Stack of problems this last month. Pulmonary embolism/pulmonary infarction/ heart

Ok where to begin. I posted awhile ago about some problems I had going on before this all occured that i was worried about them kicking me anyways. let me be as brief but as specific as possible. I had a catheter ablation for svt on jan 23rd-this was a pre existing condition that I did not disclose untill three years ago while in military becasue I thought was gone and a mis diagnosis. they cleared me to stay in. when about to deploy a few months ago they made a big deal about it and kept me back and wanted me to be treated. At this point I decided i should figure out some problems that had been going on for over a year that i did not want to talk about because of embarassment. That being night enuresis. you can see more about that in another post called night enuresis. well this is where problems got complicated. I had procedure and less than a week later I wnt into arrythmia and passed out at work. They then put in internal loop monitor in my chest to monitor heart for up to three years. Side note. while doing ablation i also went into atriall flutter which they had supposedly thought they fixed, but Now they think either atrial fib. or vtach caused problem. I was put on 30 days conv leave since cannot drive. well more complications came . on feb 5th couldnt breath and rished to emergency room, had a massive pulmonary embolism ehich lodged in main artery in right lung, also ct showed pulmonary infarction of two lower arteries in lung which i hiess killed some lung tissue. I was put in pcu for a week and now am on blood thinners for atleast 3-6 months of not forever. I still cannot breathe properly but it sees when i go to army doc (PA) she says well arrythmia could just go away- which cardiologists says is not true. I need another ablation, pacemaker. or defib depending on arrythmia which could take years to figure out. I dont know what I am going to do I do not want to sit around broken for years waiting for answers on this. Other people all around me are saying prepare for meb,but the pa confuses me about stuff and not knowing anything about heart. she also is overwhelmed as the whole rear d brigade is hers and all medical problems she is always stressed whne I see her. Will I get boarded and how long do I wait before I say hey i have a family and if I need to prepare for future push me out now so i can go to school. I am 27 o male- close to four years in service. I feel like everyhting that could go wrong has gone wrong. did army takr over these problems once they pushed surgery and all this happened. They also in 6 months may test for blood clotting disorder which is unlikely but heart docs have only seen two people in 20 years my age get this so they are lost as well about embolism. While in hospital they also noticed apneic episodes so the pulmologist mentioned sleep study after better healed. I dont want tosit here for years testing, can they med b me and then continue figuring out some of the diagnosis? Thanks for you time. the more replies with knowledge the better.
J

 

[CarlB]

Jtla,

After wading through the wall of text that you posted and realizing that it was from a month ago, I'm still going to attempt to address a couple of your questions. Hopefully they will be helpful.

1. 8-year rule. If you have a preexisting condition but have served for over 8 years, the military has in essence "bought" the liability for that condition. At 4 years time in service, you don't quite make this threshold. This may have some bearing on your case, because if they link your SVT and/or catheter ablation to any of your more recent heart conditions that may hurt your ratings.

2. I had a similar situation with a DVT, 6-mos of anticoagulant therapy and a promise to check for clotting disorders upon coming off the medicine which didn't happen and ended with me in the hospital in AZ while on TDY with a pulmonary embolism. Further testing revealed a clotting disorder, FActor V leiden. I'm now on life-long anticoagulant therapy and being med-boarded for both a history of cardiovascular disease (this was my 2nd documented but 3rd actual event) and the blood thinners. You'll want to know if you have one of the genetic conditions that may require you to remain on meds.

3. You will have to go through a rehibalitive process wherein the docs try to get you better and healthier. Once they are satisfied that your condition is stabiliized they should determine if you are going to be MEB-boarded. Be prepared for this to take some time.

4. It is in your best interest to get all of these tests and treatments done while under Uncle Sam's care. Either way you have or dont have these conditions, all the military is giong to do is document and try to treat them and possibly award you compensation based up them.

5. Until everything else is done, your MEB won't move forward to the PEB. Go to all your appointments, listen to people who are trying to help you, and be patient. You may be in for a long wait.