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miclo18d · 08-23-2012, 08:35

I have two bulging disks but they never interfered with my performance (except in a few extreme situations), I was on jump status for 20 years and I had days when it was bad and days, sometimes weeks, when it was good. I never was 100%. When I went through selection I was fine during the events because the rucksack "splinted" the L4/L5 and I was fine. When it sucked was when I was lying in the bunk at night. I had sciatica associated with the nerve roots being affected. When I went to retire, I went to get the problem "fixed", I didn't rate for surgery and they don't really know (or care) about how much pain you are in. That being said I was directed to a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) and he injected me twice over a 2 month period, sent me to PT, and I had an extremely good outcome. My back is pretty darn good even though I had to do some more PT 4 years later.

Now one of the factors in your diagnosis is where the bulges are and how it affects your performance. My bulges are L4/L5 and posterior. As I was saying above, I had problems but they never affected my performance except one time in Peru after we had to hand carry about 100 boxes of ammo from a barge to an ASP. I was laid up for about 48 hours. But I still got out there to work each day (even though I was bent over) as acting Team Sergeant to observe training and make sure the guys were getting what they needed. Lots of muscle relaxers and Motrin got me through the 3-6 days of an "episode".

I don't have much advice on fighting the MEB, but I know it can be done. A good friend of mine that was shot in the Kidney in A-Stan was medically retired (as we thought he wasn't going to make it) and he fought it, stayed in, and is now back on a HALO team. That being said, the Military is looking to downsize, dramatically! They don't need you and in their thinking, you will be taking the slot of someone that is completely healthy. Give those things some thought, before you make your decision to fight it or just take the disability.

08-23-2012, 08:35	#2
miclo18d Quiet Professional Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Occupied Northlandia Posts: 1,697	I have two bulging disks but they never interfered with my performance (except in a few extreme situations), I was on jump status for 20 years and I had days when it was bad and days, sometimes weeks, when it was good. I never was 100%. When I went through selection I was fine during the events because the rucksack "splinted" the L4/L5 and I was fine. When it sucked was when I was lying in the bunk at night. I had sciatica associated with the nerve roots being affected. When I went to retire, I went to get the problem "fixed", I didn't rate for surgery and they don't really know (or care) about how much pain you are in. That being said I was directed to a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) and he injected me twice over a 2 month period, sent me to PT, and I had an extremely good outcome. My back is pretty darn good even though I had to do some more PT 4 years later. Now one of the factors in your diagnosis is where the bulges are and how it affects your performance. My bulges are L4/L5 and posterior. As I was saying above, I had problems but they never affected my performance except one time in Peru after we had to hand carry about 100 boxes of ammo from a barge to an ASP. I was laid up for about 48 hours. But I still got out there to work each day (even though I was bent over) as acting Team Sergeant to observe training and make sure the guys were getting what they needed. Lots of muscle relaxers and Motrin got me through the 3-6 days of an "episode". I don't have much advice on fighting the MEB, but I know it can be done. A good friend of mine that was shot in the Kidney in A-Stan was medically retired (as we thought he wasn't going to make it) and he fought it, stayed in, and is now back on a HALO team. That being said, the Military is looking to downsize, dramatically! They don't need you and in their thinking, you will be taking the slot of someone that is completely healthy. Give those things some thought, before you make your decision to fight it or just take the disability.
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