Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group AS and disability claims?

Hello everyone, being brand new to all of this (KickAS and AS) I hope you'll forgive me if this post winds up in the wrong board.

I'm a Naval Officer, was once in top physical shape but then got shoe-laced by both Ulcerative Colitis and a pretty wicked case of AS as well. I'm heavily medicated and have a host of questions on that topic - but that is another story.
At the moment, I'm having some difficulty with the military system and the Rheumatologist I was sent to (by the base hospital) is not terribly helpful.
To my understanding, AS is considered genetic in nature although the specifics remain unknown. More importantly, genetics alone cannot explain it all since identical twins do not always develop symptoms - there are unknown triggers involved.
I'm losing my career because of my diseases and will likely get kicked to the curb with nothing and little hope of being able to pay for my meds after release. Veteran's Affairs rejected my claim stating that since the disease is genetic and has an onset of 7 to 10 years, I was sick before I joined up and will not get any help after I'm released. To me, this seems rather harsh.
Despite all the medical tests and physical assessments throughout basic training (and afterwards)there was never any indication that I had any sort of disease whatsoever.
Now, clearly the military isn't to "blame" but in Canada we have a "benefit of the doubt" clause which suggests to me that if there are unknown triggers involved, how can anyone know for certain that I would have become sick had I chosen a different career path?
Is AS not a "stress-related" disease? Is it not at least plausible that the intense stress of military training could, at the very least, aggravate this condition?

I'm wondering if anyone knows of any good research that addresses causal factors, the relationships between AS and stress or the like?

Also, is there a place where someone could direct such questions to a doctor online?

i probably can't answer most of your questions, but wanted to say a few things.

If what i have is AS, i can say that no one else in my family seems to have what i have, unless it was so mild in relatives that it wasn't recognized, and i am HLA-B27 negative.

let's suppose that AS is like other rheumatic diseases. would they treat someone with RA or lupus or crohn's this way? find out if you can and then compare your disease to those if the answer is no.

some people think that AS is a "reactive" arthritis triggered by bacteria.

aren't most diseases a combination of our genes and environmental factors?
heart disease, diabetes, etc. do they treat people with these diseases the way that they are treating you?

sue

PS you seem new here, so wanted to say hi.

While the military may not have caused your AS or UC it did aggravate your condition through stress and other activities over the years. I would contact the nearest thing you have in Canada to what we have here called the DAV, Disabled American Veterans and seek their help in filing your paperwork. They have people who have worked on these types of claims and know what laws are involved to help you win your benefits.

Brent

another thought....

my brother-in-law has melanomas; they are constantly cutting them out and monitoring him; it is genetic. he was in the Reserves until recently. they are paying for all of his medical treatments for this.

sue

Thanks Sue, I am new and appreciate you being so welcoming. I saw a Case Mgr. today re: my claims and essentially, it looks like I can just lay down and take it or get myself a lawyer.
It's been a long process already (into the third year now) and I am not sure I have the energy to fight Goliath.
I guess I was hoping for an easy answer, like a link to a reputable study that would give my rheumy reason to reconsider his "support the status quo" stand-point.

Tired there are several studies out there I will have to think on it and see what I can find tomorrow when I get up.

Brent

I am 100% Service Connected Vet. Want to guess what for? Who ever told you that the AS isn't covered doesn't know what they are talking about. I suggest you go to www.spondylitis.org to the Veterans/Military folder. Look up user mmparker (Mike Parker). He is a retired O5 who understands the PEB/MEB and VA rating systems better than those who work in the system. Tell him your story and you will get excellent advice on what to do.

Brent and Keystone, thanks fellas.
Although the Canadian and American systems are very different, I'm sure they have more in common than all those differences combined.
I was hoping that someone would throw me a bone, so-to-speak and give me a new avenue to pursue...you guys have done just that.

Thanks.

Hiya,

I did the Military thing and got discharged without the diagnosis.....

The UK and Australia basically state "attributable to service" so diagnosed whilst in, and no previous record should be enough in those 2 countries, is Canada that different? Some can get pensions for arthritis back dated to their service history many years.

My expereince is MoD Civil Servants hate giving service folk anything, particularily in time of war.

You are right as far as I understand a genetic disposition, coupled with a trigger.

Incidentally what came first AS or UC. If AS first even nsaids can trigger UC.

UC is very well known for stress triggers, cold, lack of sleep, stress emotional/physical etc....I used to do a night duty, that used to trigger another episode of colitis symptons.....and then the nsaids to treat the newly swollen I would bleed.....I had to discharge myself in the end as the powers can be can make life difficult.

You need to get the necessary admin guides and disability tables. In my day the UK had Queens Regs etc and another set of manuals and if you do everything correclty you can turn the system around to work for you as opposed to it being used against you.

Most bodies associated with disabilty assessments or payments have clear tables of disabilty and circumstances etc....Sometimes you have to find a friend to get the full data!

Dave

Thanks Dave,
I'm sure glad my wife sent me the link to this site!
In just a few days I have learned more and received more helpful advice and contacts than I have in two years. On Friday, I'm going to see about a referral to another rheumy in my town that someone here told me about...I'm pretty excited and expect it to be an uphill battle but one way or another, I'm going to the new Dr.
I may seem down at times and feel like giving in but I'm a stubborn SOB and I won't go down without a fight.
It irritates me the way I'm getting shafted - I signed up to do my part, instead of watching the world go to hell on TV...now I'm sick and they give me the boot? Even that much I could accept, since the Canadian Forces believes that every military member should be capable of going anywhere at anytime on deployment but to slam the door in my face and tell me I get nothing because there seems to be some convenient loophole for every benefit offered?
I guess I'm a bit riled at the moment, I should be sleeping.

My point is, thank you Dave and everyone else.

All told, my life is pretty [**BLEEP**] good. I have food, shelter, people who love me and I know I can do just about any [**BLEEP**] thing I put my mind to (I will have to accept certain physical limitations sooner or later though).

Goodnight folks.

....you can't say "dam" in here?