Joseph II
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2002
- Posts
- 120
Ok, I realize all of you will be giving your opinions and there is probably no perfect answer but I’ll ask anyway.
Background: I have not flown for ~3 years. I have my medical but really only have it because my company pays for a medical checkup each year. I do not fly for a living.
I am working full time and taking online classes. I am married with a house and a baby. Basically my life is pretty hectic right now!
I heard a presentation from the “Wings” program talk about medicals and how he personally knew pilots who have died because they had a medical problem and did not want to get it checked out for fear of it resulting in their medical being pulled. Well, I had chest pains that eventually increased to the point where I said “screw the medical, get me the hell to the ER”… At the ER, they said my heart was fine and the stress I had experienced at home caused the chest pains. So, the diagnosis was stress and anxiety.
Since then, I went to my family doctor and was prescribed a drug (can’t remember the name right now) that is on the “do not fly” list. I noticed on the sheet that the doctor writes on that you take to pay at the front counter had “anxiety” on it.
Right now, I don’t have any plans to fly for at least 18-24 months because I am working on my degree. So, being grounded now is not a big deal (well, besides mentally knowing that you cannot fly sucks a bit!) My plan was to finish my degree and instruct part time (I have my CFI already), see how the market went and potentially take the jump into an aviation career at that time.
I know that if I went to an AME today, I would be totally hosed. I also realize that I could lie and say that I had not seen a doctor at all this year. The fact remains that I do not plan on seeing an AME for at least 18-24 months so I’m not worrying about lying or being deceptive at all right now.
The problem for me is that let’s say I am off the meds for six months or whatever the rules say before I apply for the medical. Does the fact that I went to the ER and the family doctor both saying “anxiety” basically seal my fate regarding of the fact that I was on medication?
We could debate the lying aspect of not mentioning all of this on my medical but I would not be happy if somehow 10-20 years from now it was discovered that I was untruthful on my medical. Put simply I don’t want to deceive the FAA!
So, long story short, since I had the diagnosis of anxiety, does that seal my flying career fate?
Thanks for reading this! All comments appreciated!
Background: I have not flown for ~3 years. I have my medical but really only have it because my company pays for a medical checkup each year. I do not fly for a living.
I am working full time and taking online classes. I am married with a house and a baby. Basically my life is pretty hectic right now!
I heard a presentation from the “Wings” program talk about medicals and how he personally knew pilots who have died because they had a medical problem and did not want to get it checked out for fear of it resulting in their medical being pulled. Well, I had chest pains that eventually increased to the point where I said “screw the medical, get me the hell to the ER”… At the ER, they said my heart was fine and the stress I had experienced at home caused the chest pains. So, the diagnosis was stress and anxiety.
Since then, I went to my family doctor and was prescribed a drug (can’t remember the name right now) that is on the “do not fly” list. I noticed on the sheet that the doctor writes on that you take to pay at the front counter had “anxiety” on it.
Right now, I don’t have any plans to fly for at least 18-24 months because I am working on my degree. So, being grounded now is not a big deal (well, besides mentally knowing that you cannot fly sucks a bit!) My plan was to finish my degree and instruct part time (I have my CFI already), see how the market went and potentially take the jump into an aviation career at that time.
I know that if I went to an AME today, I would be totally hosed. I also realize that I could lie and say that I had not seen a doctor at all this year. The fact remains that I do not plan on seeing an AME for at least 18-24 months so I’m not worrying about lying or being deceptive at all right now.
The problem for me is that let’s say I am off the meds for six months or whatever the rules say before I apply for the medical. Does the fact that I went to the ER and the family doctor both saying “anxiety” basically seal my fate regarding of the fact that I was on medication?
We could debate the lying aspect of not mentioning all of this on my medical but I would not be happy if somehow 10-20 years from now it was discovered that I was untruthful on my medical. Put simply I don’t want to deceive the FAA!
So, long story short, since I had the diagnosis of anxiety, does that seal my flying career fate?
Thanks for reading this! All comments appreciated!