Asthma...again

[gill0610]

DS just found out he is a 3 year AROTC winner. As a young child he suffered from breathing issues and was diagnosed with asthma. He also has allergies. He took Zyrtec for years for allergies but switched to singulair for his allergies a few years ago. He recently switched back to Zyrtec thinking it would be better to have singulair removed from his records as a current med. He has used an inhaler maybe a dozen times in the last 10 years and not for at least 3 years. I have not been able to determine the last time he filled a prescription for an inhaler...pharmacy would only provide records for the last 2 years. I believe the DODMERB question is diagnosed with asthma after the age of 13. What defines diagnosed?
I really want to understand what the best way to handle this is. He has a regular doctors appointment soon. Should he request a spirometry test?
Should we ask the doctor if they are willing to indicate no current signs of asthma? My feeling is that his issue is allergies. If he stops taking singulair or Zyrtec he gets a stuffy nose. No wheezing or coughing .. very different from when he was a small child and coughed constantly
Any advice on specifics of how to answer the DODMERB questionnaire would be greatly appreciated, as well as any advice on what we should discuss with his doctor at his next visit.

 

[5Day]

The question on the form is "Have you ever had or have"... It does not ask have you had asthma since age 13. DoDMERB wants to know if you have ever had asthma. For every "yes" you get to provide an explanation and/or answer some specific questions. From that response they will apply the standard. Sometimes, the response does not give enough information. Then they will ask for a remedial. Additional tests or records, to make the determination. The remedial information is also used to support a waiver review. The DoDMERB site is down, but there are questionnaires there, look to see if there is one for asthma.

Diagnosed with asthma, would be whenever a physician put "asthma" into DS medical record. Request a copy of his Doctor's records. If you can get the Dr to put in his file that the asthma is resolved that would be great. But, without testing that may not happen. You may want to consider finding an ex-Army doctor that could help.

It seems like you have already looked at the medical standard, but just in case here is a link http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf
And here are the army standards AR40-501 http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r40_501.pdf

 

[gill0610]

Thanks for the link. I see that is says reliably diagnosed and symptomatic after the 13th birthday. It also says no use of various things for the past 3 years and a normal spirometry test. He has not used an inhaler but singulair falls in to one of the types of drug that is a no no. However since it also prescribed for allergies not sure how big of an issue that is. Should we have his do doctor do a spirometry test before his DODMERB exam? Any thoughts on how to go about finding an extra army doctor?

 

[gill0610]

Sorry. Ex army doctor!

 

[Capt MJ]

Thanks for the link. I see that is says reliably diagnosed and symptomatic after the 13th birthday. It also says no use of various things for the past 3 years and a normal spirometry test. He has not used an inhaler but singulair falls in to one of the types of drug that is a no no. However since it also prescribed for allergies not sure how big of an issue that is. Should we have his do doctor do a spirometry test before his DODMERB exam? Any thoughts on how to go about finding an extra army doctor?

When you read doc bios online, look for USUHS for medical school, residencies at military hospitals or membership in military medical professional associations. When looking for a new PCP for my DH in our civilian healthcare network, the deciding factor after all others were considered, was the experience as an AF flight surgeon. We figured it out from his residency and membership in Society of USAF Flight Surgeons. DH (former Navy pilot) thought he would find a kindred soul, and he did. My derm doc is a former Army derm doc, same civilian network. Former service docs are everywhere. If you can't find Army, Navy and AF will understand what's going on, even if the accession standard might be slightly different.