OT: US Army

[Ryan]

I'm going to be 17 in January and I plan on attending boot camp this summer. However, I know that a lot of medications are not allowed to be taken during this time. I am on a mild (actually, the smallest dose you can buy) of Prozac and Klonopin. Would this disqualify me? Also, is it true you don't need parental conset to go when you are 17?

Thanks in advance.

[JOHNNY]

In the Marines they usually will not because it is a high stress in environment and they do not allow those type of meds. I dont know about the army though. I just saw there bootcamp documentary and it seems that there boot is not stressful at all. Why not go to the Marines? If you go army you might regret it.
JOhnny

[David Jamieson]

If you go army you might regret it.

spoken like a true marine Johnny.

peace

[Arioch7]

I needed a written consent form from my parents when I signed up for the Navy when I was 17.

As far as being stressful, I suppose that depends on what your definition of stress is.

I do think the Marines are the most stressful but all Basic Training is stressful and they all have elements in common... or at least they did ten years ago.

Hope that helps!

[zen_celt]

I just joined the Army and my understanding is that those kinds of meds can disqualify you from joining in the first place. Talk to your recruiter and see if they can get you a waiver(I doubt it but you can ask). As far as the parental signature for minors; you need it to join, whether is be Regular Army or Reserve, unless you are emancipated. The same goes for all branches of the military. Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, just ask and I'll help with what I can.
-ZC

[fa_jing]

I don't mean to be rude, but have you considered getting off those medications anyway? Take some Chinese herbs instead or something. I recommend ginseng occasionally for depression, being young you aren't supposed to use too much of that. Actually if you are interested, you should seek out more experienced advice than I can offer. You could try the Traditional Chinese medicine forum or Training and Health here.

[Ryan]

Oh, how I would love to get off of those awful meds! I have mild OCD, and I would kill to just take some herbs and be done with this bullcrap. I gotta fix it up with the docs, though, my parents are worried about switching meds during school.

I hope to God this doesn't disqualify me...it is the lowest dose they make of both of them.

[Mr Punch]

If you do switch to herbals, make sure you know what's in those too. Don't forget many modern pharmaceuticals are derived from these herbs anyway, and although the dosage is usually tiny, some of them show on drug tests as prohibited substances.

[Ryan]

The info I've gotten has really been helpful.

However, these herbs aren't regulated by the FDA, they could be dangerous, right? How do I know what I'm getting is legit and won't harm me?

[tnwingtsun]

Klonopin????

Thats a strong Benzodiazepine,like Xanex and Valium.

You need to get off that stuff,you go cold turkey and you could
end up on the floor foaming at the mouth and jerking like Rolls to a UFC video so if you haven't been taking it long........STOP NOW!!
If you have go to rehab and ween yourself off before its too late.

Besides,I think that everyone on this forum
has a touch of OCD!!!

And yours is "Mild"?????

How does your OCD manifest itself??
For the good of the many??
Your Dr. needs to send you to counsel instead of slinging you meds,if you can't control it without meds and you don't want counsel to overcome this issue then don't make the mistake joining up for someone to babysit you

No matter how "Mild" your OCD is you DON'T need to be taking Klonopin.

[Ryan]

It's the lowest dose they make-5 mg. I've been on it for 2 years, and i've quit twice with no withdrawel symptoms. Xanex worked wonders, but I couldn't continue taking it due to its addictive tendencies.

The klonopin has no effect on me, except to counteract the rare reactions I have to the prozac.

[tnwingtsun]

"i've quit twice with no withdrawel symptoms."

For how long?

I've worked in a rehab center and I've got to say you're playing with fire.

There are many other re-uptakes besides prozac and if you're taking Klonopin on a daily basis to counteract rare reactions to prozac
then why take them every day????

If they are indeed rare?

Don't fool youself into thinking that Klonopin is a baby compaired to Xanex,they're both in the same family and act in the same manner,Xanex tends to act faster,same bullet,one flys faster but they both hit hard.

"It's the lowest dose they make-5 mg. I've been on it for 2 years, and i've quit twice with no withdrawel symptoms."

Thats long enough to kill you going cold turkey,you've been lucky.

Benzo(Klonopin/Valuim/Xanex/Adavan) withdraws make Herion
withdraws seem like a walk in the park,I've seen people stroke out and die, grand maus sezures and heart attacks due to the stress put on your system.

Don't let that "low dose 5 mg." fool you.

This may be something you don't want to dicuss on an open forum.

Feel free to PM me,perhaps I can help or point you in the right direction.

[guohuen]

You will fail your physical if they detect those drugs. You must have parental consent to join at seventeen.