Just started the MEB process for Back issues and radiculopathy about one month ago. Was just referred to Pain Mgmt. Doctor wants to block nerve pain (Burn nerve ends?) How does this impact my MEB/PEB process? Anyone have this done and how did it work out for them?
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Starting MEB - Now Referred to Pain Mgmt.
- Thread starter GAS6
- Start date
That is the same thing that the Pain Dr. said. He was beside himself that I had only had PT over the last 15+ years plus plenty of prescriptions for pain/inflammation.I had a nerve ablation in Feb. it’s helped my low back pain tremendously but it’s starting to hurt again. I’m surprised they haven’t tried this for you before referring you for an MEB.
I’ve had it in my back and it didn’t work at all, also had trigger point injections and epidural injections. You can update your procedure notes even after your package was sent off if you want but not sure if it will change your results because they are looking more at function than pain. The thing with nerve burns is that they grow back over time. I do know people that have had multiple and the first didn’t work at all but the second one did.Just started the MEB process for Back issues and radiculopathy about one month ago. Was just referred to Pain Mgmt. Doctor wants to block nerve pain (Burn nerve ends?) How does this impact my MEB/PEB process? Anyone have this done and how did it work out for them?
From what i was told, you cant be actively seeking or be referred to any additional care if the MEB was initiated. If you are now being referred to Pain Management, your MEB will be stopped and returned without action.
Just an update for on my Reserve Timeline (FYI 33 year (Major) reservist with ~15 years active time total and over 6800 points)
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
(Will be fighting to get Sciatica to 20% for each leg)
Waiting on Formal Board to argue that IDRM should NOT have been used but the initial LOD for the referred condition (thus it should be In Line of Duty). Additionally, since no MRI was conducted until the 2016 MEB, where it was finally noted that I had multiple bulging/impingements/issues with back, the current condition is just the natural progression of this injury.
Since referred condition(s) are over 30% (40% for back) (actually 50-60% assuming radiculopathy is combined with referred back condition), they should medical retire me.
Long process but thanks to this board, I have been fighting the long fight rather than just accepting what they told me and retiring. Thanks all.
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
(Will be fighting to get Sciatica to 20% for each leg)
Waiting on Formal Board to argue that IDRM should NOT have been used but the initial LOD for the referred condition (thus it should be In Line of Duty). Additionally, since no MRI was conducted until the 2016 MEB, where it was finally noted that I had multiple bulging/impingements/issues with back, the current condition is just the natural progression of this injury.
Since referred condition(s) are over 30% (40% for back) (actually 50-60% assuming radiculopathy is combined with referred back condition), they should medical retire me.
Long process but thanks to this board, I have been fighting the long fight rather than just accepting what they told me and retiring. Thanks all.
Just an update for on my Reserve Timeline (FYI 33 year (Major) reservist with ~15 years active time total and over 6800 points)
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 08 Notified that PEB has now determined that it is ILOD. (Yeah, 2.5 months earlier than the actual Formal Board date)
Now waiting for a PEBLO to be assigned
Case manager stated that the process should go quickly since the C&P exams were just completed in early July 2022.
Has anyone else had this happen where the C&P exams were recently completed prior to the MEB process.
Did they require a re-exam?
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 08 Notified that PEB has now determined that it is ILOD. (Yeah, 2.5 months earlier than the actual Formal Board date)
Now waiting for a PEBLO to be assigned
Case manager stated that the process should go quickly since the C&P exams were just completed in early July 2022.
Has anyone else had this happen where the C&P exams were recently completed prior to the MEB process.
Did they require a re-exam?
Just an update for on my Reserve Timeline (FYI 33 year (Major) reservist with ~15 years active time total and over 6800 points)
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 08 Notified that PEB has now determined that it is ILOD. (Yeah, 2.5 months earlier than the actual Formal Board date)
Was told PEBLO will contact in 2-8 weeks.
Appealing radiculopathy due to language that both VA doctors used that indicated that it should be MODERATE (20%) not MILD (10%)
2202 09 VA appeal returned in my favor. New determination. (70% VA - 40% back, 20% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
Still waiting for a PEBLO to be assigned/contact me. 5 weeks into the "2-8 week and your PEBLO should contact you phase."
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 08 Notified that PEB has now determined that it is ILOD. (Yeah, 2.5 months earlier than the actual Formal Board date)
Was told PEBLO will contact in 2-8 weeks.
Appealing radiculopathy due to language that both VA doctors used that indicated that it should be MODERATE (20%) not MILD (10%)
2202 09 VA appeal returned in my favor. New determination. (70% VA - 40% back, 20% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
Still waiting for a PEBLO to be assigned/contact me. 5 weeks into the "2-8 week and your PEBLO should contact you phase."
Just an update on my Reserve Timeline (FYI 33 year (Major) reservist with ~15 years active time total and over 6800 points)
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 08 Notified that PEB determined that it is ILOD. (Yeah, 2.5 months earlier than the actual Formal Board date) Was told PEBLO will contact in 2-8 weeks.
2022 08 Appealed radiculopathy due to language that both VA doctors used that indicated that it should be MODERATE (20%) not MILD (10%)
2022 09 VA appeal returned in my favor. New determination. (70% VA - 40% back, 20% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 09 22 PEBLO Assigned - Initial Briefing(s) Conducted
1996 Injury (back) while on active duty (Seen multiple times over next 5 years due to injury not resolving)
2000 Exited active duty and entered reserves (Still being seen for lingering injury)
2014 Entered MEB process for Back pain - Fought to stay in, received LOD (the LOD was approved in line of duty) for the prior injury (back) from when I was on active duty
2016 Approved to remain in reserves - VA 10% (Back)
2021 02 Request for updated profile
2021 07 Received P3 profile
2021 11 Received Notice of Medical Disqualification
2021 12 Received notice PEB disqualification for Non-Duty (Board ignored previous LOD from 2014 and instead issued a IDRM stating that is was not in line of duty)
2022 01 Requested FORMAL BOARD - Formal Board is scheduled in OCTOBER 2022.
Started getting updated VA evaluations. Appointments scheduled/conducted.
2022 07 Received VA determinations (60% VA - 40% back, 10% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 08 Notified that PEB determined that it is ILOD. (Yeah, 2.5 months earlier than the actual Formal Board date) Was told PEBLO will contact in 2-8 weeks.
2022 08 Appealed radiculopathy due to language that both VA doctors used that indicated that it should be MODERATE (20%) not MILD (10%)
2022 09 VA appeal returned in my favor. New determination. (70% VA - 40% back, 20% each leg for radiculopathy (Sciatica), 10% Tinnitus)
2022 09 22 PEBLO Assigned - Initial Briefing(s) Conducted
2022 11 08 New VA claim appeared in VA system-(Stage: Evidence Gathering, Review, Decision - (per eBenefits: Prep for Decision))
(Looked at the claim and it has dates assigned to prior stages: Claim receive date dated 2022 09 22, Initial Review Dated 2022 11 08)
PENDING PEB Results
(Looked at the claim and it has dates assigned to prior stages: Claim receive date dated 2022 09 22, Initial Review Dated 2022 11 08)
PENDING PEB Results
Looks like the end is finally here.2022 11 08 New VA claim appeared in VA system-(Stage: Evidence Gathering, Review, Decision - (per eBenefits: Prep for Decision))
(Looked at the claim and it has dates assigned to prior stages: Claim receive date dated 2022 09 22, Initial Review Dated 2022 11 08)
PENDING PEB Results
2022 12 16 PEB Results - 60% DOD (Currently at 80% VA)
PEBLO stated that I should have retirement orders before the end of the year.
Thanks to all that have assisted and/or provided information. Reading the many questions, answers, experiences here really helped me understand.
I was reevaluated. I added one condition. (Neurogenic Bladder). It was not a disqualifying condition but was rated 40% by VA. So, it was a positive.@GAS6 Did you opt for a re-evaluation during the IDES process from the VA or did you Sign the VA 21-081 and state that you did not want to be evaluated for VA compensation?