Hornet8

I just found out 2 days ago that I have 3 Stones. I see a Urologist on Tuesday to see what kind of treatment I will recieve. I am currently in the Navy flying Hornets. I was supposed to deploy next week.(That is not going to happen for the time being) I was also planning on getting out of the Navy next year.

Can anyone tell me if I become Stone free, and get a clean bill of health. Will that be ok with most airlines? I realize that I have to get an AME to give me a first class medical and that will be the long pole in the tent! I have never had a Kidney stone prior to this. And hopefully will never get one again.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

LucasM

I've heard that you can have an ultrasound done and that can break up the stones. I've never had them so I don't know, but I wouldn't imagine it to be too serious.

Box Office

I know the AF would DNIF you for a while. Then you could fly again (I think after you were done w/ the drugs). The trouble I saw was a few guys that had multiple repeat episodes. There was a limit to how many episodes you could have in your lifetime. They were medically boarded. I think the FAA is under a similar process. I think you will be okay as long as they don't return.

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cficpilot

I have known some folks that have gone through this. Bad news: Kidney stones and flying dont mix well. Good News: As long as you can prove you are stone free you should be OK both with the FAA and military. I knew someone in the military who was boom operator and once he passed them he was then cleared to fly. Good Luck

multipilot

I had a kidney stone not too long ago; although, i didn't mention it to the airlines when I was interviewing with them a few months back. I started a thread on it a while back and posted everything I needed to do to keep my medical current.

Kidney Stones?

Feel free to PM if you have any questions...

rickair7777

The presence or suspected presence of kidney stones is grounding in FAA-land due to the risk of sudden incapacitation due to pain.

The good news is that you can get them treated, prove you a free of them, and be GTG. I know two major airline guys who had them, both are back to work, and both got them on military deployments to the desert...apparently hydration is key.

multipilot

The FAA Med Certification Branch told me that you can self-certify your privileges while experiencing kidney stones. Once you're free of them, you can return to work. However, you might want to send a fax to the FAA medical branch once you're done with them that includes all of your medical records rather than waiting to do it at your next medical exam. The Medical Branch will send you back a letter with a reference ID so that when you go fill out your medical app and check that kidney stone box for the first time, you can write in that it was previously reported and give that reference number. You may also have to go in for an IPV scan a month or two before your medical to prove you're still free of them. If you wait until your medical exam, chances are your AME will defer issuance of your medical until you submit all the records to the medical branch and prove you're free of them and have no retained stones.

I went through this a few months ago and you have my sympathies. Fortunately for me, no kidney stone was ever found and they said if I in fact had one that it was very small and passed quickly. It was still very painful nonetheless.

If you have any questions, just call the FAA Med Certification Branch. You might be surprised how cool they are about the whole deal. They never asked me for my name or credentials.

Feel free to PM me too.

Hang in there.

multipilot

Also, just want to reemphasize that this is not an automatically disqualifying medical event as far as your medical and the airlines are concerned.

Dog Breath

Here's a good reference on kidney stones .

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DitchDog

Definately NOT my experience. It seems to depend on who you talk to. When I chatted with Tony S. of the SouthWest Region FAA MCB he was absolutely clear that I was to not return to flying until they had cleared me. They required me to send them X-rays, Urologists Letter saying Im clear, Analysis of Stones, etc...

This is definately an area where even the fine folks at the FAA are not in agreement with each other (based on my exp). For all the phone calls I made, everyone had an answer that was different than the last one.

It's probably not going to permanently ground you, just make sure you CYA

Good Luck