Deykari Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Great. For the past few months I've been going through the application process for the British Army. I had my interview on Wednesday, and they basically gave me a start date of 4th January - after some debating of job choices, I've gone for Aircraft Technician - interesting role with great prospects, benefits and pay. Now, I go through periods of doing a lot of exercise, and periods where I don't, and I am a light smoker and a not-so-light drinker, but I never have any problems doing anything as far as physical activity goes. Over the past month or so though, any sort of cardiovascular exercise I have done has given me an itchy chin and and heavy wheezing for about 15-20 minutes post-exercise. Tonight, I had a very heavy attack after about 20 minutes of running where I struggled to breathe and have been at the hospital, where they said it's likely to be either adult-onset asthma or exercise-induced asthma, but likely the former seeing I've never had any breathing difficulty at all before. Any form of asthma, regardless of severity, is a no-go in the army, and whilst they don't know about it yet, I obviously can't start basic training in January with it because of the breathing difficulty involved, so I'm going to have to mention it. Now I'm not writing myself off straight away incase it's an allergy to something, but I'm fearing the worst. Anyone have any experience with adult-onset asthma or exercise-induced asthma? I'm damn ****ed off/annoyed right now. Dey P.S - I know smoking doesn't help one bit, but I was told whilst smoking exacerbates the issue, it'd more than likely still exist if I didn't smoke. Still no excuse though, I think this is definitely grounds for trying to quit.. again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mali Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 In either case what you are experiencing is likely bronchospasm. Your breathing tubes narrow. Then, if you panic or get worried, they narrow further and exacerbate the problem. I had whooping cough awhile back and after it nearly killed me, I had some exercise induced asthma. It went away. Obviously the smoking doesn't help. I'm not a doctor, but the best thing that worked for me was a low dose steroid inhaled through a "disk" inhaler. This was not to treat the attacks but to prevent it. http://www.drugs.com/advair.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imoutgoodbye Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Well, I'd say until you get this under control, find some way to NOT go through processing yet. Not sure how the brit army works, but, uhmm.....LIE! When you go through processing, hide it. Stop smoking now. Everyone gets winded after some tough cardio. My bud and I that used to go running together, we weren't satisfied with the run until our lungs ached, our legs were rubber, and we could barely stand. My point is, if you get it under control, you can hide it. If you can, wait and go for it later. I mean, once you're in, you're in, right? Not your fault this developed afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deykari Posted August 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Well, the medical side of things has been completed and because this hasn't been a problem before, that's fine. I've had my interviews, and all that remains is a selection interview 1st and 2nd September which involves a 1.5 mile run and some strength exercises to determine physical fitness, with a basic medical examination beforehand. I should be fine there (though with the post-running problems kicking in) and hopefully it won't be noticed in the medical. I am no strange to being breathless after an intense cardio workout, but this isn't that. This about maybe 5 minutes or so after exercise has finished and I'm resting. It starts with an itch to the chin which gets really unbearable then the wheezing and the feeling of not being able to breathe properly kicks in. I played a game of football today and when I was resting at half-time, it kicked in and I had to sit out for about 3/4 of the second half of the game, didn't want to try running about like that. Going to pay a visit to the doctor's tomorrow. Fingers crossed it's some sort of allergy or something that's causing whatever it is to flare up. Finger's crossed it's not adult-onset or exercise-induced asthma. Dey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Questioner Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Smoking is most likely the reason why you have such shortness of breath after running or excercising. Quit and keep up your running and training. Good luck with your interviews and the physical readiness test. I ran a 9:25 on my 1.5 mile run, 63 pushups and 117 situps for mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarriorCleric Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Good luck with your interviews and the physical readiness test. I ran a 9:25 on my 1.5 mile run' date=' 63 pushups and 117 situps for mine.[/quote'] I read that as 'Practical Retardness Test' and thought 'What the hell is he talking about?' So I scrolled up and noticed you were talking to Dey and it seemed too make sense to me. I clicked the back button and quickly stopped again, 'What the hell are they talking about.' Came forward again and reread. WC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deykari Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 I'm running the top end of 9 minutes (exactly 9:59 on my last 1.5 mile). Push-ups and sit-ups aren't measured for entry as a soldier for the British Army, only as an officer - instead soldier strength tests involve carrying weighted jerry cans certain distances, pull-ups and static/dynamic lifting. Whilst I'm certaintly not denying that smoking is not a help at all, I've been smoking for about 2 years and never had this problem before with exercising - it's literally shown itself in the last few weeks, when my exercising has dropped a little than what it was at my peak, about a month/two months ago. I can't imagine smoking to have just brought this on like it has (literally going one day exercising and being fine and when exercising two/three days later suffering from this insane wheezing), however by the same token, I'm no doctor so I'm certaintly ignorant in that respect. Either way, this is definitely a -real- incentive for me to stop smoking because I'm seeing visible effects of it now. No matter how much I tried to kid myself, saving money on cigarettes/stopping potential lung/throat cancer later in life was never going to stop me smoking, as bad as that sounds. Dey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argo Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Hey Dey.. I'm leaving for basic training in the US Navy to be an aircraft tech too i leave on sept 17th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyzarius Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 stop smoking. stop smoking... stop...smoking.... Dey, really....man...dude...stop...smoking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deykari Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Well I went to see my doctor, who could BARELY speak a word of English! I tried to explain the situation to him, and he told me that it's normal to be out of breath after exercise, and was like "What's the problem? Haven't you exerted yourself physically before?" It took me about 20 minutes to get across that it wasn't the typical breathelessness from exercise, that I'm not unfit, that it was kicking in after I'd already rested for a little bit and was accompanied with wheezing, and itchy chin and it being harder to breathe in general. He said it could potentially be some sort of asthma, and has given me an inhaler to use for two weeks to see if that makes any difference. Dey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali_gmud Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 start date of 4th January Wammie, right on my bday I like the new pic Deykari, you look quite happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deykari Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 It was taken right before I took someone's bounty. In real-life. Hence the suit. What are you looking to go in for? Dey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argo Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 I'm an AV so into avionics and what not... pretty broad...fun electrician stuff though :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deykari Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Ah, I'm going into the mech side, not avionics/electronics. Dey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imoutgoodbye Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Ah, I'm going into the mech side, not avionics/electronics. Dey *hugs Deykari* I love you man! You have no idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mali Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Eat loads of Turmeric. It helps the lungs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyeSeeU Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Not smoking also helps the lungs, one of the reasons why I quit myself. So if you have only been smoking for 2 years it should not be that hard at all. I figured this topic was good enough for me to announce my return, for however long/short it will be... I am back for now at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinblades713 Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Welcome back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inscribed Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 my advice would be to keep quiet about it. go to basic training, do what you need to do. if it becomes a problem during your basic training, maybe bring it up then if you really need to. i would still try to downplay the whole problem as much as you can, let your instructor be the one to make the call as to whether you need a doctor. if it does turn out to be a problem at that point, they'd be a lot less likely to kick you out or deny you your job once you are actually in. its a lot easier for them to write you off now since you haven't even shipped yet. i'm currently in the us air force as a fighter crew chief. my current assignment has me working f-15's but i'm qualified to work any fighter jet we have. i don't know about europe, but over here my job will allow me to test for what's called an "airframe and powerplant license", which will allow me to work on aircraft as a civilian. normally its an expensive, 2 year long process, but for me it's free. pretty much any defense contracting job requires it here. i know there's a similar license over there, but i don't know the details of it. it'd be well worth looking into. the license, combined with my mech engineering degree and my security clearance is going to land me a very well paying job in a couple years once i finish my commitment. good luck. ps. navy planes suck. i am sorry for whoever said they worked on them. but hey, at least they can land on ships. that must count for something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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