Some Medical Questions

[Sammy98]

Hello everyone,

I am thinking of joining the Canadian Forces soon, but I wanted to ask a couple of medical questions which I could not find anywhere else on this site even though I did a lot of searching around. So, I am sorry if this has already been asked, but I am really eager to know. I would go to the recruiting centre to ask these questions but I live too far away from the recruiting centre and if I call them my parents will know and I will be in trouble.

1. What are the vaccines that you have to get in the military?
2. I have a bunch of allergies but NONE of them are severe. They only come in the spring and all I get are watery eyes and a runny nose.
3. I have a functional heart murmur. It doesn't limit my physical activity. Will that affect me in joining?
4. I have eczema. It only comes in the winter on the back of my hands. Will that affect me in joining?
5. I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts (NOT OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER). They don't come too often and they don't increase when I am under stress. Will this affect me in joining?

Once again, thank you in advance. I'm really worried because I want to be able to serve in the Canadian Forces.

 

[mariomike]

1. What are the vaccines that you have to get in the military?

CDN Army Immunizations
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/1131/post-11856.html#msg11856

See Reply #10: 
"On enrollment, everyone in the regular force recieves an initial battery of injections including;Tetnus and Depthiria (TD), Measles, Mumbs, and rubela (MMR), Menginacoccal Vaccine (MCV), polio, Hepatitis A & B, and Typhoid vacines to name most of them. the Turbuculosis test(otherwise know as PPD) is a test to see if you have been exposed to that TB bactirium, and is not a vaccine. It should be done at enrollment and before and after each deployment to endemic areas.

For deployment, each area is assesed with guidelines from the WHO and CDC Atlanta, to determine what is the appropriate vacination regime for the area. Troops who are deploying are then topped up on the enrollment regime and given vaccines for the area of ops. Thats why certian areas get antimalaria meds (Somalia, Cambodia) and others do not (Bosnia)."

2. I have a bunch of allergies but NONE of them are severe. They only come in the spring and all I get are watery eyes and a runny nose.

Allergies in the CF
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/12898.25

 

[MikeL]

1. What are the vaccines that you have to get in the military?

I don't remember what shots you get in basic, but if you deploy you will get the required vaccines.

2. I have a bunch of allergies but NONE of them are severe. They only come in the spring and all I get are watery eyes and a runny nose.

CFRC Medical staff will get you the answer on that.  I assume you just have seasonal allergies such as grass and pollen?

3. I have a functional heart murmur. It doesn't limit my physical activity. Will that affect me in joining?

CFRC Medical staff will get you the answer

4. I have eczema. It only comes in the winter on the back of my hands. Will that affect me in joining?

I occasionally get eczema, never been a issue for me in the CF. CFRC Medical Staff can let you know if it will be a issue or not for you.

5. I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts (NOT OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER). They don't come too often and they don't increase when I am under stress. Will this affect me in joining?

CFRC Medical staff will get you the answer


For your medical questions, you can get an idea from what happened to others by reading posts here.  How ever, every case is different so your experience may vary and it will be up to the CFRC Medical staff(and/or Ottawa) to determine your suitability medical wise.

 

[Sammy98]

CDN Army Immunizations
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/1131/post-11856.html#msg11856

See Reply #10: 
"On enrollment, everyone in the regular force recieves an initial battery of injections including;Tetnus and Depthiria (TD), Measles, Mumbs, and rubela (MMR), Menginacoccal Vaccine (MCV), polio, Hepatitis A & B, and Typhoid vacines to name most of them. the Turbuculosis test(otherwise know as PPD) is a test to see if you have been exposed to that TB bactirium, and is not a vaccine. It should be done at enrollment and before and after each deployment to endemic areas.

For deployment, each area is assesed with guidelines from the WHO and CDC Atlanta, to determine what is the appropriate vacination regime for the area. Troops who are deploying are then topped up on the enrollment regime and given vaccines for the area of ops. Thats why certian areas get antimalaria meds (Somalia, Cambodia) and others do not (Bosnia)."

Thanks for this answer. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to join because I heard that the smallpox vaccine and eczema is a very dangerous combination. But, seeing that there isn't a smallpox vaccine I don't need to worry about that.

 

[Sammy98]

I don't remember what shots you get in basic, but if you deploy you will get the required vaccines.
Medical staff will get you the answer on that.  I assume you just have seasonal allergies such as grass and pollen?
Medical staff will get you the answer
I occasionally get eczema, never been a issue for me in the CF.
Medical staff will get you the answer

Basically, Im allergic to everything environmental and amoxicillin. My environmental allergies just give me a runny nose and watery eyes. My amoxicillin is a bit more severe but non-anaphalyctic.

 

[mariomike]

3. I have a functional heart murmur. It doesn't limit my physical activity. Will that affect me in joining?

Heart Murmur
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/41484.0/nowap.html

4. I have eczema. It only comes in the winter on the back of my hands. Will that affect me in joining?

Eczema And The CF 
http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/91995.0

 

[Sammy98]

Thanks to everyone who answered. You have all helped me out a lot. The only thing that still worries me is question 5. So, if anyone can answer that or give me some information that will be appreciated.

 

[Nudibranch]

Is #5 self-diagnosed, as in the "I'm a little OCD" kind of stuff that people will sometimes self-describe? Or formally diagnosed; if not OCD then OCPD, or sufficient traits to warrant some intervention/treatment? The former shouldn't give you any issues; the latter will probably trigger more investigation.

 

[Armymedic]

Hello everyone,

1. What are the vaccines that you have to get in the military?
2. I have a bunch of allergies but NONE of them are severe. They only come in the spring and all I get are watery eyes and a runny nose.
3. I have a functional heart murmur. It doesn't limit my physical activity. Will that affect me in joining?
4. I have eczema. It only comes in the winter on the back of my hands. Will that affect me in joining?
5. I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts (NOT OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER). They don't come too often and they don't increase when I am under stress. Will this affect me in joining?

Once again, thank you in advance. I'm really worried because I want to be able to serve in the Canadian Forces.

1. None, you'll get all you will need and a few extra.
2. So? There are days that will suck.
3. Depends, but not likely.
4. Not by itself, but there will be days that will suck more, especially if both your allergies and your eczema hit at the same time. (Seasonal allergies and eczema are related BTW. That combination is what you should be concerned about).
5. Your shoes are untied.

 

[Sammy98]

Is #5 self-diagnosed, as in the "I'm a little OCD" kind of stuff that people will sometimes self-describe? Or formally diagnosed; if not OCD then OCPD, or sufficient traits to warrant some intervention/treatment? The former shouldn't give you any issues; the latter will probably trigger more investigation.

I don't have OCD. I wasn't diagnosed with it. My doctor said that I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts, not OCD. So, it is formally diagnosed that I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts, not OCD.

 

[Sammy98]

1. None, you'll get all you will need and a few extra.
2. So? There are days that will suck.
3. Depends, but not likely.
4. Not by itself, but there will be days that will suck more, especially if both your allergies and your eczema hit at the same time. (Seasonal allergies and eczema are related BTW. That combination is what you should be concerned about).
5. Your shoes are untied.

When you say, "Your shoes are untied", does that mean that there is likely going to be a problem when I apply?

 

[Scott]

Ask the folks at the CFRC, no one here can answer with 100% accuracy.

 

[Sammy98]

Ask the folks at the CFRC, no one here can answer with 100% accuracy.

I know that I won't get a 100% answer here but it is the closest answer that I will get. I can't call the CFRC because my parents will find out and I'll be in trouble, so this is my only source.

 

[STJ_Kierstead]

if you are worried about your parents finding out and you getting in trouble maybe you should wait until you are old enough to make the decission on your own.. they will have to give written conent for you to be able to apply

 

[JM2345]

Ask the folks at the CFRC, no one here can answer with 100% accuracy.

To be fair, usually nobody at the CFRC can answer with 100% accuracy either, which is why I don't like when people give this answer to people asking these questions. The answer we get from the med techs is usually "it depends". When we ask what it depends on, they give us a bunch of responses, and then say "it depends" again after we answer those questions. There is a list of guidelines for medical staff to look at, but for many things they end up relying on the advice/statements from civilian doctors who have seen us/treated us in the past. The advice/statements they give may be a misrepresentation of reality in order to protect themselves, or just because they are lazy.

 

[mariomike]

I can't call the CFRC because my parents will find out and I'll be in trouble, so this is my only source.

Even if you use a pay phone? Recruiting has a 1-800 number.

 

[CombatDoc]

To be fair, usually nobody at the CFRC can answer with 100% accuracy either, which is why I don't like when people give this answer to people asking these questions. The answer we get from the med techs is usually "it depends". When we ask what it depends on, they give us a bunch of responses, and then say "it depends" again after we answer those questions. There is a list of guidelines for medical staff to look at, but for many things they end up relying on the advice/statements from civilian doctors who have seen us/treated us in the past. The advice/statements they give may be a misrepresentation of reality in order to protect themselves, or just because they are lazy.

I suggest that the reason the advice you get from the Med Techs may differ from the final decision is that each case is assessed individually, by a Medical Officer. It is not because the medics are trying to CYA or are lazy.

 

[Nudibranch]

I don't have OCD. I wasn't diagnosed with it. My doctor said that I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts, not OCD. So, it is formally diagnosed that I have obsessive-compulsive thoughts, not OCD.

I know you said you don't have OCD; OCPD is not the same as OCD, which is why I asked about it. Also, "obsessive-compulsive thoughts" is not a "diagnosis", no more than "feeling tired a lot" or "being itchy" is a diagnosis. It's a description. The formal diagnoses would be OCD, OCPD, or the doc might describe a cluster of traits that don't quite meet the formal criteria for a diagnosis if, say, OCPD, but are close (although such a description is still not a formal diagnosis because it doesn't meet the diagnostic criteria).

The point is, the recruiting center will want to know what exactly is meant by your "obsessive compulsive thoughts" that required a diagnosis, so it might be worth your while to have your doc write an explanatory letter.

 

[Sammy98]

I know you said you don't have OCD; OCPD is not the same as OCD, which is why I asked about it. Also, "obsessive-compulsive thoughts" is not a "diagnosis", no more than "feeling tired a lot" or "being itchy" is a diagnosis. It's a description. The formal diagnoses would be OCD, OCPD, or the doc might describe a cluster of traits that don't quite meet the formal criteria for a diagnosis if, say, OCPD, but are close (although such a description is still not a formal diagnosis because it doesn't meet the diagnostic criteria).

The point is, the recruiting center will want to know what exactly is meant by your "obsessive compulsive thoughts" that required a diagnosis, so it might be worth your while to have your doc write an explanatory letter.

Yes, you are right. I think that I will do just that. Thank you to everyone who answered. This has helped me out a lot and I don't think that I'll be needing any more answers, so no reason to apply on this thread.

 

[Armymedic]

When you say, "Your shoes are untied", does that mean that there is likely going to be a problem when I apply?

Did you, despite not wearing shoes at the time, look down at your feet to see if they were?