Non-Military Doctors?

[STA21pilot]

I've heard this. Is it true and common?

Due to the power doctors have over physically sensitive jobs in the military (ie. Pilots, Seals, etc.). Do some people go to see doctors outside of the military to keep it out of the Flight Surgeon's hands and maintain Flight Status?

STA21Pilot

 

[beau]

I would aviod Flight docs like the plauge until you get your wings........that being said, dont be stupid and try and hide something you know is a problem from them. If you are worried go and see a doc on your own time (and Money) and if it turns out bad, then go to the flight docs. I might get flamed for this, but that is my opinion, seen alot of people NPQ'ed for alot of werid stuff, that would they had been winged aviators would have been fixed and fight status still good.

If you have any reasonal doubt that something might be wrong, make sure to go in and get it looked at right away!

 

[NukeWife]

The spouses of some people on another message board I frequent have done it, although I've never personally known someone who has.

 

[El Cid]

You are not supposed to, officially you're not even allowed to take a tums without clearing it through medical. The way it works is that medical visits are confidential until it limits you from duty, but if it limits you from duty you NEED to be removed from duty so that you don't hurt yourself or others (run on sentance I know). My general rule of thumb is that if you don't absolutly need to go see a doc, don't. On the other hand if your intestines have pushed through the muscles in your stomach you need to have a doc call it as a hernia and get fixed.

Short and skinny: don't lie/cheat the Navy, they always find out.

 

[VarmintShooter]

I think I'd let my leg fall off before I let them NPQ me. Once I get winged it may be a different story.

Didn't come this far to stop now ...

 

[Flash]

I have had personal experience with this. I have really bad eyes and have worn contacts for years and have always worried about my physical. To make a long story short, when I went to do my yearly flight physical a few years ago I had trouble with the eye exam and the eye doc told me very bluntly that I might have permanent eye damage from the contacts. The bum had horrible bedside manner and did not explain why he thought that my eyes might be screwed up. I was pretty upset and talked to an eye doc that I knew from back home who had always been pretty good to me and prescribed me the contacts inthe first place. He referred me to a doc down in Seattle, who told me that all I had was a mild reaction to the solution I was using and just changed my solution. He said that it was a pretty basic diagnosis and could see no reason why someone would think I had permanant eye damage. All this took about a week, 2 weeks before Iwas suppose to go on deployment. When I finally got everything cleared up, the skipper called me in and told me he had a civilian eye doc check him out every year before his flight physical. Sincew then I have had regular checkups with civilian eye docs.

Moral of the story, going to a civilian doc helped me out but it was something that had no effect on my body (ie. medicines or surgery). I would be very careful to go to a civilian doc.

 

[El Cid]

Moral of the story, going to a civilian doc helped me out but it was something that had no effect on my body (ie. medicines or surgery). I would be very careful to go to a civilian doc.

Yeah, that's a much better way of getting the point across. If you need stuff "done" or "put into you" stay Navy. If you want to check yourself out ahead of time go and see an Indian shaman if it can help you out. I think Flash hit this nail right on the head.

 

[skidkid]

For anyone who doesnt have wings I would say avoid them to an extent once you are safely in a squadron if you are no kidding sick go see them. The only thing I had while in primary was strept throat and the doc gave me anti biotics that still allowed me to fly. Once in the Fleet it depends on your Doc our current one is great always ready with a motrin before or after the PFT and seems very knowledgable on all medical issues if you are sick you go say "hey Doc I feel like sh!t and need a couple of days" and he gives youa med down chit. or "Hey doc I have the sniffles can I get somethnig and stay med up?" and he does waht he can and lets you still fly (unless you are a hamfist and he knows who they are because he sits in the stanboard)