DVT PE MEB

[ch2012]

Hi all,

New to this board. I am a Captain in the USAF with a steller record. I have been in the AF for 17 years total with 14 of those being active duty (prior enlsited). Last March I was diognosed with a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) complicated with a PE. I went on Coumidan for 6 months came off and promtly clotted again in the same exact place (left calf) with clot extending up toward hip.

Doctors have run every test possible and have determined I have no clotting disorders. They dont know why I clotted.

Here is the kicker I have been heathly my entire life with no medical issues at all until this happened. It started when I got an Anthrax shot getting ready for a deployment to Afganistan. 36 hours after getting the Antrax shot I got sick and got the DVT!!

Now I am on Coumidan for life No doctor will document that the anthrax shot caused the blood clot. However there is ample evidence the two may be related.

Anyway I will meet an MEB in the near future. Any idea what I should expect? I hope to be returned to duty I am still healthy and can do my job with no problems to include passing the PT test (1-mile walk in stead of run though).

If I am found unfit...I hope they will give me at least 30% considering it is likely they game me this condition (via Anthrax shot). Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[GI Joe]

I am also in the Coumadin for life club. I was found unfit during the MEB, and during the informal PEB I was given a rating of 0% for the DVT/PEs and 30% over-all from another unfitting condition. They changed the coding during the IPEB and it was rated as 7121 Post-phlebitic syndrome (whatever that means). The diagnosis was Recurrent Pulmonary Embolism with code 6817-Chronic pulmonary thromboembolism requiring anticoagulant therapy. This is rated at 60%. I have no idea why they changed the code but I can only suspect it was to low-ball my percentages as most people just accept the boards decision and move on. But with 19 years 9 months of service, I am not willing to accept this.

I have requested a formal board and am waiting for a date to appear. I have done a little research on this forum and it seems most people with DVT/PEs get a 0% rating.

 

[diablos30]

I'm also on coumadin for life and was rated at 10% dod, 70% va. although on thinners for life, i am one of the lucky ones that did not have a pe and only had one limb affected by my clots. so that background info does affect the percentage that your awarded.

 

[bamag1955]

this is interesting I had DVT right leg 2001, Coumidan 6 months then off, 2003 had another one, Coumidan for life since 2003, I also was given an antrax shot during desert storm, the good thing was our flight surgeon documented it on our shot records for us, and yes still have it..I only recieved 10% for my dvt, i think i need to check on having it changed to above 60%. It has been changed to 20% for sores that wouldn't heal.. I am now seeing a Vascular surgeon about getting off coumidan, va requires monthly visit, have blood check and see coumidan Dr. to adjust my INR to kep my blood thin, going through blood test again to see why i had them, He did tell me that hofully in the next year Prodaxa will be oked for dvts, presently only for heart patients. Sorry but that is a career killer. Had 4 years active 20 reserves, activated twice Special Operations...going to check what i was coded for..good luck

 

[salt97]

i am in the early stages of my PEB. 2nd Dvt earlier this month started it. warfarin for life. 15yrs 7 months in the navy is all up in the air.
VA appointments start next week....wait,wait,wait

 

[Warrior644]

From my experiences, please beware of the DoVA C&P Examination physicians who are very "clever" in hiding their true subjective opinions while administering the C&P examination(s). Some key warnings are when the VA physician makes a comment of "that's rare" and states "I don't rely upon other physician(s) test results...I like to perform my own." The latter tactic is valid, but you won't know the outcome of those test results until receipt of the VA C&P Exam report(s) after the MEB NARSUM is dictated. Afterwards, the NARSUM is completed by the MEB physician and presented to you via your PEBLO within the MEB phase.

Albeit, if time permits, it's always an excellent coarse of action to request a copy of the C&P Exam results upon completion by the VA C&P Exam physician(s) from your local VA Regional Office; it's free upon showing a valid military ID.

My very unpleasant VA C&P Exam experiences resulted in requesting an IMR and MEB Appeal for a medical condition which was intensionally misdiagnosed by VA and deemed medically acceptable by the MEB physician. Having prior knowledge of the C&P Exam physician's negative subjective opinions via receipt of the VA C&P Exam results, I was able to compile my objective medical evidence for potential submittal of an IMR and follow-on MEB Soldier's Appeal.

Forturnately, I was successful in my MEB Appeal and the "incorrectly" diagnosed condition was changed and then annotated as "medically unacceptable." Unfortunately, I was not able to reschedule the two C&P Exams because "IDES processing requirement timelines" apparently had higher priority. So, the two extreme unjustifiably written C&P Exam reports will be seen by the D-RAS during the PEB's VA rating phase.

Thus, it's to your extreme benefit to get the medical conditions initially annotated correctly while within the MEB phase. Hopefully, my 1-page IMR memo with a 22-page enclosure (objective medical evidence), and a 7-page MEB Soldier's appeal with a 57-page enclosure (objective medical evidence) will also be reviewed by the D-RAS during the PEB's VA rating phase.

Moreover, I am expecting to receive an extremely "low" VA rating for the aforemetioned MEB referred unfit condition. Why? Because the VA C&P Exam physician annotated "yes" after the next lowest category within the summary section which directly aligns to the VASRD's general rating formula.

With that all said, naturally, this is a huge concern for my family because I potentially don't have any "new medical evidence" in order to submit a PEB one-time "request for reconsideration" of the unfit rating(s) from the D-RAS.

Best Wishes!