Arthritis and CAF service

[BernDawg]

I have it in both knees (injury related) and am on Perm Cat.  I have no career restrictions except that PT "may" be limited by type duration or intensity.  I treat it by keeping active and meds - Tylenol 8hr 3xday and Motrin for bad days. (yes you'll have bad days trust me).  Why have I laid all this on you?  To let you know that it is not a career ender.  I'm currently in my 23rd year of reg time and have had it for the last 14 yrs.  So don't sweat the small stuff.  Of course it depends on your trade.  I had to re-muster to stay in (the infantry isn't kind to your knees anyway)

 

[Gunner98]

If you will yourself to drag your body out of bed every morning for 22+ years of rucksack marching, pepper-potting, sports and unit runs, a little arthritis in the knee won't hold you back.  Yes some days are and will be harder than others but don't sweat the small stuff, much bigger aches and pains will keep reminding you that you have volunteered to serve your country.  Soldier on, suck it up when necessary and lick your wounds, aches and pains in the private moments at the end of each day. 

 

[PMedMoe]

You don't say what trade you are or how bad the arthritis is.  For most people, the best treatment is meds and keeping it mobile. I have been diagnosed with bursitis and probably have arthritis too (age, you know) but I find it doesn't limit me at all.  Just because you have it doesn't mean you'll get put on category.
If you have real problems and a lot of pain, go see the medical folks again, they may be able to provide solutions (i.e. physio, exercises, etc).

 

[BernDawg]

Just to clarify.  My P Cat is from the original injuries not from the arthritis.  That was just a bonus after the fact.

 

[tree hugger]

I checked your profile to see your age but it was blank...

Reason being is the CF does not like it when young people get diagnosed with arthritis.  Case in point - me.  Right knee.  They used words and phrases like "degenerative changes", "abnormal knee", "disability at a young age"...all at being 26 years young.

I was given a PCAT and the boot. 

I put in a ROG on my last day, and finally, roughly 1.5 yrs later, they agree that I could still be useful to the CF.  They are now getting me back in a uniform, but they are making my MEL's stand.  Read: no more silly stuff.  At this point I'm just happy to be back in... I'll take on the MEL battle again eventually - I'm still dumb enough to enjoy some of the silly stuff.  My old posts have a longer version of this story...

You will never be able to go back in time and have good knees, arthritis isn't a cold that will just "go away", even if you can "suck it up".  Remember - ice, heat, ice, heat, elevation, tylenol.  If you are a little "thicker" than you should be, knock off a couple lbs.  Use an eliptical instead of the sidewalks when you PT on your own time.  Limit pounding to when the army insists.

 

[brunswickfire]

I am presently 46, will be 47 in June.  I had orthoscopic surgery in June last year, and that's when the doc told me you have arthritis.  He did all the scraping and grinding he could but that was all he said he could do.  He said I could try an injection called duralene.  Might help.

My trade is Armour Recce.  Have good days, and bad days.  I guess, it is just the realization that I seem to get stiffer than I used to, especially if you sit too long.  Or is it just me.

 

[tree hugger]

And at a young age - sucking it up isn't such a great idea.  I played soccer with my knee buggered up way too much and I'm convinced that that is why it hasn't healed as well as it should have.  You have to take care of yourself while you're still young and before the MO starts using words like arthritis and degenerative changes...

 

[ERIC FORREST]

I have been out of the Military for 15years now and have degenerative arthritis of the spine and surgeons are telling me it is do to the Combat Arms life style. Has anyone else out there having this problem or had a MRI of the neck and spine? This is pretty scary stuff, i was told that I should have had this checked earlier, well you know how that goes, we "suck up reload and soldier on" right! Life isn't all it can be now! Anyone else out there interested in this hidden medical problem?

 

[57Chevy]

It is more readily known and classed as degenerative disc disease.
More infomation on the subject can be found here

 

[George Wallace]

Many on this site, who have worked on tracked vehicles for many years, have been diagnosed with compressed discs and signs of arthritis in the lower back.  So this is more common than one would think.  In many cases exercise has been prescribed as one way of combating the pain.  Although being told about having signs of arthritis was a real blow initially, staying active has eliminated any signs of the paralysing pain I had.

As for compensation, have you tried applying to Veterans Affairs?  The Legion has officers who can assist in making a claim.  You may also try SISIP and see what they may be able to do for you.

 

[Gunner98]

In my case, heredity and 13 years of Combat Arms lifestyle followed by 14 years of more office type service have made for an painful time from 45 years-old+.  There are medications, lower impact physical activity and excellent core exercises to keep things tolerable.  It is shocking diagnosis when first presented but life goes on.

 

[Chilme]

In my case, heredity and 13 years of Combat Arms lifestyle followed by 14 years of more office type service have made for an painful time from 45 years-old+.  There are medications, lower impact physical activity and excellent core exercises to keep things tolerable.  It is shocking diagnosis when first presented but life goes on.

Speaking as an Exercise Physiologist, I would like to say that a number of your guys have highlighted an important point.  LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  A pain stimulus exists for a reason.  It tells your brain that something is wrong somewhere in the body.  If something acts up in your body, tone down your activity and allow your body to heal.  Try and work inside of pain thresholds.

With that being said, I recognize it is not always possible to tone down physical activity in Combat Arms.  Taking pain killers can help with immediate issues, but often they just mask a problem until later when it has become worse.  If your care about your future health and any hope of comfort during your retirement, you should go, when opportunity arises, to the MIR when your body sends you pain signals that aren't temporary.

For those already riding the pain train, stay active with activities that don't aggravate injuries, stretch often, and now that you have the freedom STOP when the body sens you a pain signal to do so.

 

[Grizzly_9]

Hello everyone,

I'm a new user to this forum however I have read many posts on advice and just general knowledge. Im just finishing up Grade 11 and I have been strongly intrigued to join the military for quite some time now. However, I have a few questions and what better place to come to right? My main question is if anyone has any insight on arthritis in the military. I was looking into getting in Artillery however, I recent was diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis. Is this going to be a problem? I know there are medical standards that you must reach to be able to join certain trades but if there is anyone out there with real world experience and knowledge that would be greatly appreciated.  I could settle for a service trade but I have always aspired to be out in the field. I have also been dealing with anxiety for a large portion of my life. My brother passed away last year by taking his life and that was a very large obstacle however, gave me a lot of motivation and inspiration to succeed in this career path. I'm overcoming anxiety each day at a steady pace but was wondering if anyone could possible share their story they might have had with anxiety and joining or aspiring to be in the military.

Thanks for all of your help and time,
Grizzly_9  :camo:

 

[Grizzly_9]

I should clarify sorry, It is a minor case of Rheumatoid Arthritis. I do know that the Forces do not like daily medication and I believe with proper physio and exercise I can get it to that point.

Thanks
Grizzly_9

 

[Staff Weenie]

Grizzly 9 - None of us on this site has the authority to answer your question here.  You must go to the nearest Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre and discuss the issue with the staff there.  The Recruiting Centre will direct you on what documentation needs to be provided by your Doctors (and possibly Specialists as well).  The documents are then sent higher for review and a decision. 

Best of luck, and keep fighting the good fight!

 

[CombatDoc]

Rheumatoid arthritis is rarely "minor", unfortunately. As SF notes, all you can do is apply once you finish high school and go from there. Good luck.

 

[Eland2]

Rheumatoid arthritis is rarely "minor", unfortunately. As SF notes, all you can do is apply once you finish high school and go from there. Good luck.

Have to echo this sentiment. I have a cousin whose RA started out as 'minor' and progressively got worse. A few years ago, she went on a new medication because the old one just wasn't cutting it anymore, which is a sign that her RA progressed. The medication she now takes works very well, but costs $1600 per month.

She is lucky that her workplace health insurance plan, and the Trillium Fund (aka Ontario Drug Benefit) covers what her workplace insurance won't. Such a medication is not likely to be readily available if you are ever deployed to a remote location overseas for any length of time if your RA should worsen, and you need exactly that medication or something similarly exotic. As a result, your ability to be deployed is going to be limited, and in the combat arms trades, you have to be capable of being deployed everywhere and anywhere on very short notice. Long-term medical issues, regardless of severity, and deployability on short notice are usually not positively correlated, if the management of the medical condition in question requires prescription drugs.

That said, the final decision on whether you are able to enroll in the CF will ultimately rest in the hands of a medical officer, and will also depend on whether there is any way in which the likelihood of your RA worsening can be predicted. Good luck!

 

[Grizzly_9]

Thanks for the response. Do you think it would be possible for someone like me to enroll in a technician trade? I do understand that a decision like that would be up to a Medical Officer to make but what would be your opinion on that topic. Also, during basic are you allowed certain medications or no? If not I guess I could suck it up and go through the pain which I imagine would not be a good idea as it could worsen the condition of the arthritis. For example, a land weapons tech was one I was looking.

Thanks again.

 

[tree hugger]

Entering the CF, all personnel must be considered "deployable".

 

[medicineman]

Thanks for the response. Do you think it would be possible for someone like me to enroll in a technician trade? I do understand that a decision like that would be up to a Medical Officer to make but what would be your opinion on that topic. Also, during basic are you allowed certain medications or no? If not I guess I could suck it up and go through the pain which I imagine would not be a good idea as it could worsen the condition of the arthritis. For example, a land weapons tech was one I was looking.

Thanks again.

Land weapons techs go where the weapons go and with the people using them...

MM