Medical discharge for Chondromalacia Patella?

[jackedupknees]

From MO. I have been dealing with knee pain since the moment I entered the AF. It used to only be painful when I ran or walked too many stairs, but now they hurt all of the time. I get random sharp pains and a dull aching if I do anything but sit all day. They also pop, crack, give out and feel weak. I was just diagnosed with chondromalacia patella through an orthopedic surgeon off base who took MRIs. I'm also on a profile that restricts running (the AF standard 1.5 miles), calisthenics and walking or standing over 30 minutes, but I'm am still (on this profile) considered WW deployable. If you think about it, that doesn't make since. I now have a knee brace and back to physical therapy I go. I've been there, doesn't seem to help. I need to know the steps to getting a MEB in the works. How do I go about it tactfully (the docs here are scared of sending anyone to an MEB)?

[SHORTY LONG]

15 MAY 05

[jackedupknees] suggestedly, I would get the MRI'S taken and a "Certified Letter" from the Doctor that read them and diagnosed you with your medical problems. Then, I would respectfully request to go to "Sick-bay" or whatever they call it in the "AF" for a medical evaluation from them. Hopefully, others with much more experience than I have in this area will also reply to your post! Hope you get your health back; for if we do not have our health, then, "what do we really have!" Shorty Out!

Originally Posted by jackedupknees

From MO. I have been dealing with knee pain since the moment I entered the AF. It used to only be painful when I ran or walked too many stairs, but now they hurt all of the time. I get random sharp pains and a dull aching if I do anything but sit all day. They also pop, crack, give out and feel weak. I was just diagnosed with chondromalacia patella through an orthopedic surgeon off base who took MRIs. I'm also on a profile that restricts running (the AF standard 1.5 miles), calisthenics and walking or standing over 30 minutes, but I'm am still (on this profile) considered WW deployable. If you think about it, that doesn't make since. I now have a knee brace and back to physical therapy I go. I've been there, doesn't seem to help. I need to know the steps to getting a MEB in the works. How do I go about it tactfully (the docs here are scared of sending anyone to an MEB)?

[jackedupknees]

Thank you for the reply. I really need to know if that condition is enough for me to be medically discharged and if so, how to request an MEB. I do have written documentation of my diagnosis from the off base specialist. This is also my 4th profile for my knees, but they were not consecutive and they keep sending me to physical therapy.

[4everblue]

What is your job? That's the first thing that would help me help you. Can you do your job and walk around?
Diagnosis is one thing ... impact on performing your duties is another. If you do get an MEB ... you will lose a good paying job and I highly doubt you'd get anything more than 10 percent ... not an expert but I've been through one.

So then you'd get maybe a small severance check of a few thousand dollars, no health insurance and you beg for VA benefits that you'll forget about in a year. The question is .... can you get a better job on the civilian side limping around like you are? If they aren't making you run then I'd say you are good to go. Unless of course you're overweight. If they deploy you ... take that profile with you. If you can't carry your bags ... tell someone to carry them for you or ask your first sergeant what you should do in the ev ent before you go. The only way you can bring attention to this is if it impacts you doing what you're being asked to do in any given moment, because it is honestly keeping you from doing it, either mechanically, or because of significant pain. If walking around makes it worse, go to sick call ... get motrin ... if motrin doesn't work ... go back to sick call. Keep going to PT ... create a record while you wait to get deployed and save your money in the event you do get MEB'd. The grass is never greener ... but we don't learn these things until we actually go over to the other side, want to go back, and we can't. Good luck.