Aviation Medicine

Was at Brooks last week and found out I have a DQ condition known as Fleck dystrophy...basically little opaque spots on my cornea. They don't effect my vision at all, and they took a whole extra day to put me through every eye test I think ever invented, so I'm hoping the waiver process won't be too difficult. I also need a waiver for near acuity, but they were able to correct both my eyes down to 20/10. Also, the eye doc said the spots will not likely progress and get worse, so combined with that and the fact that my vision is correctable to 20/10, do you think I'll get the waiver pretty easily?

Yea, not the most fun topic, but this is what caused the C5 squadron in Newburgh to not seek a medical waiver. The details are what hurt me. November 2003. Had a slight case of bright red blood only when wiping, and only in small amounts. I contributed this later to food from the dining center, but I get checked out several times anyways. It was intermittent for a month, then in December, no more bleeding, and still none to this day. They (military docs) decide in December to send me to a civilian doc for a colonoscopy in January '04 depite my insistence that I've had no bleeding. The colonoscopy day rolls around and I get to see the butt doc and am prepped for the pr…

So, about a month ago I hurt my left knee at PT. I went to a local urgent care center, they x-rayed it and said no worries its a bad sprain. I just got back from an orhopeodist. Apparently I have what they call an osteochodral defect, which is basically a big (roughly marble sized?) piece of bone has chipped away from the end of my femur at the knee. I'm getting an MRI this Friday which will most likely be followed by surgery (not the orthoscopic variety) to screw said chip back in. I just got picked up for a pilot slot 2 weeks ago... give me good news doc.

So sometimes when I shower or wash my face my nose will start to bleed. Also, during my PFT a couple of weeks ago I was doing the push ups and my nose started to bleed, I didn't even hit it or anything. This happens every couple of days and it's easy to stop the bleeding. I had this problem when I was in college about 3 years ago but it stopped and I didn't pay any attention to it. This recent problem with it has been going on for about 2 weeks now. I'm hoping the problem will go away so I don't have to see a doc. Any suggestions or help?

Any of you military pilots have any experience with having a hip replacement? Did you get back on status? Please drop me a line if you did.

Does having a hard cast on your hand definetly DNIF one from all AF aircraft until it's removed?

I am trying to find out how serious a varicocele is when pulling high g-forces. I recently overheard someone talking about his friend who had surgery to fix this same problem before going on to high g force aircraft because of the possibility of it rupturing. Somehow I have made it through all of my physicals without the doctors noticing that I do in fact have a varicocele (have had it since I was an adolescent). I am very hesitant to go in to the Flt Docs now. How much should I worry about this, and if I go back to a high g force aircraft do I need to get this fixed before going back to the centrifuge? Is it threatening to my career as a pilot.. ie could I lose …

Howdy Everybody! I'm an 06OT05 pilot select with a foot problem. First, the medical background. I have a case of Hallux Limitus in my right big toe. Basically, I don't have the range-of-motion to bend my toe beyond 20 degrees or so. Due to this I cannot run very fast if at all; basically I "shuffle" more than I run because of my toe. I cannot "shuffle" at the pace required for 1.5-mile run that is part of the PFT. There are two treatments available; an orthotic or a cheilectomy. The orthotic, a non-surgical option, is already on order. It may allow me to run at a pace that may meet the Air Force PFT standards. The orthotic will not, however, heal my Hall…

This question is very premature because I haven't even talked to a recruiter yet, but I wanted to get your guys opinion on something. Ever since I was a kid I've had a problem where my face sweats more than normal. Now my knowledge (from the internet) of this is not much other than it is called hyperhidrosis. From what i can tell the Air Force will DQ you if you have this of the hands or feet, but not of the face. It's not that my face sweats excessively all the time just when working out, when it's hot and very humid, and sometimes when I'm nervous. If it is real hot and humid out I can start sweating just standing outside. What I was wondering is if this will more…

I have a disease that effects my immune system and I have searched everywhere for information on being able to join the Air Force with this disease but i have found no restrictions. Would this disease affect my chances of joining the Air Force?

I've already got my wings and am currently flying in my MWS (multi-crew member aircraft...not pointy nose type). I've suffered many ankle sprains playing football in college. The orthopedic surgeon at one time suggested that I would need to seriously look into have a "modified brostrum" procedure to be performed on my ankle. If I lay down on a table, with my ankle overhanging the edge, all a doctor would have to do is place his one hand and push down on my shin, and with the other, pull up behind the heel and see my enitre foot slip up and down about a good inch or so. I guess this is due to the amount and number of times the ligaments on the outer portion of th…

I am curious if anybody has gone through NAMI in pensacola for UPT at whiting field. I have already passed the fc1/mfs and wonder why I have to do the Navy's screening now. Seems unfair to have to go through two medical screenings just because I am joint training. Not really worried, but anytime you have to do ANOTHER screening you never know what a doc can find. Have hardware waiver as is and dont want to have to go through another test.....sigh..

I am 18 years old and have just enlisted into the Air National Guard and hope to get a UPT slot through my unit, the 144th Fighter Wing in Fresno but I believe I have whats called a macular pucker in my right eye, Ive been doing research and its basically the result of an old injury or surgery that has healed on the macular of the eye which can reduce the level of eyesight in that eye. Im not near sighted or far sighted, my left eye is 20/20 and so was my right eye until the injury, now its about 20/60 or so in my right eye. Glasses did only a little bit to improve the vision down to about 20/40 or possibly lower. Do i have a shot at becoming a fighter pilot with scarred …

Hello, In the near future, I will have to take my DODMERB exam for AFROTC. I am almost positive I will get a DQ. I want to prepare for the worst (not getting a waiver.) A detachment commander told me that he once had a student who was DQ'ed without a waiver for a head injury. He successfully lobbied his congressman and got a waiver. Anyone here ever done this before? Is it possible for an individual like me to meet my congressman in person, or can I only do this over the phone/email? Also, what would be best to show my congressman. I'm assuming he doesn't have much experience with medical conditions so I do not see how he could possibly accurately decide i…

Problem solved

Hello everyone, I recently went to Wright Patt and when I was up there they didn't know what was on my cornea. They wanted to make sure it wasn't something that would get bigger. They told me to go to a specialist, which I did the Monday after getting back home. The specialist said that it is just a scar on my eye. So I faxed the paperwork up there saying that it's just a scar on my eye and I think nothing more of it because the specialist was 100% positive it was just a scar. Then I get called in by my commander and I'm told that I'm still DQed and now I'm reclassified into a different job. When I was up there the optometrist said that it wouldn't be a big deal and at a …

Good afternoon all, I'm an Air Force OTS Rated applicant with my package currently before the 15OT01 Review Board. We're expecting results within the next 2 weeks, and due to my age, I'm a priority for the next May BOT class. If selected, I would have to go to the May BOT class, or else I would be age disqualified. During my medical screening paperwork I filled out last year, I admitted to having dislocated my left knee in 2005 when I was 19 years old. My recruiter told me this would require a waiver, so this summer I visited an orthopedic surgeon and had a full consult with X-Rays. He filed a report with my recruiter stating that there is no long-term damage from…

Doc, Thanks for looking in on this thread. Long story short(ish): Current rated senior pilot, ~3000 hrs My father had 2-3 blood clots when I was a little kid and has been on blood thinners ever since. When it happened, my parents got blood tests for my sister and I and they found that we had protein S deficiency. That was pretty much that and I had basically forgotten about it. That is until my sister got pregnant, got retested, and just reminded me that I have it too. Her retest showed that her level is 17 (I think normal is 60-150?) and her protein C was normal. She 'thinks' my level was lower than hers when we were kids (she was a bit older and appare…

Hey everybody! I'm a pilot select who's hopefully looking at June 26th for his OTS class. Finally, 10 months after selection , I've got my flight physical back from Wright-Patt. When I went in January, it was a single day: getting my eyes check out, teeth, hearing, all the fun stuff. Later, I was told there would be second part that I would return for. My recruiter wasn't very detailed but he told me it would be some cognitive tests at the building across the parking lot from the Flight Med Clinic. Fast forward to last week, I get that initial physical returned and am immediately told that I'm good to go for my June 26th class. When I voiced concerns about…

Any flyers have experience with repeat rhabdo? I'm pending an MEB for it unfortunately with a Do Not Retain recommendation because the flight doc is saying I have the potential to be nondeployable to the sandbox because it's too hot. Does anyone have MEB success story related to rhabdo? Is it waiverable for a FC1/A physical should I be retained? 'Preciate it.

Hi all, I did a deep dive on this forum and couldn’t find a solid answer to this question. I’m headed to Wright-Patt at the end of February for my FC1, will I have any issues with urinalysis, blood work, etc. if I am taking supplemental creatine? Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone. I have been trying for almost seven years to get picked up by the ANG, AFR and Active Air Force for a pilot slot. Last year, I was having a lot of problems with my employer. They owed me over 6 months of back pay and weren't paying me. I was looking for a new job, any job to get out of it and no luck. I was also in a fight with the Department of Labor, the IRS and my State's labor department to get one of them to do something and get my back pay owed to me. My employer even went as far as to try and claim I didn't work there but I had pay stubs and W-2/W-4 proof. I got into a lot of credit card debit, had to move back in with mom and dad, and did feel…

Good Morning! My name is Michael Velasco, I am a senior at NeoCity Academy and for my AP research class I am doing a survey to study the correlation between a pilots drinking/smoking habits and am hoping to gather participants through this forum. The information on the survey will be kept completely confidential and an email will only be used to make sure every participant only fills out the survey once. Survey

I have kind of low gum lines in my mouth. When I had braces my orthodontist said I should get gingival augmentation to build my gums up. I never got it done. My gums don't seem to be receeding beyond their current level. They are kind of freakishly low though. Should I get the augmentation just to be safe?

Hey I was diagnosed with Benign Familial Hematuria, aka Thin-Basement-Membrane Nephropathy, years ago (I'm 18). I was tested and found that my kidneys are completely healthy. It only shows up intermittently. As far as the rest of me goes, I am healthy, and I'm not affected in any other way. So, I just got back from my DODMERB for my ROTC scholarship, and my urine test came back with a positive on blood: 2+ and 8-12 RBC/HPF. I wasn't that surprised, but I found a list of conditions that are disqualifying for FC1, and "progressive or recurrent hematuria" is one of them. My question is, would my situation be considered disqualifying and, if it is, are there waivers ava…