Medical Issue! Joining the Army....

Hi,


Can anybody tell me. If I have 'Reflux' will that bar entry to the army?

I take a tablet once a day 'Omeprazole 20mg' I have no symptoms at all If I take the tablets!!

Thanks,

 

Use the search facility.
Look in the thread 'All MEDICAL chat & queries in here please' in the 'joining up' forum.

 

Doubt it. I used to it take when I joined, and no one flinched.

 

Thanks FF.

What did you take it for?

 

Whilst I am no expert, ask yourself if you could live and function without your pills for days, maybe weeks on end, because that’s what the medical lot at adsc will ask.

 

Ubuntu,

The answer at the moment would be no! But it wouldnt die. It be in slight pain.......

A few years ago I went on a round the world trip that lasted 18 months. I took enough tablets to last, and whilst away when to mountains, jungle, beach.... Some very remote places and some crowded citys....

My point is that I had no probs what so ever! I did exercise when I could
and had a great time on my own....

The Army might say that because I need pills that I might be a risk.

But what if I lost my socks? Might sound crazy but without them, my feet would soon cause me to be a problem. If I can go away without losing my clothing I'm sure I can keep hold of a few tablets......

 

Socks are not treated the same way as needing drugs,

Socks are available throughout the military system, Drugs are not. You get issued several pairs of socks, socks can be washed (yes, really they can) and reused, drugs can not. I could go on (often I do)

Check the bloody sticky 'jsp 346' and read what it says in there, as that is the guide for medical matters. Arguing in here isn't going to do anything. If you do find that you are turned down for it, then there is a system in place for trying to get that overturned. Sometimes an individual is allowed in, sometimes not.

 

theoriginalphantom,

Thank you. I have read the sticky and been through the docs! Although printed in 2006. This may be out of date.

Following the post I rang the ACIO and they said fill out the forms and apply!! They can’t give any medical advice......

So that’s what I have done.

I know the socks example was a bit crap but the point is valid.

You have to a lot of gear with you if you go away for six months, and if you lost things such as food, clothing, and weapon. I think not only would you be in the shit, you would become ineffective to do the job!?!

So you don’t loose the tablets full stop and if you do you’re not going to die. You also take six months worth with you.

I'm not trying to argue! Just wanting some advice, before I waste anybody’s time including my own.

I can’t see a problem with it, that’s why thought I would check for an Army view point! I'm very fit and will bring lots of very expensive civilian IT qualifications to the table.

This is a forum and this is exactly what the web site is for? Share views??

 

Despite being printed in 2006 JSP 346 is the latest document, PAP 2007 is another one that can be useful on occasions

 

you may fall foul of this:

3.1.2. New entrants to the Armed Forces undergo intensive training that is both physically arduous and mentally taxing. They must be of robust
constitution and free from disease or injury that prevents them from meeting the challenge. During service they may operate in locations remote from medical care. It follows that those predisposed to, or with, conditions requiring periodic medical care or review, taking long term medication, or in whom deterioration of a pre-existing condition might occur are not suitable for military service. Additionally, modern Armed Forces operate with minimal manning margins so that illness, especially in key personnel, may have an immediate and even profound impact upon operational effectiveness.
Furthermore, flexibility of employment, in the event of illness, is limited. These constraints place considerable reliance upon screening at the entry medical examination, to ensure that those recruits that are accepted start their training with the best chance of success and subsequently serve, for the period of their engagement as fit, healthy and dependable service men and women.

You won't know until you try though. Have you actually been diagnosed with reflux? are you self medicating or being prescribed anything? Have you been tested for H-pylori?

 

You asked for advice, you were given some advice and you started arguing over that advice...! How to win friends and influence people....!

TOP's description of weapons, socks etc being available is a perfectly good one; and yours is lousy. Wandering around the world on a gap-year holiday is not the same as deploying on an operation into somewhere like Basra or Afghanistan.

An Army lives on weapons, socks and ammo; hence, the supply chain is set up to push forward large quantities of those items. If you are the only person taking that drug (and you lose your stash in a firefight, fire, flood etc), the system has to send you those drugs so that you can operate....

So, we have a choice: employ this man who is the only soldier who needs this drug or.....

The ACIO is the final arbiter after the consultant has reviewed your case. For the reasons already given, I wouldn't hold your breath.

Litotes

 

Depends on what is causing the acid reflux, if you are found to have barrats oesophagus (spelling?) then this will definately bar you from entry.