The FAA isn't so bad afterall ;) ADHD/Colitis
09-05-2015, 07:14 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2007
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 204
The FAA isn't so bad afterall ;) ADHD/Colitis
Hell everyone, I havnt posted on here in years. I wanted to create this thread to just bring awareness (esp on google search), esp for would be/current pilots who are going through the same situation and are wondering what to expect.
To make a long story..... long
I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD my entire life ( for 22 years or so ). Which means automatic medical denial.
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 that period Ive been off any medication for the past 2 years.
I ended up paying around $1,300 to get a private evaluation and in the end the psychologist sent the report to the 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, clean no restrictions.
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 if you dont take the right steps, but if you show that you can medically prove your fit to fly, you will be alright.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Fast forwards a few years later I'm a commercially rated pilot at a 141 school. Just finished up my internship at a major airline. Life was great. Well one day I ended up getting really bad stomach pains and loss of blood. I self grounded.....
Months went by of medical testing(how surprising), finally diagnosed with severe colitis (inflammation of the colon/GI, no cure as of yet).
For a whole year I was grounded while taking all sorts of medications (none were accepted by the FAA lol), nothing worked. I was so sick I couldnt leave my house and even if the meds worked the possibility of me flying again was over, and to even get a medical it would be restricted to an SI. I was really depressed.
I spent many times in the hospital, I probably logged 2 months worth of stays, had one bad night where I thought I was going to die. One day I got so sick, I ended up needing emergency surgery. They removed my colon and I ended up getting what they call a Jpouch, (in laymens term, artificial colon, they take a part of your lower intestines and makes it your new colon).
I spent another year having my body adapt to my new plumbing. In the end 2 years went down the drain being stuck at my house dealing with this problem. However after surgery I was no longer sick and I was starting to live a normal life.
During that time I applied for my 1st class medical again(showing all my medical history involving what happened, along with an essay about my current condition and what I wanted to do in the aviation world). I was expecting an SI because anyone with colitis/chrons/IBS and is healthy enough to fly gets one. Months went by...
Well Im happy to say that I got my 1st class medical with no restrictions ( im assuming because of my surgery, im considered cured and I no longer have the disease, so no need for SI, which I also agree with).
Right now Im about to start my CFI training, going career.
So a total of about 4 years worth of persistence and fighting just to keep a flying career going. Last time I logged flying time was back in 2012.
I want to point out you should never give up, If a kid who has taken every kind of ADD/ADHD medication out there for most of his youthful life and was diagnosed with a inflammatory bowel disease and fought back to get his medical, anyone can do it. I will point out it takes a lot of time and money but its waaaay worth it.
Twice I thought the FAA was going to end my career, and yet I was wrong twice. I guess the FAA isnt so bad afterall
To make a long story..... long
I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD my entire life ( for 22 years or so ). Which means automatic medical denial.
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 that period Ive been off any medication for the past 2 years.
I ended up paying around $1,300 to get a private evaluation and in the end the psychologist sent the report to the 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, clean no restrictions.
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 if you dont take the right steps, but if you show that you can medically prove your fit to fly, you will be alright.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Fast forwards a few years later I'm a commercially rated pilot at a 141 school. Just finished up my internship at a major airline. Life was great. Well one day I ended up getting really bad stomach pains and loss of blood. I self grounded.....
Months went by of medical testing(how surprising), finally diagnosed with severe colitis (inflammation of the colon/GI, no cure as of yet).
For a whole year I was grounded while taking all sorts of medications (none were accepted by the FAA lol), nothing worked. I was so sick I couldnt leave my house and even if the meds worked the possibility of me flying again was over, and to even get a medical it would be restricted to an SI. I was really depressed.
I spent many times in the hospital, I probably logged 2 months worth of stays, had one bad night where I thought I was going to die. One day I got so sick, I ended up needing emergency surgery. They removed my colon and I ended up getting what they call a Jpouch, (in laymens term, artificial colon, they take a part of your lower intestines and makes it your new colon).
I spent another year having my body adapt to my new plumbing. In the end 2 years went down the drain being stuck at my house dealing with this problem. However after surgery I was no longer sick and I was starting to live a normal life.
During that time I applied for my 1st class medical again(showing all my medical history involving what happened, along with an essay about my current condition and what I wanted to do in the aviation world). I was expecting an SI because anyone with colitis/chrons/IBS and is healthy enough to fly gets one. Months went by...
Well Im happy to say that I got my 1st class medical with no restrictions ( im assuming because of my surgery, im considered cured and I no longer have the disease, so no need for SI, which I also agree with).
Right now Im about to start my CFI training, going career.
So a total of about 4 years worth of persistence and fighting just to keep a flying career going. Last time I logged flying time was back in 2012.
I want to point out you should never give up, If a kid who has taken every kind of ADD/ADHD medication out there for most of his youthful life and was diagnosed with a inflammatory bowel disease and fought back to get his medical, anyone can do it. I will point out it takes a lot of time and money but its waaaay worth it.
Twice I thought the FAA was going to end my career, and yet I was wrong twice. I guess the FAA isnt so bad afterall
06-29-2017, 05:05 PM
#2
On Reserve
Joined APC: Feb 2017
Posts: 15
Originally Posted by wrxsteve
Hell everyone, I havnt posted on here in years. I wanted to create this thread to just bring awareness (esp on google search), esp for would be/current pilots who are going through the same situation and are wondering what to expect.
To make a long story..... long
I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD my entire life ( for 22 years or so ). Which means automatic medical denial.
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 that period Ive been off any medication for the past 2 years.
I ended up paying around $1,300 to get a private evaluation and in the end the psychologist sent the report to the 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, clean no restrictions.
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 if you dont take the right steps, but if you show that you can medically prove your fit to fly, you will be alright.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Fast forwards a few years later I'm a commercially rated pilot at a 141 school. Just finished up my internship at a major airline. Life was great. Well one day I ended up getting really bad stomach pains and loss of blood. I self grounded.....
Months went by of medical testing(how surprising), finally diagnosed with severe colitis (inflammation of the colon/GI, no cure as of yet).
For a whole year I was grounded while taking all sorts of medications (none were accepted by the FAA lol), nothing worked. I was so sick I couldnt leave my house and even if the meds worked the possibility of me flying again was over, and to even get a medical it would be restricted to an SI. I was really depressed.
I spent many times in the hospital, I probably logged 2 months worth of stays, had one bad night where I thought I was going to die. One day I got so sick, I ended up needing emergency surgery. They removed my colon and I ended up getting what they call a Jpouch, (in laymens term, artificial colon, they take a part of your lower intestines and makes it your new colon).
I spent another year having my body adapt to my new plumbing. In the end 2 years went down the drain being stuck at my house dealing with this problem. However after surgery I was no longer sick and I was starting to live a normal life.
During that time I applied for my 1st class medical again(showing all my medical history involving what happened, along with an essay about my current condition and what I wanted to do in the aviation world). I was expecting an SI because anyone with colitis/chrons/IBS and is healthy enough to fly gets one. Months went by...
Well Im happy to say that I got my 1st class medical with no restrictions ( im assuming because of my surgery, im considered cured and I no longer have the disease, so no need for SI, which I also agree with).
Right now Im about to start my CFI training, going career.
So a total of about 4 years worth of persistence and fighting just to keep a flying career going. Last time I logged flying time was back in 2012.
I want to point out you should never give up, If a kid who has taken every kind of ADD/ADHD medication out there for most of his youthful life and was diagnosed with a inflammatory bowel disease and fought back to get his medical, anyone can do it. I will point out it takes a lot of time and money but its waaaay worth it.
Twice I thought the FAA was going to end my career, and yet I was wrong twice. I guess the FAA isnt so bad afterall
To make a long story..... long
I have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD my entire life ( for 22 years or so ). Which means automatic medical denial.
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 that period Ive been off any medication for the past 2 years.
I ended up paying around $1,300 to get a private evaluation and in the end the psychologist sent the report to the 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, clean no restrictions.
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 if you dont take the right steps, but if you show that you can medically prove your fit to fly, you will be alright.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Fast forwards a few years later I'm a commercially rated pilot at a 141 school. Just finished up my internship at a major airline. Life was great. Well one day I ended up getting really bad stomach pains and loss of blood. I self grounded.....
Months went by of medical testing(how surprising), finally diagnosed with severe colitis (inflammation of the colon/GI, no cure as of yet).
For a whole year I was grounded while taking all sorts of medications (none were accepted by the FAA lol), nothing worked. I was so sick I couldnt leave my house and even if the meds worked the possibility of me flying again was over, and to even get a medical it would be restricted to an SI. I was really depressed.
I spent many times in the hospital, I probably logged 2 months worth of stays, had one bad night where I thought I was going to die. One day I got so sick, I ended up needing emergency surgery. They removed my colon and I ended up getting what they call a Jpouch, (in laymens term, artificial colon, they take a part of your lower intestines and makes it your new colon).
I spent another year having my body adapt to my new plumbing. In the end 2 years went down the drain being stuck at my house dealing with this problem. However after surgery I was no longer sick and I was starting to live a normal life.
During that time I applied for my 1st class medical again(showing all my medical history involving what happened, along with an essay about my current condition and what I wanted to do in the aviation world). I was expecting an SI because anyone with colitis/chrons/IBS and is healthy enough to fly gets one. Months went by...
Well Im happy to say that I got my 1st class medical with no restrictions ( im assuming because of my surgery, im considered cured and I no longer have the disease, so no need for SI, which I also agree with).
Right now Im about to start my CFI training, going career.
So a total of about 4 years worth of persistence and fighting just to keep a flying career going. Last time I logged flying time was back in 2012.
I want to point out you should never give up, If a kid who has taken every kind of ADD/ADHD medication out there for most of his youthful life and was diagnosed with a inflammatory bowel disease and fought back to get his medical, anyone can do it. I will point out it takes a lot of time and money but its waaaay worth it.
Twice I thought the FAA was going to end my career, and yet I was wrong twice. I guess the FAA isnt so bad afterall
Hey, I have questions. I'm currently teaching a teenager who was diagnosed with ADHD and has been off his meds for several months. He's 16 so its only going to slow him down for soloing. When you went for the tests did you do a cognitive screening and see a HIMS doctor?
How complicated is it. He's like a lot of kids who has been hit with a diagnosis and has dreams of being a pilot when he grows up. Is this a FAA then to HIMS doctor, then Neuro battery, and so on?
06-29-2017, 07:15 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2013
Posts: 840
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