Military and Psoriasis

[DocJolivette]

Looking to see who all is out there in the military dealing with p. I've had it for about two years now, but do to its growth and new treatment is seems like my time is up So wanted to hear from other military active/reserve/seperated/retired about your story and how it came to be for you. Take care.

Daniel

[richb74]

Daniel,
I had a bad outbreak one year due to my girlfriends son had strep throat. I was itching real bad. When I went to get a physical the corpsman saw how bad I was and said I could get a medical discharge. I said to him no way I was going to let my psoriasis get the best of me. I went to the Dominican Republic for 3 weeks for a relief mission and with the warm weather and sunlight I cleared up real good and havent had a severe flare since then. My psoriasis is mild and I have found ways to control it. Good luck.

Semper Fi,
Rich

[DocJolivette]

thanks for your story rich! Unfortuntaly I am past getting better as far as the military goes. i started Humera and DOD states that makes you a non-deploy. I'm a corpsman - so yo know what that means, with the marines in Lejeune. But now am being put on limdu and possible medical separation. This from the guy less then a year ago was sailor of the year going through Navy Seal Training. Honestly all my symptoms started after I was on the anthrax and smallpox shots and was hoping maybe others came down with it in a simular fashion. I know this is a far far strech and I prob got it just as anyone else did but wanted to make sure this was not something to be looked into. But Im very happy to hear it has cleared up for up. keep me updated and good luck!

Semper Fi

Doc Jolivette

[heatbreak]

Whoa, you got the smallpox vaccine?! I was told to stay away from it once they heard I had psoriasis.

If you want to remain on active duty, I do believe it is possible to navigate the MEBs/PEBs without being forced out. If the P isn't affecting your ability to do your job, then you somehow have to show them that your medication isn't an obstacle either.

You may have to get off biologics and switch to systemics instead. Yeah, Soriatane isn't as good as Humira, but it's a lot easier to stockpile 4 months of pills instead of autoinjectors that need to be refrigerated for a deployment.

You can also ask the other services (specifically the Army) if they would take you. While the Navy is cutting its endstrength for a 313 ship Navy, the Army is busy trying to increase its endstrength to 547,000. Even if you are nondeployable, the Army has plenty of billets that can be filled by nondeployables to free up others to deploy.

I guess what I'm saying is that there is nothing in the MEB/PEB system that is written in stone. The docs are willing to work with you to keep you in. You might have to be creative in how you do it, though.

I'm now retired and on Enbrel. Getting the Enbrel for free (my Mediplus supplemental picks up the $22 copay) is a nice benefit of retiring. I also got a 60% disability from the VA for P. With the new rules, that means money in my pocket instead of just a tax credit like it used to be for retired guys.

[DocJolivette]

thanks. Yeah, its the humira thats forcing me out, but the pa has gotten to where I cant go without it anymore. But thanks for the Army info, I will be sure to look into that.

[ex-navy]

Well I guess we don't have the duty problems that you guys may have.

I have had ceberria dermitis diagnosed by one military derm.

Then after retiring, I was told by a civie derm it was psoriasis.

I got a second opinion and was told it could even be HIV.

That was scary.

Nizoral cream or shampoo, humidity and sun works well.

The hydrocortisone cream will redden it more after extensive use.

[RichJ]

hi ex-navy,
welcome to the p family. you have meet some of the wonderful people on here and will find alot of great info. welcome and nice to meet you.

try and have a good day all

richard