medical question: childhood heart murmur

Here's one response thanking several people who wrote comments.

This unnamed pilot, talked to the AOPA medical people (Jo Ann) this
morning, and they she recommended that there was no need to divulge
this condition. Specifically, she said that childhood murmurs are
common and most children grow out of them. If in two medical exams two
different AMEs never heard anything, then there is no reportable
murmur.

I dunno..... to be honest, though having my certificates revoked is a
highly unpleasant thought, what upsets me the most is the idea that in
an accident some day in the future the insurance company will go
looking for reasons not to pay, and find one... a non-relevant
technicality, but a reason nontheless.

Thanks again, people. I (I mean, my pilot friend, will try not to
worry about it now.

What would be cool would be if you could anonymously talk to someone in
Oklahoma, like the AOPA medical advice people, but more likely to know
what the FAA medical people are thinking right now.

-unnamedpilot

("Gig 601XL Builder" wrote)
[snip]
"Feel free to tell me how cute I was as a baby just not how sick I was."


"I have no specific recollection"

This one seems to work.


Montblack

"Gig 601XL Builder" wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in message
news:aKrIe.3509$_t.1964@okepread01...
"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...
You're only required to report what you remember.

If you can cite the rule that says you only have to report what you
remember, sure would save me a lot of trouble.

The bottom of the form says, "... are true to the best of my knowledge..."

Right. If the FAA wanted our medical reporting to be more rigorous, they
could require us to keep a running log of reportable medical events, just as
we're required to log e.g. sufficient flight experience for currency, rather
than just relying on memory if challenged. But we're not required to keep
such a medical log (though of course we can if we want to).

Obviously, we could not credibly claim to have forgotten recent major
developments, if later questioned about them. But it's certainly plausible
to forget about an early-childhood heart murmur.

--Gary

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:B5sIe.42$zX3.24@trndny05...
wrote:
The first time your friend filled out the form, there were a bunch of
questions that he answered. Truthfully, as far as he knew. He signed a
statement to the effect that they were true as far as he knew. From this
point on, the AME asks about changes to existing conditions or new
conditions that have come up.

No, that's not the case. Each time you fill out the form, you're asked to
report 1) all health-professional visits within the last three years; and 2)
whether you have *ever in your life* had or been diagnosed with any of
several enumerated conditions. There's nothing that restricts the scope of
the questions to changes since the last exam.
(http://www.aopa.org/members/files/medical/8500-8.pdf)

--Gary

"Gig 601XL Builder" wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in message
news:aKrIe.3509$_t.1964@okepread01...
The bottom of the form says, "... are true to the best of my knowledge..."
so he was OK until he was reminded of the problem.

Hmmm...well, the FAA isn't well-known for their propensity to allow "I
forgot" as an excuse. I'm looking for something a little more concrete than
the signature line of the form, thanks.

My guess is that the doctor confused him with his brother.
The pilot's vague memories are probably regarding his brother.

wrote in message
oups.com...

Okay, here's an odd situation.

30-something pilot, been flying a few years, have had a couple of class
III medical examinations; no problems.

On a recent visit home, pilot's family remind him that as infant he had
a heart murmur. There were checkups for a few years, but no
restrictions, meds, problems, etc of any sort.

Pilot vaguely remembers some of this on being reminded, but also knows
he's never mentioned it to an AME. (As far as he knows, there's no
murmur today; at least no doctor or AME has mentioned it during an exam
in the last 20 years.)

Pilot has a one year old medical good for two more years.

1. does the pilot divulge to FAA said childhood murmur?
2. if so, to whom? AME? Oklahoma City?
3. does he wait until next exam (couple of years) or do so now?
4. If going to divulge, should he go get fancy/expensive tests *first*
or let FAA or AME ask for said tests?

Some seriously Googling about murmurs shows the protocol for murmurs to
be that they are FAA disqualifying until shown to be benign, and the
FAA has a list of stuff they want a cardiologist to provide to make the
decision. It's not clear if the AME or OKC needs to do that. The list
of stuff is long: stress test, ekg, family history, etc.


this unnamed flyer is a little freaked out right now. he doesn't want
to break the law, but doesn't want to give up his one true love,
flying!

thanks,
unnamedflyer

"Peter Duniho" wrote in message
...
"Gig 601XL Builder" wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in message
news:aKrIe.3509$_t.1964@okepread01...
The bottom of the form says, "... are true to the best of my
knowledge..." so he was OK until he was reminded of the problem.

Hmmm...well, the FAA isn't well-known for their propensity to allow "I
forgot" as an excuse. I'm looking for something a little more concrete
than the signature line of the form, thanks.


How could someone be required to report something they have no knowledge of?

Peter Duniho wrote:

Hmmm...well, the FAA isn't well-known for their propensity to allow "I
forgot" as an excuse.

True, but in this case, the pilot apparently was too young at the time to even
remember that the problem existed (the OP says he was an infant). If it even
*did* exist. All we have here is relatives' possibly incorrect memories of a
possibly incorrect diagnosis of a possibly non-existent condition that required
no treatment and does not exist today. "I was unaware of this" is vastly
different from "I forgot."

If I were inclined to report it (and, as I said, I would not do so), I would
first get my hands on the examining doctor's old records and see what actually
happened. If I couldn't get copies of those records, neither can anyone else,
and it "didn't happen."

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

"Gig 601XL Builder" wr.giacona@coxDOTnet wrote in message
news:XzuIe.3518$_t.2031@okepread01...
How could someone be required to report something they have no knowledge
of?

The same way they are required to be familiar with ALL available information
pertaining to a flight.

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:00vIe.14421$2y2.782@trndny02...
True, but in this case, the pilot apparently was too young at the time to
even remember that the problem existed (the OP says he was an infant).

I am not talking about this particular situation. I'm responding to the
general statement that one need only report what one remembers.

An exception for a specific instance (and I believe, along with you and
others, that the original poster's issue wouldn't be of concern) does not
imply an exception for all instances.

Pete