RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
             AIR FORCE BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS

IN THE MATTER OF:      DOCKET NUMBER:  BC-2007-00315
            INDEX CODE:  108.00
            COUNSEL:  NONE

            HEARING DESIRED:  YES

MANDATORY COMPLETION DATE:  5 JULY 2008

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT REQUESTS THAT:

Her records be corrected to reflect a change in her diagnosis of  Somatoform
Disorder to Fibromyalgia and her discharge be changed to Medically Retired.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT CONTENDS THAT:

She went to sick call quite often in the military with unexplained  physical
symptoms that the doctors could not understand.  The only diagnosis at  that
time – since fibromyalgia was not prevalent – was to say it was "all in  her
head."  She was diagnosed with  Somatiform  [sic]  Disorder  and  discharged
from military service.  Since her discharge, she  is  still  suffering  with
the same symptoms.  In  June  2003,  a  rheumatologist  diagnosed  her  with
Fibromyalgia.

In  support  of  the  application,  the  applicant  submits   her   personal
statement, a letter from the DVA Rheumatology Department, excerpts from  her
medical records, and information on Fibromyaglia.

The applicant's complete submission, with attachments, is at Exhibit A.

_________________________________________________________________

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

The applicant was hospitalized during Basic Military Training  for  myalgias
and arthralgias following strenuous exercise.  She was discharged  from  the
hospital but  leg  pain  persisted.   She  was  treated  for  shin  splints.
Shortly after arriving to her first  duty  station,  she  presented  to  the
clinic following a fainting spell.  Between Nov 88 and Mar 90, she was  seen
in the clinic 52 times for chronic  abdominal  pain  (believed  possibly  to
represent irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)), with 17 visits for  pelvic  pain,
17 visits for sinus problems, 12 visits for muscle spasm  and  8 visits  for
headaches.  She was also seen 20 times in the emergency department.  In  Aug
89, she  was  referred  to  a  psychologist  who  performed  interviews  and
psychological testing.  His impression was that she had somatoform  disorder
and borderline personality disorder.  She was evaluated  by  a  psychiatrist
in Dec 89 who came to the same conclusion.  On 29 Mar 90, while preparing  a
narrative summary for a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB),  the  physician  had
an opportunity to review her dependent outpatient records prior  to  service
and noted that she had several prior visits for abdominal pain.

The applicant met a MEB on 30 Mar 90, for diagnosis of the  abdominal  pain,
recurrent, possible  IBS.   The  MEB  referred  her  case  to  the  Informal
Physical Evaluation Board (IPEB).  On 21 Apr 90, the  IPEB  recommended  the
applicant be discharged with severance pay with a disability  rating  of  10
percent based on the diagnosis of somatoform pain disorder with mild  social
and industrial impairment.  The applicant accepted the findings of the  IPEB
on 7 May 90.

On 18 Jun 90, the applicant was honorably discharged in the grade of  airman
first class.  She had served 1 year, 11 months and 20 days  on  active  duty
service.

One year after her discharge, the applicant was hospitalized from 11 Sep  91
to 10 Oct 91 for somatoform disorder.  In the DVA  ratings  decision  of  13
May 91 she was  awarded  a  10  percent  disability  rating  for  somatoform
disorder.  On 23 May 94, she was awarded  a  30  percent  disability  rating
psycho  physiological  gastrointestinal   reaction   with   IBS,   prolonged
peristaltic  contraction,   duration/nutcracker   esophagus,   hepatomegaly,
hypertensive lower esophagus sphincter, chest pains and peptic disease.   On
19 Aug 04, she was awarded 50 percent disability  rating  from  the  VA  for
anxiety disorder with psycho physiologic reaction (increased  from  previous
rating of 30  percent),  30  percent  for  nutcracker  esophagus  with  GERD
(gastroesophageal reflux disease), Peptic  Ulcer  Disease  (PUD)  and  chest
pain related to esophageal periostomal contraction  and  hypertensive  lower
esophageal sphincter, and 10 percent for IBS with  recurrent  anal  fissure.
The diagnosis of fibromyalgia was not mentioned  in  any  of  the  available
records until 2006.

The remaining relevant facts pertaining to this application, extracted  from
the applicant’s military records, are contained in the  letter  prepared  by
the appropriate office of the Air Force at Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

The BCMR Medical Consultant opines no change in the applicant's  records  is
warranted.

The BCMR Medical Consultant states the diagnosis of  fibromyalgia  often  is
made when physicians have exhausted all other possibilities.   Although  the
condition was recognized to physicians prior to 1990, the  American  College
of Rheumatology came out with  a  specific  diagnosis  guideline  before  an
individual could properly be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  The two  specific
criteria are:

      1)  a history of widespread pain has been present for at  least  three
months – it has to be on both sides of the body  and  above  and  below  the
waist.  In addition, axial skeletal pain (cervical  spine,  anterior  chest,
thoracic spine or low back pain) must be present.

      2)  pain in 11 of 18 tender point sites  on  digital  palpation  –  18
specific joint locations are specified in the  criteria  –  to  confirm  the
diagnosis of fibromyalgia; 11  must  be  tender  to  a  specific  amount  of
pressure.

The BCMR Medical Consultant notes the applicant's  abdominal  pain  was  the
predominant presenting complaint of  her  disabling  condition.   Joint  and
muscle pains were uncommon among her complaints while  on  active  duty  and
thus, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia using the  above  criteria  would  not  be
achievable at the  time  of  discharge.   He  opines  she  likely  did  have
somatoform disorder at the time prior to discharge.   The  applicant  has  a
history of abdominal pain that predicates her  entry  into  the  Air  Force;
therefore, her painful condition may have existed prior to service.

The complete BCMR Medical Consultant evaluation,  with  attachments,  is  at
Exhibit C.

_________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT'S REVIEW OF AIR FORCE EVALUATION:

In her response dated 30 Aug  07,  the  applicant  states  there  were  many
physical symptoms she complained about in the military and she went  to  the
Emergency Room many times.  She reiterates her contention that her  symptoms
were those of fibromyalgia.

The applicant's complete response is at Exhibit E.

_________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD CONCLUDES THAT:

1.  The applicant has exhausted all remedies provided  by  existing  law  or
regulations.

2.  The application was not timely filed; however, it is in the interest  of
justice to excuse the failure to timely file.

3.  Insufficient relevant evidence has been  presented  to  demonstrate  the
existence of an error or injustice.  The applicant’s  contentions  are  duly
noted; however, in our  opinion,  the  detailed  comments  provided  by  the
AFBCMR Medical Consultant adequately address these allegations.   Therefore,
we are in complete agreement with the comments  and  recommendation  of  the
AFBCMR Medical Consultant and adopt his  rationale  as  the  basis  for  our
decision that the applicant has not been the victim of either  an  error  or
injustice; therefore, we find no compelling basis to recommend granting  the
relief sought.

4.  The applicant's case is adequately documented and it has not been  shown
that a personal appearance with or without counsel will  materially  add  to
our understanding of the issues involved.   Therefore,  the  request  for  a
hearing is not favorably considered.

___________________________________________________________________

THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT:

The applicant be notified that the evidence presented  did  not  demonstrate
the existence of probable material error or injustice; that the  application
was denied without a personal appearance;  and  that  the  application  will
only be reconsidered  upon  the  submission  of  newly  discovered  relevant
evidence not considered with this application.
________________________________________________________________

The following members of the Board considered this application in  Executive
Session on 4 October 2007, under the provisions of AFI 36-2603:

                 Mr. Laurence M. Groner, Chair
                 Ms. Josephine L. Davis, Member
                 Ms. Mary C. Puckett, Member

The following documentary evidence was considered in connection with  AFBCMR
Docket Number BC-2007-00315:

      Exhibit A.  DD Form 149, dated 26 Jan 07, w/atchs.
      Exhibit B.  Applicant's Master Personnel Records.
      Exhibit C.  Letter, BCMR Med Consultant, dated 16 Aug 07.
      Exhibit D.  Letter, SAF/MRBR, dated 17 Aug 07.
      Exhibit E.  Letter, Applicant, dated 30 Aug 07 w/atchs.




                                   LAURENCE R. GRONER
                                   Panel Chair