Asthma
 

This is purely out of curiosity (so please dont write abbusive responses), however if somebody with asthma, who may or may not still have it did not list it on the medical form (military), and hypothetically passed the medical, if discovered what type of punishment would they face?

Half the RAF gets 'Summer Colds' but no one would admit to hayfever!

NEVER admit this as it's a sure fire way of never getting accepted for Aircrew. I should know as I have been turned down twice now just for sneezing for 1 month of the year!. .Silly I know, but I was told later that I should have never admitted to having Hayfever. The current RAF policy is for you to be 4 years clear of symptoms before they will process an application. So.....just steer clear of the Med. Centre for a few years and you should be fine!

Good Luck!!

The type of punishment they would face would depend a lot on where and when they suffered an attack.. .On the ground they would probably get away with a severe shouting at, grounding and possible discharge.. .In the air the penalty could be a short case of death for them, their crew, passengers and any one unlucky enough for the wreckage to come down on them.

It never gives me any problems and i can manage it fine. So is there many who have successfully had acute amnesia when they got to that question on the forms and gotten away with it?

Sure are:

Joined late 1984.. .Diagnosed as mildly asthatic in late 1987; funny old thing I was on the front-line by then!. .Med Cat went from A1G1Z1 to A3G2Z1 unfit high-performance aircraft. Not a problem because I was Group 2.. .Initially had 6-monthly and then annual check-ups with a specialist.. .Eventually (about 8 years) they decided that was a waste of money as the condition was stable. I was/am on 2 puffs of Becotide 100 twice a day and Ventolin as required.

So bottom line is that after the initial panic by the medics it has never been an issue. Even the potential hurdle when it came to promotion and service to age 55 passed by without a problem.

Providing you too have only mild asthma, you may well be able to beat the med screening too!!

Unfortunately for your mate, who may or may not have had asthma, the docs at DOR&S are, I believe, able to get hold of your medical records. And that's that! However, not all respiratory problems are asthma ( just like that summer cold ) and your mate may never have had asthma in the first place. <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Just re asking initial question, to see if any other have valid input/experiences to share.

Interesting!

The news today includes results from a study which shows that asthma incidence in youngsters is increasing at 'an alarming rate'.

Wonder if the DoR&S docs will alter their criteria at all, as they apparently have with the drugs issue. Apparently today's applicants can admit to having tried drugs once and once only, twice and you're an addict!

Best keep shtummm methinks!!

;)

Did you see that program "Parasite's" on the Beeb? Apparently Asthma, hay fever and the like are on the increase due to our over active immune systems. However, if you are deliberately infected with tape worms, it can significantly reduce or eliminate these problems, as your body fights the bug, not itself. Maybe that's your answer - nip off somewhere unsanitary - can I suggest France?:ok:

Be careful fella,

One of the reasons why it is dangerous to hide even a mild case of hayfever type symptoms is that - chaps and chapesses in a sandy environment recently reacted badly due them having taken NAPS tablets (anti nerve agent), as prescribed by MOD Docs. If you are told to use NAPS, you could react badly and if in control of an aircraft? well, er, just be careful what you get yourself into.

If somebody had hypothetically omitted to tick the relevant box on the medical questionaire and had since passed all the aircrew medicals, any advice or words of wisdom for a person in such a situation?

I have known of lots of fully fledged aircrew who suffer from "hay fever" and are given anti-histamines on a regular basis. It appears that the trick is to disguise it until you reach a squadron.

You mean working under the theory that if they dont find out till they've spent X many dollars training you, then it wont worry them?

Fockewulf
I had a mate who was selected and flying for the RNZAF as a Fast Jet jock, despite being diagnosed as having mild asthma when he was a teenager (he had worked part-time in a spray painting business and when he left, funny thing, so did the asthma). The RNZAF were happy to accept that he no longer had asthma. When that she-man of a NZ prime minister disbanded the fast jet fleet a couple of years back he applied for the RAF and having been accepted, received his start date for the IOT short-course. While he was waiting to start, however, the RAF docs did some of their own research and then decreed he was unfit for service due to asthma and refused to have a second opinion.
Even if you do avoid the truth, kippermate is right when he says they'll still be able to get hold of your medical docs.
You may still get around things with the help of a sympathetic doc. The one I saw during selection told me that the odd snuffle I had during summer was most definately not hayfever!

Been there done that.
 

I started getting some minor asthma as a teenager.
Signed up, trained up and then mentioned once I was combat ready that I appeared to have developed asthma.
The RAF couldn't have cared less. I was told I was unfit fast jet but seeing as I was rotary anyway it wasn't really a problem.
I spent years Combat Ready with Asthma (very mild) and knew several others in the same boat.

Bit of case of you will not get in if you have it but if you 'develop' it once in it probably won't be the end of the world.

BTW. Then I left, now flying in Canada and don't get Asthma any more. Must be something to do with breathing healthy air!

If it's of any help;

In Chinese medicine asthma is regarded as a disorder not of the respiratory system, but of the kidneys, and treated accordingly.

Curiously enough, most western allopathic treatments for asthma attempt to mimic the effects of adrenalin in the body.

If allergens can be a trigger for an asthma attack, and the kidneys are part of the body's filtering system, then I don't find it difficult to link the two.

If this information helps your hypothetical friend to in any way suppress his ocaisional symptoms, then more power to him.

Good luck to you both!
:ok:

A couple of people have mentioned about the forces medical staff having access to your records.

Would you not be able to surpress any information of your friend's asthma being passed on under the auspices of doctor-patient confidentiality?

My question actually relates, to a hypothetical situation whereby somebody had already passed the medical tests for aircrew. Mainly looking for advice on whether or not to join up, if it can be hidden whilst in the service, experiences etc.

If you've passed the medical tests, then tally-ho!