Max blood sugar level for ATP
 

hi all,

does anybody know what the max blood sugar level 2 hours after a meal is in order to hold an ATP?

Thanks for any input - I do not currently hold an FAA ATP but there are problems with my ATP in Asia.

There are no medical requirements to hold a US ATP. But you need a first class medical to get an airline job here...

For diagnostic screening we use 12 hours fasting, and 99mg/dL is the upper limit for normal.

100-125 is borderline, >125 is considered diabetic.

Our Aviation Medical examiners don't actually even test blood sugar directly, they test a urine sample. The urine test will only show positive if you have very high blood sugar.

Technically you could probably get a medical in the US if your fasting blood sugar is less than 125 mg/dL. Pre-diabtes may not disqualify you unless it gets worse.

If you are below 100, you would completely legal in the US...won't show up on the ME test and you would not have a diabetes diagnosis. 100-125 you would probably be required to report that to the AME but you would probably still get certified.

But if you meet diagnostic criteria for diabetes you would definitely have to report that, and would probably not get a first class medical.

But that does not mean you are healthy or that the condition will not get worse over time.

Diet and exercise are EXTREMELY effective in reversing marginally elevated blood sugar and preventing full-blown diabetes...look into that.

rickair.

thankyou very kindly for your informative reply.

My fasting level was 90 before food intake but apparently that is not acceptable for Chinese ATP holders.

Thanks again,

Paul

Inside normal limits for the US, but it's a tiny bit close for comfort for me personally. You might want to get it checked every six months to make sure it's not trending up. Might also be a one-time glitch due to lab inconsistency or biological hiccup.

Even if it's heading up that's an easy fix with diet and exercise...plus you'll look and feel better too. You can presumably get re-instated in China after a few weeks of lifestyle change.

But as long as it's steady you're probably fine health-wise. I bring up the trend issue on the assumption that you have been flying in Asia for a while and this just came up recently. I would go see a doc if it's heading up.

First Class Medicals can be issued as long as you are not an insulin dependent diabetic. Type II diabetics on oral medication can be issued a special issuance medical as long as you have been stabilized on medication for 60 days, you have no episodes of hypoglycemia, and you have no side effects to your vision or organs. Type II Diabetics who control their diabetes with diet do not require any special authorization. Type I diabetics and Type II diabetics on insulin are not eligible for Class I or II medicals at present, but can be issued a Third Class medical if an insulin pump is used.

Buy a meter and some test strips and keep track of it yourself. Not going to help you with the AME, but it will give you the knowledge and perhaps the ability to nip this in the bud elsewhere.

Meters are usually "free" with a rebate - they screw you with the test strips.

Thanks all for the info.

This is my first blip so I dont yet have any trend data. I have been doing medicals in Australia and Asia since 1986 and had no problems before.

I see my Doctor here in the US on tuesday and I am hoping his response is "lets try diet and exercise until Dec 31 and then all should be fine". That way I get fitter and get christmas off.

These medical hiccups are very common in China and have a way of getting sorted eventually.

I have a special issuance for type II oral medication in use. Very minimum dosage. The special issuance is good for 6 years, that just means you don't need a full FAA med board eval every year, you still must submit blood work to the FAA every six months for your 1st class. In my case they deferred my medical for 60 days to show like the above poster stated, no side effects and control of the situation. At that point my 1st class was issued and its really been a non issue. I am in the third year of my special issuance. In fact my blood sugars are now lower than they have been in probably 15 years. Its not the end of the world..... at least not in the US.

I went through this ten years before I retired. Denied a first class medical because of a trace of sugar in my urine. After a review of the paperwerk by the feds, I had to get an A1C test. That is the only way to accurately test blood sugar. It measures the average blood sugar over the past three months. The feds do not recognize the finger prick meter test as a valid test because it is entirely dependent on one's individual body metabolism and the amount of blood sugar at the time the test is taken. The A1C is not. It is the only test acceptable to the feds. Within one month of the denial I had a first class medical, and was never denied a medical from then on.

Noah Werks

Thanks again for the info.

It now appears the CAAC in China will accept the results.

My test today with my doc here in the US showed everything to be normal. My doc had a chuckle at the way the Chinese doc checks for blood sugar.

I suspect someone made a few extra bucks from giving me an extra test in PEK. The cheque has cleared and magically I am good to go.

Bizarre.