The all powerful ADHD denial
08-25-2008, 12:29 PM
#1
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The all powerful ADHD denial
First time poster, kinda long time reader!
Yep, I think I just got my FAA medical denial today. The AME( who I have lost some faith with after the current events) said the FAA will contact me with the reasons I was denied, but I have been somewhat preparing for this for a while knowing that the ADHD thing was going to be an issue. Little background, I signed up mid term for an aviation science program at the local community college. The advisor and I at the close of the term decided we would talk about the FAA medical over the summer, (didn't happen until now). So I decided to go on my own and get moving on it since school starts next week. The AME says that the ADHD will DQ me for now. I haven't takin' any drugs for atleast 2 years, and last term my grades were all A's. My question is now, how and what hoops am I gonna have to jump threw to get this cleared up. Ways of going about it, have the guy who gave me the sentence of "ADHD" say he misdiagnosed me if possible or say I'm cured. Anyone else who has dealt with this experience and lived to tell please let me know. Thanks.
Yep, I think I just got my FAA medical denial today. The AME( who I have lost some faith with after the current events) said the FAA will contact me with the reasons I was denied, but I have been somewhat preparing for this for a while knowing that the ADHD thing was going to be an issue. Little background, I signed up mid term for an aviation science program at the local community college. The advisor and I at the close of the term decided we would talk about the FAA medical over the summer, (didn't happen until now). So I decided to go on my own and get moving on it since school starts next week. The AME says that the ADHD will DQ me for now. I haven't takin' any drugs for atleast 2 years, and last term my grades were all A's. My question is now, how and what hoops am I gonna have to jump threw to get this cleared up. Ways of going about it, have the guy who gave me the sentence of "ADHD" say he misdiagnosed me if possible or say I'm cured. Anyone else who has dealt with this experience and lived to tell please let me know. Thanks.
08-25-2008, 04:33 PM
#2
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Is ADHD an actual condition or a medium for pharmaceutical companies to make more money?
I'm no expert but if you went to a doctor, they cleared you from having ADHD and you wrote a letter to the FAA explaining the situation (as being misdiagnosed) they may issue you the medical.
I'm no expert but if you went to a doctor, they cleared you from having ADHD and you wrote a letter to the FAA explaining the situation (as being misdiagnosed) they may issue you the medical.
08-25-2008, 05:07 PM
#3
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Thank you for your reply. I'm hoping the same thing, being misdiagnosed. As for a money making operation, ohh boy is it ever. Any child with marginal grades and poor conduct in school can be branded very easily with ADD or ADHD. Lifelong perscriptions to maintence drugs. Almost as good as what the tabacco companies did in years past, albiet now legal and incouraged. The question we have now is how do we expunge it. Can it be "cured" or considered such, if misdiagnosed is not excepted. I take no drugs and have not taken any for a few years now, I have no symptoms and my life goes on. I excell at my current job full time job, have great grades while going to school full time also.
08-25-2008, 05:10 PM
#4
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The problem lies in the drugs. Even though you haven't taken them in a while, Riddlin or however it's spelled is a drug that affects the nervous system and it's not entirely known how it truely works(per AOPA's website). I had three students who had an issue with getting a medical because their mom's put them on the crap due to the fact that they were normal 10 year old boys. As a result, I lost two good students and the other one took nearly 10 months to get a medical. To get the ADHD stuff cleared he had to go to a couple different doctors and do a ton of testing. It cost a ton of money but his family had it.
Spend the $30 on an AOPA membership and use their medical services. They will help you with the right course of action but know it may take a while to get your medical.
Spend the $30 on an AOPA membership and use their medical services. They will help you with the right course of action but know it may take a while to get your medical.
08-25-2008, 08:59 PM
#5
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I had to research this one time for one of my students and he ended up having to take some sort of mind test to see if he was "smart" enough to fly. I think it cost him some money, so be prepared to have to do that.
08-26-2008, 05:14 AM
#6
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Originally Posted by ryan1234
Is ADHD an actual condition or a medium for pharmaceutical companies to make more money?
I'm no expert but if you went to a doctor, they cleared you from having ADHD and you wrote a letter to the FAA explaining the situation (as being misdiagnosed) they may issue you the medical.
I'm no expert but if you went to a doctor, they cleared you from having ADHD and you wrote a letter to the FAA explaining the situation (as being misdiagnosed) they may issue you the medical.
Not a good drug at all.
Let kids be kids .
08-26-2008, 09:16 AM
#7
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Check out Jetcareers.com - Welcome forums. There is a FAA flight doc who has his own forum there and he's very good at answering questions like this.
08-26-2008, 11:32 AM
#8
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Wow everyone, thank you all for your replies. I greatly appreciate knowing that it may be possible to fix this situation.
PilotPip--
I signed up for the AOPA last night. Sooo much info(and forms) that it should be well worth the money. 40$ how can you go wrong.
hotelmode--
Now that's what I'm talking about. A smart test would be nice. I hope all I have to do is a smart test. 1380 on those sat's when they were based on 1600 for a perfect score. Should be no problem. Money isn't an issue, time kinda is the real issue. I don't wanna fall behind since the classes start soon and I don't want this curve which may take a few months to resolve put me back a year.
de727ups--
Let me check that out. I'm guessing that this will be a massive paper trail that all has to somehow link to oklahoma city in some fashion.
I think I got a good jump on this. Again I appreciate the help. I just have to wait for I believe the FAA to respond to the medical form. From what I gather they should be mailing me something within 30 days(as per the AME) since I'm in deferal(I believe thats what he said). Sooner the better since I talked with the 'drug dealers' secretary today and my status was "discharged". What does that even mean in the real world(or the FAA world). I do have a appointment to speak with him on getting the cards straight on his end if need be.
PilotPip--
I signed up for the AOPA last night. Sooo much info(and forms) that it should be well worth the money. 40$ how can you go wrong.
hotelmode--
Now that's what I'm talking about. A smart test would be nice. I hope all I have to do is a smart test. 1380 on those sat's when they were based on 1600 for a perfect score. Should be no problem. Money isn't an issue, time kinda is the real issue. I don't wanna fall behind since the classes start soon and I don't want this curve which may take a few months to resolve put me back a year.
de727ups--
Let me check that out. I'm guessing that this will be a massive paper trail that all has to somehow link to oklahoma city in some fashion.
I think I got a good jump on this. Again I appreciate the help. I just have to wait for I believe the FAA to respond to the medical form. From what I gather they should be mailing me something within 30 days(as per the AME) since I'm in deferal(I believe thats what he said). Sooner the better since I talked with the 'drug dealers' secretary today and my status was "discharged". What does that even mean in the real world(or the FAA world). I do have a appointment to speak with him on getting the cards straight on his end if need be.
08-26-2008, 12:26 PM
#9
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I would imagine that with a couple years of no drugs, a good track record in school, and no other history of problems that you can get a medical.
For future reference, you goofed...the AME is NOT your friend or advocate. The usual doctor-patient thing does not apply, his first, last, and only responsibility is to the FAA.
Whe dealing with a non cut-and-dried medical issue you always want to get aviation medical advice from a non-AME. Then you can get all your ducks in a row, get tests and documentation, and then go to the FAA. If you present them with everything they are going to need up front things will go much faster...in some cases the AME can make a phone call to OKC and get immediate approval.
AOPA is a good start, there are also several consultant companies staffed by ex-AMEs who will evaluate your issue and walk you through the solution. I've used this one:
http://www.aviationmedicine.com/
For future reference, you goofed...the AME is NOT your friend or advocate. The usual doctor-patient thing does not apply, his first, last, and only responsibility is to the FAA.
Whe dealing with a non cut-and-dried medical issue you always want to get aviation medical advice from a non-AME. Then you can get all your ducks in a row, get tests and documentation, and then go to the FAA. If you present them with everything they are going to need up front things will go much faster...in some cases the AME can make a phone call to OKC and get immediate approval.
AOPA is a good start, there are also several consultant companies staffed by ex-AMEs who will evaluate your issue and walk you through the solution. I've used this one:
http://www.aviationmedicine.com/
08-26-2008, 12:46 PM
#10
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rickair7777--
You are right on that one. The AME I saw is not my friend, some excellent things that happened at his office. We get the physical done and he goes to make a phone call, I couldn't hear everything but it was a discussion about me. After the call was over he tells me that there is a "fax" comming in for me that I will probably want to take to the person who says I'm ADHD.
We wait for a couple minutes and shoot the BS. This "fax" is a no show and I say I'll be back Monday to pick it up. I show up Monday and the receptionist tells me there is no fax yet, and asks me if I wanna make a call to this "guy". So I call this "guy" and he knows nothing of this situation(He was actually off on Friday also). We had a laugh about it, but I don't think it was very professional to give me this "guys" number. So I call them and tell them that the "guy" knows nothing of this and that's when the AME told me that I'm "deffered" and that the FAA will send me something via mail.
You are right on that one. The AME I saw is not my friend, some excellent things that happened at his office. We get the physical done and he goes to make a phone call, I couldn't hear everything but it was a discussion about me. After the call was over he tells me that there is a "fax" comming in for me that I will probably want to take to the person who says I'm ADHD.
We wait for a couple minutes and shoot the BS. This "fax" is a no show and I say I'll be back Monday to pick it up. I show up Monday and the receptionist tells me there is no fax yet, and asks me if I wanna make a call to this "guy". So I call this "guy" and he knows nothing of this situation(He was actually off on Friday also). We had a laugh about it, but I don't think it was very professional to give me this "guys" number. So I call them and tell them that the "guy" knows nothing of this and that's when the AME told me that I'm "deffered" and that the FAA will send me something via mail.
