Medical question (PAD)

[Steve]

I am trying to get my 3rd class medical, and have received a request for
more info from the FAA on my diagnosis of peripheral artery disease. My
condition is limited to my legs. Anyone else successfully get their medical
with this condition? Or anyone denied? Thanks.

[BT]

are you working this through the AOPA Medical Advisory Group?
They may know your answers already.
BT

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
>I am trying to get my 3rd class medical, and have received a request for
>more info from the FAA on my diagnosis of peripheral artery disease. My
>condition is limited to my legs. Anyone else successfully get their medical
>with this condition? Or anyone denied? Thanks.
>

[Steve]

"BT" > wrote in message
...
> are you working this through the AOPA Medical Advisory Group?
> They may know your answers already.
> BT

No, I do not know what that is.

[Peter Clark]

On Sat, 13 Sep 2008 20:27:37 -0700, "Steve" >
wrote:

>
>"BT" > wrote in message
...
>> are you working this through the AOPA Medical Advisory Group?
>> They may know your answers already.
>> BT
>
>No, I do not know what that is.

Joining AOPA (http://www.aopa.org/ ) gives you access to a team of
people who specialize in medical issues and how to get through them if
it's possible under the regulations. If you're a student pilot, I
believe they even have a six month free offer (but it's been a while
since I originally subscribed) which can help get you through it
without having to pay the membership fee and see some of the other
membership benefits (the magazines, members section of the website, et
al) and let you have an informed decision as to whether to continue
being a member when the trial term is up.

[Mike Isaksen]

"Steve" wrote ...
> "BT" wrote ...
>> are you working this through the AOPA Medical Advisory
>> Group? They may know your answers already.
>
> No, I do not know what that is.
I've had may share of past issues with AOPA "getting too big", but they are
probably the strongest voice (lobby) we aviators could ever ask for. You
should join.

AOPA is the primary reason the FAA's medical special processing backlog has
been reduced from months to days. Don't know how they did it, but it should
be case study for breaking through govt bureaucracy. You need to tap into
that experience.

[Steve]

"Peter Clark" > wrote in message
...

> Joining AOPA (http://www.aopa.org/ ) gives you access to a team of
> people who specialize in medical issues and how to get through them if
> it's possible under the regulations. If you're a student pilot, I
> believe they even have a six month free offer (but it's been a while
> since I originally subscribed) which can help get you through it
> without having to pay the membership fee and see some of the other
> membership benefits (the magazines, members section of the website, et
> al) and let you have an informed decision as to whether to continue
> being a member when the trial term is up.

Thanks much, sounds like just what I need. I'll check it out.

[Paul kgyy]

In addition to joining AOPA, sign up for their forum. They have a
very helpful medical forum. One of the forum members is Dr. Bruce
Chien, a proactive AME.

[Jay Maynard]

On 2008-09-15, Paul kgyy > wrote:
> In addition to joining AOPA, sign up for their forum. They have a
> very helpful medical forum. One of the forum members is Dr. Bruce
> Chien, a proactive AME.

Dr. Bruce is also active on Pilots of America.

With that said, I certainly recommend all pilots join AOPA, and their
medical department is top notch.
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com
http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net
Fairmont, MN (FRM) (Yes, that's me!)
AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC

[Gig 601Xl Builder]

Steve wrote:
> "Peter Clark" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>> Joining AOPA (http://www.aopa.org/ ) gives you access to a team of
>> people who specialize in medical issues and how to get through them if
>> it's possible under the regulations. If you're a student pilot, I
>> believe they even have a six month free offer (but it's been a while
>> since I originally subscribed) which can help get you through it
>> without having to pay the membership fee and see some of the other
>> membership benefits (the magazines, members section of the website, et
>> al) and let you have an informed decision as to whether to continue
>> being a member when the trial term is up.
>
> Thanks much, sounds like just what I need. I'll check it out.
>
>

And once you do go to their forums. They have a "Medical Matters" forum
in there where Dr. Bruce Chien has helped a lot of people with medical
issues. He is a CFIA-I-MEI-ATP, AME and on AOPA's Board of Aviation
Medical advisers. He answers questions very quickly in the forum and via
private messages.

[Steve]

"Gig 601Xl Builder" > wrote in message
m...
> Steve wrote:
>> "Peter Clark" > wrote in message
> And once you do go to their forums. They have a "Medical Matters" forum in
> there where Dr. Bruce Chien has helped a lot of people with medical
> issues. He is a CFIA-I-MEI-ATP, AME and on AOPA's Board of Aviation
> Medical advisers. He answers questions very quickly in the forum and via
> private messages.

He did, within minutes of posting. Thanks to all for the suggestion

[Kloudy via AviationKB.com]

Steve wrote:
> My condition is limited to my legs.

Good luck with your efforts.

Btw, be careful.
Your symptoms may be primarily expressed in your lower extremities but PVD is
rarely LIMITED to that region. I often see folks who are surprised to learn
of coincident kidney dysfunction and other sytemic effects they didn't expect.

Stay in touch with your pri-care pro regarding your vascular disease,
abdominal/pelvic involvement is always a possibility and just something to
keep in mind.

Again, good luck and good health to ya.

--
Message posted via http://www.aviationkb.com

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

"Steve" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Gig 601Xl Builder" > wrote in message
> m...
>> Steve wrote:
>>> "Peter Clark" > wrote in
>>> message
>> And once you do go to their forums. They have a "Medical Matters" forum
>> in there where Dr. Bruce Chien has helped a lot of people with medical
>> issues. He is a CFIA-I-MEI-ATP, AME and on AOPA's Board of Aviation
>> Medical advisers. He answers questions very quickly in the forum and via
>> private messages.
>
> He did, within minutes of posting. Thanks to all for the suggestion

And, once you get this sorted out, if you would please, sit down with your
instructor and (politely if possible) explain what a moron he/she was for
not making sure you got advice on how to best deal with this
___B_E_F_O_R_E___ you made the appointment with the AME. There are
questions that can really screw you up if you don't word things properly
regarding your history. You have to be honest, but you don't want to write
things down in a way that could be misinterpreted. (And not being a doctor
yourself, are you really sure you are writing the right thing?) Also, you
want may want to have the RIGHT documentation AHEAD of time.




Perhaps if you explain this, his/her next student might not have to go down
the same road.


--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

[Dave S]

Steve wrote:
> I am trying to get my 3rd class medical, and have received a request for
> more info from the FAA on my diagnosis of peripheral artery disease. My
> condition is limited to my legs. Anyone else successfully get their medical
> with this condition? Or anyone denied? Thanks.
>
>

As a medical guy, NOT an AME..

the rationale is that if you have vascular disease in your legs you are
highly likely to have vascular disease in other places, such as the heart..

Dont be surprised if you end up seeing a cardiologist and perhaps get at
least a minimum a stress test and perhaps a heart and peripheral
catheterizaion, especially if your PVD is to the point of having
symptoms - leg pain, coldness, fatigue with exertion. This should not be
a permanently grounding issue, but depending on what findings there are,
you may have some hoops to jump through.

I've been working in the Cardiac Cath Lab for 4 months now, after a
decade in ER and ICU.. and when they say a picture is worth a thousand
words, I've seen hundreds of images of coronary and peripheral arteries

Smoking is a big factor in disease too, by the way.. And while the lungs
may recover with time, the blood vessels rarely do.

Good luck
The usual "contact AOPA's medical group" applies.

Dave