Flight Doc, I've read some of your other posts on allergies, but am having a hard time determining whether or not I will be DQ'd or waivered.
I've had seasonal allergies since I was a child. I've gotten prescriptions and even did allergy shots for a few years.
I've been allergy and prescription free for about 8 years now (I'm 24). I can cut grass, play softball in Spring etc. with no problems.
I started the allergy shot routine after age 12, but I'm pretty sure my first visit to the doctor about my allergies occurred before age 12. Would I be waiverable?
Otherwise, I have perfect vision and no history of any other medical problems. I'm hoping this one thing won't keep me from flying!
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Allergies/Allergy questions (and waiver info)
Started by Guest_JPritch_*, Apr 07 2003 08:07 AM
140 replies to this topic
#2 Guest_1lebo4#_*
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Posted 07 April 2003 - 06:16 PM
JPritch,
I am not a Doc but I would not admit anything that is not affecting you now. I am a pilot and have dealt with plenty of flight Docs, most of them very good. All Navy and Marine pilots go through what we call NAMI WAMI. It is basically the king of medical evaluations in Pensacola Florida. When you get there the first thing you do in the morning is fill out a questionnaire about your medical condition. All kinds of questions about allergies, headaches etc. Some forms even have a question asking if you are breathing just to see if you are actually reading the questions. You see, pilots are known for checking no, whether it is true or not, on almost all questions so they throw in that trick question. My advice is to not admit anything minor that is not affecting you now - allergies included? One question asks if you have ever had allergy problems. Those who said yes spent the rest of the morning getting sticked with every mold, fungus, etc known to man even. Almost everybody has had some level of allergy problems in life. Do not give them a reason to DQ you unless you feel it is significant. Who cares if you had allergies as a kid? You may develop them in the future but then again you may not. Plenty of people fly with allergies. I am not saying to mislead on bigger issues. We had a guy who had eye surgery earlier in life and tried to get by without admitting it. Another had asthma and lied about it. Not smart. Basically, be as honest as you can but use common sense. Get past your physical and then down the line deal with the minor problem if you have to. Good luck
I am not a Doc but I would not admit anything that is not affecting you now. I am a pilot and have dealt with plenty of flight Docs, most of them very good. All Navy and Marine pilots go through what we call NAMI WAMI. It is basically the king of medical evaluations in Pensacola Florida. When you get there the first thing you do in the morning is fill out a questionnaire about your medical condition. All kinds of questions about allergies, headaches etc. Some forms even have a question asking if you are breathing just to see if you are actually reading the questions. You see, pilots are known for checking no, whether it is true or not, on almost all questions so they throw in that trick question. My advice is to not admit anything minor that is not affecting you now - allergies included? One question asks if you have ever had allergy problems. Those who said yes spent the rest of the morning getting sticked with every mold, fungus, etc known to man even. Almost everybody has had some level of allergy problems in life. Do not give them a reason to DQ you unless you feel it is significant. Who cares if you had allergies as a kid? You may develop them in the future but then again you may not. Plenty of people fly with allergies. I am not saying to mislead on bigger issues. We had a guy who had eye surgery earlier in life and tried to get by without admitting it. Another had asthma and lied about it. Not smart. Basically, be as honest as you can but use common sense. Get past your physical and then down the line deal with the minor problem if you have to. Good luck
#3
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Gray Beard
Posted 09 April 2004 - 11:50 PM
I've checked this topic using the 'search' function, but haven't been able to find a good answer.
I have mild nasal allergies (which I know are a DQ) that I take Claritin pills for. They really only act up in the winter, so in the summer the Claritin isn't really necessary. Thing is that while evidence of an allergy was apparent when I was younger, my doctor didn't put me on Claritin till I was 14 (which kinda would inquire an exception to the "no allergies after 12" rule). :mad: So since there's a possibility that I can just outgrow this allergy by my early-20's, would I have a good chance for a waiver?
I have mild nasal allergies (which I know are a DQ) that I take Claritin pills for. They really only act up in the winter, so in the summer the Claritin isn't really necessary. Thing is that while evidence of an allergy was apparent when I was younger, my doctor didn't put me on Claritin till I was 14 (which kinda would inquire an exception to the "no allergies after 12" rule). :mad: So since there's a possibility that I can just outgrow this allergy by my early-20's, would I have a good chance for a waiver?
#4 Guest_F16PilotMD_*
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Posted 10 April 2004 - 11:26 PM
Allergies are pretty simple...they are a bad thing if you want to fly in the USAF.
Per AFI48-123:
A7.2.2.1. A verified history of allergic, nonallergic, or vasomotor rhinitis, after age 12.
The waiver guide is very clear for Initial Flying Class 1:
A verified history of allergic rhinitis after age 12 is disqualifying for FCI and IA. In a trained flyer, allergic rhinitis that is mild in degree and unlikely to limit flying activities does not require a waiver. For more significant symptoms, a waiver is possible for continued FCII and III duties, provided symptoms are controlled with the approved modes of therapy without adverse reaction or side effects.
Per AFI48-123:
A7.2.2.1. A verified history of allergic, nonallergic, or vasomotor rhinitis, after age 12.
The waiver guide is very clear for Initial Flying Class 1:
A verified history of allergic rhinitis after age 12 is disqualifying for FCI and IA. In a trained flyer, allergic rhinitis that is mild in degree and unlikely to limit flying activities does not require a waiver. For more significant symptoms, a waiver is possible for continued FCII and III duties, provided symptoms are controlled with the approved modes of therapy without adverse reaction or side effects.
#5
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Gray Beard
Posted 11 April 2004 - 12:05 AM
OK, so from what you provided it seems that mild can be permissible. Really my allergies, when they did act up in the past, only gave me what I thought was a cold. So it turned out most of these "colds" I had over the years were just allergies.
Another thing though, would they be more lenient on someone going tanker/airlift than fighter since the tanker/airlift don't have to deal with the oxygen masks?
[ 11. April 2004, 00:07: Message edited by: wannaairlift ]
Another thing though, would they be more lenient on someone going tanker/airlift than fighter since the tanker/airlift don't have to deal with the oxygen masks?
[ 11. April 2004, 00:07: Message edited by: wannaairlift ]
#6 Guest_Shep_*
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Posted 11 April 2004 - 12:25 AM
Quote
Another thing though, would they be more lenient on someone going tanker/airlift than fighter since the tanker/airlift don't have to deal with the oxygen masks?
#7 Guest_F16PilotMD_*
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Posted 11 April 2004 - 07:04 PM
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Originally posted by wannaairlift:
OK, so from what you provided it seems that mild can be permissible.
OK, so from what you provided it seems that mild can be permissible.
[ 11. April 2004, 19:05: Message edited by: F16PilotMD ]
#8 Guest_321sevad_*
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Posted 13 April 2004 - 10:12 AM
The fact that is is "not waiverable" really stinks. Does anyone know of someone who has received an allergy waiver for an initial FC1?
#9 Guest_perhaps_*
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Posted 13 April 2004 - 07:15 PM
What documentation does a doctor provide to say your are allergic to somthing? Does a doc prescribing you allegra once or twice as a teen disqualify you, or is something more in depth needed? I guess my question boils down to this: Can I say i have never been diagnosed with seasonal/nasal allergies if i have never been thru any test BUT have been prescribed allegra?
Any info is appreciated.
Any info is appreciated.
#10 Guest_F16PilotMD_*
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Posted 13 April 2004 - 07:49 PM
This gets a bit sticky but, in my opinion, yes. The problem is that there really are not any tests to be run to make a diagnosis of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Allergy testing (scratch tests, etc) are just not done that often anymore now that easy, safe drugs like Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec are available to cover most allergies. So most people carry a presumptive diagnosis of seasonal allergies. Sometimes, there is never a diagnosis made...the Rx is given just as a trial...it works and then gets used as needed. Claritin is available without prescription now so its use is going to be even more common.
I never advocate being dishonest. My line of logic is this...if never tested for allergies and all you have are mild periodic symptoms, that is not a diagnosis of seasonal allergies. Also, just because a drug made you feel better, that is not a diagnosis of seasonal allergies.
There are definitely hairs to be split here...
I never advocate being dishonest. My line of logic is this...if never tested for allergies and all you have are mild periodic symptoms, that is not a diagnosis of seasonal allergies. Also, just because a drug made you feel better, that is not a diagnosis of seasonal allergies.
There are definitely hairs to be split here...
#11
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Gray Beard
Posted 14 April 2004 - 10:52 PM
Good point F16pilotMD. Come to think of it, I was never "diagnosed" with rhinitis/allergy per se. The doctor just looked at some medical record from a few years before and discovered I had a higher-than normal allergen count. So he gave me Claritin, all is well. Plus, like you mentioned, Claritin being over the counter lessens the severity of the allergies of people who use it.
#12 Guest_perhaps_*
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Posted 14 April 2004 - 11:53 PM
Quote
Originally posted by wannaairlift:
Good point F16pilotMD. Come to think of it, I was never "diagnosed" with rhinitis/allergy per se. The doctor just looked at some medical record from a few years before and discovered I had a higher-than normal allergen count. So he gave me Claritin, all is well. Plus, like you mentioned, Claritin being over the counter lessens the severity of the allergies of people who use it.
Good point F16pilotMD. Come to think of it, I was never "diagnosed" with rhinitis/allergy per se. The doctor just looked at some medical record from a few years before and discovered I had a higher-than normal allergen count. So he gave me Claritin, all is well. Plus, like you mentioned, Claritin being over the counter lessens the severity of the allergies of people who use it.
#13 Guest_laurendenise28_*
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Posted 15 April 2004 - 03:02 PM
I'm not trying to be naive here, but I'm curious. I know the AF has much stricter regulations than the FAA, but why are allergies such an issue in the AF and not in the civilian flying world? And I know I have seen aircrew members in the AF with prescription allergy meds...Just wondering why dangerous. Obviously if you are sneezing so much you cannot see anything, I understand that!
#14 Guest_F16PilotMD_*
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Posted 15 April 2004 - 06:12 PM
Dangerous? I don't think that's the reason.
I can't tell you why the reg is written the way it is but many issues like this have their roots in the concept that the USAF doesn't want to take on the medical liability/cost of your problem. There are plenty of pilots with waivers for Claritin...they got them after they were 'in' (past the IFC1). That tells me that we're not dealing with 'dangerous'. If it were, I wouldn't advocate a loose interpretation of the reg. Flying a jet isn't worth putting you in unecessary danger.
As far as civilian rules go, your guess is probably as good as mine. They tend to be much, much more modern in their medical decision making. Also, most civilian flying doesn't subject the pilots to the drastic changes in pressure seen in a fighter.
I can't tell you why the reg is written the way it is but many issues like this have their roots in the concept that the USAF doesn't want to take on the medical liability/cost of your problem. There are plenty of pilots with waivers for Claritin...they got them after they were 'in' (past the IFC1). That tells me that we're not dealing with 'dangerous'. If it were, I wouldn't advocate a loose interpretation of the reg. Flying a jet isn't worth putting you in unecessary danger.
As far as civilian rules go, your guess is probably as good as mine. They tend to be much, much more modern in their medical decision making. Also, most civilian flying doesn't subject the pilots to the drastic changes in pressure seen in a fighter.
#15 Guest_perhaps_*
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Posted 15 April 2004 - 07:47 PM
Is claritin the only drug that is prescribed for flyers? If so, why claritin over allegra or some of the others?
#16 Guest_F16PilotMD_*
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Posted 15 April 2004 - 10:45 PM
I believe that only Claritin and Allegra are approved as of now. I have not heard of any others for allergies.
Why? Tough question. In general, Brooks is very conservative in approving medications for flyers. They require extensive testing, etc and will not simply approve a drug just because it comes from the same family as others. That's my take on it anyway.
Why? Tough question. In general, Brooks is very conservative in approving medications for flyers. They require extensive testing, etc and will not simply approve a drug just because it comes from the same family as others. That's my take on it anyway.
#17
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Gray Beard
Posted 19 April 2004 - 10:24 PM
Quote
Originally posted by F16PilotMD:
I believe that only Claritin and Allegra are approved as of now. I have not heard of any others for allergies.
I believe that only Claritin and Allegra are approved as of now. I have not heard of any others for allergies.
#18 Guest_F16PilotMD_*
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Posted 20 April 2004 - 09:28 AM
That's correct ENJJPT. Relatively new rule change. Thanks.
#19 Guest_wtn001_*
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Posted 23 April 2004 - 10:12 PM
I have similar situation as wannaairlift as far as allergies go. I develop cold like symptoms about once or twice a year. However, claritan, allegra,zyrtec, and the like do not prevent or offer relief. I must go get an antibiotic of some sorts in order get rid of the symptoms. I do not have to take any of the above antihistamines on a daily basis. I don't react to pollen. 99 percent of the time I have no trouble what so ever. I not looking for a diagnosis, but would like some input.
#20 Guest_Tomcat777_*
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Posted 16 June 2004 - 12:43 PM
And for Immunoterapies????I've allergy and I'm 15 abut with an immunotherapy I could not have allergies
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