Asthma & the CF (merged thread)

[D-n-A]

on ASC lots of people call themselves snipers cause they can shoot a BB gun

dont take what they say as fact

also, how does the Canadian Army having less soldiers than the US Army have a factor in this?

 

[mic911]

It depends on how bad the asthma is. I have mild asthma so it‘s not bad enough to affect my medical category. If she‘s fat and out of shape she should start getting into shape now before she fails her fitness test.

 

[T.inlin]

Good day all;

I stumbled across these forums while doing some research for class; and reading some of the threads here made me recall the somewhat dour outcome of my Canadian Reserves application. To make a long story short, I received a letter from a doctor of the Department of National Defense stating that

"while deployed it may be impossible for a member to maintain access to prescription medication. Consequently members who need presription medication warrant employment limitations. Such limitations are not acceptable for recruits"

This is in reference to my "exercise induced asthma", which is what I called it for the doctor administering the medical test at the recruiting centre. This was somewhat of a hyperbole on my part. I haven‘t had an asthma attack in at least 10 years, and my asthma usually manifests as a little shortness of breath sometimes after exercise. A toot on the inhalers clears it up almost instantly.

Anyhow, I‘ve been to by friends of my brother that asthma isn‘t really a limiting factor in joining the reserves, and that I should re-open my application; which leads me to my two questions (enough background hehe) Does having asthma really close the door to the army? and will I have to start the application process over again if I wanted to re-apply?

before I forget, my 3 jobs of choice were: 1. RMS clerk, 2. Logistics tech, 3. Infantry

 

[combat_medic]

Here‘s my best advice to you if you‘re considering re-applying. Go to your doctor and have him test you for asthma. If it is as mild as you make it out to be, the doctor can run certain tests to find out your lung capacity, the effect of exercise on them etc.. Take a copy of these test results with you when you go for the medical. If you doctor has said that it‘s quite mild, and won‘t create a problem, then you shouldn‘t be too hard off. You might not get into the infantry, but you should still be eligible for your first 2 choices.

 

[BDTyre]

T.inlin, I was in the exact same situation as you. I told the med staff at recruiting that I had asthma, because I thought I did. I got the exact same letter, and was told by the med staff pretty much what combat_medic has told you.

I went and did two tests (pulmonary function and methacholine) and both the tech administering the tests and my doctor have told me I don‘t have asthma (at all) and I no longer need my inhalers.

Get your doctor to put you in for tests, bring the results into the recruiting centre and ask they re-open your file. Personally, I‘m getting my doctor to write a letter -all I need to wait for is some information from the recruiting centre regarding to whom the letter should be addressed.

You may not make infantry, but that‘s apparently not your first choice.

PS - combat_medic, inf. was my first choice; the Seaforths to be exact.

 

[BDTyre]

From what the recruiting centre told me, just have your doctor adress his letter to whomever sent you your letter from Borden.  The recruiting centre will pass it on to Borden

I have just heard from the recruiting centre; before my file can be sent off again I need to do an update interview and fitness test.  At least, I assume that's what I do before my file is sent off again.  You may want to contact your recruiting centre and see what they need for you to re-open your filed because it has been over three months since I first did my asthma tests, and it is been nearly two months since I dropped off the information from my doctor.  Today is the first time there has been any indication of progress.

 

[Pte.R-Usman_Syed]

My friend apparantley was rejected because of Asthma, he doesnt even have like the real asthma he has it allergically like in the most minor possible way, is it possible for him to have hiself re-evaluated by real doctors then sent back to borden again for checking, because i think the medical officer's pnly know you by the forms you hand in and not you history.

 

[Pte.R-Usman_Syed]

Any Reserve Infantey Soldier's have asthma, were you ever rejected because of you asthma to join the reserves, by this  i mean sent a letter or staight out said that you are medically unfit. If so how did you overcome this and make it into the Infantry.





[  :  EDIT to correct spelling of "Infantry". ]

 

[Jeff Boomhouwer]

I was issued the MARK1A1 lung brush. Worked like a charm. That mean I won't see you next fall?. Come to think of it I still don't know who the hell you are? TOR SCOT right?

 

[munkzor]

What is a MARK1A1 lung brush?

 

[Da_man]

What is a MARK1A1 lung brush?

a lung brush

 

[Danjanou]

What is a MARK1A1 lung brush?

Ask the CQMS to issue you one. He keeps them on the shelf above the CADPAT paint and the BFAs for the M-72s

 

[b.scheller]

i have a problem with asthma. i'm pretty fit, but whenever i play sports with my buddies (usually once or twice in a week) after 10 minutes, (hockey or soccer).  i'm tired and my chest aches. Would I be able to go into the armed forces, with this problem??

 

[BDTyre]

Your best bet is to go see your doctor and get tests done.  You will likely need a pulmonary function test, a methacholine inhalation challenge, and possibly an exercise induced asthma test.

Bring the results of these tests with you when you do your medical.  This will save you time in the long run, and possibly a lot of frustration.  I was informed in early Janauary that I was rejected due to asthma, and it was halfway through April before I was able to hand my test results to the recruiting centre.

If you do these tests before your medical, you'll save some time in the long run.  Re-opening your file is a lengthy process.

 

[BDTyre]

It seems as if I still fall under the old rules...I go in for an update interview and my PT test before they send my file off for Borden; I do the PT test and interview on the 30th, so I'm expecting end of July or half-way through August before I hear anything.

 

[Tuff_Little_Girl]

This is to the person who has problems getting into the forces because of asthma, you are in a time now where it is hard and you probably want to give up, DONT I use to have asthma when i was younger and it afected me till i was 15 years old  i had to go through a methacoline challenge test and a pulimary function test those test where then sent to the recruiting office they gave it a second look and i was in, it takes awhile but if you are up for the wait then dont give up something that you really want to do.

tuff_Little_Girl

 

[Jarnhamar]

Tuff_Little_Girl not to go toff topic here and don't mind me asking but your 20 years old AND an Infantry Master Corporal in 1RCR? (Previously a navel cadet officer, don't you need to be 18 or 19 years old to be a cadet officer?)

I was always under the assumption that it takes more than one to three years to get promoted to MCPL in the regs?

 

[AlphaCharlie]

Tuff_little_girl, lets to a little math.

Do be an Officer Cadet, you need to be in university. Let's say, optimistically, 18 years old.

You need to get a transfer from the Navy to the Army, let's say for the sake of this discussion, that takes 1 year.

That makes you 19.

You're telling us that in ONE YEAR you made MCPL in the 1RCR?


I smell bullshit.

 

[Danjanou]

Yup that math looks right to me also.

Of course I'm in the real grown up world, not nintendosniperJTFseal land.

 

[Jarnhamar]

I'm not going to to pass judgement on someone until they have a chance to defend themselves on what they've said . That being said  I never   expected an Infantry NCO who is a female   would  refer to herself as little girl around her peers.