This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am currently in the military with MS. I'm wanting to connect with other military members that are currently serving with MS or have been separated due to MS.

Let me re-phrase. I want to know if there is anyone that is still serving and has MS or if they were separated how did it turn out.

hi there, i know of noone personally that is in the military and has ms. i do know i have read that there has been a high rate diag. with ms that have returned from serving.

i just want to thank you for serving our country and let you know that from the deepest part of my heart i appreciate the sacrifices being made by you and all our military.

the very very best to you.

Peanut3636

Great to hear a serviceman serving his nation with MS. I am also one of you but not in US. Since diagnosis, I am trying to cope up with demanding tasks of the service and by the Grace of God, I have disappointed none due to my stable state. I do want to ask about you especially once you are put in some stressful situations.
Best Regards

Hi Peanut,
I'm not currently serving, but I did serve for over 4 years after being diagnosed. I was serving in the U.S. Army when I was diagnosed in Jan 2002. I continued to serve until the military retired me in July 2006. I probably could've continued to serve, but I was set to PCS and I thought they would retire me soon after I got to my next duty station. Since I was established in my current location, I got out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I would also like to thank you for your service too. To me it says a lot about a person's character that they choose to stay in and continue to serve.

Jeff

Blossom, thanks for the appreciation. I have read a lot about military service connected MS. It's interesting the VA allows it to be service connected 7 years after separation.

Taurus, stress is my middle name! I diagnosed in November 2009. It started with numbness/tingling in my left side. This along with multiple test came the conclusion of MS. I haven't had any symptoms since that episode nor any side effects.

Mustangman93, my MEB process just started. I basically slipped through the cracks at the medical clinic. They have know since 2009 but nothing was done. I haven't had any issues with be fit for duty. I'm looking for any information that works in my favor to allow me to stay in service. It will be 5 months before I can get an answer and I do get two appeals after that. I've read of people that did get returned to duty and others who where medically retired. It's so hard to find info! We are such a small community!

Peanut,
From talking to other people like us I've found that it is difficult to stay in. At the time that I was retired, I still could do all of the basic soldier tasks. I even passed my PT test. It's entirely up to the Med Board though. I put in a waiver request to stay in since I was a senior NCO in a shortage MOS, and they still denied it. I guess they take into consideration that MS is unpredictable and if you're deployed in a war zone, they don't know if you could have a relapse or not when you're over there. If you want to stay in, I'd get recommendations from your Neuro that states you're still fit for service. I'd also appeal any decision that you don't agree with. They told me that I could go in front of the board if I don't agree with them. My fingers are crossed that you'll get to stay in. BTW way, which branch are you in?

Mustang,

I'm in the AF. I found two people on msworld.org that are in the AF with MS. They were cleared for duty with a C2 profile which limits the places you can deploy. I know there are a lot of consideration that are taken into effect. My MEB will go to the Air Force Personnel Center for a decision that I won't even hear about for at least 5 more months. I get two appeals, one to the board were I will be able to go to San Antonio and plead my case and then to the Secretary of the AF. We shall see. This process has just begun and is so long and drawn out. The MEB process now is to go through the VA first and I have to see a Neuro through them. I will be contacting my Neuro for a recommendation letter and we fight this all the way if I have to.

just curious guys. i always say get your spine checked out. and you guys-what a melting pot of possible causes. all those shots they give you, getting knocked around at times i'm sure. and talk about stress exposur to chemicles. no cake walk whatsoever.

right around dessert storm time and i was looking for my own answers there in the waiting room was always 1 or 2 soldiers returning from there with neurological problems or possible ms.

i know one of the things i read was there were those that felt strongly that the soda that would be shipped there for our troops containing aspartame was bad enough but when it got too overheated it took on an even uglier face of toxicity. causeing health problems.

anyway, it's neat that you guys are finding each other. again, thanks so much. SALUTE!!

I had two spinal taps, MRI's, blood work etc. I it could be tested it was.

I am active duty Navy. I received diagnosis of MS in early March. I have no idea what is going to happen to me. I haven't heard anything about med board or limdu or anything. They told me I had MS, started me on Copaxone, then I went back to work. My chain is aware of it and isn't saying much about it either. Just told me not to miss any medical appointments. I go to see my primary care doctor next week and hope to hear something either way. I have been unable to find out much of anything in regards to how the Navy handles active duty with MS.

Peanut3636,
I am currently an active duty national guardsman and was diagnosed with MS in May of 2008. My first symptom was while I was deployed to Iraq in 2003. I am now currently going through a MEB/PEB board where I am sure they will find me not fit for duty. I have an LOD signed by personnel at the pentagon and hope that the VA and DOD take care of me. My state has been messing with me for the past 3+ years and now with only 15 years active duty I do not know what my future will be. I lost an E7 promotion back in Feb 09 due to my diagnosis and I am still very bitter about it. The personnel down at Ft. Riley, KS told me that I will be discharged within 294 & 365 days. While at Ft. Riley, KS my PEBLO told me that MS is now considered the agent orange of OIF. I have heard alot about the VA possibly linking the Anthrax vaccine to MS but that has yet to be proven.

Would these postings in the "General Discussion" forum be more easily found and read in the newly established forum "Veterans and MS?":

veterans-and-ms-f51/

Hello peanut 3636. I am active duty as well, and I was diagnosed with MS a few months ago myself. I know how hard and frustrating this entire process can be. I have been in for over 6 years now, and I am currently awaiting the medical review board process. I have been told that I am not fit for active duty, and that I would get a "medical retirement". This entire diagnosis has brought nothing but bad juju for my career. I have been treated differently and I think that I am often sought out as the "broken one" hence my screen name. I really do not think that the military treats MS patients with great care. I have been taking 3 different medications since July, and I had a recent BCA failure although I am not allowed to conduct/participate in any type of physical activity. My COC would not help me out to get a waiver for my body's consistent changes, and our so called "expert" medical staff would not assist me either. Their only defense was: no thyroid issue, and to "eat healthy" to prevent weight gain. I pleaded my case and I also showed evidence of weight gain for my medications not to include: depression, stress, and anxiety that has been going on since my diagnosis. I was denied the waiver and now I will suffer for this and no one is in my corner. This entire process has been nothing but a painful nightmare, and I pray that the Va will compensate me.

Now I have to just wait for the MED process to commence and see what I will get. I am kind of nervous because I feel like I am always being pushed to the side now that I have MS. There are days where I am SIQ (in quarters) and unable to function. My symptoms vary from day to day despite the medication that I am. I am starting to feel as if I am alone in this battle, and that I will continue to be shunned for not being able to keep up with my peers in certain aspects.

I hope that things work out for you peanut. God is the only one who can decide out fate. Have faith and know that there are worse things out there than this.

ssgwild, I thank you for sharing your story as it has brought light to how veterans are treated when having a life altering condition. I wish you the best of luck in life as well, and I hope that you get what you need out of the military.

- Brokensailor513

I have posted a couple questions in the "MS and veterans" forum, but perhaps this location is more likely to get answers (you may recall, I have the interest in insulin):

There may be a way to reverse type I diabetes. Promising research is being done by Dr. Denise Faustman, Director of the Immunobiology Laboratory in Boston. In the following interview she is talking about using multiple BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) vaccines:

http://www.myfoxboston.com/story/192352 ... t-diabetes

Here is a Bloomberg article with more details:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-0 ... or-tb.html

I know that this vaccine (for tuberculosis) is required for school-age children in the UK; does anyone know if the BCG vaccine is given to US military recruits? If Dr. Faustman can restart insulin secretion in type I diabetics, perhaps the vaccine causes overproduction in healthy military troops and then MS in some of them?

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My hypothesis: excess insulin (hyperinsulinemia) plays a major role in MS, as developed in my initial post: http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-discussion-f1/topic1878.html "Insulin – Could This Be the Key?"