Medical Question
01-22-2019, 11:04 AM
#1
Student Pilot
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2018
Position: C172
Posts: 14
Medical Question
I called the local medical examiner to set an appt and ask a few questions. Wondering if anyone here can help provide some insight. I took adderall for ADD 11 years ago for about 3 months. I asked if that would be an issue and the medical examiner said over the phone that my case would need to be reviewed by the FAA and I would hear back a few months from now. I arguably didn’t even need it back then, and certainly don’t now. Any ways around this, or any advice that can be shared? I’m hoping to start flight school next month and this would obviously pose a large issue.
Thanks!
Thanks!
01-22-2019, 11:12 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2017
Position: Upright
Posts: 396
http://www.aeromedicaldoc.com/
Send him an email, be honest, don’t argue, follow the process he recommends. Don’t be stupid, he hasn’t the patience for it. Make the trip to see him. You’ll be fine. Good luck in your endeavors.
Send him an email, be honest, don’t argue, follow the process he recommends. Don’t be stupid, he hasn’t the patience for it. Make the trip to see him. You’ll be fine. Good luck in your endeavors.
01-22-2019, 01:36 PM
#3
Perennial Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 11,475
Sorry guy, but you got screwed and it isn't the FAAs fault. Anyone who has a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder becomes a huge liability to anyone that must certify you. Mishaps happen in aviation, and if one does happen and the person it happens to has previously been diagnosed ADD OR ADHD, anyone who has ever certified them medically acceptable for flying duties has just had their career ended - unless they can demonstrate that they have done EVERYTHING, at least everything short of a brain biopsy - to prove that either you never really had it or it has now gone away.
And that is likely to cost you thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. And it doesn't matter if you never really had it to begin with, MOST people diagnosed with it never really had it to begin with. Yet somehow the US has a higher percentage of kids diagnosed with this than any other country in the world. Why is that? Well, I'll tell you my theory.
Most likely your parents - like the parents of most of the others who go through this process - were referred by the school. Far more likely than not you were a male, and possibly being a little disruptive, i.e. what we used to call a little boy.
Sometimes the school's go so far as to tell the parents that the kid can't come back to school until they have been evaluated, and sometimes even provide a listing of healthcare providers who "are good at handling this." So who benefits if the diagnosis is made?
Well, the school benefits, because they get extra feddy bucks when kids are diagnosed as a "special needs" kid. They also get to exempt themselves from counting that person if they bring down the average in standardized tests of the school, or keep the scores in if they would bring the average up.
The school and the teacher get a pass if they don't teach the kid anything and special kudos if they do.
The kid gets a pass on acting out or otherwise misbehaving because, he ain't a bad kid, he's just got a medical problem. The parents get the same pass, even if if they raise a total brat.
The healthcare providers make a bundle on this racket, giving controlled meds to healthy kids who don't really need it takes little time, but it's all billable. They also get taken out to lunch by the "detail man" for the companies that make adderall, Ritalin, and similar. Dinners and free CME too. Oh, and a lot of swag for the office, the office staff, even their own kids whose futures they aren't about to blight by giving them that diagnosis.
And of course, the pharmaceutical companies that make this stuff are just reeling in the cash, billions and billions, even after paying the detail men and the food, drinks, bought and paid for CME lecturers extolling the 'fact' that ADD is under diagnosed and under treated, and of course even more swag.
But karma's a ***** and somebody has to pay a price, and unfortunately right now that's you. So bend over and spread em.
But don't blame the FAA, because all they are doing is covering their own rears, they didn't create your problem. And seriously, there isn't one damn thing you can do now but go through the process or give up on an aviation career. There ain't any shortcut.
All you can really do at this point is to not let anyone hang a bogus diagnosis on your own kids.
And that is likely to cost you thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. And it doesn't matter if you never really had it to begin with, MOST people diagnosed with it never really had it to begin with. Yet somehow the US has a higher percentage of kids diagnosed with this than any other country in the world. Why is that? Well, I'll tell you my theory.
Most likely your parents - like the parents of most of the others who go through this process - were referred by the school. Far more likely than not you were a male, and possibly being a little disruptive, i.e. what we used to call a little boy.
Sometimes the school's go so far as to tell the parents that the kid can't come back to school until they have been evaluated, and sometimes even provide a listing of healthcare providers who "are good at handling this." So who benefits if the diagnosis is made?
Well, the school benefits, because they get extra feddy bucks when kids are diagnosed as a "special needs" kid. They also get to exempt themselves from counting that person if they bring down the average in standardized tests of the school, or keep the scores in if they would bring the average up.
The school and the teacher get a pass if they don't teach the kid anything and special kudos if they do.
The kid gets a pass on acting out or otherwise misbehaving because, he ain't a bad kid, he's just got a medical problem. The parents get the same pass, even if if they raise a total brat.
The healthcare providers make a bundle on this racket, giving controlled meds to healthy kids who don't really need it takes little time, but it's all billable. They also get taken out to lunch by the "detail man" for the companies that make adderall, Ritalin, and similar. Dinners and free CME too. Oh, and a lot of swag for the office, the office staff, even their own kids whose futures they aren't about to blight by giving them that diagnosis.
And of course, the pharmaceutical companies that make this stuff are just reeling in the cash, billions and billions, even after paying the detail men and the food, drinks, bought and paid for CME lecturers extolling the 'fact' that ADD is under diagnosed and under treated, and of course even more swag.
But karma's a ***** and somebody has to pay a price, and unfortunately right now that's you. So bend over and spread em.
But don't blame the FAA, because all they are doing is covering their own rears, they didn't create your problem. And seriously, there isn't one damn thing you can do now but go through the process or give up on an aviation career. There ain't any shortcut.
All you can really do at this point is to not let anyone hang a bogus diagnosis on your own kids.
01-25-2019, 02:19 PM
#6
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,186
Originally Posted by DrainTheSwamp
Honesty is not the best policy unfortunately
Medical records are all digital these days, no guarantee the FAA won't access them at some point.
01-25-2019, 04:50 PM
#7
Disinterested Third Party
Joined APC: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,995
Originally Posted by andersg
I called the local medical examiner to set an appt and ask a few questions. Wondering if anyone here can help provide some insight. I took adderall for ADD 11 years ago for about 3 months. I asked if that would be an issue and the medical examiner said over the phone that my case would need to be reviewed by the FAA and I would hear back a few months from now. I arguably didn’t even need it back then, and certainly don’t now. Any ways around this, or any advice that can be shared? I’m hoping to start flight school next month and this would obviously pose a large issue.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Besides, we have a child-in-chief that crushes it and sorts it like rock candy.
If it's good for the goose...
02-06-2019, 11:20 AM
#8
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2019
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by Excargodog
Sorry guy, but you got screwed and it isn't the FAAs fault. Anyone who has a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder becomes a huge liability to anyone that must certify you. Mishaps happen in aviation, and if one does happen and the person it happens to has previously been diagnosed ADD OR ADHD, anyone who has ever certified them medically acceptable for flying duties has just had their career ended - unless they can demonstrate that they have done EVERYTHING, at least everything short of a brain biopsy - to prove that either you never really had it or it has now gone away.
And that is likely to cost you thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. And it doesn't matter if you never really had it to begin with, MOST people diagnosed with it never really had it to begin with. Yet somehow the US has a higher percentage of kids diagnosed with this than any other country in the world. Why is that? Well, I'll tell you my theory.
Most likely your parents - like the parents of most of the others who go through this process - were referred by the school. Far more likely than not you were a male, and possibly being a little disruptive, i.e. what we used to call a little boy.
Sometimes the school's go so far as to tell the parents that the kid can't come back to school until they have been evaluated, and sometimes even provide a listing of healthcare providers who "are good at handling this." So who benefits if the diagnosis is made?
Well, the school benefits, because they get extra feddy bucks when kids are diagnosed as a "special needs" kid. They also get to exempt themselves from counting that person if they bring down the average in standardized tests of the school, or keep the scores in if they would bring the average up.
The school and the teacher get a pass if they don't teach the kid anything and special kudos if they do.
The kid gets a pass on acting out or otherwise misbehaving because, he ain't a bad kid, he's just got a medical problem. The parents get the same pass, even if if they raise a total brat.
The healthcare providers make a bundle on this racket, giving controlled meds to healthy kids who don't really need it takes little time, but it's all billable. They also get taken out to lunch by the "detail man" for the companies that make adderall, Ritalin, and similar. Dinners and free CME too. Oh, and a lot of swag for the office, the office staff, even their own kids whose futures they aren't about to blight by giving them that diagnosis.
And of course, the pharmaceutical companies that make this stuff are just reeling in the cash, billions and billions, even after paying the detail men and the food, drinks, bought and paid for CME lecturers extolling the 'fact' that ADD is under diagnosed and under treated, and of course even more swag.
But karma's a ***** and somebody has to pay a price, and unfortunately right now that's you. So bend over and spread em.
But don't blame the FAA, because all they are doing is covering their own rears, they didn't create your problem. And seriously, there isn't one damn thing you can do now but go through the process or give up on an aviation career. There ain't any shortcut.
All you can really do at this point is to not let anyone hang a bogus diagnosis on your own kids.
And that is likely to cost you thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars. And it doesn't matter if you never really had it to begin with, MOST people diagnosed with it never really had it to begin with. Yet somehow the US has a higher percentage of kids diagnosed with this than any other country in the world. Why is that? Well, I'll tell you my theory.
Most likely your parents - like the parents of most of the others who go through this process - were referred by the school. Far more likely than not you were a male, and possibly being a little disruptive, i.e. what we used to call a little boy.
Sometimes the school's go so far as to tell the parents that the kid can't come back to school until they have been evaluated, and sometimes even provide a listing of healthcare providers who "are good at handling this." So who benefits if the diagnosis is made?
Well, the school benefits, because they get extra feddy bucks when kids are diagnosed as a "special needs" kid. They also get to exempt themselves from counting that person if they bring down the average in standardized tests of the school, or keep the scores in if they would bring the average up.
The school and the teacher get a pass if they don't teach the kid anything and special kudos if they do.
The kid gets a pass on acting out or otherwise misbehaving because, he ain't a bad kid, he's just got a medical problem. The parents get the same pass, even if if they raise a total brat.
The healthcare providers make a bundle on this racket, giving controlled meds to healthy kids who don't really need it takes little time, but it's all billable. They also get taken out to lunch by the "detail man" for the companies that make adderall, Ritalin, and similar. Dinners and free CME too. Oh, and a lot of swag for the office, the office staff, even their own kids whose futures they aren't about to blight by giving them that diagnosis.
And of course, the pharmaceutical companies that make this stuff are just reeling in the cash, billions and billions, even after paying the detail men and the food, drinks, bought and paid for CME lecturers extolling the 'fact' that ADD is under diagnosed and under treated, and of course even more swag.
But karma's a ***** and somebody has to pay a price, and unfortunately right now that's you. So bend over and spread em.
But don't blame the FAA, because all they are doing is covering their own rears, they didn't create your problem. And seriously, there isn't one damn thing you can do now but go through the process or give up on an aviation career. There ain't any shortcut.
All you can really do at this point is to not let anyone hang a bogus diagnosis on your own kids.
PS don’t forget that flu shot....
06-04-2019, 07:09 PM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Position: Retired NJA & AA
Posts: 1,912
Originally Posted by andersg
For all those who read this post a while ago, I got my first class medical today.
Happy to help anyone figure it out in a similar situation!!
Next step- flight school!
Anders
Happy to help anyone figure it out in a similar situation!!
Next step- flight school!
Anders
Sidebar here about ADD & ADHD, let me tell you guys about a Private School in the Republic of Panama back in the 1980's. The DOD School system down there totally sucked and parents were desperate for an alternative. (my wife substitute taught in the DOD school) At the time the only private school that taught in English was a conservative Christian school. They could be picky about who they accepted because demand was so great. Parents had to agree to allow corporal punishment, and the big one was all kids on ADD/ADHD meds had to come off those meds and either behave or face being paddled. Fewer than 25% had to go back on the meds.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
