Patent Foramen Ovale Question

[Civ]

Hello QP's,

First off, sorry if this is in the wrong thread.

I have recently been trying to enlist into the Army with an 18x contract or at the very least an 11x and drop an SF packet down the line at sometime but I have come across some issues.

First off I'll explain my background real quick and what I have done so far.

I went to MEPs last month around the 27th and everything almost checked out fine until the one-on-one physical with the doctor where he heard a heart murmur. I had no idea I had one so I scheduled a checkup with my primary care physician and got an Echo within the next week. My primary care physician did the results and they basically told me I was healthy and didn't have to worry about it but I should just get another echo in a year just to be safe. Also, these were their findings..

Under the 'Impressions' catgegory, this is what is stated verbatim.

1) The left atrial dimensions are mildly enlarged at 4.6cm.
2) The left ventricle wall thickness is increased, indicating a mildly hypertrophied left ventricle.
3) Overall the left ventricle ejection is normal at 60-65%.
4) The right atrial size is mildly dilated.
5) There is mild mitral valve regurgitation.
6) There is mild tricuspid valve regurgitation.

Then the following week, I had my consult scheduled. I went and did the same process at the consult as I had done for my primary care physician. I had the ECHO and they also gave me an EGK. I then spoke to the Doctor at the end and he basically said the same thing as my primary care physician, I was healthy and I had nothing to worry about basically.

However, yesterday, I received a letter in the mail stating I was permanently disqualified due to Patent Forament Ovale (PFO).

Now my question is, if I underwent the surgery to correct this and get the hole in my heart fixed, assuming everything went well and I was off the medications for it, would I be able to enlist with a med waiver?

I understand that I won't be able to get 18x with a med waiver but I could still get 11x and get my foot in the door and then later try to drop a packet for SFAS. I am just wondering if getting the surgery, waiting 6+ months, and trying again would be a valid option. I am also still waiting to hear back from my recurioter but I would like other inputs as well.

Thank you very much,
Civ

[theis223]

:munchin

[miclo18d]

If you've had an echocardiogram performed and they did not see a PFO, then you don't have one. How do you have a surgery for something that isn't there, unless I missed something in your write up.

That said, you have mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation which equal heart murmurs, these are disqualifying if I'm not mistaken.

Being healthy and being fit for military service are 2 different things.


Soooooo......?

[wook]

Did they do a micro-bubble test to check for a PFO when they did the echo? Is there some missing information from impression category?

[Civ]

I don't have a surgery scheduled, I was just thinking of my options of if having it done would be feasible for enlistment.

The only tests they ran were an EKG and the echocardiagram. The impressions category I typed out was verbatim and nothing else was stated under that category.

Attached is the result of the test including the Impressions category.

I just re-read it and line 12 clearly states there is no evidence of a PFO. Now I am a little confused as to how I was disqualified for something that says there's no evidence of.

Also, this is the results I received when I got just the ECHO performed through my primary care physician, about a week before the consult. I had it done at the consult as well.

Thank you for your time.