I am making this post as I recently had my waiver approved for USAFA and USMA and I wanted to share my story for those who may find it helpful.
I was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy during my freshman year of high school. My IGE levels on blood tests were off the charts and I would react to ingestion of a very small amount of peanut protein. I immediately started oral immunization therapy (OIT), eating a small but increasing amount of peanut protein each day under the direction of my allergist. I completed oral immunization therapy and took another blood test in September 2019 with my IgE levels still off the charts. One day, sometime after, I accidentally ate over my maintenance dose of peanuts and reacted severely. I went in to my DODMERB exam a month later, declared my allergy, and was medically disqualified. The admissions officer at USMA put in for a waiver and requested that I took a peanut challenge (eating a serving of peanuts in front of my allergist). My blood levels were still too high so my allergist would not allow for a challenge to be conducted until early January of 2020. A couple of weeks ago, my challenge was conducted and, by some miracle, I ate 43 peanuts in front of my allergist without reacting. I sent a letter from my allergist detailing the challenge and the results to DODMERB and to USMA and a few days later I was informed by the USAFA and USMA waiver authorities that my waiver was approved.
This long long process allowed me to garner the following advice for anyone in a similar situation:
I was diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy during my freshman year of high school. My IGE levels on blood tests were off the charts and I would react to ingestion of a very small amount of peanut protein. I immediately started oral immunization therapy (OIT), eating a small but increasing amount of peanut protein each day under the direction of my allergist. I completed oral immunization therapy and took another blood test in September 2019 with my IgE levels still off the charts. One day, sometime after, I accidentally ate over my maintenance dose of peanuts and reacted severely. I went in to my DODMERB exam a month later, declared my allergy, and was medically disqualified. The admissions officer at USMA put in for a waiver and requested that I took a peanut challenge (eating a serving of peanuts in front of my allergist). My blood levels were still too high so my allergist would not allow for a challenge to be conducted until early January of 2020. A couple of weeks ago, my challenge was conducted and, by some miracle, I ate 43 peanuts in front of my allergist without reacting. I sent a letter from my allergist detailing the challenge and the results to DODMERB and to USMA and a few days later I was informed by the USAFA and USMA waiver authorities that my waiver was approved.
This long long process allowed me to garner the following advice for anyone in a similar situation:
- Start oral immunization therapy as soon as possible. The longer you are on your maintenance dose, your probability of passing a challenge increases greatly
- Maintain constant contact with your ALO/FFR and make your file stand out