DoDMERB and asthma?

[turnerle]

So, I have seen here on this board that there have been a lot of questions about asthma and DoDMERB, each one similar but not exactly similar to my question and situation. So, I when I was little, 2 or 3 years old, I was diagnosed with moderate asthma. I would have attacks occasionally, though not too often. I was prescribed albuterol, in both inhaler and liquid vaporizer form (?) and a management medication in pill form. Around 5 or 6 years old I was prescribed a different management medication, this time in inhaler form, medication was called 'flovent.' I was taken off the pill and was still prescribed an albuterol inhaler just in case because the management inhaler had really helped control my asthma. After age 6 and into my high school years, my asthma didn't really bother me at all. I was an active child, playing outside almost every day with no adverse effects from asthma. In middle school, I played football without my asthma acting up, even after long practices or games that involved tons of strenuous exercise. Not only that, I also ran track and played basketball, again, asthma did not act up and I rarely kept my rescue inhaler with me. Every time I went in for a physical, the doctor cleared me for exercise and gave me another prescription for the rescuer inhaler, just in case it should act up. I passed all the physical stress tests easily. In high school, I wasn't particularly active in sports because I was active in other things. I played tennis and basketball my freshman year, no adverse reactions from my asthma. I also worked in a physically demanding job, never really needing my inhaler. Smoke and other irritants don't really bother me either. Currently, because I'm not active in sports, I work out heavily almost every night, not depending on my inhaler. However, my doctor had kept giving me re-fills on my rescue inhaler and my management inhaler, instructing me to use my management inhaler every day in the morning. After a while, I stopped using my management inhaler and my asthma still did not act up at all, no matter how much exercise or irritants I had been doing or been around. At my latest physical, I told my doctor that I was planning on joining the Army and doing ROTC. He referred me to a pulmonary specialist to have a Pulmonary Function Test done. After the test, the specialist had said that my numbers were within normal ranges for a person of my age and size and said that there was no indication that I had asthma, based on the test results. So, the specialist re-diagnosed my asthma as 'mild-intermittent, not dependent on inhaler' or something along those lines and said the PT shouldn't be a problem for me so long as I lose some weight. So, considering I was on an inhaler after my 13th birthday and I was still technically 'diagnosed' with asthma, I will be DQ'd. So, my question is, will I be able to get a waiver considering I already passed (?) a Pulmonary Function Test and had my asthma re-diagnosed as the least severe form of it? Also, I plan on attending Norwich this fall if you haven't seen my other posts. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[EDelahanty]

If it works the way it did a couple of years ago, you will be automatically DQ'd but will be able to request a waiver. The waiver process would probably involve a Methacholine Challenge Test administered at a DODMERB authorized facility. I would encourage you reduce the baggage prudently through diet and exercise. Good luck.

 

[turnerle]

Also, from 7th grade till this point, I have been marching in a marching band playing trombone and sometimes marching for upwards of 5 miles everyday and my asthma still didn't act up even when I would go out and run a couple miles afterward. So, I'm thinking I have been misdiagnosed when I was younger. Anyways, I know that I will probably be DQ'd or asked for a remedial of all my records, but I think a waiver wouldn't be hard to get.

 

[JakeD]

Turnerle-This is a lot like my situation. I was little when I had problems but haven't had anything since I was 11. My Mom asked for prescriptions every once in a while for rescue inhalers just in case...but I haven't had to use them since then. Have you had your physical and a disqualification? I've got my physical soon and I am wondering what to expect. I am a wrestler and work out hard with no problems, but I haven't had any lung function tests.

 

[mdrob214]

Make sure you read the medical forms carefully before submitting. There is a difference between have you EVER been diagnosed and have you been TREATED. Also, if you haven't had symptoms and the last time it was on your record for being treated was when you were under 10, call DoDMERB and ask if that is relevant. Get thier advice on how to proceed. Especially if you have a more recent diagnosis of NOT having full-blown asthma.

 

[mellowgator]

My dd was in a similar situation. She is a recruited athlete for xc and track. She was dq'd and later was granted a waiver. One of the things that helped her is that she hadn't been on a inhaler for a year and her dr reversed his diagnosis of athletic induced asthma and wrote a letter to that effect. All her of her test were normal and we submitted this with the dr's note.