FAA Medical Question

On Sep 1, 4:30*pm, "vaughn" wrote:
wrote in message

...



Since my FAA physical is coming up soon I got a normal physical to insure
would be no surprises.

* *Good for you! *But one could argue that it would be better to get that
private physical *AFTER* your FAA physical.

Good point Vaughn.

Case in point with me. Had DVT which required the use of blood
thinners. By the time I got to my medical I was NOT on the
medication. But the question on the form does ask if you had any
vascular problems (or something to that effect) since the last exam.

I could have easily said no as I wasn't on my last medical and I
wasn't during this last exam. I did the right thing and reported it.
This put a 2 month delay on my medical even though I came in with the
proper INR and prognosis documentation per AOPA guidance AND I started
the medical process a month before expiration.

I don't see the FAA medical exam being a strict exam even though I had
this inconvenience..

In a nutshell for a class three certification, they check your vision,
hearing and pee to meet minimum requirements and depend on the pilot
to be upfront and honest about any other conditions. The actual exam
is not strict by any standards. (so much for Mx's knowledge of this
process)

In my case and I have posted this in the past, my past class three
exams revealed pre-melanoma on one exam and extreme high blood
pressure (210 over 170) on another exam and I was flying the day
before the exam with this blood pressure asymptomatic.

Neither of the above prevented me from flying AFTER I came up with the
appropriate documentation to recertify my medical.

Even with me seeing a doctor once a year, I am all for the FAA exam as
my current doctor doesn't check my vision or hearing.

On Sep 1, 5:30*pm, "vaughn" wrote:
wrote in message

...



Since my FAA physical is coming up soon I got a normal physical to insure
would be no surprises.

* *Good for you! *But one could argue that it would be better to get that
private physical *AFTER* your FAA physical.

Why? *Because there can be considerable difference between the disease
definitions your doctor uses and those contained in FAA regulations. *In
particular, the thresholds for blood pressure and blood sugar have been
generally lowered over the years, while the FAA definitions have remained
unchanged. *For example: if your doctor diagnoses you with type 2 diabetes, you
will be required to report that on your medical application and then you will be
required to jump through the appropriate hoops to get your medical, even though
you may (probably will) pass the AME's very crude urine-based blood sugar test.

Vaughn

An interesting ethics question would be, what would you have done if
your 'ordinary' physical would have disclosed something that would
have prevented you from passing the FAA one?

vaughn wrote:

wrote in message
...

Since my FAA physical is coming up soon I got a normal physical to insure
would be no surprises.

Good for you! But one could argue that it would be better to get that
private physical *AFTER* your FAA physical.

Why? Because there can be considerable difference between the disease
definitions your doctor uses and those contained in FAA regulations. In
particular, the thresholds for blood pressure and blood sugar have been
generally lowered over the years, while the FAA definitions have remained
unchanged. For example: if your doctor diagnoses you with type 2 diabetes, you
will be required to report that on your medical application and then you will be
required to jump through the appropriate hoops to get your medical, even though
you may (probably will) pass the AME's very crude urine-based blood sugar test.

Vaughn

I got the private physical 6 months before the FAA physical because that
would give me plenty of time to take care of any issues per the FAA
requirements.

It doesn't matter to the FAA what your doctor calls something, what matters
is numbers, as in your doctor can say you have high blood pressure but the
only thing the FAA cares about is that it is under 155.

Also, as you get older and don't take a private physical first, there is the
chance you will be denied and there goes everything, including Sport Pilot.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

wrote:
On Sep 1, 4:30Â*pm, "vaughn" wrote:
wrote in message

...



Since my FAA physical is coming up soon I got a normal physical to insure
would be no surprises.

Â* Â*Good for you! Â*But one could argue that it would be better to get that
private physical *AFTER* your FAA physical.

Good point Vaughn.

Case in point with me. Had DVT which required the use of blood
thinners. By the time I got to my medical I was NOT on the
medication. But the question on the form does ask if you had any
vascular problems (or something to that effect) since the last exam.

I could have easily said no as I wasn't on my last medical and I
wasn't during this last exam. I did the right thing and reported it.
This put a 2 month delay on my medical even though I came in with the
proper INR and prognosis documentation per AOPA guidance AND I started
the medical process a month before expiration.

I don't see the FAA medical exam being a strict exam even though I had
this inconvenience..

In a nutshell for a class three certification, they check your vision,
hearing and pee to meet minimum requirements and depend on the pilot
to be upfront and honest about any other conditions. The actual exam
is not strict by any standards. (so much for Mx's knowledge of this
process)

In my case and I have posted this in the past, my past class three
exams revealed pre-melanoma on one exam and extreme high blood
pressure (210 over 170) on another exam and I was flying the day
before the exam with this blood pressure asymptomatic.

Neither of the above prevented me from flying AFTER I came up with the
appropriate documentation to recertify my medical.

Even with me seeing a doctor once a year, I am all for the FAA exam as
my current doctor doesn't check my vision or hearing.

If your doctor doesn't check what you ask him to check, nor give you
a recommendation on what needs to be checked, find another doctor.

I told the doctor exactly why I was there and what I wanted checked.

His recommendation was while I was there and am over 50 to get a prostate
check and a basic blood panel, both of which sounded like a good idea to
me.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

a wrote:
On Sep 1, 5:30Â*pm, "vaughn" wrote:
wrote in message

...



Since my FAA physical is coming up soon I got a normal physical to insure
would be no surprises.

Â* Â*Good for you! Â*But one could argue that it would be better to get that
private physical *AFTER* your FAA physical.

Why? Â*Because there can be considerable difference between the disease
definitions your doctor uses and those contained in FAA regulations. Â*In
particular, the thresholds for blood pressure and blood sugar have been
generally lowered over the years, while the FAA definitions have remained
unchanged. Â*For example: if your doctor diagnoses you with type 2 diabetes, you
will be required to report that on your medical application and then you will be
required to jump through the appropriate hoops to get your medical, even though
you may (probably will) pass the AME's very crude urine-based blood sugar test.

Vaughn

An interesting ethics question would be, what would you have done if
your 'ordinary' physical would have disclosed something that would
have prevented you from passing the FAA one?

In my case I had already decided; sell the Tiger and buy a LSA assuming
whatever it was didn't mean flying would be stupid, like an aneurism that
could blow at any time.



--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

wrote in message
...

It doesn't matter to the FAA what your doctor calls something, what matters
is numbers, as in your doctor can say you have high blood pressure but the
only thing the FAA cares about is that it is under 155.

I am not sure that is true; are you? The question on form 2120-0034 is: "HAVE
YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE BEEN DIAGNOSED...". You have only two blocks to check for
each listed condition: "Yes" or "No". If you check "Yes", it is up to your AME
to resolve to issue as per FAA guidlines, or deny you. My point is that the
thresholds that your doctor uses are subject to change based on current
research, and they are likely not the same thresholds found in FAA regulations.

Also, as you get older and don't take a private physical first, there is the
chance you will be denied and there goes everything, including Sport Pilot.

Yes, and that might well play into your decision to get a prior physical...or
not. If you happen to be a professional pilot, Sport Pilot privaleges may not
be terribly important to you.

FYI Myself, I see my doctor regularly. I wat to keep flying, but continuing to
live is even more important to me.

Vaughn

vaughn wrote:

wrote in message
...

It doesn't matter to the FAA what your doctor calls something, what matters
is numbers, as in your doctor can say you have high blood pressure but the
only thing the FAA cares about is that it is under 155.

I am not sure that is true; are you? The question on form 2120-0034 is: "HAVE
YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE BEEN DIAGNOSED...". You have only two blocks to check for
each listed condition: "Yes" or "No". If you check "Yes", it is up to your AME
to resolve to issue as per FAA guidlines, or deny you. My point is that the
thresholds that your doctor uses are subject to change based on current
research, and they are likely not the same thresholds found in FAA regulations.

Yes, the FAA uses the FAA numbers.

If you were to check yes becuase, for example, your blood pressure was 145,
which most doctors concider "high blood pressure", in the notes you say it
was 145.

The AME in any case is going to take your blood pressure and if it is under
155, that is the end of it.

Taking a private physical well in advance gives you the opportunity to get
a treatable condition under control to FAA standards and get the required
paper done to prove it before you see the AME.


Also, as you get older and don't take a private physical first, there is the
chance you will be denied and there goes everything, including Sport Pilot.

Yes, and that might well play into your decision to get a prior physical...or
not. If you happen to be a professional pilot, Sport Pilot privaleges may not
be terribly important to you.

Again, it gives you the opportunity to get a treatable condition under
control to FAA standards and get the required paper done to prove it
before you see the AME.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

Mark writes:

No really. With today's epidemic of diabetes it's
not uncommon for police to intercept drivers who have
become totally disoriented and incapacitated due to
low blood sugar.

Hypoglycemia is mainly a risk for insulin-dependent diabetics, who represent
only a small minority of diabetics (particularly when one considers only those
who are especially at risk of hypoglycemia).

There are some jurisdictions that prohibit diabetics from driving, although
that's an extreme overreaction with no justification in reality.

Also, the idiots who drive under the
influence are "medically incapacitated" while they're high
on booze or drugs, which account for a large percentage
of accidents. Alcoholism and drug addiction is considered
a disease.

Substance abuse is a choice that one makes independently of uncontrollable
medical factors. Alcohol is a leading cause of automobile accidents, but
nothing forces anyone to drink alcohol.

writes:

IMHO for private and below I agree.

There already exists the obligation to self certify before each flight
and there is nothing that requires one to run to a doctor to get evaluated
when you get sick or injured.

What I would propose is that the FAA medical exam for private and below
be replaced with a requirement to get a physical from a real doctor, any
doctor, once a year, which everyone should do anyway, and based on that
you self certify your general fitness to fly.

The physical would be entered into your log.

As a bonus, most insurance will pay for an ordinary physical but not a
FAA physical.

This seems like a very reasonable policy. Private pilots are not carrying
passengers for hire. Other passengers have the option of flying or not flying
with the pilot, generally speaking. And of course a pilot flying alone isn't
an issue, either. Danger to people on the ground is almost nonexistent, so a
pilot in poor health mainly just puts himself at risk ... which should be his
prerogative.

I'm on the fence where some ratings are involved as in should the current
FAA medical requirement be kept to hold and exercise ratings such as IFR,
jets or over 12,000 pounds.

Most FAA restrictions are de jure, not having been verified against real-world
data. They seem to be inherited from military programs and archaic flight
standards. They are also very inconsistent: a person who had a seizure twice
in childhood might be disqualified, but a person who is 150 lbs overweight can
still be certified ... even though the obese person is almost certainly at
much greater risk of sudden incapacitation than the person who had seizures in
childhood.

vaughn writes:

For example: if your doctor diagnoses you with type 2 diabetes, you
will be required to report that on your medical application and then you will be
required to jump through the appropriate hoops to get your medical, even though
you may (probably will) pass the AME's very crude urine-based blood sugar test.

The doctor doesn't have to diagnose it. He may simply have a concern about
high blood glucose, which is not the same as a diagnosis of diabetes. The
diagnosis must be reported, but not just the doctor's verbally articulated
concern. And indeed, an occasionally high blood glucose doesn't necessarily
equate to diabetes, so jumping to a diagnosis isn't always warranted.

In contrast, if there really is diabetes, then it's better to get it diagnosed
and fixed, and whether this occurs before or after the FAA medical is
irrelevant. If you are diagnosed a day after the FAA medical, then you are no
longer fit to fly until you get it fixed.