Airline Pilot Central Forums - View Single Post - Should I not disclose this on my FAA medical?

01-17-2014, 12:40 AM

#26

wrxsteve

Gets Weekends Off

Joined APC: Oct 2007

Position: Student Pilot

Posts: 204

First things first, never leave out anything on the medical. The FAA has a department that specifically goes out and finds people like you.

Your condition is an automatic disqualifyer. With that said you have to seek expert advice from an AME or AOPA team on this subject to figure out what the process is and what to turn in. In your position, you would probably have to have your specialist evaluate you as not having ADD anymore, or have them send the documents over to your main doctor and do the same thing. One of them has to document you as not having it anymore since there are medical records of it from your specialist and school. Again I would ask the AOPA team or AME about that situation. The evaluation for me was about 2 weeks long with an hour or 2 of tests. Here is some info that your doctor might see from the FAA, so you can kind of see what is expected:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...devalspecs.pdf

Overall the process is long and expensive...here is a old post in which I had to go through.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrxsteve

UPDATE:

I haven't been on here since 2007.

hello!!!

Anyways I have some great news...

To make a long story short....

I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD my entire life ( for 22 years or so )
Before I went to apply for my medical I joined AOPA to get professional help from their medical team ( not sure what their actual department name is ). They advised me to get all my medical information together and get a private physiological evaluation with the approval of what the FAA wanted in the tests. Once the report was in I would go take my medical. During this period Ive been off any medication for the past 2 years.

I ended up paying around $1k to get a private evaluation and in the end the psychologist sent the report tot he FAA. In addition I sent in a copy of all my medical information relating to my past ADD/ADHD history ( of course my doctor viewed me as not having the diagnosis anymore, while providing that notification to the FAA in the medical records ).

Went to apply for my 1st class.

Waited about half a year. Had to call the FAA and prioritize my review.

In the mail i received my 1st class medical.

Currently, Ive received my private and just recently my instrument rating. Now im in my commercial training based out of San Diego.

My advice is to anyone with this condition... Its vital to be off the medication for a year minimum. Do the private evaluation that the FAA has discussed in some legal papers you can find through the AOPA or other sources. Do well in the evaluation and take your medical. Once everything is in, you will have to wait a long time.

Dont be afraid if you have or had ADD/ADHD. Continue the long process and youll be rewarded in the end.

Yes they automatically deny you if you have ADD/ADHD and you dont take the right steps, but if you show that you can medically prove your fit, you will be alright.

I hope this helps anyone. I would take the time to make this message more "clean" but I just dont have the time. CYA!!!

PS : If a kid who has taken every kind of ADD/ADHD medication out there for most of his youthful life and can now fly professionally as a career. Anyone can do it!

Now im working on my CFI, just got diagnosed with colitis and have to deal with that bull sh*t with the FAA. Such is the life.

Last edited by wrxsteve; 01-17-2014 at 01:04 AM.

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