Not sure what to do.....

[IowaBoy171]

I'm currently working out with the marines and preparing myself to go to MEPS next week. I am prescibed xanax and have told my recruiter about it. I am having a tough time getting off of it but know that I want to become a Marine. My recruiter told me that when I go to MEPS not to say anything about taking the prescription. I have been looking at many different posts on the internet and have heard different things. Should I not tell the people at MEPS about it and also will it show up on the drug test and make me fail it? Thanks

[Lisa 23]

Try filling out all of your profile, as it's required in the site rules, which can be found in the poolee and Ask A Marine forums.

Try doing a search on the Leatherneck and the internet for medical waivers for the Marine Corps.

And most importantly...DO NOT lie about anything when you go to MEPS, especially prescription meds!

[tdrt]

Well, since it's prescribed for anxiety disorders/panic attacks, you bet your sweet ass you better tell MEPS. And I'm sorry but if you're have a tough time getting off it, you may need to consider other career options.

[IowaBoy171]

I mean it's just hard because it is physically addictive. So I should definitley tell MEPS about it then. Why would my recruiter tell me not 2? I have been working extremely hard the last 3 weeks and have dropped my college courses for next semester. I am really starting to worry about not telling them about my medication. I just don't want to dissapoint my recruiter when I tell them about my medication when he has been telling me not 2 all this time.

[Lisa 23]

The only person you will disappoint is yourself IF YOU decide to lie, then get through the whole process at MEPS, then it's discovered that you lied and your being charged with fraudulent enlistment....

[Rocky C]

I'm currently working out with the marines and preparing myself to go to MEPS next week. I am prescibed xanax and have told my recruiter about it. I am having a tough time getting off of it but know that I want to become a Marine. My recruiter told me that when I go to MEPS not to say anything about taking the prescription. I have been looking at many different posts on the internet and have heard different things. Should I not tell the people at MEPS about it and also will it show up on the drug test and make me fail it? Thanks


Current or history of anxiety disorders (anxiety (300.01) or panic (300.2)), agoraphobia (300.21), social phobia (300.23), simple phobias (300.29), obsessive-compulsive (300.3), other acute reactions to stress (308), and posttraumatic stress disorder (309.81) are disqualifying.

Good Luck and Good Health to you...........

[Zulu 36]

I mean it's just hard because it is physically addictive. So I should definitley tell MEPS about it then. Why would my recruiter tell me not 2? I have been working extremely hard the last 3 weeks and have dropped my college courses for next semester. I am really starting to worry about not telling them about my medication. I just don't want to dissapoint my recruiter when I tell them about my medication when he has been telling me not 2 all this time.


How much do you take per day?

[IowaBoy171]

I am taking .25 mg 3 times a day. I wasn't taking it for panic attacks or anything like that I was taking it for school because I didn't want to take anything with amphetamines in it like adderrall or ritalin. I don't even have add but my doctor told me that she thought it would help me be less stressed about things. I had no idea though that it was a narcotic and that I would have 2 taper off of it. I talked to my recruiter today and told him I at least had to be completely off of it before I would even consider giving false information. I am in great shape now and could enlist the only thing is this whole deal. Thanks everyone for the advice on this situation!

[Zulu 36]

I am taking .25 mg 3 times a day. I wasn't taking it for panic attacks or anything like that I was taking it for school because I didn't want to take anything with amphetamines in it like adderrall or ritalin. I don't even have add but my doctor told me that she thought it would help me be less stressed about things. I had no idea though that it was a narcotic and that I would have 2 taper off of it. I talked to my recruiter today and told him I at least had to be completely off of it before I would even consider giving false information. I am in great shape now and could enlist the only thing is this whole deal. Thanks everyone for the advice on this situation!

Well, it seems the thing to do is start weaning yourself. It will take at least a month to do it right. Go see your doctor and ask him for a safe weaning schedule.

[Lisa 23]

Well, it seems the thing to do is start weaning yourself. It will take at least a month to do it right. Go see your doctor and ask him for a safe weaning schedule.

Also... whatever you do, DO NOT wean yourself off of your meds. As Zulu said, go see your doctor.

[IowaBoy171]

yes I have already talked to my doctor and started weaning myself off with her help.

[Gunner 0313]

:flag:I would listen to what your recruiter told you.

[Komenko]

:flag:I would listen to what your recruiter told you.

lmao Gunner don't get the kid confused!!!

[IowaBoy171]

lol thanks Gunner I like your answer. I am just going to do as my recruiter said because I know that I will not have any problems once I'm off because my doctor said I would be fine. I was just worried about getting kicked out one day, but I have recently been talking to people and I have one buddy who had a broken leg once and didn't tell MEPS people about it and he said it hurts like hell everyday but no matter what he can't say anything. So I think that is probably a worse thing not 2 tell the MEPS people because I have no physical problems at all. I don't know if you guys think I am an idiot for doing this feel free 2 say so lol. Thanks

[Lynn2]

Boy, you had to take friggin meds to get through HS. And now you are dependent on them. And you have decided to lie to the US Govt and the Corps just so you can enlist.

You thought you needed meds to get through HS? Just wait until you see what real pressure is.

I truly hope you fail.

There are far to many kids out there who want a chance and are neither liars, dependent on drugs, nor need meds to get through something as easy as high school.

Give me an honest boozer or dobbie smoker any day. At least you could depend on them being honest.

[IowaBoy171]

Not HS I am done with college it was for my masters. Also I am not lying about anything else. Maybe you are right though. I do hate the fact about not being honest. I would only have to wait 12 months 2 be able to enlist the right way. I just don't want to wait around to do something good and be a part of something I could really be proud of.

[IowaBoy171]

I also don't want to let my recruiters down who have been working hard to get me in shape and have been helping me with paper work and using their time which they haven't had 2 they could have just told me to leave and come back.

[Gunner 0313]

:flag:Like I said, if the recruiter told you to do it then listen to him. He's the one that puts people in the Marine Corps for a living. He should know his job and wouldn't put you in a compromising position if he knew otherwise.

[Lisa 23]

I don't care if your recruiter told you to lie......DO NOT lie about anything. Eventually it will come back and bite you in the butt. If you want to join the Marines, join the Marines the "honest" way, not by lying. If it means you have to wait, then wait, but DO NOT lie!

[Lynn2]

"Not HS I am done with college it was for my masters."


Sorry but that is even worse. At least with HS you might have thought it a young kids growing pains that got mis-DX.

You are in fact a grown adult. And you had to go on serious drugs to get through a masters program. And now you are addicted or dependent.

Any one that thinks this is a no big deal for a person going into a much higher stress occupation with lots of deployments and possible war tours is just not all that bright.

Lying about smoking a doobie is IMO no big deal. This is different.

[IowaBoy171]

dude lynn2 thanks for the advice you just made me want to join even more now just to prove to myself that your wrong. I know I can be one hell of a marine. Either way I could still join in 12 months so I am fine. The only reason I decided to take these was because I thought it was better than taking amphetamines which I thought would cause withdrawls. Either way I am basically off of them already in one week. U just have to taper off of them.

[Lisa 23]

You know, you wannabes should show more respect when talking to Marines...it's Marines, not dude.
And when using the word Marine, it will always be capitalized.
You should really familiarize yourself with the site rules in the poolee and Ask A Marine forums too. And stop using chatroom slang every now and then too.

[Lynn2]

Maybe for Marines. But I am a Navy dude so dude is good enough for me.

I do not bowl nor have a rug thought that sets off the room.

So my dudeness only goes so far.

[Lisa 23]

Lynn2, it's just a pet peeve of mine.
Marines, Docs, Sailors, etc, ....should be addressed as such, not dudes. To me, it shows respect.

[Lynn2]

"still join in 12 months so I am fine"

And if you go in 12 months and are honest I will be wishing you the best of luck.

You do realize that when you say you only took a serious benzodiazepine family of drug because you did not want to take amphetamines that that does not help your case.

This is not motrin we are talking about.

[Lynn2]

"Lynn2, it's just a pet peeve of mine."

No problem at all. But since he was addressing me I can say that it bothers me not at all.

[Old Marine]

Son, you say you took these meds to get through college and your Masters. It really amazes me that you have this Masters Degree and you want to become an enlisted Marine.

It sounds like those meds messed up your pea brain.

The poster that told you to look elsewhere for different career options was right on.

Is you Masters for "Basket Weaving?"

[IowaBoy171]

lol true that old marine! I think I have lost my mind. jk no I just want to serve my country. Just think that everyone should do it if they are able. And no I didn't finish the masters bs just got my degree. But there is a recruit right now who I am training with who has his masters and is still joining. If I was doing it for money I would join the army or something. Either way this post is old news now I already made my decision.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Good for you. You'll have to be off meds for a year prior to enlisting. I'm sure the recruiter informed you of that. However, if you needed the meds to get thru college, (as one of our other members stated) then how the devil are you going to get thru Recruit Training? And lets not even get started about the Fleet Marine Force, multiple deployments, being away from home, and being a PFC with a Masters Degree being ordered around by LCpl's with High School diplomas and told to scrub the shivtter every Thursday for a year?

Heck, I WANT to be a millionaire and retire. But it's not realistic, nor possible.

While your dedication is admirable, are you and the Marine Corps going to be a 'good fit'?

It's not all just about Recruit Training...you've still got four more years to do after that.

[IowaBoy171]

Oh yeah sgtlep I will be fine. I didn't even really need 2 take them I just wanted 2 because hell everyone else is taking something so they can study all the damn time so I figured I might as well 2. The Marine Corps= perfect fit 4 me.

[IowaBoy171]

Oh yeah and I am not a high and mighty person who thinks my **** doesn't stink I might be older then them and have a degree but they are older than me when it comes to being a Marine and know what's going on so I will take their advice and do whatever they without hesitation.

[Zulu 36]

Oh yeah and I am not a high and mighty person who thinks my **** doesn't stink I might be older then them and have a degree but they are older than me when it comes to being a Marine and know what's going on so I will take their advice and do whatever they without hesitation.


You say that now. However, during my 21-years of military and 25-years of police service I had to take orders from people I knew were stupid, knew less about my job than I did, and were by far my educational and intellectual inferiors. You smile, say "Yes, Sir" and carry on. It wears on you.

[IowaBoy171]

I know i'm sure it will lol. I've had that happen in regular life as well though. Someone who just gets the job because he is family or something and is your boss. It's just apart of life. Hopefully one day I won't have to always be taking orders and when I'm out and have learned everything the Marine Corps has to teach me I will get to run my own business or something. Who knows. I was actually thinking about doing police work when I got out so I will probably have to deal with all the same bs as u lol. But being my own boss would be sweet I will just have to see where the road takes me I guess.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Zulu is dead on.

[Gunner 0313]

:flag:I have a feeling you'll do just fine Buckeye. You seem as if your head is somewhat screwed on the right way. Keep us informed of your progress and don't hesitate to ask questions.

[IowaBoy171]

I def will Gunner thanks for all the advice everyone.