Asthma

[JAG3]

Sorry!Sorry!Im sure your sick of the question i am about to ask-Asthma-but i have been looking through the search engines on the website about it but i think every query is unique.

Didnt post it in the medical section because i thought there would be more raf understanding in this forum.
I was told i had asthma at 8years old (17now)but after that i never had much of the symptons and NEVER had an asthma attack, just really used the blue inhaler if i had a cold-didnt even think it helped!
When i started getting interested in the raf as a navigator i found that you cant get in if you had asthma so i went to a respiratory specialist in my local hospital who diagnosed me WITHOUT IT and he jokingly said 'you'll be a togun yet.'When i found out that i still have a slim chance of getting in i rang my local GP and asked him if he could delete it from his computer but he said that he could do that but because it is written down he cant. But then said like the specialist that i would be fine for the raf.
I regularly play sports and have also been up flying on the cessna without experiencing any complications at all.
Do you think i have a case and and some probability of being accepted or do you think i will be immeadiately binned.
Thank You if you could help and sorry about the question your all sick of hearing.:ugh:

[LAI]

If a specialist says you don't have it, then that should be good enough for the RAF.
I believe that GPs went through a "fad" of diagnosing kids with asthma for all sorts of things a few years ago, so it shouldn't be a problem!

Good luck :ok:

[JAG3]

If a specialist says you don't have it, then that should be good enough for the RAF.
I believe that GPs went through a "fad" of diagnosing kids with asthma for all sorts of things a few years ago, so it shouldn't be a problem!

Good luck :ok:
Thanks for your optimism but the fact that i had it means in terms of raf careers that i cant apply for aircrew.
But i have found some cases where the guy with asthma has got through but that was going to their and for him saying that he made a mistake-but does the fact that he gave me the blue inhaler mean he cant rejudge this and also its written in my records.

[threepointonefour]

Thanks for your optimism but the fact that i had it means in terms of raf careers that i cant apply for aircrew.
But i have found some cases where the guy with asthma has got through but that was going to their and for him saying that he made a mistake-but does the fact that he gave me the blue inhaler mean he cant rejudge this and also its written in my records.

I don't think you should give up just yet. There's a Group Captain doc at Peterborough Hospital (can't remember his name, Trevor 'something' - sorry) who specialises in asthma in aviation and I believe he even flies himself. It seems there's to be a change re the 'rules' for athsma, and what counts regarding childhood (mis)diagnosis. It might be worth seeking a private appt if RAF aircrew life is your goal.

[teeteringhead]

JAG3

check PMs for details of the Peterborough Doc......:ok:

[oldbeefer]

Things do change. It's not that long ago that you wouldn't be accepted for flyig training if you wore spectacles, now most students seem to wear them!

[JAG3]

Thanks Guys
Just one more thing,does the raf accept a mild heart murmur its just the careers website says you cant join with a heart disease but im not sure if you call a mild heart murmur a disease
I sound like an invalid but both of these were when i was young

[A2QFI]

I would have thought that this would be a major problem. Aircrew have annual ECGs and it doesn't take much of a 'blip' to get the medical branch VERY interested in your case

[JAG3]

I think it was just a minor childs one which i still had about 2 years ago when i saw the doctor, the doctor said it was very mild and that the raf would be fine but i didnt ask if aircrew was fine.

[STANDTO]

the heart murmur is an intersting one. until he was lost in a tragic accident, the RAF had a heart transplant pilot on jags (I knw it wasn't quite that simple)

However, my little lad has what is called bicuspid atresia. it is basically a condition where there are 2 rather than 3 cusps on the main valve, which causes a bit of backflow. They didn't pick it up till he was 3, the specialist describes it as 'trivial' and when I consulted my quack when I was filling in his med. clearance for air cadets, he said 'there is no limit to what he can do'

- bet there will be if he ever applies to be a typhoon jockey!

Another mate who is an athlete and regularly goes to 200bpm has just been diagnosed with one.

If it were me, I'd be doing as much research as I could, perhaps seeking out a specialist and be prepared to counter all the arguments. thing is they can afford to be very choosy these days

[akula]

JAG,

Whats next? Do you have both eyes, arms, legs? How is your spleen? What about epilepsy (I think you are fine if the last episode was over a month ago).:} :}



ALWAYS assume NEVER check

[JAG3]

Just been checking throught the search engines and found on this website actually that you can still fly if the raf checks and allows you to carryon in terms of the murmur.:)

[TurbineTooHot]

Hello matey, hope some of the replys havven't put you off.

I too had the dreaded blue inhaler as a young'un, an over zealous doc mis-diagnosing asthma.

Though nought of it when applying and got a fair way through selection when it was flagged up. Never thought to mention it as it hadn't featured for nearly 12 years.

Had a bit of a go a the PMB and was sent to Peterborough for tests which came back as perfectly heathly.

Seven years later I am just at the end of AFJT at Valley.

If these test prove you are heathly, there should not be any issue, and the previous diagnoses should be discarded.

Keep trying fella, the service likes determination!!

TTH

[JAG3]

THANK YOU
you really dont know how much that means to me, but ive still got a hell of a way to go

[Monty77]

Jag

When I was 16, I applied (Test in Advance, for anyone over 40) and owned up to hay fever when I was 11. This made me 'temporarily unfit for aircrew'. Next time around, I was 23 and had 'forgotten' about it. I later found out that this condition is known as 'aircrew summer cold'.

I subsequently joined and had a great time for 18 years. True, I hadn't suffered the conditions since I was 12. If your condition is serious, don't waste their time. If they don't spot it in the medical, crack on.

I know for a fact that when I joined, a certain colleague's eyesight had deteriorated to an amazing degree within 12 months. In other words, there's some bloke working in the city today with 20/20 vision who can't understand why he's not flying a fast jet. Simple. They mixed up the records. Chap with bottle top specs ended up as a helicopter pilot. Top fella though.

After all, Doug Bader didn't have any legs. New Labour have less shame.

Don't start me.

Finally, lots of pilots have been grounded due to a dodgy ECG (electronic heart measuring thing). Yet, heart failure has never been accurately predicted by said thing.

Good Luck

[JAG3]

Monty
Just to add:the records cannot be left out because their written down, but the hospital doctor said it was a minor and a life in the raf would be fine

[akula]

Was only joshing you JAG,

I had the asthma mis-diagnosis from my childhood and went through the process that turbine has stated, all found fine and now flying for a living.

Good Luck to you:ok: :ok:

[Monty77]

Fair enough. If the RAF doc says not fit aircrew, get a second opinion from a consultant and go back in hot asking for a review based on the second opinion. Be polite about it, tell them you're not trying to waste anybody's time but you are determined to explore every avenue to realise your aim. It shows vim and er, determination to realise your aim.

[Roland Pulfrew]

JAG

I don't want to throw water on your fire but you need to accept a few bits of reality here. The RAF are very unlikely to accept anyone for aircrew who has been diagnosed with asthma, even if it was a mis-diagnosis, you can ask but DO NOT be surprised if you are rejected for this.

WRT to the heart murmur the same thing applies, you might be able to continue flying if you are diagnosed or develop one once trained, but getting in from scratch is unlikely to happen.

Finally old beefer is wrong about glasses as well. You will not be accepted for pilot (at present) if you wear glasses or contact lenses. Again if you start to need them once trained you will be allowed to continue to fly but you will not get in from scratch (something to do with all pilots being assumed to be going to Typhoon where the current requirements are, IIRC, 20/20)

Good luck in whatever you do choose to do.

[JAG3]

Sorry to bring this up again but i am kind of a dilemma again about this asthma thing. I was talking to two navy pilots a week back and asked if i can get in the navy as aircrew-one said he doesnt know and the other says you can as long as you dont have it now, i then rang up my afco who says they didnt know for navy aircrew but just said as long as havent had it in the last 4 years. Im in dilemma because another student forum said i am permanantly unfit for aircrew in any of the services-confused!

[ratty1]

Why dont you just go along to the relevant Careers office and ask.

[Starkiller]

From fairly recent experience, the RAF have so many applicants that even the hint of Asthma is sesitive. I had a record of a "chesty cough" at the age of 3 and again at 6 (note: no mention of asthma).

The RAF doctors cleared me to fly UAS for 3 years till a new President was appointed to the medical board who then changed this decision (after I was accepted and passed pre-IOT medicals) - on appeal I was given another "special" medical at the Peterbro' Hospital.

This special medical showed NO ABNORMALITIES and the Grp Cap who did the testing declared me fit and told the Wing Co at OASC to just make a decision.

So the Wing Co stuck with his original decision and that was that. So even with no history of asthma, and medical tests (carried out by service personel) to prove this was the case - the very hint of a "chesty cough" is enough to prevent entry to the RAF as aircrew in any capacity.

Whats worse is he then had the cheek to phone me and request I join in ANY OTHER branch of my choosing - so long as it was not in the air!

Still every case is different I have heard of much worse ailments of a similar nature being allowed through - I await someone in the same situation to tell me they got the decision overturned!

[JAG3]

I think the more medical opinions you get the better because i presently have the specialist backing who said that i dont have asthma now and life in raf aircew is still a possibilty. The more you try the more it will be noticed. Every case is different.I think i will write a letter to the P'boro doctor to explain mt situation. ANY advice and dos and donts about doing that?

[ratty1]

I think i will write a letter to the P'boro doctor to explain mt situation. ANY advice and dos and donts about doing that?
Yes use the speel chocker.........................:)