MEB or seek treatment?

Q

qaz212

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
I am a USAF active duty pilot with ten years in service. I have chronic low back pain (Degenerative disk disease, herniated disk, radiculopathy) since 2016. During a mission overseas recently, I suffered an airplane accident. Because of the airplane accident, I was diagnosed with severe PTSD. Migraines, nightmares, flashbacks, and depression are now part of my life.

Specifically for my low back pain, my doctor placed me on a one-year profile (restrictions on lifting, running, and deployments). I had only been on the profile for a month before the time-period was changed from 1 year to 3 months. This profile now has a month left to expire. Reason: My doctor stated that the clinic deployment and readiness team (also known as the AMRO) was meeting after the profile expires, and they would then decide whether to board me medically.

Meanwhile, I continued seeing my clinical psychologist. She conducted structured evaluations and just recently discussed the PTSD diagnosis with me. She gave me two options: MEB referral if I am done with the operational environment or start treatment. I decide in a week.

Questions for the group:

(1) I find the profile change from a one-year profile to 3 months for the chronic back pain very strange. My lawyer felt the same way. Do you see a reason for concern?

(2) I am done with flying and the ops environments in the USAF. I spend most of my days and nights thinking about the airplane incident. My social life and work productivity are in the toilet. I am relying on my faith to get me through PTSD. There is no right answer but -- does it make sense to go with the MEB referral now and forego the treatment? I am leaning on going with the MEB.
 
1) Usually you won't' get a one-year profile for anything. Someone may have put it on wrong information, or you may have had too many days on profile for same reason, or a whole litany of other stuff going on. The ARMO (was called the DAWG at one point) will review it and then a whole set of decisions get made from that, including give you more profile time, recommend treatment, or recommend a MEB.

2) You can go with the MEB process now, but given that its mental health there are a couple of ways they can get you. If you do not get your PTSD diagnosis, then you'll possibly get an Adjustment Disorder diagnosis, which isn't a diagnosis you want to face a MEB with.

Remember, at the end of the day your goal is to rehabilitate. If it comes off as you aren't trying to do that, lots of things can happen, none of which are favorable to you.
 
qaz212 said:
I am a USAF active duty pilot with ten years in service. I have chronic low back pain (Degenerative disk disease, herniated disk, radiculopathy) since 2016. During a mission overseas recently, I suffered an airplane accident. Because of the airplane accident, I was diagnosed with severe PTSD. Migraines, nightmares, flashbacks, and depression are now part of my life.

Specifically for my low back pain, my doctor placed me on a one-year profile (restrictions on lifting, running, and deployments). I had only been on the profile for a month before the time-period was changed from 1 year to 3 months. This profile now has a month left to expire. Reason: My doctor stated that the clinic deployment and readiness team (also known as the AMRO) was meeting after the profile expires, and they would then decide whether to board me medically.

Meanwhile, I continued seeing my clinical psychologist. She conducted structured evaluations and just recently discussed the PTSD diagnosis with me. She gave me two options: MEB referral if I am done with the operational environment or start treatment. I decide in a week.

Questions for the group:

(1) I find the profile change from a one-year profile to 3 months for the chronic back pain very strange. My lawyer felt the same way. Do you see a reason for concern?

(2) I am done with flying and the ops environments in the USAF. I spend most of my days and nights thinking about the airplane incident. My social life and work productivity are in the toilet. I am relying on my faith to get me through PTSD. There is no right answer but -- does it make sense to go with the MEB referral now and forego the treatment? I am leaning on going with the MEB.
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1) No reason for concern. All my profiles have been 3 months and extended from there.

2) Got to do whats best for you and your long term health. Main goal now is to get healthy. Thats the most important thing. I am at 10 years in as well so i know the stress of the decision and i have been battling mentally for a few years now and it has just gotten to the point, that its time for me personally to leave service and settle down somewhere. Regardless you are going to have to do treatment, do it now while you are in the MEB process and continue it when you are out. What is your long term goal? Thats what you got to ask yourself.
 
If you are done, then you should pursue an MEB. But that does not mean treatment should not be pursued. PTSD is best treated early. Living a life with chronic PTSD is not a great goal.
 
K_Jahlon said:
1) Usually you won't' get a one-year profile for anything. Someone may have put it on wrong information, or you may have had too many days on profile for same reason, or a whole litany of other stuff going on. The ARMO (was called the DAWG at one point) will review it and then a whole set of decisions get made from that, including give you more profile time, recommend treatment, or recommend a MEB.

2) You can go with the MEB process now, but given that its mental health there are a couple of ways they can get you. If you do not get your PTSD diagnosis, then you'll possibly get an Adjustment Disorder diagnosis, which isn't a diagnosis you want to face a MEB with.

Remember, at the end of the day your goal is to rehabilitate. If it comes off as you aren't trying to do that, lots of things can happen, none of which are favorable to you.
Click to expand...
Hey K - why is Adjustment Disorder not something he would not want to face a MEB with?
 
Doug729 said:
Hey K - why is Adjustment Disorder not something he would not want to face a MEB with?
Click to expand...

Adjustment disorder isn't a disqualifying condition for medical reasons. You need the 9440 code for CHRONIC adjustment disorder.

It was a key part of my MEB since with the swap from the DSM IV to the DSM 5 my PTSD diagnosis was changed to Chronic Adjustment disorder
 
I’d go for the MEB, get medically retired. Make sure they MEB you for BOTH PTSD and back issues. It’s common for back issues to come in low. It’s pretty common for PTSD to be rated at least 50%. If yours is severe, it’s easy to get 70%
 
qaz212 said:
I am a USAF active duty pilot with ten years in service. I have chronic low back pain (Degenerative disk disease, herniated disk, radiculopathy) since 2016. During a mission overseas recently, I suffered an airplane accident. Because of the airplane accident, I was diagnosed with severe PTSD. Migraines, nightmares, flashbacks, and depression are now part of my life.

Specifically for my low back pain, my doctor placed me on a one-year profile (restrictions on lifting, running, and deployments). I had only been on the profile for a month before the time-period was changed from 1 year to 3 months. This profile now has a month left to expire. Reason: My doctor stated that the clinic deployment and readiness team (also known as the AMRO) was meeting after the profile expires, and they would then decide whether to board me medically.

Meanwhile, I continued seeing my clinical psychologist. She conducted structured evaluations and just recently discussed the PTSD diagnosis with me. She gave me two options: MEB referral if I am done with the operational environment or start treatment. I decide in a week.

Questions for the group:

(1) I find the profile change from a one-year profile to 3 months for the chronic back pain very strange. My lawyer felt the same way. Do you see a reason for concern?

(2) I am done with flying and the ops environments in the USAF. I spend most of my days and nights thinking about the airplane incident. My social life and work productivity are in the toilet. I am relying on my faith to get me through PTSD. There is no right answer but -- does it make sense to go with the MEB referral now and forego the treatment? I am leaning on going with the MEB.
Click to expand...
I have almost 9 years in and am currently in the MEB process for my lower back as well. If I were you I would pursue the MEB. It sounds like if you stay in the next 10 years isn't going to help you at all. While in the MEB continue to pursue seeking treatment. Go to pain management, physical therapy, behavioral health, all of it. Make this process your time to improve your mental and physical health so when you get out of the military you are set up for success.

The other advice I can give you is when they initiate your MEB see if they can put down the lower back AND the radiculopathy. For me they did not do that so I was only evaluated for my lower back. They found me unfit and rated me at 20%. I am currently appealing that with CoC letters and buddy statements to help me get the radiculopathy added as a secondary disqualifying injury. This has extended my process by anywhere from 2 weeks to another few months...

Let me know if you have any questions about it.
 
K_Jahlon said:
Adjustment disorder isn't a disqualifying condition for medical reasons. You need the 9440 code for CHRONIC adjustment disorder.

It was a key part of my MEB since with the swap from the DSM IV to the DSM 5 my PTSD diagnosis was changed to Chronic Adjustment disorder
Click to expand...
Mine said GAD is this disqualifying?
 
K_Jahlon said:
1) Usually you won't' get a one-year profile for anything. Someone may have put it on wrong information, or you may have had too many days on profile for same reason, or a whole litany of other stuff going on. The ARMO (was called the DAWG at one point) will review it and then a whole set of decisions get made from that, including give you more profile time, recommend treatment, or recommend a MEB.

2) You can go with the MEB process now, but given that its mental health there are a couple of ways they can get you. If you do not get your PTSD diagnosis, then you'll possibly get an Adjustment Disorder diagnosis, which isn't a diagnosis you want to face a MEB with.

Remember, at the end of the day your goal is to rehabilitate. If it comes off as you aren't trying to do that, lots of things can happen, none of which are favorable to you.
Click to expand...
Why don't you wanna face MEB with Adjustment Disorder?
 
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