FAA Medical Question

I have always had a First-Class medical, not because my aviation
activity (PPL/IR) requires it, but mostly in case I don’t get in to see
the doctor in time, so it derates to a second class instead of leaving
me grounded. That happened this year for the first time, because my
doctor told me she is retiring, so I need to find someone else.

I have moderate arterial hypertension (about 160/110 uncontrolled)
which is well controlled (130/85) with a calcium channel blocker
(verapamil, 360 mg/d). This condition is unchanged throughout all the
years I have been flying. Also, because I am over 40 and I always get a
first-class medical, it means I have an EKG every year, and these have
always been perfectly normal.

My problem is that my AME has always considered this well-controlled
condition to be not serious enough to bother with the FAA procedures,
and not worth declaring. So all these years I have declared that I am
not taking any medication, when this is not in fact true. My question
is, now that I have to change AME, is this the time to "come clean" with
the FAA and declare this condition? I have never lied to the medical
examiner, she is the one who suggested I not declare it, stating that I
do not have a serious medical condition or a higher chance that the
average person to have a health-related incident when flying. If I
don’t say this to the new AME then it becomes me who is not telling the
truth, and I know the FAA takes a dim view of this. On the other hand,
if I come forward with it then it becomes obvious there has been a
"white lie" for many years. I am also concerned for the AME. Even if she
is now retired, I’m concerned another doctor could find fault with her
method, even though she has always been very thorough, and my exams have
rarely lasted less than 2 hours with all the tests and questionnaires.

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

Yikes! I am not an attorney so I may not really know.... But, I would
contact AOPA and get their take. IMHO even tho the AME advised you to
not report the condition, it is YOUR signature on the form and thus
you are responsible for misrepresentation on the FAA form. A real no-
no.

BTW I take 240 mg verapamil and have to get an ECG every 2 years to
get a 3rd class medical.

Regards,
Jerry

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

Yikes! I am not an attorney so I may not really know.... But, I would
contact AOPA and get their take. IMHO even tho the AME advised you to
not report the condition, it is YOUR signature on the form and thus
you are responsible for misrepresentation on the FAA form. A real no-
no.

BTW I take 240 mg verapamil and have to get an ECG every 2 years to
get a 3rd class medical.

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

Yikes! I am not an attorney so I may not really know.... But, I would
contact AOPA and get their take. IMHO even tho the AME advised you to
not report the condition, it is YOUR signature on the form and thus
you are responsible for misrepresentation on the FAA form. A real no-
no.

BTW I take 240 mg verapamil and have to get an ECG every 2 years to
get a 3rd class medical.

gil

T182T wrote:
I have always had a First-Class medical, not because my aviation
activity (PPL/IR) requires it, but mostly in case I don?t get in to see
the doctor in time, so it derates to a second class instead of leaving
me grounded. That happened this year for the first time, because my
doctor told me she is retiring, so I need to find someone else.

I have moderate arterial hypertension (about 160/110 uncontrolled)
which is well controlled (130/85) with a calcium channel blocker
(verapamil, 360 mg/d). This condition is unchanged throughout all the
years I have been flying. Also, because I am over 40 and I always get a
first-class medical, it means I have an EKG every year, and these have
always been perfectly normal.

My problem is that my AME has always considered this well-controlled
condition to be not serious enough to bother with the FAA procedures,
and not worth declaring. So all these years I have declared that I am
not taking any medication, when this is not in fact true. My question
is, now that I have to change AME, is this the time to "come clean" with
the FAA and declare this condition? I have never lied to the medical
examiner, she is the one who suggested I not declare it, stating that I
do not have a serious medical condition or a higher chance that the
average person to have a health-related incident when flying. If I
don?t say this to the new AME then it becomes me who is not telling the
truth, and I know the FAA takes a dim view of this. On the other hand,
if I come forward with it then it becomes obvious there has been a
"white lie" for many years. I am also concerned for the AME. Even if she
is now retired, I?m concerned another doctor could find fault with her
method, even though she has always been very thorough, and my exams have
rarely lasted less than 2 hours with all the tests and questionnaires.

Question for those who really know - What?s the best thing for me to do?


Well, since anything over 155 is disqualifying and all the tests and
treatments to keep it under 155 have to be reported, somebody, likely you,
is in trouble.

If not an AOPA member, join immediately and sign up for the Legal Services
Plan (which you are likely going to need) and pose your question to the
AOPA.


--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

For starters, don't publish personal/medical information like this
in a public newsgroup. Nothing ever goes away, everything can be
discovered many years later.

If you must publish like this, use an anonymous remailer to
avoid obvious references.

Blanche writes:

For starters, don't publish personal/medical information like this
in a public newsgroup. Nothing ever goes away, everything can be
discovered many years later.

Good general advice, but it should not be limited to medical information.
Everything you write tends to linger forever on the Net. Just your style and
attitude can influence people who might google for your name. Don't write
anything you wouldn't want to see on the front page of the New York Times.

If you must publish like this, use an anonymous remailer to
avoid obvious references.

That might be overkill for many cases. Some USENET providers already obfuscate
the source of posts as a matter of policy, and unless you are doing something
highly illegal, that degree of anonymity is sufficient to work around casual
fishing expeditions by others.

On Aug 30, 2:00*pm, Blanche wrote:
For starters, don't publish personal/medical information like this
in a public newsgroup. Nothing ever goes away, everything can be
discovered many years later.

If you must publish like this, use an anonymous remailer to
avoid obvious references.


Let me add something to Blanche's comment.

Those who are fortunate enough to be 'hiring authorities' are swamped
with resumes and CVs for most open positions. The reality is the
faster the candidate pool can be narrowed the better -- even if that
narrowing eliminates an otherwise qualified person. Be careful about
divulging HIPPA information or exposing other aspects of your
personality on line in groups or Facebook or elsewhere, otherwise you
may never be invited to an interview and you will not know why. It's
a new information age and employers, not just kids, are taking
advantage of it.

T182T writes:

My problem is that my AME has always considered this well-controlled
condition to be not serious enough to bother with the FAA procedures,
and not worth declaring. So all these years I have declared that I am
not taking any medication, when this is not in fact true.

It's your signature, so you are the one making a fraudulent declaration, which
is not good (for you).

My question is, now that I have to change AME, is this the time to
"come clean" with the FAA and declare this condition?

You need to talk to a lawyer, not an AME. This sounds like a very delicate
situation that will backfire seriously on you if you don't handle it with the
utmost care.

I have never lied to the medical examiner, she is the one who suggested
I not declare it, stating that I do not have a serious medical condition
or a higher chance that the average person to have a health-related
incident when flying.

In practical terms, she is right, but legally, she's wrong. You have to
declare it, and so does she. Unfortunately the ultimate responsibility is
yours, because you're supposed to know that you must declare everything, and
it isn't necessary to be a doctor to know this and do this.

The AME might be in the wrong, too (and now everyone to whom she has given a
medical is going to be suspect), but you need to worry about yourself.

If I don’t say this to the new AME then it becomes me who is not telling the
truth, and I know the FAA takes a dim view of this.

You've already failed to declare it, which the FAA views very dimly as well.

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

Find a lawyer who is an expert in aviation law and follow his advice. Doctors
are not lawyers, so they cannot help you here, as this is a legal issue, not a
medical issue.

On Jul 14, 1:23 pm, T182T wrote:

Question for those who really know - What’s the best thing for me to do?

As others indicated, contact AOPA for an authoritive answer.

My UNauthoritive answer AFTER I looked at the AOPA online medical
form.

The question reads:

17a. Do You Currently Use Any Medication (Prescription or
NonPrescription)?

No Yes If yes, in the space below, list medications used and
check appropriate box indicating whether or not it was previously
reported.

18. Medical History

Down to H under 18

18. Medical History

HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH, HAD, OR DO YOU
PRESENTLY HAVE any of the following? In the EXPLANATIONS box, you may
note "PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, NO CHANGE" only if the explanation of the
condition was reported on a previous application for an airman medical
certificate and there has been no change in your condition. See
Instructions Page.

h. Yes No High or low blood pressure

Just answer yes and move on putting in the explanation (H) high blood
pressure. Nothing is asked about a start date of your treatment. My
high BP was discovered during an exam and it was no big deal once I
complied with what the FAA needed. (BP was 220 / 170). I saw a
cardiologist, had a nuclear stress test and moved on once my BP came
down to human levels with Diovan. There is nothing to say your
condition wasn't discovered between your last medical and your current
one or any questions with regards to onset..

AGAIN as others indicated, check with AOPA for an authoritive answer
and consider my post an opinion of one.