TBI Help....PLEASE!!!!

S

strykermedic

PEB Forum Regular Member
Hello all,

As you may have gotten from my display name I was a Medic with a Stryker unit. I have deployed 2 times with them, and now am having a load of problems that I am having a really hard time getting help with. Not so much now...and I will get to that. During my 2 deployments my vehicle was blown up 9 times with IEDs. 1 time I know for sure that I lost at least 45 seconds of conciousness in the most recent deployment. My vehicle has also been struck by 2 car bombs. Both of these creating some serious havac...and lastley I have had 2 Main guns go off less then 30 feet from me, both of these concussed me pretty damn good. With all of this I have been many times that no body wants to ride with me when we go places.

Well now on to the meat and potatos of this...here are a list of some of the problems that have been having for some time now.

Army Regulation 600-X 1. Migraines/headaches (4 going on 5 years now)
2. Neck aches (4 going on 5 years now)
3. Memory loss
4. Severe Anxiety/Panic attacks (4 going on 5 years now)
5. Irritability/Anger outbursts (4 going on 5 years now)
6. Sudden mood swings, inability to control emotions (sometimes find myself crying)
7. Depression
8. Difficulty Concentrating and thinking
9. Difficulty finding words and understanding others
10. Balance problems (Walking and standing I sometimes just fall over)
11. Blank outs where I forget what I am doing, where I am going, and where I am. This has happened 3 times today alone. In fact, I was with a patient today (I work in a health clinic) and I just started crying because I didn’t know what I was doing. My NCOIC and my OIC both witnessed it after the fact.

Just yesterday I was seeing my doctor and found out that while I was seeing her I had a Complex Partial Seizure. So it turns out all those people that were worried about riding with me dont have to worry about it anymore becuase I can no longer drive.

My question is I have been complaining about this stuff for as you can see up to 5 years, and it took for me to have a seizure for some one to take me serious. Now I have no idea what the future holds for me. I am not missing any limbs, apendages, or eyes...and I was a fully functional soldier so that was how I was viewed, but damn sure not how I felt. Now I am trying to get in WTU in FT SAM HOUSTON to get help with this and I am worried that people will drag thier feet as usual.

If anyone can help me, I am begging for it!
 
strykermedic,

Welcome! I wish I could say your situation is out of the ordinary, but as many hear can attest, getting properly evaluated can be difficult. I am sorry to hear all that you have been through.

What I can say is that it is almost a certainty that with a seizure, you will be referred to a MEB. Whether or not they assign you to a WTU is a different matter. They are downsizing the WTU's and I think much will depend on whether your care can be effectively managed in your present unit.

The key to success with the MEB and PEB is having good documentation of your conditions. If you have been seen for your conditions and have treatment notes in AHLTA, then you are on the right path. If you have been suffering, but have not sought treatment, then you should start.

One thing I have seen is that Servicemembers who are able to be seen at the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center usually have very thorough evaluations. This can help greatly with documenting your injury. Here is the website: http://www.dvbic.org/ The number is 1.800.870.9244 . You can find out about referrals at that number. Aside from the legal and administrative advantages, you can also get good treatment (I have no personal experience to base this off of, but have heard good things from clients and others who have been referred to this program).

I hope this was helpful and that you get a good outcome. Best of luck and feel free to ask any questions.
 
I am actually working to let my unit either send me to BAMC or to one of the care centers referred to me by dvbic.org. The problem is that every time I mentioned TBI in the past people were quick to change the subject. No one wanted to talk about it. I made appointmets specifically for my Symptoms and end up leaving with nothing.

This is where I have realized my functional soldier status. Since all of my scars are on the inside and none on the out, people see me as a fully functional soldier. I could go on about this for hours and hours, I will not do that.

Thank you for your response.
 
SM,

welcome. i feel your pain about having all your injuries/disabilities/scars on the inside. i had an LOD back ijury in 2006 which just kept getting worse after each surgery. 4 in total. MEB was initiated for back injury in 2007. my stuff has been @ the IPEB since feb 2009. i also started to develope numerous residual medical issues. my mental health diagnosis changed 100 times. right now it's PTSD, depression and anxiety. i started having seizures/dizzy spells/vertigo. when i started going to the VA i did the TBI screening, tested positive and have been being treat @ the TBI clinic, but the doc tends to think it's not TBI and my siezures/dizzy spells are more related to caused by the PTSD.
either way i know how you feel about this whole thing. if you have any questions or concerns, or just need to vent, feel free to contact me @ any time here.
 
Well after a few tests, and a few findings they are going to send me to the Tampa VA hospital to be admitted for testing and treatment. I cannot tell you how happy not only I am but my wife is very happy about this.

I could not have guessed that there was as much wrong with me as there is. I had a SCAN A hearing test and found that there is something wrong with how my brain processes hearing...had a posteography (?? spelling) and found what i already know with eyes closed I cannot maintain my balance...Had nerve testing done, and I have carpal tunnel in both hands, as well as a trapped ulner nerve in my Left elbow...Went to a sleep study the last 2 nights and have Mild/Moderate Sleep apnea and will have to get a machine to help me breath at night...

The good thing is that I dont think that I have had any seizures since my last one, but I dont know when I have them so...who knows.
 
strykermedic said:
Well after a few tests, and a few findings they are going to send me to the Tampa VA hospital to be admitted for testing and treatment. I cannot tell you how happy not only I am but my wife is very happy about this.

I could not have guessed that there was as much wrong with me as there is. I had a SCAN A hearing test and found that there is something wrong with how my brain processes hearing...had a posteography (?? spelling) and found what i already know with eyes closed I cannot maintain my balance...Had nerve testing done, and I have carpal tunnel in both hands, as well as a trapped ulner nerve in my Left elbow...Went to a sleep study the last 2 nights and have Mild/Moderate Sleep apnea and will have to get a machine to help me breath at night...

The good thing is that I dont think that I have had any seizures since my last one, but I dont know when I have them so...who knows.
Click to expand...

Stryker medic,

You should really email me directly: [email protected] We have a lot of the same issues. I have had numerous vestibular issues...not with my ears...but with the head-- Diagnosis: "Vertigio of central origin". Basically my center of balance is off to the right and back from the REAL ctr of balance. I also can not stand straight for any amout of time with my eyes closed and if I will get really wobbly if turn my head while walking (ex. "eyes right").

I also have sleep apnea from the TBI. I never had ANY issues before the blast. I was in perfect health and now I'm a mess. It is so weird that you have some of the same issues. I've been treated at Bethesda Naval and Walter Reed for the past year and still having a difficult time.

Oh...do a google search for Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). It is sometimes called Central Auditory Processing disorder...but it is basically where the info gets screwed up b/t your ears and brain. My docs think I have this because I have a really tough time with hearing. Everyone sounds like they are mumbling and I can't hear people clearly. I am getting more testing but this condition is not all that common in adults...more common in children. It can happen due to head trauma(TBI), so there is a possibility you may have it--my audiologist really thinks there is a strong possibility in my case. Check out the links (ignore that they talk about children exclusively).

Auditory processing disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Autism Information Library: Central Auditory Processing Disorder

Nate
 
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