AD military member with costochondritis and fibromyalgia

DanznRN, RN · Mar 11, 2006

Fibromyalgia yes, costochondritis yes, chronic costochondritis never in the 9 years that I have been a nurse. Fibromyalgia is not a funconditionto have, why do ask?

LT Dan

thatgroovychic · Mar 12, 2006

Well, They're talking about med boarding me. I've only been a 4T for a few months, but i've been on a profile for a year now. Part of it for a bone contusion, the rest for costochondritis. I'm disappointed in my medical care though. My PCM waited 8 months to send me to a rheumatologist and even then only after i demanded. I went above my PCM after she just tells me to keep taking Motrin to see an Internist who's on staff. He told me that he couldn't do anything for me either. Why is that? The medicine doesn't help much. And they don't seem to have a treatment plan. Even my commander is asking whats going on. My flight isn't happy because I can't work by myself on jets anymore because I can't lift anything. I can't pass my PT test so I got a bad performance report.........its a bad cycle. Why should i accept a Dr telling me that they can't fix a condition I developed on duty and was worsened because it was ignored for so long? The attitude here is "suck it up". I just don't know what to do. My career is in jepardy and my life is miserable because I have constant chest pains. Now I'm about to PCS to another base, and I want to get better medical treatment, but I'm not sure of who to go to. From all the research I've done, Internists, Rheumatologist and Neurologist all treate Fibromyalgia patients, but who treats Fibromyalgia and chronic Costochondritis?

allnurses Guide · Mar 12, 2006

Well, They're talking about med boarding me. I've only been a 4T for a few months, but i've been on a profile for a year now. Part of it for a bone contusion, the rest for costochondritis. I'm disappointed in my medical care though. My PCM waited 8 months to send me to a rheumatologist and even then only after i demanded. I went above my PCM after she just tells me to keep taking Motrin to see an Internist who's on staff. He told me that he couldn't do anything for me either. Why is that? The medicine doesn't help much. And they don't seem to have a treatment plan. Even my commander is asking whats going on. My flight isn't happy because I can't work by myself on jets anymore because I can't lift anything. I can't pass my PT test so I got a bad performance report.........its a bad cycle. Why should i accept a Dr telling me that they can't fix a condition I developed on duty and was worsened because it was ignored for so long? The attitude here is "suck it up". I just don't know what to do. My career is in jepardy and my life is miserable because I have constant chest pains. Now I'm about to PCS to another base, and I want to get better medical treatment, but I'm not sure of who to go to. From all the research I've done, Internists, Rheumatologist and Neurologist all treate Fibromyalgia patients, but who treats Fibromyalgia and chronic Costochondritis?

It sounds like you are having some trouble, but a medical board is not meant to be a type of punishment. The medical board is there to determine if you can continue your military duties d/t a chronic medical problem. If you can not show the medical board that you will make a full recovery and/or it will not interfere with your ability to perform your military duties then it is up to the medical board advise for a medical discharge. As an active duty members if we can not deploy d/t a medical problem and have no intrisic value as a supervisor/instructor etc. there is not much use for us as an active duty member. This doesn't mean you are bad person or you are being punished...Quite the opposite a medical discharge comes with a lot of benefits! I dealt with Airmen going thru medical boards quite a lot at Sheppard AFB.

As far as the chronic costochondritis...ask one of medical providers about dose of steroids for a short time period.

Hope this helps!