Hello my name is Wayne and I’m currently serving active duty in the Army. I’m an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technician serving in Alaska. I had no symtptoms when I joined the army and gradually starting having back pain in 2012 while I was in EOD school in Florida. It happened around the time when I was running in the bomb suit a lot. They can weigh anywhere from 85 to 95 lbs depending on the size of the suit. Mince I got to my unit in Alaska I started having very bad pains in my back and a sharp gravity feeling in the middle of my spine. I went to the docs and got the run around for about a year (physical therapy, army is downsizing speech, don’t look for a permanent profile, etc.). I then deployed to Afghanistan from 2013 to 2014 and was very close to many explosions naturally being EOD. I was really close to 2 that I remember. My truck was never hit but it still hits hard. I started having more back pain but never went to the doctor in fear of being sent home. I went at the end of the tour to get some more flexirl. I got home and went to he doctors about my arms, legs and hands going numb and hurting. After a year they found a herniated disc at L5S1 and a syrinx in my thoracic spine. I was sent to a neurosurgeon(dr. teff at madigan hospital in JBLM) and he ordered a cervical spine MRI and we scheduled for my back fusion surgery. My cervical spine MRI showed a chiari malformation of up to 7mm (that’s what the report said no definite answers) and spinal stenosis.
After all that I talked to my NS and he is having me do an EGM with Nerve conductive velocity to see if it is the chiari or stenosis causing the weakness in my arms or the chiari. It’s either a decompression or a lamenectomy (which I don’t want). I really want to stay in as I’ve only served 4 years and I have more in me to give to my country. I want to protect more soldiers and help more people but I fear a MEB. I doubt they’ll give me retirement because I’ve only had 4 years enough though I’m a SGT. Can anyone give me advice about any of this? I’m so tired all the time, my arms have no strength and I’m numb all day. I’m on lyrica, Narco and Celebrex. I want to get back to being me and doing my job. I know the pain won’t go away completely but can it go away enough for me to still serve? Any responses are appreciated. I can’t find support for this in the military at all. I was only just diagnosed so I’m very nervous about the outcomes of this.
Wayne, I have been in the Navy for 21yrs. I was recently diagnosed with Chiari type 1 (11mm herniation) a year ago. I do not have a lot of the neurological symptoms that you have though. I do have a visual field defect in my left eye although my acuity is still 20/20 or better due to PRK. The visual acuity defect is what led me to getting the MRI in which I was diagnosed with Chiari. I do have headaches and they do get worse with intracranial pressure spikes...running, laughing hard, coughing etc. I do the bike for the physical test and am ok doing that as an alternate way to exercise. I also swim. From what I have been able to find online, the VA will not give benefits for congenital defects like Chiari. I plan to fight that if the case when I retire (whenever that is) as I work in Administration, have been in a couple car accidents (which were in the line of duty) so who is to say it wasn't made worse by my sitting at a computer all day or acquired due to the car accidents. Do they think you have a TBI from being near those bombs going off? PTSD? I have seen plenty of Sailors get permanent disability retirement regardless of their time on AD. My nephew received a 60% rating and receives $1500 a month from the VA plus all the medical and other benefits associated with being considered a disabled veteran including a better vetran preference for govt employment. I also have low back issues but have never had an MRI but also do not have any neurological issues with regards to that too. I get a flare up about twice a year now but am better after about three days taking vicodin and flexeril. I was also issued Celebrex. Have you had the back fusion surgery yet? Reason I ask is that I have a Sailor that works for me that had back surgery recently and is looking at getting a medical board as well for permanent disability. So if the back surgery is not successful you might be eligible for either temporary disability retirement or permanent depending on other factors of your medical history as stated above.
Good luck to you...hope you get to some level of feeling better sooner than later.
Best bet is for you to talk to whoever at the Army hospital deals with medical separations/disability retirements. They might be able to help you navigate the road ahead.
fsuchic100 said:
Wayne, I have been in the Navy for 21yrs. I was recently diagnosed with Chiari type 1 (11mm herniation) a year ago. I do not have a lot of the neurological symptoms that you have though. I do have a visual field defect in my left eye although my acuity is still 20/20 or better due to PRK. The visual acuity defect is what led me to getting the MRI in which I was diagnosed with Chiari. I do have headaches and they do get worse with intracranial pressure spikes...running, laughing hard, coughing etc. I do the bike for the physical test and am ok doing that as an alternate way to exercise. I also swim. From what I have been able to find online, the VA will not give benefits for congenital defects like Chiari. I plan to fight that if the case when I retire (whenever that is) as I work in Administration, have been in a couple car accidents (which were in the line of duty) so who is to say it wasn't made worse by my sitting at a computer all day or acquired due to the car accidents. Do they think you have a TBI from being near those bombs going off? PTSD? I have seen plenty of Sailors get permanent disability retirement regardless of their time on AD. My nephew received a 60% rating and receives $1500 a month from the VA plus all the medical and other benefits associated with being considered a disabled veteran including a better vetran preference for govt employment. I also have low back issues but have never had an MRI but also do not have any neurological issues with regards to that too. I get a flare up about twice a year now but am better after about three days taking vicodin and flexeril. I was also issued Celebrex. Have you had the back fusion surgery yet? Reason I ask is that I have a Sailor that works for me that had back surgery recently and is looking at getting a medical board as well for permanent disability. So if the back surgery is not successful you might be eligible for either temporary disability retirement or permanent depending on other factors of your medical history as stated above.
Good luck to you...hope you get to some level of feeling better sooner than later.
