wx111

It looks like I will not make it through the MEPS because I have a history of a food allergy. I haven't had a reaction in years, and it is not life threatening, but it is on my medical report that wheezing was a symptom when I did have them.

I know there is a box to check on the medical form about history of being rejected from the military due to medical reasons. Will checking yes hinder me from getting my 1st Class medical?

I haven't sent in my MEPS paperwork yet, but my recruiter said there is basically no chance I will pass.

lbfowlerjrmd

it would be reviewed by the FAA and i am sure they would request consultations and tests. Food allergy and asthma by themselves can be ok.

USMCFLYR

If you haven't been tested in a long time for the allergies, then get tested again and then reapply.

USMCFLYR

lbfowlerjrmd

imho i would apply (have your AME to defer to FAA) and do that which and only that contained the letter from them.

ChuckECheese

Pull your stuff from the MEPS station so it will not be looked at, get re-tested, then re-apply after finding out the results. I had real bad allergies (trees, grass, pollens, insect stings, etc) when I was a kid. I took shots for 10 years (7-17), retested at 19 years old and just retired from a 24 year career in the AF. The docs said that I either out grew the allergies or the shots cured me. If you get retested and the allergy isn't there, don't mention it on your app. Military medical folks are there to weed you out, not to help you. Don't give them anything the questions don't ask for. However, always keep your integrity in tact. That's my best advice.

wx111

I got tested last week and should get a phone call with the results tomorrow. I am thinking that I outgrew it and that it will never be a problem again. I am just scared to mark "No" on the military app since it asks if you have ever had the symptom of wheezing. Even though it's only happened a few times and probably won't again, withholding that may be grounds for a dishonorable discharge, according to my recruiter, if they were to somehow find out down the road. I got offered a phenomenal pilot slot...absolute dream job...but I am scared the risk of withholding my history might not be worth the reward. The repercussions of a DD are a bit daunting.

rickair7777

I always advocate honesty with the FAA...they put people in jail.

But with the military it's a totally different story. I would not worry about something that's not an issue today and they have no way of finding out. The FAA might go research your medical history if there is an accident...but the military has never investigated anyone's pre-military medical history that that I know of.

Basically they just want you to be able to do the job.

ChuckECheese

I was a military instructor pilot for 9 years and I can promise you, they are asking that question because they want to know if you have asthma. I was on a trip once passing through Germany on a layover heading down range. I slept with my billeting room window open that night. Unbeknownst to me, there was a Russian Thistle tree outside and I woke up in the middle of the night wheezing and having a hard time breathing. They rushed me to Landstuhl medical center for a breathing treatment and gave me an inhaler. They never even grounded me. The flight surgeon said, "Oh well, you must be allergic to something by billeting. Don't sleep with your window open." My point is anyone can have a wheezing episode if you breath too much of the wrong thing. They want to make sure you don't have chronic asthma and COPD. The military does not prosecute people or give dishonorable discharges for things like that. You just tell the that you thought they were asking if you have asthma?

wx111

That is reassuring to hear. I absolutely do NOT have asthma or COPD.
The results came back from my appointment to an allergist that I have a "slight allergy" to wheat. I am a little perplexed by that since I eat lots of wheat products every day. I have another appointment with my allergist today to go over the results. My recruiter told me to get him to write something to submit with my MEPS paperwork saying the allergy will not be a hindrance to military training.

The very last Yes/No on the MEPS pre-screen says "Any illnesses, surgery, or hospitalization not listed above". Would an ER visit constitute as hospitalization? I was there for a coupe of hours to get some kind of shot (steroid?) and for them to monitor my breathing afterwards. This happened a few times in high school and twice in college due to the aforementioned food allergy. I am scared that even though my doctor will (hopefully) say it's not a problem anymore (which is truthful...last reaction was 2009 and I now apparently eat daily what my allergist says I have an allergy to), the MEPS doc will want to see my medical records from those hospital visits and see that wheezing was an issue. If the ER visit doesn't count as hospitalization, then there is nowhere to disclose my food allergy and I should be good to go. Thoughts?

I'll be devastated if I am kept from my dream job because of something that seems to be a non-issue now.

USMCFLYR

Unless you were ADMITTED to the hospital - mark no.

I was told at one point I had an allergy to potatoes.
I ate some form of potatoes nearly every day in college.
The Allergist said that some day I might have a reaction to one.
Same for you and wheat I'd imagine.

USMCFLYR