Aviation Medicine

During my preparation for OTS Class 0804 I've developed a bad pain in my legs. I went to the doctor today and it looks like I may have "exercise induced" compartment syndrome. I have a few tests scheduled for Wednesday for a final diagnosis. It seems the only cure for this syndrome is surgery that has a 6-12 week recovery timeframe. The bad part is, OTS is only 12 weeks away. Is it possible to get my class date moved back if necessary? I'm sure I would need a waiver as well. Is this waiverable? Thoughts?

I recently had an echocardiogram done to determine the cause of a heart murmur that I have been told it innocent. The results say I have a thickened mitral valve with no sign of mitral valve prolape. I know MVP is a disqualifier for FC1 ( I want to be a pilot) but is a thickend valve also a DQ'er, I have looked at the waiver guide and so no guidance on this. The murmur was not detected in my DODMERB physical it has been intermitten since I was a teenager.

I am/was leaving for the 09/07 bot class until I found out some devastating medical news last week. I have searched the Air Force Surgeon General's site and can't find what I need. I am going to be released from the class. I am a civilian with no prior involvement with the Air Force, but I did swear in and sign all the papers. When do they allow a person to reapply after a major surgery (involving the head)? And will they help pick up some of the cost if I still intend to go in? The surgery will remove an astrocytoma in the cerebellum. My recruiter hasn't been much help with the subject and I am kinda freaking out myself. If you can give me some feedback or direction …

Hey guys got a question, My eyes are well within limits of the Airforce post op limits for PRK and LASIK but the only thing is I have Hashimotos disease which means that untreated I have hypothroyidism. But I have been taking medicine for a long time and my levels area ll steady and normal. However I havr hashimotos and this seems to DQ me for the eye surgery according to the airforce. But i know for a fact that if your hashimotos is controlled the civ doctors let u get PRK and LASIK. Heres the USAF page that says hashimotos disqualifies me https://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu6MaoRtKTk4B...-080306-023.doc So if I am gonna try to do this do i need to 1) get the surge…

I will be graduating from college this June, and have already received a pilot slot in the AF through AFROTC. As anyone who has gone the AFROTC route knows, long leave periods after graduation for pilot select guys such as me are not uncommon, and I'm no different - I don't EAD until December 18th. During my six months off, I was thinking about getting some minor surgery done to correct a couple of things while I'm waiting. First, I have a bunyon on my right foot that isn't especially painful, but it is annoying and inconvenient, and I would like to have it fixed before I start my AF career. Also, I broke my nose some time ago, and my septum is still deviated, which is al…

I am currently in the ANG (4+ years) and am in the process of submitting a package to the USAF for pilot selection. My recruiter is telling me that I will have to take the MEPS physical again. I don't understand why because I am already in the military. Any ideas?

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..

Is Tinea Versicolor going to DQ me on the flight physical, or even the initial physical for ROTC? I know other skin irritations do, but I didn't find anything on here about this one. I'll get into the specifics of my case (very mild) if there is reason for concern later. Thanks!

I was told that one must have their wisdom teeth removed before Brooks; Is this true? Shermanator

Aside fomr my vision, which is still in the limits, I have had a weight problem my whole life. I tried atkins lost a great amount of weight but found after I decided to get off of it about half of it came back. I have begun a low calorie diet, and to help out I have been taking Calcium Pyruvate to help out, it is a natural drug (I know that doesnt speak for much so was ephedra) but it is meant to increase your bodies expenditure of calories in rest mode and thoruhgout the day. I have not felt any side effects, I took hydroxycut a few times back when ephedra was still legal and I was full of energy, I feel no different on this. I have noticed in just 2 weeks doing it (h…

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 broke the scaphoid bone in my right wrist at the beginning of the summer requiring a permanent screw to be inserted to bring the bone back together. I am expected to make a full recovery and regain all motion in my wrist. Subsequently, I have an ANG UPT slot for FY06 (hopefully). I have been told that I will be needing a waiver, but I have no idea what to expect. Has anyone dealt with this type of injury before and how does the waiver process work for it? Thanks for any help you can give.

I have a few ROTC buddys who had PRK but were just DQd becasue of "corneal haze". After I get back from FT I am going to get PRK as well. What exactly is it? Is there anything I can do now to prevent it? is it common? I am hearing so many FC1 tragities it seems getting a slot is only half the battle

If you guys had a head cold (sinus congestion, sore throat) and you could'nt clear one of your ears, how high wold you fly? Not at all, 5k, 10k, 18,000? thanks

Question for a Flight Doc Type I'm a current/qualified Herk bubba with a few keloids I'd like to have removed. It doesnt bother me at all, but it is an eyesore (like a nasty mole) and I'd like to have it removed Is this DQ'ing/DNIF'ing at all and will the AF pay for the removal process??? Thanks

Just started (few months ago actually) my second round of Accutane, also known as Isotrentin, and I was wondering if anyone else here has used the drug before. I went on the med about a year and half ago for my acne. Towards the end of the first treatment I was on 120 mg (almost double what was recommended for my weight) and I started to notice my vision beginning to blur. When I went in to get my vision checked for DODMERB my vision had decreased from 20/15 to 20/25. I'm now in the third month and I'm already beginning to see that my vision is blurry and my eyes are extremely watery (apparently they should be dry). I'm just wondering if I should keep pushing throu…

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?

Hi all, A few days ago I was contacted by the National Bone Marrow Registry. I had registered with them in 2003 and now it appears that I am a possible donor. I don't think it would be a problem, but does the USAF or Brooks give any grief to guys going for their flight physicals who have gone through this process? The lady at the Registry who I spoke to was very nice and said they work with DOD a lot because they have a lot of military donors. She didn't think it would be a problem, and neither did I, but I just want to make sure. I really want to go through with the process and help someone out. Thanks...

I read back a way and I see that pilots are not allowed to use Propecia. Is Rogaine allowed? Are hair transplants allowed? P.S. Why is Propecia not permitted?

I searched quite a bit and didn't come up with anything. I just was diagnosed with mono, and wanted to know if in the next few years it will be any problem with my flight physical to be a AF pilot. Thanks.

When DODMERB requests all medical records from birth to present, what happens if records are unavailable? For example, I recieved my physicals through my High School and they discard them after the student leaves. So from 14-18 there are no medical records except for one physical which I happen to have. Would a signed statement from the athletic director saying just that be ok? Is it not a big deal? Is my Air Force career over? Secondly, do I have to get my dermatologist records from when I was 14 and got treated for acne? I would assume yes, it is just taking a long time and really how important is it? Finally, how long does it take to process the medical records once…

Ok so here is a good question for all you MDs on here... pretty sure this hasn't been asked before in previous threads ha. I was flipping through the AFI 48-123 today, when I came across A4.23.1.16 that states "All symptomatic congenital abnormalities of the reproductive system." My situation is pretty unique... I was born with no uterus at all... not even any uterus remnants or tissue that the MRI showed. It has never caused any trouble for me, I can run, do weights, lots of strenuous ranch work, etc without any problems whatsoever. You would think the Air Force would actually like this since there is no chance of me getting pregnant while on active duty, and since …

Question for the "Docs" on here: When you find out that someone has an IgA deficiency what first comes to mind? Is this something that is really bad and makes you go "oh no" or just kind of mild and not that big of a deal from a medical professionals standpoint? Also, is this something that is disqualifying? Thanks!

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…

can you get DQ at brooks if you have a scar on your retina?