Too new to med board?

L

Loki88

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
At risk of doxxing myself, but very confused, in pain, and frustrated...I hoping someone here can help me. I have chronic knee pain that has been diagnosed as patellar femoral syndrome, chondromalacia, and plica syndrome, and a few others depending on which doc you ask.


Here's the timeline (less than a year in service!):
  • 11x with SF option, sustained knee injuries in the pipeline and was dropped Jan 17'.
  • After a few weeks of HHC physical therapy, I was PCS'd with no profile and labeled chondromalacia or patella femoral pain syndrome.
  • I get off to the unit and start over treatment. 3 sick call visits, only one 14 day profile, 4 weeks of physical therapy. Go from ibuprofen to naproxen to a shot in the arse. The physical therapist suggests the pain is psychosomatic. The PCM "threatens" a chapter 5-17 if they can't find anything on imaging.
  • Get x-ray imaging and an MRI in May 17'. The results are "unremarkable."
  • July 17' I am referred to an ortho, with possible meniscus problems.
  • Ortho feels "plica syndrome" and suggests surgery that has a very low success rate. Ortho orders 8 more weeks of physical therapy, steroid injection, a brace, and gives me a profile. The doc said a med board wouldn't do any good but to ask for a medical separation or chapter if I'm looking to get more aggressive with treatment. He said the VA would cover my injury.
  • I waited a day, an no referral to physical, prescription, or profile showed up. I called the office and they claimed that they don't give referrals or profiles...waiting for a call back now. This kind of "lost in paperwork" thing has been a consistent theme with every doctor interaction. I have been incredibly unlucky.
During this whole time, I've been very aggressive with treatment that I can afford outside the military. And I'm always asking for new treatment options.

I cannot do my job, my pain comes home with me from my job, and the unit is tracking, even putting away in an S shop. I've made less progress in 7 months than 1 ER visit.

The pain is causing me a significant amount of anxiety and has ruined my ability to perform basic soldiering tasks (lifting, rucking, running)...A few weeks ago, I was committed to finding a resolution and getting back on the pipeline. Now, I am committed to seeking treatment outside the Army with my wife's insurance. I'm not looking to waste taxpayers dollars in an s-shop or a VA waiting room.

Who should I be talking to and what should I be asking for to accomplish that? Does my ortho have the power to do that? And should I just ask him?
 
I have been diagnosed with patellar pain syndrome, osteoarthritis and chrondomalicia in both knees. It's been a very long process getting help for these issues. I have many other issues but this was the first thing that put me in this military medical nightmare. Over the last two years I have been through lots of physical therapy, many medications, steroid injections, Synvisc injections, and knee braces. Nothing stops the pain. I feel for you but I can tell you there is nothing more medical will do for you. There is not a chance in hell of getting any opioid pain meds. Medical will string you along until your end of service. I am now at the IPEB level of my med board but not just for my knees. Many other issues got me where I am.
I would suggest to you, log on to Tricareonline patient portal. If you did not know about this, all military personnel to my knowledge will have access. You will need your CAC or use your DES password to log on. Look under the "blue button" you can see all your x-ray and MRI information. You cannot see the actual images but you can see the report from the doctor that reviewed the image.
I have found that what my Docs have told me and what that report says is vastly different. Use this report to question your Docs if there are discrepancies.
Hang In there.
 
Thanks for the response. Is the suggestion of med separation their way of saying they don't want another knee injury to deal with? Or do they really mean it's not good outlook no matter what treatment I receive... Does my time in service impact that decision? For ex: would I be in your boat if I had more time in service?
 
It has been my experience that unless your knee is literally so bad you cannot move at all or require a full knee replacement, there is nothing more they will do for you. I too have been to an orthopedic surgeon for an opinion. I was told probably the same thing. In the past, doctors used to perform surgery to go in and shave down the cartalidge in spots where it is rough or remove tiny pieces that have become dislodged and cause more damage by friction with other areas. Apparently now there is no evidence that proves this surgery improves your knee in the long run. Basically making the cartalidge smooth might fix it for now but you lost more cartilage in the process that does not grow back.

In your case with little time in service, by them suggesting medical separation is not good. You need to read up on your specific service regulations. You may be facing an " unable to train" type situation as in GTFO.... take it up with the VA.. just being real with you.

As for time in service vs condition: I am over 8 years now, I have fought for two years for an answer other than physical therapy, weak meds and knee braces. There isn't one. All these things may help with pain but it's there for good.

I would not give up on the service. Like I said before, my PEB consists of many other things that led to where I'm at and still if I could trade my conditions for a healthy body, I would willingly serve until I was forced out on a regular retirement and probly be pissed I had to leave at that point.

In my opinion, without knowing all your issues, I would deal with it and keep going, finish out your enlistment. Get all you can out of your branches education programs, set your self up for after you leave. Maybe this is not the answer you want to hear
Just my opinion.
 
It sounds like a bad few doctors for you guys. I have torn my ACL twice, miniscus 3 times and tore some cartilage the last time. Each time they offered to shave down the messed up parts saying it would help. It usually did help but I have noticed I get injured easier now. I wouldn't have been able to walk if they didn't shave down that stuff.
 
This "just finish it out, suck it up" attitude is exactly why I'm posting here. I cannot do my job and I'm living in pain. I'm done pretending there isn't something wrong. Now I need to focus on what's good for myself and the Army.

I don't need to milk any education or benefits out of them. That's not the goal. The goal is to seek care outside the Army, and move on from that lifestyle that is causing chronic pain.
 
Loki88 said:
This "just finish it out, suck it up" attitude is exactly why I'm posting here. I cannot do my job and I'm living in pain. I'm done pretending there isn't something wrong. Now I need to focus on what's good for myself and the Army.

I don't need to milk any education or benefits out of them. That's not the goal. The goal is to seek care outside the Army, and move on from that lifestyle that is causing chronic pain.
Click to expand...

If your concern is care outside of the Army, you have more than enough right to request a civilian doctor for a second opinion, which will still be covered by Tricare. There is not a time limitation on how long you have to be in before you can be med sep'd but to be honest if you do not have a long history of treatment (for example I did stints in physical therapy for 4 years) and no real answer as to what is wrong with your knee, you probably won't be recommended for a meb, as there isn't proof that every avenue has been taken to try to fix you.

I'm going to tell you what I tell my junior Marines (I think it's still applicable in your situation), if you genuinely feel that you have done everything in your power to get better, then take care of yourself and just ask your doctor to refer you to a med board. If your doctor refuses, you can ask your command to refer you. However one month of physical therapy is unlikely enough evidence to prove that you've undergone treatment enough to make a difference.

Ask for an outside opinion and see if you get a different answer. You didn't specify if any doctor you were approaching outside of the Army system had given you a different answer, but I'd venture to say they're probably going to tell you the same thing. You said yourself your goal was to leave a lifestyle that is causing chronic pain, but if you don't even know what's wrong yet how can you know it's that lifestyle causing the pain? If you're working in a s shop, and you're on profile or have been, then realistically you've already been removed from that lifestyle, however temporarily.

Honestly I think you may want to put more emphasis on getting answers about your injury than on getting out. Like Broken1345 said, keep working to get your answers, and in the mean time use the opportunity being the military provides you and get the training and education you'll need if you do get out.
 
Broken1345 said:
It has been my experience that unless your knee is literally so bad you cannot move at all or require a full knee replacement, there is nothing more they will do for you. I too have been to an orthopedic surgeon for an opinion. I was told probably the same thing. In the past, doctors used to perform surgery to go in and shave down the cartalidge in spots where it is rough or remove tiny pieces that have become dislodged and cause more damage by friction with other areas. Apparently now there is no evidence that proves this surgery improves your knee in the long run. Basically making the cartalidge smooth might fix it for now but you lost more cartilage in the process that does not grow back.

In your case with little time in service, by them suggesting medical separation is not good. You need to read up on your specific service regulations. You may be facing an " unable to train" type situation as in GTFO.... take it up with the VA.. just being real with you.

As for time in service vs condition: I am over 8 years now, I have fought for two years for an answer other than physical therapy, weak meds and knee braces. There isn't one. All these things may help with pain but it's there for good.

I would not give up on the service. Like I said before, my PEB consists of many other things that led to where I'm at and still if I could trade my conditions for a healthy body, I would willingly serve until I was forced out on a regular retirement and probly be pissed I had to leave at that point.

In my opinion, without knowing all your issues, I would deal with it and keep going, finish out your enlistment. Get all you can out of your branches education programs, set your self up for after you leave. Maybe this is not the answer you want to hear
Just my opinion.
Click to expand...

I got that surgery, surprise surprise, it didn't help at all lol! I feel your pain on the physical therapy and pain meds and knee braces for years, and until my VA appointment I didn't know that I had a tear in my tendon that was not fixed 5 years ago (hence my problems today).
 
jessylynn said:
If your concern is care outside of the Army, you have more than enough right to request a civilian doctor for a second opinion, which will still be covered by Tricare. There is not a time limitation on how long you have to be in before you can be med sep'd but to be honest if you do not have a long history of treatment (for example I did stints in physical therapy for 4 years) and no real answer as to what is wrong with your knee, you probably won't be recommended for a meb, as there isn't proof that every avenue has been taken to try to fix you.

I'm going to tell you what I tell my junior Marines (I think it's still applicable in your situation), if you genuinely feel that you have done everything in your power to get better, then take care of yourself and just ask your doctor to refer you to a med board. If your doctor refuses, you can ask your command to refer you. However one month of physical therapy is unlikely enough evidence to prove that you've undergone treatment enough to make a difference.

Ask for an outside opinion and see if you get a different answer. You didn't specify if any doctor you were approaching outside of the Army system had given you a different answer, but I'd venture to say they're probably going to tell you the same thing. You said yourself your goal was to leave a lifestyle that is causing chronic pain, but if you don't even know what's wrong yet how can you know it's that lifestyle causing the pain? If you're working in a s shop, and you're on profile or have been, then realistically you've already been removed from that lifestyle, however temporarily.

Honestly I think you may want to put more emphasis on getting answers about your injury than on getting out. Like Broken1345 said, keep working to get your answers, and in the mean time use the opportunity being the military provides you and get the training and education you'll need if you do get out.
Click to expand...

A few details...

There is a diagnosis: internal deranged knee. I have about 8 months of treatment and physical therapy behind me. The outside doctor made the diagnosis and the Army followed.

There is no value for training (as I can't pass a PT test to go to a school). And unless there's an enlisted PhD program, there's no value for a second MA from an online school.

But you did answer my question, that an MEB is possible.
 
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