ROTC with potential migraines

Im applying for an NROTC Marine Option scholarship and I've had a history of what I believe to be migraines. I've never been diagnosed, nor have I taken meds but I have had really bad headaches approximately once every six months since I was 11. Is this a problem? I've heard people who have a history of clinically diagnosed migraines are rarely get accepted into the military. However, since I have these headaches so rarely and being that I am not clinically diagnosed with anything, should I be fine to do NROTC in college?

johnny1530 said:

Im applying for an NROTC Marine Option scholarship and I've had a history of what I believe to be migraines. I've never been diagnosed, nor have I taken meds but I have had really bad headaches approximately once every six months since I was 11. Is this a problem? I've heard people who have a history of clinically diagnosed migraines are rarely get accepted into the military. However, since I have these headaches so rarely and being that I am not clinically diagnosed with anything, should I be fine to do NROTC in college?

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There is a DODMERB thread, check there, it is possible there might be some threads on migraines. Here is the problem, anything you check, they will ask for supporting medical records, you have none. My thought, and please others jump in if I am leading the OP down the wrong path, if you have not sought out medical attention for this issue, then you have nothing to report.

Have you ever had or do you now have: Frequent, severe, or migraine headaches? That is the question you need to answer on the medical history form. Since they have not been diagnosed as migraine, you may consider them severe. If you check yes, write an honest response, stated you never required medical care, they occur once or twice a year and they resolve quickly without medication.

IMHO, migraines are debilitating, your head throbs so bad you cannot do anything. If you did have migraines even twice a year you would have sought medical attention. Advil or Tylenol would not resolve a migraine. Are really bad headaches "Serious" headaches. Again if they resolved without medication or even with OTC meds, I don't know if I would qualify them as "Serious" especially without a medical diagnosis.

Just a personal experience with a yes to a similar question. DS is allergic to insect bites when he was little it was pronounced enough that I took him to doctor all he had to do is take benadryl if he had a reaction after a bite not ever put on a regiment and over time he has less and less of a reaction. So he did say allergy and after his application they sent a follow up about that and his fractured leg when he was 8. Main thing they wanted to know was if he had to take medication daily or just when had reaction and if it has resolved .
As someone with regular Migraines if you are not seeking medical attention and this is something that happens around same time annually my guesses are:
you are allergic to something that your reaction is a headache
OR:
if it is when temps get high in your area or when you participate in a seasonal sport and you aren't increasing your water with that change in water loss so could be dehydration.
Think about when it is happening since you say this is an annual event might even help you find out how you can stop them from happening.

If you check a "yes," be prepared for a follow-up and the associated delay. If you check "no," be committed to living with that response and remain consistent with it, unless something changes between this form and the next time you answer the same question.