MEB after Proctocolectomy/Permanent Ileostomy
Posted: 2013-11-11 00:50:57
Hey, everyone! I'm excited to have found this site and to get the chance to talk to other AD servicemembers and Veterans with ostomies To give you a little bit of background...
...I joined the USN in 2007 and didn't have symptoms of IBD until around the end of 2011. I had a colonoscopy at Tripler AMC and was diagnosed with UC (proctitis). Over the course of 2012 and half of 2013 we tried Asacol, hydrocortisone and rowasa enemas, prednisone, 6-MP, and Remicade to get me into remission, but nothing worked. I went from 150lbs down to 114lbs in a matter of a couple of short months. My PCM told me she was going to initiate my MEB paperwork since I had to be waived from a few PRTs due to my horrible symptoms. When I followed up with her several weeks later to check on the status of the MEB she said she didn't know what I was talking about and that I didn't have enough time left on my contract to initiate an MEB. I turned in my re-enlistment quota in May of 2013 when Remicade seemed to be working thinking I would simply separate at my EAOS, file a VA claim for my UC, and look at using my Post-9/11 for college. Little did I know that just 3 months later Remicade would stop working for me and I would land in the ER and eventually on August 21st of this year have to have my colon and a small portion of my small intestines removed and a permanent ileostomy created. I lost bladder function after the procedure and also developed an abscess that required the insertion of a drain to fix. Three months later and I am just now starting to get bladder function back, and the abscess seems to have cleared up, but I have been told that the UC is now causing painful swelling in my joints. Sometimes when I get up to walk after sitting for just 10 or 15 minutes I have to shuffle and can't bend my ankles due to the pain. A couple of doctors think it could be due to poor adrenal gland function from being on 40mg/d of steroids for about 10 months straight (which leads back to blaming it on the UC). I'm going through several more tests right now to figure out the cause of everything going on.
Anyway, I had the surgery on what was supposed to be my last day in the Navy, but I was extended for about 4 months in order to go through the MEB process that I should have been put up for last year. I am curious to know if there is anyone else in this community that went through the MEB with an ileostomy with a situation close to mine. I know of a couple of people that wanted to be found fit since surgery took away their debilitating symptoms. The difference with me, though, is that even if the board finds me fit I will still have to separate in 30 days after they come back with their findings because I turned in my re-enlistment spot in May of 2012 and that decision can't be reversed/changed. I realize each MEB is a bit different, but I am wondering if there's a precedence of medically retiring AD servicemembers with a permanent ileostomy (even better, anyone with experience of being med-retired with a perm ileo and lingering inflammation in their body from UC).
Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to add that "Chip" (my stoma's name!) and I get along very well, and I would go through the last 3 months all over again to be where I'm at today. The surgery not only saved my life but gave me my Quality of Live back, and I can't thank my surgeons, nurses, and family enough for all of the work and effort they put into my case. Now I'm just curious as to how this next part (MEB, poss retirement) of my life will play out!
It's still only 2050 in Hawaii, but Happy Veterans Day to you all tomorrow
...I joined the USN in 2007 and didn't have symptoms of IBD until around the end of 2011. I had a colonoscopy at Tripler AMC and was diagnosed with UC (proctitis). Over the course of 2012 and half of 2013 we tried Asacol, hydrocortisone and rowasa enemas, prednisone, 6-MP, and Remicade to get me into remission, but nothing worked. I went from 150lbs down to 114lbs in a matter of a couple of short months. My PCM told me she was going to initiate my MEB paperwork since I had to be waived from a few PRTs due to my horrible symptoms. When I followed up with her several weeks later to check on the status of the MEB she said she didn't know what I was talking about and that I didn't have enough time left on my contract to initiate an MEB. I turned in my re-enlistment quota in May of 2013 when Remicade seemed to be working thinking I would simply separate at my EAOS, file a VA claim for my UC, and look at using my Post-9/11 for college. Little did I know that just 3 months later Remicade would stop working for me and I would land in the ER and eventually on August 21st of this year have to have my colon and a small portion of my small intestines removed and a permanent ileostomy created. I lost bladder function after the procedure and also developed an abscess that required the insertion of a drain to fix. Three months later and I am just now starting to get bladder function back, and the abscess seems to have cleared up, but I have been told that the UC is now causing painful swelling in my joints. Sometimes when I get up to walk after sitting for just 10 or 15 minutes I have to shuffle and can't bend my ankles due to the pain. A couple of doctors think it could be due to poor adrenal gland function from being on 40mg/d of steroids for about 10 months straight (which leads back to blaming it on the UC). I'm going through several more tests right now to figure out the cause of everything going on.
Anyway, I had the surgery on what was supposed to be my last day in the Navy, but I was extended for about 4 months in order to go through the MEB process that I should have been put up for last year. I am curious to know if there is anyone else in this community that went through the MEB with an ileostomy with a situation close to mine. I know of a couple of people that wanted to be found fit since surgery took away their debilitating symptoms. The difference with me, though, is that even if the board finds me fit I will still have to separate in 30 days after they come back with their findings because I turned in my re-enlistment spot in May of 2012 and that decision can't be reversed/changed. I realize each MEB is a bit different, but I am wondering if there's a precedence of medically retiring AD servicemembers with a permanent ileostomy (even better, anyone with experience of being med-retired with a perm ileo and lingering inflammation in their body from UC).
Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to add that "Chip" (my stoma's name!) and I get along very well, and I would go through the last 3 months all over again to be where I'm at today. The surgery not only saved my life but gave me my Quality of Live back, and I can't thank my surgeons, nurses, and family enough for all of the work and effort they put into my case. Now I'm just curious as to how this next part (MEB, poss retirement) of my life will play out!
It's still only 2050 in Hawaii, but Happy Veterans Day to you all tomorrow