Epilepsy and MEB

J

jbaddley

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Registered Member
I've just been diagnosed with Epilepsy and am going through an MEB. The MEB is being conducted because the drug I'm taking makes me non-deployable. I looked up some information about how the VA determines compensation. One of the dis-qualifiers was separation within 12 months of the evaluation. My DOS from the Air Force is Feb '09. My problem with that is that my doctor has been sitting on the paperwork for 6 months. And it has taken over two years for anyone to come up with a diagnosis. The only reason I didn't re-enlist or aim for OTS was because they told me that I was non-deployable. Is there anything I can or should do?

Does anyone know about the schedule of benefits for something neurological?
 
You are in the right place. Under the conditions & ratings, Jason has posted a link for Neurological conditions & Convulsion disorders. Once you click that thread, go to page 2 and go to the very first post....you will see the link there. Hope this helps.
 
jbaddley,

Welcome! You are talking about the "presumption of fitness" rule for those who are processing for separation or retirement when they enter MEB/PEB process. It is unclear to me if it would apply to you (doesn't sound like you were already processing) but even if so, you would likely overcome the presumption and be unfit and thus compensated.
 
HELP!!!!!

I came into the Army in December of 05 and had no previous medical history or a history of epilepsy in my family. In 2007 I started having rapid eye blinking and occasional muscle jerks when exposed to sunlight. In Afghanistan while deployed as a medic I experienced to grand-mal seizures, and the second brought me back home in September where doctors had no idea what to do with me. In December I had another major seizure which made me stop breathing for appx. 45 seconds. My eye blinking and muscle jerks have become worse since. I finally got sent to Walter Reed where I was diagnosed with Reflexive Epilepsy, and Chronic Myoclonous. I am averaging over 10 mini-seizures a day and 1-3 severe seizures every 4 months or so. My MEB has been started and I am curious to how long it will take. My command is very helpful and the chief of neurology at Walter Reed called me an open and shut case. I see that with my symptoms I will recieve appx 80% for epilepsy and then another 20% or so for a benign tumor that i have in my pineal gland. I am not so much worried about the money, but I am not aloud to do my job, and I am pretty much scared of sunlight. Any advice or help anyone could offer would be outstanding!
 
Hi,

I am also in the Air Force. August will be my 12 year mark. I have been having complex partials for a long time but I never knew they were seizures until recently. I got a referral to a neurologist and went through some tests. The neurologist didn't diagnose me with epilepsy yet, he called it altered states of conciousness. I have my follow up from all of my tests in a couple hours where I'm sure I will be 'officially' diagnosed and then a med board will be initiated. I'm not on any meds right now, but I'm nervous about those too.

It sucks for anyone to go through this stuff, but it's also kind of nice to know we're not alone. Good luck and keep us posted.
thanks
 
Hi, I had several seizures a few years ago mainly because of a medication I was on from a sleep doctor that had GHB in it. After 4 years of being on TDRL, the AF MEB is offering me a severance package. But I would love to still have the option to go back in te service. I turned the severance down and am fighting it. I hope I have a chance. I won my last case after the AF lawyer wanted me to lie about some stuff, so it proved to me that all they want is honesty!
 
shawn123 said:
Hi,

I am also in the Air Force. August will be my 12 year mark. I have been having complex partials for a long time but I never knew they were seizures until recently. I got a referral to a neurologist and went through some tests. The neurologist didn't diagnose me with epilepsy yet, he called it altered states of conciousness. I have my follow up from all of my tests in a couple hours where I'm sure I will be 'officially' diagnosed and then a med board will be initiated. I'm not on any meds right now, but I'm nervous about those too.

It sucks for anyone to go through this stuff, but it's also kind of nice to know we're not alone. Good luck and keep us posted.
thanks
Click to expand...

I was wondering what was the results of your PEB, i have epilepsy and my doctor is giving me a shot to stay in the army by calling my epilepsy "alternated states of consciousness" just like you posted. I am still debating if i want to get an MEB. i have 1 grand mal about every 6-7 weeks and its getting harder and harder to cover them up so i can stay in the army. Im currently a PL and the company property officer so my job is pretty stressful but I get to lead soldiers which is what I enjoy. i also don’t really want to MEB if the army is only giving out 10-20% ratings for epilepsy because i have a family and cant afford to leave the army with that kind of rating. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thank you. Kevin H.
 
Are you on medication? Does your doctor know about the grand mal seizures? When you say its is getting "harder and harder" to cover them up, is this because they are increasing in frequency/severity or is it because with more time, people are noticing?
 
I am currently on medication for epilepsy and every time I have a seizure I tell my doctor about it he changes my meds again to something new which up to this point hasn’t been working. As my wife tells me, (since I never remember my seizures) they are getting a little worse in severity but I was referring to people at work noticing. I’m getting pretty good at judging when one is going to happen since the origin of my seizures is my temporal lobe and I smell and hear random things right fore I have a seizure. I’m just trying to get a good idea of what I could possibly expect from an MEB so I can start figuring things out with my family. I know this is a very difficult thing to ask but any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Kevin H.
 
Kevin,

To be honest, it sounds like you would be found unfit when an MEB is initiated (which sounds like what will happen sooner or later). Key to a rating is the number of seizures. So, I just caution you that if you are "minimizing" your seizures, you may not end up with an accurate accounting of them.

Now, I have seen fit findings with well controlled seizures. That is the exception, rather than the norm. But, if you are to have long term chance of getting a fit finding, I would think you need to first pin down what is the cause of the seizures and get tailored treatment (so as to get them under control). However, as with all medical conditions, there is no guarantee that there is a "fix" or "cure" for the seizures and this may not be a feasible outcome (that is, a fit finding).

I hope all goes well for you. Best of luck!
 
I have been in the army as a infantryman for over seven years and I have recently had three grand mal seizures within a 12 hour period and I have been put on kepra. After I had testing saying that I have a 4mm cyst in my brain from an MRI and that I have abnormalities in my EEG. I am confused on how this entire process goes and no one seems to give me an answer on the next step. I appreciate any advice you can give me.
 
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