Asthma & the CF (merged thread)

[fleeingjam]

Wow thats kinda random isnt it?, during you medical test did you state you had any allergies?

 

[chriscalow]

No.

 

[JBP]

Arrgh!  Well, what Joe said is true, I finally got past them re: asthma, but now they want me to get an allergy test, they said something about walnuts... I've never been allergic to walnuts, maybe they screwed up?  Either way, I booked the allergy test so hopefully soon enough I can get this show on the road!! Good luck to anyone else waiting, and NEVER quit!!. 

That's actually kind of standard if you have breathing/cardiovascular problems or diseases of any kind. Asthma can be triggered by allergies, in which case can be deadly as it was for me as a child. I was allergic to chocolate, cheese, dust, pollen, cat+dog (basically animal) hair, cigarette smoke, etc etc etc.... Anyone of those things could set off an attack for me and I'd be at the hospital. Yeah, I missed out on a lot of chocolate as a kid. Pizza too....

So when I applied to the CF originally way back, I had to get an allergy test also... Allergies change apparently because along with having defeated asthma I also have barely any allergies now. Basically nothing except minor level 1 irritations to pollen and certain fungus and trees. The specialist Dr who did my allergy test said that I'd have to eat the bark off a tree or the fungus to have any type of reaction and it wouldn't do anything. He even said he'd write me up a letter if the CF needed it stating that I'm perfectly fit for military service/field work.

Keep at'm boyz+gents!!!

 

[BDTyre]

Funny, they never made the link between asthma and allergies with me.  I told them I get seasonal allergies: one or two days of hay fever a year, and maybe to dogs and cats.  The MO even told me there's nothing to worry about in that regard.  Although I may have mentioned that its never caused an asthma attack; I can't recall.

I hope after all I've been through I don't have to do an allergy test.

 

[fleeingjam]

Well then ill have that done too, apparently its the one where they poke the hell out of your arm with needles and wait for somthing to happen right? and about the allergies to asthma, it may depend on what kind of asthma you do or did have.

-Usman

 

[chriscalow]

Yeah, it's definitely a good idea to get them done ahead of time, before they ask for it, you will just save yourself another trip to the CFRC, and in my case, another day off work.  The test you describe usman, that is the same one they want me to get.

 

[BDTyre]

Well the meds at Borden classed me as exercise-induced asthma, so I can't see how they'd need an allergy test.

 

[fleeingjam]

Yeah, not only will it save me a trip to CFRC but potentially another 6 months of waiting. Exercise Inducive asthma is supposed to be post exercise asthma like thing, and reactive (which is what they said i had) is if something in the atmosphere triggers it, not neccarily caused by working your lungs.

-Usman

 

[BDTyre]

I have now completed a PFT, a methacholine challenge and an exercise induced asthma test.  The last one I did today, with both the technician and the respirologist present and I showed no signs of having any difficulty breathing afterwards, and I completed the required FEV measurements with virtually no drop whatsoever.  Therefore, I do not have asthma at all  .  While I still need to get a follow-up with the respirologist, I basically have been given a clean bill of health regarding my lungs!

Knowing my luck, Borden will still find something wrong.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Knowing my luck, Borden will still find something wrong.

Heyyyy.... c'mon. Your ruining the suprise

 

[Love793]

That's after waiting 9 months for a answer ;D

 

[BDTyre]

Yeah, you're not too far off on that one.  It seems that every time I send my medical in it takes longer.  :  Last time was five months....

 

[fleeingjam]

Well next time i go for my appoinment i can say ive built way more patience  thanks to ______ (ill let you fill in the blank)

-Usman

 

[fleeingjam]

Well next time i go for my interview i can say ive built way more patience  thanks to ______ (ill let you fill in the blank)

-Usman

 

[chriscalow]

Well, I finally got all the copies and tests, and doctor's notes, and recommendations down to the CFRC.  I dropped it all off at the medical section and they told me I would have to go to the main desk to reopen my file.  OK.  So I go to the desk and ask them to re-open the file, I told them that I was there a month ago to do the same and that I was told that they had my old file so I didn't need to submit a new application.   

The Sgt at the centre yesterday said that I did in fact need to submit a new application.  He handed me the papers and told me to go home and fill them out.  Luckily for me I still had all the paperwork from a month ago.  I drove the hour to my hometown and back, and the Sgt was quite surprised that I came back the same day.

The Sgt and I went over my new application and things were going really good.  He went back to his office, and came back out about 10 minutes later.  He told me that they would send my medical back to the RMO for re-evaluation and once that came back my file would be re-opened.  He also told me that I should expect to hear from them within 3-5 weeks, and left me his name and extension, and a four digit number that he said could be used to track my file.

So my questions are, this four digit number, is that a new thing?  Because they didn't have anything like that last time I went through the process.  It would almost seem like they are finally starting to sort some of their problems out. 

And second, in the time that I wait for the return from Borden, Can I do the P.T. Test and Interview? And more specifically, will I need to re-do the medical after it comes back?    Am I correct in my understanding that I will not need to complete the aptitude test a second time?  Thanks for your help guys.

 

[BDTyre]

The same thing happened to me: I was told I did not need to fill out a new application.  However, in my case, it took them a week to tell me I really did need to.

Last time, I was able to do the update interview and PT while I waited for my medical; however, this time my recruiter suggested waiting for my medical to come back.

As for redoing the other parts of the medical, I'm not sure.  My recruiter cleverly avoided the question.

But no, you don't have to redo the CFAT.

 

[Brando304]

I am about to head down to the recruiting depot to join up myself, although I do have slight asthma, it is not excersise induced. I've worked the last 5 years in construction without any problems. It is when I'm in a house full of furry animals I have a problem. I wonder if they would let me take a ventoline inhaler with me just in case... I can't even remember the last time I used it.

 

[Brando304]

One more question...what in gods name is a long brush?, and how does it work? It sounds like a really long tooth brush you shove down your esophagas to brush your lungs...

 

[NiTz]

hehe.. brando

Did you ever try to insert something into your mouth so deep that you would even be able to brush your throat? Do you really think that there are people on this earth using Crest lungpaste to brush their lungs for asthma? I'm not a doctor but still.. I guess the guy was kidding... lol     BTW, I don't think there's CADPAT paint neither.. (correct me if i'm wrong but I don't think that it's actually "paintable" as a pattern)

Cheers!

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I am sure you have treated soldiers with massive head colds or flu symptoms who have said the same thing about their last cold.

To Usman - there are many success stories of athletes, and soldiers, with asthma.   Check out the book BLACKHAWK DOWN for one - there is even a scene in the movie of the same name that hints at it.

7 months and no reply to this...

In 1914, the Army rejected soldiers who wore eyeglasses, thinking they were "a liability to their unit."  They changed their tune after Second Ypres and the first 6,000 casualties (out of 10,000 Canadians in the trenches at that time).

I'm not suggesting anyone with chronic ailments should be employed in units where their ailment is going to jeopardize the mission or the lives of their colleagues, but  I'm also not against a soldier trying out and at least seeing where his capabilities lie.  If it turns out the combat arms are not for him, there are plenty of supporting trades for him/her to ply if they have diabetes, asthma, hypertension, irregular heartbeat, migraine headaches, flat feet, fallen arches, walleyes, pigeontoes or the need to be breastfed.  Fit soldiers should get the priority on even these supporting jobs, but if we're low on manpower, I don't think you need Rambo filling a desk position, either.