High blood pressure, but whats really going on?

[siucavflight]

Sue the AME for malpractice. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm money. My bro, a doc, suggested this, after i emailed him your plight!

I am not really thinking along those lines, I just want to get my medical and not have to worry about this, if it turns out that this was intentionally done (which I doubt) I would consider some other type of compensation, but for now I just want to keep flying.

 

[Metro752]

Intentional or not, if you lose your ticket, and or your job, and you have documented evidence from two other doctors that he is incorrect, you have every right to make sure he compensates you for any hassle and loss of income you have.

 

[atlcrashpad]

I believe AME's are protected under Federal Law. Call AOPA or ALPA.

 

[Say Again Over]

Sounds like a bad reading,why not go to Walgreens and buy the automatic type and check yourself.

 

[Applemac]

A few questions...

- Did the AME place the cuff over the sleeve of a long sleeve shirt?
- Did you "have a few" the previous night?
- Were you on any medication?

There is a phenomenon known as white coat hypertension where anxiety leads to elevated BP readings when you go into a doctor's office.

However, to record a patient as being "hypertensive" in a medical chart requires three individual high BP readings on three separate office visits. So it sounds like this AME not only was not a good AME (not rechecking with different equipment, etc) but was a piss poor doctor to boot.

Did he end up turning down your request for a medical and reporting the findings to the FAA, or what was the outcome specifically?

I'd get your union (if you're a professional pilot), AOPA (if you're not), and potentially a lawyer involved.

 

[siucavflight]

Applemac,
He gave me two weeks before he would turn in the paper work, so for the last two weeks I went on a fruit, veggies, and water diet. Went back yesterday and the same results, I knew it was going to happen, I could feel myself tensing up while sitting in the room waiting for him. Now he has given me a pretty strong dose of Tenoretic and asked me to come back next Friday, if it is down he will grant me the first class, so he is trying his best to help me out, he understands that this is my life and he does not want to screw it up, and he mentioned the white coat thing as well. And no the night before I did not have anything to drink, I was on the usual three day before a medical healthy food binge.

 

[Applemac]

Applemac,
He gave me two weeks before he would turn in the paper work, so for the last two weeks I went on a fruit, veggies, and water diet.

Good idea, however make sure you be careful what sort of veggies you eat. Dark green vegetables like spinach and broccoli are good, high carb content veggies like corn, not so much.

Cut white bread, white rice, dessert, potatoes, beef, and pork out of your diet entirely.

Add fish (not fried) 3 times a week. Supplement with fish oil tablets.

 

[michael707767]

and he mentioned the white coat thing as well. And no the night before I did not have anything to drink, I was on the usual three day before a medical healthy food binge.

follow all the normal advice on diet, etc.

As for the "white coat" syndrome, I had the same problem. Never had a problem with blood pressure at my regular doctor, but at my FAA exams I was always right at the limit. My regular doctor suggesed I buy a blood pressure machine for home, and regularly take readings. I did that and over time I have gotten the confidence that I don't have a problem and I can relax more when I go to the FAA doc.

 

[BoilerUP]

Call your local FAA Regional Office ASAP, and tell them everything you've told us here. Also provide all medical records if requested!

I had an *********************************** AME when I went to get my very first medical who denied me because I had a "hypoglycemic-like episode" from not eating right and doing football 2-a-days when in high school. I HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH HYPOGLYCEMIA, and didn't know any better to not report it. I started tearing up, telling him I had passed a USAF FC1 with flying colors & thinking my dream was toast, and this guy had the gall to tell my mother he didn't think somebody with "my emotional disposition" should be defending our country.

A short phonecall to the head flight suregon guy in the FAA office in Atlanta (actually got to talk to him!) set my AME straight. I was told I could return to him or go to somebody else.

 

[BoilerUP]

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/medical_certification/rfs/

Regional Flight Surgeon listing. Call the person representing you right away!