Bill Lumbergh
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- Apr 8, 2002
- Posts
- 17
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FAA Medical Doctor
- Thread starter Bill Lumbergh
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Buffettpilot
"was that for us?"
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2002
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- 46
There was a big discussion on this before. Do a search on AME and doctor.
I wouldn't do it, better to keep the family doc seperate from FAA docs--If the family doc finds something, you can go for a second/third opinion. If the AME is your doc and finds something, it will be harder when it comes to re-up your medical
I wouldn't do it, better to keep the family doc seperate from FAA docs--If the family doc finds something, you can go for a second/third opinion. If the AME is your doc and finds something, it will be harder when it comes to re-up your medical
Bill Lumbergh
Member
- Joined
- Apr 8, 2002
- Posts
- 17
Hi Bill, I wouldn't make the FAA dr a regular dr. My husband went for his flight physical and the dr asked him if he ever had "scarlet fever" when he was a young boy. Said he had Mitro stenoisis. Of course my husband flight physical was reported to the FAA. My husband went years w/o flying and decided to get this checked out so he could fly again. Had to go thru a lot to get his 2nd class medical. Dr's say it was misdiagnosed. This physician is now retired. Messed up my husbands career. Better have a good family Dr to back you up if something like this happens.
I used my AME as my own physician for a while. At one point, I was banged pretty hard in a jump incident, and he ended up cutting out the stitches, removing the casts, and keeping tabs on me for nearly a year after that. I'd much rather have separated the two, and do today. In fact, today I see the AME every six months, and don't visit a doctor unless my insides are on the outside.
I had my forehead stitched in an ER a few weeks ago, and that was the first time being actually treated officially for anything or for visiting a doctor (outside of Class 1 physicals) in some time...I plan to make it a whole lot longer between visits the next time.
Regarding doctors in general...I flew a family to Michian to see a college foodball game. They bought us tickets to see the game, so we were obligated to go. That was the first, and last time I've been to a game. Between sitting hunched over, bored to tears on the hard bleachers and the food (?), I got indigestion by the third quarter and decided to go look for some rolaids.
Now, if I ownedthe concession there, I'd be all for selling rolaids by the case load. Not one of the pretzl stands or concession places had any such thing, so I thought I'd wonder by the first aid shack and see what they had. Big mistake.
When I told them what I wanted, they asked why, and the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back in their emergency room, my shirt open, and leads stuck to my chest hair. In short order a doctor shows up, tells me I'm having a heart attack, and tells me he's arranged for an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I informed him that would happen over my dead body, he told me he couldn't release me, and I said I'd be leaving. He was just about to summon security when I suggested a compromise. I told him I thought it was indigestion, he thought it was a cardiac issue. I suggested some mylanta; if it goes away in five minutes, I'll leave the facility, if it stays, I'll take the ride to the hospital.
I've had bad indigestion for years, take mylanta and other good stuff like it's candy, and it does go away. It didn't go away in five minutes but when he asked me how I felt, the correct response was "just fine!" Moments later a genuine cardiac patient showed up who was having a massive MI, and the medical team got busy. I ripped off the monitors, grabbed a stretch of EKG to show to a physician friend at home, and zipped out the door.
Had that been on home turf, and had the attending physician been my AME, doubtless I could have kissed flying goodby. My own friend viewed the EKG and said doubtless I'd been misdiagnosed, and he was glad I'd done what I did; he's a pilot too, and he knew the consequences. I'm certainly not advocating those with stomach or chest pain to forgo treatment, but be careful what you wish for or accept. Including treatment by the AME who is your own physician.
One advantage to not having a doctor is having no one to call in the event little incidents like the above surface. Nobody to pass on that information to, including one's home AME. I've retold the incident to AME's since, including during an EKG here recently for the regulas Class 1 physical. No reason to suspect such a thing, he said, and laughed about it. Had that yokel in Michigan tugged me to the ER over his misdiagnosis, I certainly wouldn't be laughing about a ruined career.
Separate your AME from your home treatment, and buy stock in Mylanta. It's worth it's weight in...chalk.
I had my forehead stitched in an ER a few weeks ago, and that was the first time being actually treated officially for anything or for visiting a doctor (outside of Class 1 physicals) in some time...I plan to make it a whole lot longer between visits the next time.
Regarding doctors in general...I flew a family to Michian to see a college foodball game. They bought us tickets to see the game, so we were obligated to go. That was the first, and last time I've been to a game. Between sitting hunched over, bored to tears on the hard bleachers and the food (?), I got indigestion by the third quarter and decided to go look for some rolaids.
Now, if I ownedthe concession there, I'd be all for selling rolaids by the case load. Not one of the pretzl stands or concession places had any such thing, so I thought I'd wonder by the first aid shack and see what they had. Big mistake.
When I told them what I wanted, they asked why, and the next thing I knew, I was flat on my back in their emergency room, my shirt open, and leads stuck to my chest hair. In short order a doctor shows up, tells me I'm having a heart attack, and tells me he's arranged for an ambulance to take me to the hospital. I informed him that would happen over my dead body, he told me he couldn't release me, and I said I'd be leaving. He was just about to summon security when I suggested a compromise. I told him I thought it was indigestion, he thought it was a cardiac issue. I suggested some mylanta; if it goes away in five minutes, I'll leave the facility, if it stays, I'll take the ride to the hospital.
I've had bad indigestion for years, take mylanta and other good stuff like it's candy, and it does go away. It didn't go away in five minutes but when he asked me how I felt, the correct response was "just fine!" Moments later a genuine cardiac patient showed up who was having a massive MI, and the medical team got busy. I ripped off the monitors, grabbed a stretch of EKG to show to a physician friend at home, and zipped out the door.
Had that been on home turf, and had the attending physician been my AME, doubtless I could have kissed flying goodby. My own friend viewed the EKG and said doubtless I'd been misdiagnosed, and he was glad I'd done what I did; he's a pilot too, and he knew the consequences. I'm certainly not advocating those with stomach or chest pain to forgo treatment, but be careful what you wish for or accept. Including treatment by the AME who is your own physician.
One advantage to not having a doctor is having no one to call in the event little incidents like the above surface. Nobody to pass on that information to, including one's home AME. I've retold the incident to AME's since, including during an EKG here recently for the regulas Class 1 physical. No reason to suspect such a thing, he said, and laughed about it. Had that yokel in Michigan tugged me to the ER over his misdiagnosis, I certainly wouldn't be laughing about a ruined career.
Separate your AME from your home treatment, and buy stock in Mylanta. It's worth it's weight in...chalk.
Make sure you ask around at your local airport before you just pick an AME out of a list. I tried that and I regret it. In 1999 the AME I went to sat me down, listened to my chest and said he "hears something." Said my heart wasn't right and that I would be grounded until it checks out.
Well, it just so happens he knew a cardiologist (his brother) who could look at me that afternoon. $6000 worth of tests and a receptionist who commented "he sends people for this all the time" later he diagnosed me with a benign heart murmer which wouldn't affect my medical (I got the official letter that said I'm fine as long as nothing changes). I figured I would leave it at that as I was now broke, had a medical, and didn't want to deal with any more tests.
Two years later I applied for a Navy flight slot. Got through all the bull and even had an OCS date. Then they found my FAA paperwork. That was the end of the Navy. To mmake a long story short they put me through tons of tests, said I was healthy, and then said my paperwork still disqualified me. DOH! That was the last time I ever picked a name off a list for an AME.
I think the best advice I've heard is get a thorough physical from your family doctor at least once a year and find the easiest AME you can for your medical. That way you're far more likely to solve problems before the FAA discovers them. After a decade of being put through the loops with FAA doctors for conditions I didn't have I would have to agree with this whole-heartedly.
Well, it just so happens he knew a cardiologist (his brother) who could look at me that afternoon. $6000 worth of tests and a receptionist who commented "he sends people for this all the time" later he diagnosed me with a benign heart murmer which wouldn't affect my medical (I got the official letter that said I'm fine as long as nothing changes). I figured I would leave it at that as I was now broke, had a medical, and didn't want to deal with any more tests.
Two years later I applied for a Navy flight slot. Got through all the bull and even had an OCS date. Then they found my FAA paperwork. That was the end of the Navy. To mmake a long story short they put me through tons of tests, said I was healthy, and then said my paperwork still disqualified me. DOH! That was the last time I ever picked a name off a list for an AME.
I think the best advice I've heard is get a thorough physical from your family doctor at least once a year and find the easiest AME you can for your medical. That way you're far more likely to solve problems before the FAA discovers them. After a decade of being put through the loops with FAA doctors for conditions I didn't have I would have to agree with this whole-heartedly.
PolarTwins55
Heart Attack Hall
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2004
- Posts
- 100
Hung Start
Just the cleanup guy
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2004
- Posts
- 701
My family guy is in one state, my AME is in another. If I could get them to be in opposite parts of the country I would!
Your family guy is like your priest or lawyer, you have to tell him the truth. The problem with the AME is the FAA. If you tell him EVERYTHING you should, it will take years (if ever) to fly on a personal basis. Not his fault, just the way government works. The smallest thing sits on someones desk for months. And so does your carreer.
Your family guy is like your priest or lawyer, you have to tell him the truth. The problem with the AME is the FAA. If you tell him EVERYTHING you should, it will take years (if ever) to fly on a personal basis. Not his fault, just the way government works. The smallest thing sits on someones desk for months. And so does your carreer.
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