could someone help with flying and high blood pressure

[i fly boxes]

looks like the stress of the job has gotten to me, and the doc wants me to go on high blood pressure medication. I have my medical in a week, and i know the med is approved by the faa becuase I looked it up, but if anyone could comment on what I could do before my medical to speed up the process, that would be great.
Thanks

 

[bugchaser]

It's really not a big deal. FAA will probably want some blood tests as well as three blood pressure readings to document things. They will also probably request a resting EKG. Once all these things are done, you will have no more trouble with them. I went for about two years before they even requested any of this stuff from me. I finally got a letter and had a couple months to get all the info to them. It would probably be a good idea to get a cardiovascular workup with blood test results and pressure readings from your physician before you go for the medical. Have him state that the meds are controlling your pressure and that there are no side effects. If you are a member of AOPA, they can get you some forms for your doc to fill out. Don't sweat it, just have to get a little paperwork done.

 

[bubbers44]

Choosing the wrong FAA physician can cause you a lot of grief. I know of a guy that lost his medical for a year for high blood pressure many years back but follow up tests didn't show him having a problem. It is important to find a Dr. you feel comfortable with so you don't get the white coat blood pressure spike like my wife does. Get another Dr. to deal with the blood pressure if you think it is a problem so it won't involve your medical directly. True you are supposed to state any Dr. visits with each medical.

 

[i fly boxes]

thanks guys, I do trust my doc a lot. Am I allowed to start taking the medicine before my medical, or do i have to wait until then?

 

[Jim Smyth]

Blood pressure meds are no big deal. You would rather have that under control yourself than have the FAA tell you whats right or wrong. Your AME will have the answers you need and if not your union may have a specialist on retainer that helps out in the medical arena.

There are a few extra tests involved and a little bit of paperwork but the FAA would rather have you take care of it now than have it become a big deal later.

Also, don't take this the wrong way but a self look into the mirror also helps too. It did for me. If your overweight, don't exercise, smoke, drink too much............well you get the idea. A little self help may go a long way. This may not apply to you but if any of the above do you may be able to correct the problem yourself. Best of luck.

 

[Ty Webb]

Jim had some excellent advice. I used to work EMS, so I would add the following- for most people. your blood pressure will be highest in the evening, and lowest in the morning and also after a meal, when the blood has flowed to the area around your stomach and intestines to absorb the food. Sometimes you don't really have high blood pressure at all, it's just a temporary result of other factors, but of course, you want to be sure.

If you have a couple cups of java, walk into the Dr's office and sit right down and let them take your BP right away, without a little relaxation, it can be high . . . so, sit down, relax, ask them to give you a couple of minutes, breathe in and out slowly, and just try to relax a little, and you may find you're normal after all.

You can also buy a handy little wrist-mounted BP cuff at Fry's or some other electronic stores that will monitor your BP for you. I would try one of those out for a few days, long before I would commit to a lifetime on some medication. You may find you only have high BP in your DR's office.

I would look into it a bit, before I let them put me on meds . . . If you dive, be careful , some BP meds could kill you, and no one will warn you about it, because it is not well known. . . . but it happened to someone very close to me.

Free advice, and worth every penny.


,

 

[ironspud]

You can also buy a handy little wrist-mounted BP cuff at Fry's or some other electronic stores that will monitor your BP for you. I would try one of those out for a few days, long before I would commit to a lifetime on some medication. You may find you only have high BP in your DR's office.

I would look into it a bit, before I let them put me on meds . . . If you dive, be careful , some BP meds could kill you, and no one will warn you about it, because it is not well known. . . . but it happened to someone very close to me.

Free advice, and worth every penny.


,

Whoa! What is a "Fry's"? I've never seen one of those gadgets, but would like one as I have seen a recent spike in BP and would like to monitor it.

Is that like FYE? Any other place you are aware of that sells those devices?

 

[Ty Webb]

http://shop4.outpost.com/category/Outpost/Health+&+Beauty/Blood+Pressure+Monitors?accipterAreaString=

 

[3BCat]

Take two, and call me in the morning.

Try the banana; one for breakfast, one before you walk into the office. If you really have even mild hypertension, treat it.

 

[CatfishVT9]

Try Atkins. Yeah, I know that the media says that low-carb is dead, but not for me it isn't. Two years ago I was right there with you when my BP was 140/98 on the first reading at my Class 1 check. The AME was great and let me lie in a quiet room in a near sleep state until it came down into range. He then said to come back later for a workup for BP meds. A buddy of mine had told me about doing Atkins for his high cholesterol and that his BP went down as well. Plus, I hate meds if they can be avoided.

The short story is that I tried it and within about 3 weeks, my BP was down to about 120/80 and has stayed there. I also lost about 20 lbs which helped as well. I'm not staying strict Atkins anymore either, just paying attention to what I eat (no more bread three meals a day).

I would bet that if you try Atkins, and reschedule your physical to the end of the month, you might avoid the meds.

Good luck!
Catfish

 

[i fly boxes]

just a little background on me, I weigh 155 pounds, excersise a lot and eat pretty well. The high blood pressure is in the genes i guess. It is def. not becuase i am overweight.

 

[captjim]

It might take more than one, however adding bananas and avocados to your diet might help. Both have high concentrations of potassium with avocados having more. Or add a potassium supplement to your daily routine. I do this and my BP stays at 110/69, and hypertension runs in my family. Also the day before you medical drink lots of water to lower your sodium level in your body, and the next morning before you physical have a banana breakfast. Good luck, let us know how things go.

 

[⌐⌐⌐⌐⌐]

“Looks like the stress of the job has gotten to me, and the doc wants me to go on high blood pressure medication. I have my medical in a week, and I know the med is approved by the FAA because I looked it up, but if anyone could comment on what I could do before my medical to speed up the process, that would be great.
Thanks”

Well, very recently I went through the very same process and I thought I’d share my experiences with you. First of all, I’m 35 1/2, 5’11” and weigh 170 lbs. I work out about once, maybe twice a week and walk a lot. Still about a year or so ago I noticed my BP was ~130/90 and quite often even higher. You guessed it – genetics! My skinny, and very fit dad has had high (medication controlled) blood pressure most of his life!

About three months ago I went to a doctor (actually a PA - Physician Assistant) and told him that I was a pilot and having a normal BP was very important to me. Great guy, never questioned me, said he liked to be pro- as opposed to re-active in preventing future heart problems; he also said he prescribed Lipitor to himself even though his cholesterol levels were quite normal - he said most cardiologist found current cholesterol level guidelines too lenient. Anyway, he put me on Enalapril/HCTZ medication where HCTZ is a diuretic (water pill) combined with Enalapril which is “a class of medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. It works by decreasing certain chemicals that tighten the blood vessels, so blood flows more smoothly and the heart can pump blood more efficiently.” Anyway

First I tried a 5/15MG tab (once a day) for about 3 weeks which gave me a BP of 125/80, then I tried a 10/25MG tablet which gave me a BP of 110/75 (that’s what I am on now). My goal was to stay BELOW 120/80 because in the past I was told by a cardiologist (a family friend) that if you’ve ever had high blood pressure you can actually repair some of the damage done to your arteries by lowering your BP below normal and keeping it that way for a while. So anyway, after 2 months or so of having normal or below normal BP readings I contacted “Leftseat.com” for help. They filled out all the papers required by mailing a questionaire to my doctor (the PA – not my FAA doctor). I did an EKG (which I believe was not required - I did my first EKG 6 months ago shortly after I turned 35, but we did another one this time just in case), I had several BP reading spread out over a couple of days (I had a total of 6 readings spread out over 3 days), checked my cholesterol and also did a serum potassium test (I think diurethics can deplete you of potassium if you don’t drink enough liquids so they check your liver to make sure you’re ok). And that was it!!!

Then I waited about two weeks and just yesterday I got a letter from the FAA stating: ”…You are eligible for a first-class medical…the certificate you now hold is valid until the normal date of expiration…” I am supposed to take this letter to my FAA doctor (they sent him a copy too) when my medical is up for renewal and bring another BP reading spread out over several days and also have another “serum potassium” test done (I believe I only need this test once a year, even if I get a first class twice a year - I’ll check on that) The “potassium test” btw cost me $30 without using my insurance. That’s about it! Had my cholesterol been elevated, they’d encourage me to use Lipitor or something similar, but mine was pretty low = 120. 200 or less is considered “normal,” however for people with high BP it’s preferred to stay below 170. They also checked the good/bad cholest. ratio , in my case it was well within normal.

Anyway, I’m glad I decided to get the meds. because the FAA seems to be very proactive nowadays, they want you to contact them BEFORE your heart muscle becomes enlarged and I think it makes more sense. I will still do my very best trying to keep my BP low by excersising, eating properly etc. However, here is something important I learned during this process. If your blood pressure is ELEVATED (does not have to be very high) AND you try to lower it by getting into an excersise routine and overdo it (don’t know by how much) - your heart muscle might become enlarged » something that’s detectable with a simple EKG »»» then you have much more paperwork and tests to do. So, the cardiologists actually prefer if you put yourself on a low dosage BP medication and first then begin your excersise program. Once your BP begins to improve you then gradually get off the medication, this way you lower your BP without incurring any permanent damage to your heart.

The BP pills btw cost me about $35 for a supply of 360 (enough for one year ) with my insurance, without insurance it was going to be $85. If I manage to keep my BP where I want it (~ 110/75) without pills for > two months, the very same process will apply when removing the waiver. Also, the FAA approval does not show anywhere on your medical and it is private information they will not share with anyone - including your potential new employer - so it’s your choice whether you tell them or not. Of course if they have their own medicals: UPS, CAL, etc. I’d tell them because you have nothing to hide – it’s perfectly legal AND believe it or not – ENCOURAGED BY THE FAA!!!

Note! I loved the service I got from “Leftseat.com” but it cost me $600! I’m pretty sure I could’ve done it by myself; however, I really liked knowing “they’d done it before.” Like I said, you can probably do it yourself or better yet, your FAA doctor can do it for you - usually for free! It’s your choice, personally if I ever have other issues I’ll probably use their services again - I’m lazy!

Good luck to you and get that medication, it’s better to start early! If you have other questions plz PM me anytime!

Oh, side-effects: The very first week I had to pee just a little more than usual, after a week or so I was back to my normal routine. Also, I haven’t had any headaches, experienced dizziness or any other symptoms – but I was told that some people might have those side-effects until they get used to the medication. Good luck.

I’m sorry about the lengthy reply; I was very nervous over this whole process and thought that maybe you and some other pilots are too. All I’m trying to tell you is: DO IT NOW! It’s NO BIG DEAL unless you wait too long!


“…your blood pressure will be highest in the evening, and lowest in the morning…”

TyWebb – I might have gotten it all backward, but I could have sworn the cardiologist I talked to a while ago told me the opposite was true - most people have highest BP in the morning not in the evening. As a matter of fact he jokingly mentioned that it is fairly common for people with severe heart disease to have a heart attack early in the morning while going to the bathroom (you know #2 + early morning + heart disease = bad luck!) At least that’s what I remember, I’m sure I got it all backwards.

 

[Ty Webb]

Nice post, and glad your method has worked for you, but I can't help but notice that you say you "work out once a week" which, from a cardio fitness aspect, is like not working out at all.

I would be interested to know what results you would have achieved if you had simply started cardio training for 20 minutes 3-5 times a week, cut out fast food and limited your sodium intake.

 

[⌐⌐⌐⌐⌐]

”I would be interested to know what results you would have achieved if you had simply started cardio training for 20 minutes 3-5 times a week, cut out fast food and limited your sodium intake.”

Well, good question however it is very seldom I eat fast food; even on the road I try to stick to “healthier alternatives,” fruits, protein bars, etc. I don’t use salt for anything except when buying food already processed of course. You won’t find any salt in my house, seriously I have NEVER bought any kind of salt in my life and probably never will; I learned it years ago watching my dad struggle with his BP. Oh, I don’t drink sodas either; I drink water, juices or the Crystal Light stuff. My father has high BP (controlled) and so did my grand father; and frankly I think that no matter what I do one way or the other I will always struggle with my BP.

My whole point was that there is a way of preventing serious heart damage while trying to figure out what to do about ones hyper tension - and it’s legal and encouraged by the FAA. I think that maybe too many people keep trying to change their diet, exercise, etc and wait too long before realizing their heart muscle keeps getting enlarged while they are trying to figure things out.

So the best approach in my view is a combination of lifestyle changes and medication while working on permanently lowering ones BP. Of course I’m not a doctor so I might be wrong. Either way, good luck to anyone dealing with this problem. That’s all.

 

[radarlove]

Lots of high BP is hereditary. The trick is to aggressively fix it, that's where meds come in.

 

[BVT94]

I don't have alot of time to post, but my father, also a pilot with BP issues, has had luck with the following:

Trying an elimination diet to determine if your BP is an allergic reaction to certain foods. Wheat, caffeine, and too much sugar are common foods that affect BP.

Add lots of garlic to your diet. Can be taken in tablet form to reduce personal odor.

Find an outlet for our stress. Daily exercise is ideal, but meditation might also work. Or check our Qi Chong. No need to take a class, just start doing breathwork.

There's something else that he has tried recently, but I can't get ahold of him to ask about it. If you are interested to find out more, PM me.

Unless absolutely necessary to get back to work, I'd encourage you to explore diet and lifestyle options before going on meds. Unfortunately, like most meds, once you go on them, your body adjusts to a new normal, and it makes it nearly impossible to go off them. And there's no guarantee that they will work for life. My dad's been on them for at least 10 years. They worked for awhile, but then his BP started going up again. That's what has forced him to find other treatment options.

Good Luck!

 

[i fly boxes]

thanks to all of you, My doctor wants to prescribe atenolol, which i think is legal, but I am very interested in this enalapril and hydrocholorothiazide, I am going to ask him about it. My medical is this wednesday, I will report back my results after i go.

Thanks to everyone

 

[⌐⌐⌐⌐⌐]

BVT94 PM me with the info you got from your dad please, thanks.

Iflyboxes - Keep us posted on how things went please!

The medication your doctor wants to put you on IS approved by the FAA - looks like it is a Beta blocker, here is a partial approved list from "Leftseat.com":

Contact us at 800-699-4457 to establish your eligibility for FAA medical certification. ​

Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Centrally acting agents such as Guanethidine, Guanadrel, Guanabenz, Methyldopa, and Reserpine are not acceptable to the FAA. The following medications are approved on a case by case basis: Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Centrally acting agents such as Guanethidine, Guanadrel, Guanabenz, Methyldopa, and Reserpine are not acceptable to the FAA. FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF FAA APPROVED DRUGS CLICK HERE
The following medications is a partial list of FAA approved drugs. These medications are acceptable to the FAA on a case by case basis:
Alpha Blockers / Inhibitors

• Cardura (Doxazosin)
• Catapres (Clonidine)
• Dibenzyline (Phenoxybenzamine)
• Hytrin (Terazosin)
• Micardis (Telmisartan)
• Minipress, Minizide (Prazosin)

Beta Blockers

• Blocadren, Timolide (Timolol)
• Cartrol (Carteolol)
• Cibenzyline (Phenoxybenzamine)
• Coreg (Carvedilol)
• Corgard, Corzide (Nadolol)
• Inderal, Inderide, Innopran (Propranolol)
• Kerlone (Betaxolol)
• Levatol (Penbutolol)
• Lopressor, Toprol (Metoprolol)
• Normodyne, Trandate (Labetalol)
• Sectral (Acebutolol)
• Tenormin, Tenoretic (Atenolol)
• Visken (Pindolol)
• Zebeta, Ziac (Bisoprolol)

Calcium Channel Blockers

• Adalat, Procardia (Nifedipine)
• Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac (Diltiazem)
• Cardene (Nicardipine)
• Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Veralan, Tarka (Verapamil)
• DynaCirc (Isradipine)
• Norvasc, Lotrel (Amlodipine)
• Plendil, Lexxel (Felodipine)
• Posicor (Mibefradil)
• Sular (Nisoldipine)

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors

• Aceon (Perindopril Erbumine)
• Accupril (Quinapril)
• Altace (Ramipril)
• Capoten, Capozide (Captopril)
• Lotensin (Benazepril)
• Mavik (Trandolapril)
• Monopril (Fosinopril)
• Prinivil, Prinzide, Zestril, Zestoretic (Lisinopril)
• Univasc, Unitrec (Moexipril)
• Vasotec, Vaseretic (Enalapril)

Angiotensin II Receptor Antagonists

• Atacand (Candesartan)
• Avapro, Avalide (Irbesartan)
• Benicar (Olmesartan Medoxomil)
• Benicar HCT (Olmesartan Medoxomil + Hydrochlorothiazide)
• Cozaar, Hyzaar (Losartan)
• Diovan (Valsartan)
• Micardis (Telmisartan)

Diuretics

• Aldactone, Aldactazide (Spironolactone)
• Bumex (Bumetanide)
• Camadex, Demadex (Torsemide)
• Diuril, Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ, Hydrodiuril, Oretic, Enduron (Thiazides)
• Dyazide, Maxzide, Moduretic (Combinations)
• Dyrenium (Triamterene)
• Lasix (Furosemide)
• Lozol (Indapamide)
• Mykrox (Metolazone)
• Zaroxolyn, Mykrox (Metolazone)

 

[D'Angelo]

looks like the stress of the job has gotten to me, and the doc wants me to go on high blood pressure medication. I have my medical in a week, and i know the med is approved by the faa becuase I looked it up, but if anyone could comment on what I could do before my medical to speed up the process, that would be great.
Thanks

This ladies and gentleman is why we need to accept our fates. It does no good screaming "hold the line" and all that other union crap, getting all worked up then losing your medical anyway. These are different times and the glory days are gone. Ive accepted it, enjoy a glass of wine every now and then with the lady and we are livin it up. Its time everyone stop letting the mob mentality get to them and say serenity now! Time to live it up and stop getting so angry. There is definately some good advice on this thread on how to deal with it. The best thing you can do is stop getting so angry. Management is not out to get you, they are there to make the company prosper. I bet if you take the advice here combined with anger management your blood pressure will drop to new lows.

 

[i fly boxes]

This ladies and gentleman is why we need to accept our fates. It does no good screaming "hold the line" and all that other union crap, getting all worked up then losing your medical anyway. These are different times and the glory days are gone. Ive accepted it, enjoy a glass of wine every now and then with the lady and we are livin it up. Its time everyone stop letting the mob mentality get to them and say serenity now! Time to live it up and stop getting so angry. There is definately some good advice on this thread on how to deal with it. The best thing you can do is stop getting so angry. Management is not out to get you, they are there to make the company prosper. I bet if you take the advice here combined with anger management your blood pressure will drop to new lows.

Dude, it was a joke, I am as happy as can be, its hereditary for me.