt like I was having the worst hangover of my life and frequently couldn't stay standing because my BP would plummet. The decompression/shunt surgery was a complete flop. I'm worse now than I was before I had the surgery. My specialist is trying a different approach now with meds, but he's pretty much at a loss for what to do next if the new meds don't work.
 
CaptWeeble said:
My package is already at the IPEB; is there anything I can do now to update it, or do I just have to wait for the findings and then appeal if I don't get the right rating because my records never specifically state "cerebellar gait"? My records do indicate that I am doing vestibular rehab because I was so impaired after the shunt/decompression surgery.

I've had this for just over a year now. Due to the rehab, I can drive during the daylight but not in the dark or in inclement weather. Pretty much all of the medicines knock me out; I'm not sure if they help much at all with the vertigo - they just put me to sleep. The diuretics were worse than the disease for me, since my BP is already at the low end of normal. The whole time I was on the diuretics, I felt like I was having the worst hangover of my life and frequently couldn't stay standing because my BP would plummet. The decompression/shunt surgery was a complete flop. I'm worse now than I was before I had the surgery. My specialist is trying a different approach now with meds, but he's pretty much at a loss for what to do next if the new meds don't work.
Click to expand...

My doc has tried all kinds of medicines and I have the same amount of frequency with spells. He now has put me on steroid pills I'm not sure the name I haven't even filled the prescription because I have gained so much weight since having menieres that I'm afraid of gaining more weight. My problem is that when I have a spell I'm knocked out all day with meds that I don't eat and when it comes time to eat again after I feel better I binge eat and its so hard to stop. The doctor wants to do surgery next if the steroid pills don't work but I'm completely against it. I feel that nothing has worked now why would the surgery work.

My mom has had menieres for years now and the meds really didn't work for her but she never elected for surgery she was against it because she was scared it was so close to the brain and surgery was risky because it may not work. However it took her years for her to control the spells through her diet (sodium levels). This is what I'm trying to do now but it is alot easier said then done.
 
I hear you on the low sodium diet. I haven't found it to be very helpful, but some people have great success with it. My ENT said that the surgery helps about 60% of patients, 20% stay the same, and 20% get worse because of it. The surgery and recovery weren't too bad. I had a massive attack 9 days later that left me with tinnitus 24/7, more hearing loss, and reduced vestibular function in the one ear. They dumped a bunch of steroids in my ear during the surgery, so we think that the attack happened once the steroids started to wear off. I got onto a high dose of Prednisone right away, so that helped reduce some of the permanent damage. All of the ENT residents at the clinic/hospital knew about my case - I was the "interesting" case that they discussed over lunch.

I've gained some weight since the surgery, mainly because I feel so lousy that I can't exercise very often. I got a spin bike for home, and I've been walking and with short jogging intervals mixed in, but when I'm having a bad Meniere's day, I can't do any of it.
 
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