On 11/6/2003 7:00 AM after considerable forethought, nospam wrote:
About a year ago I passed a kidney stone. I know it passed because I
saw it, and I know it was the only stone because I've had two
ultrasounds: one on the night it passed showing just one stone, and
another several months later showing no stones. My 3rd class medical
expires in spring of 2004.

SNIP

I had my initial medical bounced because of a kidney stone I'd had 18
months prior. My AME, wasn't too helpful at first... He just said he
couldn't issue the medical because of the stone and sent it to OKC.
After contacting OKC myself, I got my primary doc to contact my AME and
I had to go back for a follow-up exam with my primary doc and get a
statement that he'd prescribed a preventative program, that I was
following it, and there were no signs of reoccurrence. My primary doc
had experience with the FAA and knew the procedure, but it still took
about 6 weeks to get it all resolved.

Since then, I've listed the kidney stone and state "on file/no change or
reoccurrence". No subsequent certification from my primary have been
necessary. I've also found another AME.

So as the FAA seems to say, you need to be "certified" by your primary
doc that you are following a preventive program if necessary, and that
there are no signs of reoccurrence. I'd also check with the AME to see
if he can issue the medical certificate with that appropriate paperwork
from your primary, or if he still needs to send it to OKC for approval.
If the latter, I'd schedule my appt with the AME 6 to 8 weeks prior to
expiration of your current certificate.

Good luck

Steve P