I am in the Air Force and was recently diagnosed with Meniere's Disease (MD). I just started the IRILO and my question is does stagger walking need to be in my notes? I know frequency of vertigo attacks, tinnitus, and loss of hearing is written down but I don't believe staggered walking is in it. There is "trouble walking straight" and "loss of balance". Anyone diagnosed with MD know if "staggered walking" needs to be in the notes? Or will it be fine and AFPC will press forward with MEB process? Thank you in advance.
Meniere's Disease Question
- Thread starter 3EM
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I personally am not experienced in MD, but the decision will be based on retainability or long term prognosis to continue with your MEB. As for all the symptoms, you definitely want all the evidence in your medical records to support your desired outcome.... If you want to be retained, then go full course in that direction and show that your symptoms are minimal and treatable - if you want to be discharged then have all the symptoms you have diagnosis for and included in your Med documents and make sure everything talks about you at your worst.
The worst thing to do in MEB process is straddle the fence - changing your mind or showing you are fit then later trying to get out will put your ratings and outcome in the middle and possibly leave you with low ratings, non-retainable and possibly severed.
What is your goal if you are fully MEB'd?
Thank you gsfowler. But I am not sure what you mean with warrants higher rating. Are you referring to Cerebellum gait or meniere's Disease? Oh, thank you for catching what I meant when I said staggered walking.
Thank you Heathro 1281 for your reply. If you mean what is my plan if I get medically retired or medically separated then it will be to open a business. This will give me more freedom and flexibility to provide to my family. Having MD makes me really tired after an attack and I constantly feel of balanced. Other than that I am not sure what to do and help my family to provide a good income. What do you suggest?
Here’s the rating criteria for Meniere’s, as you can see below, the condition warrants either a 60% or 100% rating if cerebellar gait is present. Often Meniere’s is misdiagnosed. If the AF sends you to a MEB, the VA will rate the condition. The VA physician who does the rating will use this DBQ to evaluate the condition.
Once it gets to the VA rated, they will use the DBQ, in concert with any additional service treatment and private medical records to determine the appropriate rating.
6205 Meniere's syndrome (endolymphatic hydrops): | |
Hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring more than once weekly, with or without tinnitus | 100 |
Hearing impairment with attacks of vertigo and cerebellar gait occurring from one to four times a month, with or without tinnitus | 60 |
Hearing impairment with vertigo less than once a month, with or without tinnitus | 30 |
Note: Evaluate Meniere's syndrome either under these criteria or by separately evaluating vertigo (as a peripheral vestibular disorder), hearing impairment, and tinnitus, whichever method results in a higher overall evaluation. But do not combine an evaluation for hearing impairment, tinnitus, or vertigo with an evaluation under diagnostic code 6205. |
gsfowler I see. I should check my medical records and make sure the wording is correct. Do you know if a PCM can update my records correctly? My PCM updated my profile to allow a walking cave for ambulation because walking straight is getting harder. But I better make sure cerebellar gait is somewhere in the notes. When I do get a vertigo attack I can't even sit up. Thank you so much again for the assistance. Should I talk to my PCM or will the VA make their own diagnosis?
You say the worst you can do is straddle the fence? Would that impact myself? At my last IRILO, I fought to stay in but this IRILO I want to get out as my conditions haven't improved and the treatments laid out in my response didn't provide the expected outcome, plus it has made some other mental health issues increase.
@64P If your prior findings were to be used against you , mind you I said "IF", then all you need is current and reputable documentation stating that , yes, you are progressive getting worse or at least not getting better and your treatments are not reaching expected goals.
My prognosis by my doctors were that while I am not getting worse, I will not get better, and by not getting better I will stay on profile and continue to require assistance - making me unfit for my knees, back and shoulder.
My prognosis by my doctors were that while I am not getting worse, I will not get better, and by not getting better I will stay on profile and continue to require assistance - making me unfit for my knees, back and shoulder.