Should I be pursuing a medboard for being underweight after finishing my chemotherapy? What are my options at this point?

2021-07-23T18:08:15-04:00

Good Afternoon,

My current situation is I have just underwent surgery (DEC 2020) and Chemotherapy following up after that. (Finished in may 2021). I am happy to report I am 100% cancer free now, however my condition is not in a great place. The chemotherapy left me at a weight of about 125 now and I get fatigued pretty easily as well as having pretty common digestive issues. I returned to duty JUN 4 (my commander put in a request for me to attend an SRU unit post treatment but it was denied) and have been placed in an administrative role due to my profile. However I have been to see the dietician and my Primary Care and putting my weight back on seems to be a hard path that may not be possible, at least not in a timely manner. My MOS requires pretty heavy lifting and besides that fact I am well below my height and weight standard as my minimum weight is 152 lbs for my height. I am curious if I should be pursuing a medboard, or what my options are at this point. I am not sure how long I will be protected from a height and weight and don’t want to be flagged for the body composition program for my weight loss due to my treatment. I have utilized a couple of physical therapy programs and am utilizing my dietician’s diet plan but it does not seem to be making any headwind in getting my back up to operational strength and weight. Any insight would be helpful.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Jul 23 at 2021 6:24 PM

2021-07-23T18:24:30-04:00

The AF (at least) stopped punishing people for underweight. First find out how long you will have an active waiver in the system for recovery. There are some folks on RP who can probably give you some advice and suggestions on who to speak with.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Jul 23 at 2021 6:26 PM

2021-07-23T18:26:28-04:00

OK there are a few things here....

First, congraulations on making it over the hump and gaining your "cancer-free" status. I know it is a rough ride, so congrats on making it through.

Next, you don't "pursue a medboard," your doctor recommends one (or doesn't) based on your profile and prognosis. Generally speaking, a P3 profile automatically triggers a medboard. If you are not on a PERMENENT profile, and only on a temporary one, then no med board should be forthcoming. Should.

Next, you should not have to worry about being flagged for body comp, either. Even if you are below weight, as far as I know, there is no flag for that. Even if there were, ABCP allows for medical exemptions, which you would obviously qualify for.

Next, getting back into "fighting shape." Follow your physical therapy (PT). I strongly recommend you be aggressive with your program, and push yourself. BUT.... Do so with the approval and advice of PT. If you feel like the exercises are too easy, tell your PT and ask for an increase in reps, weight, or type. For my broken collarbone, I had to ask to be allowed to do wall push-ups, which they eventually agreed to. As soon as they approved wall push-ups, I started asking about steepening the incline to work up to doing regular push-ups, which they approved within tolerance and the admonition that I had to stop at the first HINT of pain. Which is what I did - As soon as it even BEGAN to hurt (not soreness, pain), I stopped. And I reported progress back every session. If you have that open and honest dialogue with your PT folks, you can get yourself back to fighting shape as quickly as is SAFELY possible. But don't think you know better than them - even if it doesn't physically hurt to do something there may be a very good reason they don't want you doing it.

Finally, the assignment of admin duties. Do not beat yourself up about this. It happens. And SOMEONE has to do those duties. You doing those duties frees up an able-bodied Soldier to go do other stuff. You are doing what the Army (and your unit) needs you to do right now. Walk into your job with your head held high, and tell yourself that no matter what your assignment is, you are going to do it to the very best of your ability. There is absolutely no shame in doing your assigned tasks to the highest possible level of execution, no matter what tasks you are assigned. Remember, when we signed up, we signed up to do what we were told, not to do what we wanted. Sometimes those coincide. Sometimes, they don't.

As for the overall question, my *guess* is that you are looking at a med board, but the person who can BEST answer that is your provider. You really need to have a long, honest conversation about where you are at and the way ahead, whatever that may be.

Another likely scenario is a MAR2 (MOS retention board). If your provider thinks you can continue to serve, but not in your current MOS, you can be sent to a MAR2, and if they agree, you will reclass to another MOS with less strenuous physical requirements.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 23 at 2021 6:30 PM

2021-07-23T18:30:45-04:00

Chemotherapy is no joke. Recovery from chemo is no picnic, either. It is going to take some time for your body to start bouncing back.

As for the Med Board, that will be up to your PCP. If that is an option you want to consider, then have a chat with your doctor.

If your MOS requires certain physical requirements that you can't face due to your physical condition, talk with your Retention and PCP to see if it will be possible to qualify for a medically dictated reclass. I mean, it won't hurt to ask.

Also, I would speak with your PCP and Hematologist/Oncologist that administered the chemo as to how long you will be in this condition before you will be physically meeting standards.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jul 23 at 2021 7:35 PM

2021-07-23T19:35:53-04:00

1. You have nothing to do with an MEB.. The Medical people must bring that recommendation to your command chain. You can't request, ask nor plead for one. It will take a long time but evidently they are willing to work with you, so push on.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jul 23 at 2021 9:56 PM

2021-07-23T21:56:41-04:00

You need to talk to your PCM about all this and see what they recommend.

I would say if this was me and I couldn't make any headway getting back to where I was before cancer or chemo, I'd ask my PCM about being medboarded. At the end of the day, your health is what's most important. But I"d give it at least six months doing the PT and diet. You just finished chemo in May. It's only been 2 months. Chemo, only from what I've heard and most recently my grandma has had to had chemo for cervical cancer, it's a bitch. You should be able to take some time to work a program. Your command should be aware and I would hope they wouldn't attempt to flag you for ABCP for underweight when you just finished chemo 2 months ago.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jul 26 at 2021 12:02 AM

2021-07-26T00:02:55-04:00

Going on a medboard isn't up to you. It is a medical decision made by your Doctor when someone isn't able to continue serving due to injury, illness, etc.

Continue working with your Care Team and work through it. Height/Weight screens are mainly used to weed out those who can't PT or fit into their uniforms. As long as you can physically do the job and pass your fitness tests they will help work with you moving towards your weight goals. The only way you would be pushed to a medboard would be if you were formally on limited duty or on a permanent profile. That's the stuff that flags you. If you are getting better and making improvements they will work with you.