Asthma waivers

[dnt0711]

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Has anyone received a waiver for asthma in recent years? Some stuff I find says waivers are really hard to get, others say they got one. I plan on doing my MEPS in San Antonio, so they'll know I"m with AMEDD, will that have any bearing on it? Is there anything I can do (aside from lying) to increase the likelihood of the waiver?

The worst part about it is that I don't even have asthma, it just looks like I do on paper. I got an inhaler from the school doctor while I had a bad cold and was playing hockey in high school. Then I went back to my primary physicain and asked for a refill, did a bad job of telling the story of why I was on it, and somehow got labeled with "exercise induced asthma". Unfortunate circumstances, because the only records I can produce show that I have that condition. Also, I was tested for asthma by the primary physician like a year before that whole ordeal and the results were negative. So that's good.

 

[Kahr]

Has anyone received a waiver for asthma in recent years? Some stuff I find says waivers are really hard to get, others say they got one. I plan on doing my MEPS in San Antonio, so they'll know I"m with AMEDD, will that have any bearing on it? Is there anything I can do (aside from lying) to increase the likelihood of the waiver?

The worst part about it is that I don't even have asthma, it just looks like I do on paper. I got an inhaler from the school doctor while I had a bad cold and was playing hockey in high school. Then I went back to my primary physicain and asked for a refill, did a bad job of telling the story of why I was on it, and somehow got labeled with "exercise induced asthma". Unfortunate circumstances, because the only records I can produce show that I have that condition. Also, I was tested for asthma by the primary physician like a year before that whole ordeal and the results were negative. So that's good.

You are somewhat contradicting yourself, or perhaps I'm not reading what you wrote correctly. You state on paper it looks like you have asthma, however the last thing you say is that last year you were tested by your primary with negative results. So on paper it should say you had an episode of RAD (possibly EIA, which I find suspect given you were also sick) on such and such a date while you also had a cold, but that you don't have anything chronic/persistent as indicated by the most recent testing. I see no reason why you would need a waiver based on what you say.

Did your physician send you to a PFT lab (possibly do methacholine challenge), or simply do a history to assess you? Either way, this is the most important detail you need to include when your medical records are looked over at MEPS. Do not put down on any military medical paperwork that you have asthma, especially given the aforementioned evaluation by your GP. But do not exclude your medical records (this way you are not hiding anything) that mention the episode of RAD (possible EIA). The very worst that could happen is that the military will have you re-evaluated for asthma by their own people, in which case you should be fine based on what you said.

 

[NOLAdentist2016]

My recruiter told me that asthma can be a dealbreaker. Although they do look at it differently for AMEDD people.

 

[dnt0711]

You are somewhat contradicting yourself, or perhaps I'm not reading what you wrote correctly.

Like I said, I originally got the inhaler from the school doctor in the athletic trainer's office in high school. I don't have any records from that. So my story might just look kinda fishy. And I don't quite recall what my PCP's records say--my recruiter has those in his office.

I'm mostly just looking for other people's recent stories about getting waivers for inhaler use. Are they being lenient?

 

[Kahr]

Like I said, I originally got the inhaler from the school doctor in the athletic trainer's office in high school. I don't have any records from that. So my story might just look kinda fishy. And I don't quite recall what my PCP's records say--my recruiter has those in his office.

I'm mostly just looking for other people's recent stories about getting waivers for inhaler use. Are they being lenient?

Well, I hope you don't run into too much trouble. I did some google searching, and there seems to be mixed stuff regarding just inhaler use, which is crazy. I know you'd run into problems with asthma. Anyway, best of luck dealing with the inhaler issue.