Ulcerative Colitis

Allty

Allty

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Hello everyone

I was just recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 3 months ago while i had orders to transfer to my next duty station. Went to schedule my sea duty screening and was told they could not approve it. Now im being sent through a Med Board. I have almost 9 years in the Navy and it was my intention to stay in for 20. Now after finding a little bit more about my condition my wife and i have decided that it would be best to get out and deal with this condition out of the military. Could anyone tell me the chances of getting Med retirement from my condition? and things i could do to help out my chances thanks in advance

CTT1
 
allty,

welcome! i wish i had more info. on your condition, but i'm sure someone here has been through it or going through it now. what i can tell you is start educating yourself to the DES-disability evaluation system and the VASRD-VA's schdule of ratings. all the info. that you'll need is here. some things that you can to to assist in your case is ensure that all your medical issues are properly documented in your records and get copies of EVERYTHING. the whoe process get frustrating, but don't give up. also don't rush to get a rating just to be done. you may run into a lot of hurttles from your unit along the way. sometimes they just lack the proper education about the system and sometimes they just don't care, but don't give up.

if you have any questions as things start to progress, don't hesitate to ask. good luck!
 
Your goal to get retirement is to get a 30% rating. Check out the link in my signature.
 
Allty,

Welcome! It is not very useful to know how others were rated unless they have the same severity and symptoms.

Here is the rating criteria:

7323 Colitis, ulcerative:

Pronounced; resulting in marked malnutrition, anemia, and general
debility, or with serious complication as liver abscess..... 100

Severe; with numerous attacks a year and malnutrition, the health
only fair during remissions..... 60

Moderately severe; with frequent exacerbations .....30

Moderate; with infrequent exacerbations.....10
​

What is notable is that the 10 and 30% ratings are somewhat vague. Make sure you have documented the exacerbations to help support the 30% rating.
 
Well I was just recently diagnosed so there hasnt really been time to document exacerbations. I was Bleeding for about a year before i had it checked out. I got the results back and it was time to transfer. The HM2 Here said the couldnt approve me for sea duty and would have to send it to a board. So now i have to get a full physical blood work and a follow up appointment with the GI doc (civilian). So as far as documentation goes i will only have 2 or 3 appointments dealing with my situation. Fingers crossed
 
Depending on how severe your condition is, it seems like it may be early for them to do an MEB. I would suspect that you would have at least one period of LIMDU before they initiate the MEB. That will give you time to document the exacerbations.

Best of luck and please feel free to ask any questions.
 
Yeah unfortunately my medical rep here in Colorado an HM2(E-5) says she has to put it in for a med board. the report back from the Doc said

Chronic colitis with moderate to severe activity and a few other medical descriptions about the biopsy's. Not sure that is going to get me any percentage. Anyone know if they are supposed to put me on LIMDU and possibly my HM2 is just unaware of this?
 
Well my initial MEB package has not been sent out yet. During the wait i had a flare up that prompted the GI doc to do a full colonoscopy. The do c noted that i had a little more developed case of UC than she had previously thought. We had to change my meds from a supository to an oral medication of 10 pills a day.

I guess the command is still working on my NMA. So that is the delay in my MEB package being sent out. Can anyone tell me about how long it takes to get results back from the MEB? And if the decide it needs to go to a PEB do i get notification of that? I dont feel like the Navy is going to keep me in so i am trying to get a feeling of when i can expect to hear back. Thanks for the help
 
Hey my girlfriend just medically retired in sept she got 30% for her UC it took about 3 weeks for her board to come back
 
Allty,

Mind if I ask you what meds your GI dr. put you on. I spent a week in the hospital (just 3 weeks ago) and have been tentatively diagnosed with UC (couldn't complete a colonoscopy because of inflammation). Anyway, I've been on Asacol 6 pills a day and Bentyl and will be taking Prednisone (Oral Steriod) for a few more weeks. I seem to be responding well to the Asacol. Haven't seen blood since I started taking it, and like you, I bled on and off for over a year prior to seeing a specialist.
 
I am currently on Asacol 10 400mg pills a day. When i was first diagnosed i was just taking a 1000mg suppository and it worked well, until my right side started hurting then i was put on prednasone until i could see my GI doc. The asacol seems to be working on my right side but i don't think it is taking care of my left side and rectum so i might have to start using the supossitories again.


Cerenity
I just got a copy of my write up for my MEB and saw that my GI doc noted me as an active mild case of Chronic Colitis in multiple areas of my Colon and has yet to find a treatment to get the patient into remission . Do you happened to know what words were used in your girlfriends MEB package and was 30% the first thing the board came back with?
 
from VA exam:

reported having rectal bleeding, hospitalized due to bleeding and abdominal pain, were diagnosed with UC and treated with mesalamine, asacol, and hydrocortisone enemas. you reported not doing well with these treatments and you were placed on a course of corticosteroids. five months after the colitis diagnosis, you reported having sharp stabbing perirectal pain and you were givin bentyl for treatment with moderate relief. the biopsies report shows chronic active colitis. the report also showa progressed to include tenesmus, urgency and increased bowel frequency and loose stools. It is the opinion of the medical eval board that your diagnosis will require indefinite treatment for many years it is not expected to resolve. just keep going to the GI every flare up or bleeeding
 
i got a question if any one can help me... is thare a seprait rating for Ileitis of the same one i cant find it.. and i know the two are all most the same thing just diffrent parts of the body. can any one help me.
 
Ileitis is most probably going to be rated under DC 7323, Ulcerative Colitis. The only hedge on that is depending on your conditions functional effects, it is possible that other codes may apply. But, in the absence of other facts, I would say the DC 7323 is the most likely one to be applied.
 
Jason / Rating Question:

I am waiting on a colonoscopy (earlier scope in hospital had to be aborted due to severe inflammation) to definitively diagnose me. The partial scope I had several weeks ago, the Dr. said path came back and most likely I have UC.

Since 7323 does not have a zero rating, does that hurt my chances of being returned to duty in your opinion?

How should I proceed with the specialist? Obviously I want to coach him into some kind of language on the diagnosis that is in my favor (ie. I'm at 15 years, and would like to make it to retirement)
 
I was diagnosed with UC in July 09. A colonoscopy with biopsies could not be completed due to the severe inflammation and friability of the mucosa of my descending colon. Since then I have been hospitalized for a week, undergone 2 blood transfusions and have been on a slew of medications. I currently take Lialda, Prednisone, Bentyl, Noritryptline, Imuran, supplements and pain medications. I am currently taking 15 pills every morning. I can't seem to keep weight on me, and the pain and bleeding is not letting up. I was just notified that I have been put on a profile and my packet with be going to the MEB. Does anyone have any idea how long this process takes? What is the likelihood that I will be discharged? I have only been in the Air Force since March 2009. I am currently non-deployable. HELP! Thank you in advance for your responses.
 
the process could take a while i was originally diagnosed in Nov/Dev 08 with UC. and the MEB process started in Feb09. I was put on 6 months of limdu in march. It ends here in September but i think they are going to put me on 6 more months wince i was re-diagnosed with Crohn's Colits. So stick in there get everything documented and keep in good contact with you GI doc. make sure you make all your appointments also.

Allty

MEDS
Ascacol 4 pills 3x a day
prednisone 40mg
imuran 50mg
multivitamin
 
Wow. I didn't realize the process could take so long. I was just put on my second round of CON Leave. Guess I'll just take it one day at a time. How well is Imuran working for you?? I just started it a little under 2 weeks ago. I haven't noticed that it has made a big difference yet.
 
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