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The Doctor is in! Ask a Flight Surgeon!

FormerRecruitingGuru

Making Recruiting Great Again
I leave for OCS in 2020. Just had a regularly scheduled physical done and mentioned some regular heartburn I have been having (spicier than normal diet on a visit to Texas). Doctor ordered an endoscopy just to rule out GERD or anything like that. Do I have to mention this to my recruiter if it comes back negative?

If it’s negative - no.
 

Millitrix

New Member
Hello! Is there a flight surgeon or anyone I can private message with some personal past medical issues I'm worrying about or do I just write it out on this thread? Just don't wanna clog anything up with my personal nonsense, haha.

Thank you!
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
There are flight docs that watch this thread. If one doesn’t chime in within the next few days, let me know and I’ll PM them.
 

HereIgo

New Member
Since being accepted to go to OCS, my doctor found two small stomach ulcers. The gastroenterologist said they are nothing to worry about, caused by some medicine (ibuprofen mainly), and will heal within the month. No other issues were found.

He is a former navy doc and said I shouldn’t even worry about mentioning it, as they are uncomplicated and there is no indication it will be reoccurring.

What do you all think? I would hate to be derailed this close as I leave for OCS sometime next year, but no official date yet.
 

ForTheBoys

Member
pilot
Hey Doc!

I recently found that I have a shellfish allergy (after not having one all my life). I've obviously been tight-lipped about it and no one knows. I've just been avoiding shellfish. Is this an automatic disqualifier for my future aviation career? Or would there be a waiver process if I brought it up? I'm a winged aviator about 6 months into my fleet tour.

Thanks!
 

TimeBomb

Noise, vibration and harshness
Afternoon.

Sorry for the delay. I've been out of town.

What sort of symptoms do you get when you eat shellfish?

We rarely saw food allergies, since they are disqualifying for accession. The biggest factor in your favor is that you're winged. It is way easier to get a waiver when you have wings. You probably need to tread carefullygoing forward, simply because i don't think there's a good data set on food allergies.

V/R
 

ForTheBoys

Member
pilot
Afternoon.

Sorry for the delay. I've been out of town.

What sort of symptoms do you get when you eat shellfish?

We rarely saw food allergies, since they are disqualifying for accession. The biggest factor in your favor is that you're winged. It is way easier to get a waiver when you have wings. You probably need to tread carefullygoing forward, simply because i don't think there's a good data set on food allergies.

V/R

No problem! Thanks for the response. Symptoms primarily are I break out in hives, pretty badly too. I went to the ER when I found out after my shrimp pasta dinner with a side of crab cakes lol. They gave me an antihistamine IV and within 30 minutes it was gone. As soon as I noticed, I drove myself to the ER. My throat felt a little scratchy too but I don’t know if that was my airway closing to any degree.
Hypothetically (if you have the patience), if I bring it up and go to an allergy test and it shows the same, how does the waiver process work? Is there a chance my navy flying days are over and I can walk across the street to an airline and start enjoying going to work? Just kidding (seriously). I’m just gauging how serious of an issue I have on my hands and how carefully I’d have to tread. Thanks, Doc.
 

ndraper728

Well-Known Member
Hey there! I’ve recently been selected for navy OCS with SNA designator. I was diagnosed with ADD years (15yearsago) and I quit taking my medicine in 2014 bc I realized it was a bull shit diagnosis. I was cleared at MEPS and never had to have a waiver. I’m worried that I will be dqed at OCS by the NAMI whammie. I’ve had a psych evaluation stating that I was miss diagnosed and have my prescription history stating I haven’t gotten the meds in about 6 years. Do you think I will be alright? I also have stellar transcripts and a letter from my schools stating I had no need for an IEP.
 

FinkUFreaky

Well-Known Member
pilot
Hey there! I’ve recently been selected for navy OCS with SNA designator. I was diagnosed with ADD years (15yearsago) and I quit taking my medicine in 2014 bc I realized it was a bull shit diagnosis. I was cleared at MEPS and never had to have a waiver. I’m worried that I will be dqed at OCS by the NAMI whammie. I’ve had a psych evaluation stating that I was miss diagnosed and have my prescription history stating I haven’t gotten the meds in about 6 years. Do you think I will be alright? I also have stellar transcripts and a letter from my schools stating I had no need for an IEP.
google the NAMI waiver guide. Does your OR know about your previous diagnosis? Not at all suggesting you hide it; but if they know and you went through MEPS you should be fine. They do have a quite in-depth waiver process for it, like everything else. I've spent some time in the guide for multiple things, twice for myself, and once for a friend. Had too much spare time to go through all the future whatifs (8 months med down). That said if what I remember is correct you shouldn't have problems. It said something along the lines of as long as you weren't medicated during college, and didn't need special accommodations, you are fine with a letter from them. My OR told me I was DQd as soon as I honestly answered the "Have you ever had asthma" question. Childhood asthma. Took some time (and tests) to get that cleared up.
 

ndraper728

Well-Known Member
google the NAMI waiver guide. Does your OR know about your previous diagnosis? Not at all suggesting you hide it; but if they know and you went through MEPS you should be fine. They do have a quite in-depth waiver process for it, like everything else. I've spent some time in the guide for multiple things, twice for myself, and once for a friend. Had too much spare time to go through all the future whatifs (8 months med down). That said if what I remember is correct you shouldn't have problems. It said something along the lines of as long as you weren't medicated during college, and didn't need special accommodations, you are fine with a letter from them. My OR told me I was DQd as soon as I honestly answered the "Have you ever had asthma" question. Childhood asthma. Took some time (and tests) to get that cleared up.
Oh yeah he knows about it! I’ve looked at the waiver guide and from what I can tell I’m eligible for a waiver! I’m just terrified bc I’ve seen some horror stories on here. However in my case, I have a recent re-evaluation from a psychologist as well as prescription history, and transcripts ready to go. When I went to MEPS there was no waiver needed. The doc just looked and was like “that’s not an issue” and signed me off. I’m just worried NAMI won’t take the time with it.
 

Jj299

New Member
Hi, I am currently a 25 year old hopeful SNA candidate and wondering about how the navy deals with my situation.

So when I was 12 my pediatrician signed a prescription for advair because I had symptoms of asthma and was also given a prescription for an inhaler when I was 15, but my pediatrician soon realized when I was 16 that I just had allergies to ragweed, grass, pollen, and pet dander.

Looking at my medical record I don't see any hard diagnosis that I had asthma but the record of advair/inhaler prescription + allergies worries me that either MEPS or NAMI might DQ me. I currently have no symptoms of asthma and allergies as well, so my question is:

  1. How should I prepare myself in preparing for MEPS/flight physical? ( I read bunch of advice, both internet and OR, on this where I should get a waiver and hope for the best - MEPS is usually lenient but NAMI isn't or some have said that if I don't show physical symptoms of asthma during the checkup/OCS they usually don't dig deep and that you shouldn't admit that you had past problems.
  2. How does MEPS/NAMI look at medical records? Do I have to personally collect my medical records and hand it to them or do I list my primary physicians and they fax it to the navy upon request?


Thank you.
 

FinkUFreaky

Well-Known Member
pilot
Childhood asthma myself as mentioned earlier. I had no records whatsoever of the diagnosis nor proof that it was decided I no longer had it. Honestly if you have it you probably couldn't get through OCS anyways. I did a pulmonary function test (PFT) before submitting to the board with above average results, and they had me do another one at OCS. Don't think it was even mentioned during the NAMI process in Pensacola; I had already gotten a waiver at some point in OCS or they wouldn't have designated me.
 

JJN

New Member
Childhood asthma myself as mentioned earlier. I had no records whatsoever of the diagnosis nor proof that it was decided I no longer had it. Honestly if you have it you probably couldn't get through OCS anyways. I did a pulmonary function test (PFT) before submitting to the board with above average results, and they had me do another one at OCS. Don't think it was even mentioned during the NAMI process in Pensacola; I had already gotten a waiver at some point in OCS or they wouldn't have designated me.

Hi thanks for the reply! I was reading the waiver regarding asthma/inhaler/advair usage and it said you can get it waived as long as you pass the PFT and MCT. For your case did they give you a NAMI waiver for just doing the PFT? Also, did you do this before, during, or after MEPS?
 

FinkUFreaky

Well-Known Member
pilot
Hi thanks for the reply! I was reading the waiver regarding asthma/inhaler/advair usage and it said you can get it waived as long as you pass the PFT and MCT. For your case did they give you a NAMI waiver for just doing the PFT? Also, did you do this before, during, or after MEPS?
I wish I could remember, it's been over a decade. Pretty sure I did it before MEPS; it definitely was separate though. Had to pay for it myself (100something?). MEPS is moreso just go from station to station, didn't seem very individualized in nature. Also both were done in conjunction if by MCT you mean methacholine (sp?) challenge. Did it during app to try to prove I was good; they tested me again at OCS. Not exactly sure when/how the NAMI waiver got approved but based on what I know now I'd assume it wasn't fully aproved until the test at OCS.
 
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