ADHD - anny chance I’ll be able to avoid the neuropsych testing?

[Anotheradhd]

Like many here I was deferred due to a past adhd diagnosis but my history with it is very minor so I’m wondering if there’s any chance I can get off without needing the lengthy and expensive testing.

Background - I didn’t have any history of adhd while growing up but decided to get checked while having some motivation troubles at 29. I met with my doc for about 10 minutes before he decided to give me a “trial” of adderall. I was on it for 3 months then stopped and that was it. Turns out I just hated my job at the time lol, no more issues since.

Given that, does anyone think it’s possible my medical records and personal statement will be enough for the FAA? I’ve already sent my documentation to AAM-300 so I’ll find out soon enough, just kinda want to see what my odds may be.

 

[bbchien]

Pretty long odds.
“I’ve not seen this happen…”

 

[Lindberg]

Like many here I was deferred due to a past adhd diagnosis but my history with it is very minor so I’m wondering if there’s any chance I can get off without needing the lengthy and expensive testing.

Background - I didn’t have any history of adhd while growing up but decided to get checked while having some motivation troubles at 29. I met with my doc for about 10 minutes before he decided to give me a “trial” of adderall. I was on it for 3 months then stopped and that was it. Turns out I just hated my job at the time lol, no more issues since.

Given that, does anyone think it’s possible my medical records and personal statement will be enough for the FAA? I’ve already sent my documentation to AAM-300 so I’ll find out soon enough, just kinda want to see what my odds may be.

I'm just curious what you put on medxpress about this "trial" of Adderall.

 

[Anotheradhd]

I'm just curious what you put on medxpress about this "trial" of Adderall.

Pretty much the same as I described in the post. I checked that I had a previous adhd diagnosis and explained the best I could in the small section they provide on the app then I elaborated in a personal statement that they asked for when I submitted my medical records. Interesting note is that my doctor described it as a trial in my medical records.

 

[Chris Charanza]

Like many here I was deferred due to a past adhd diagnosis but my history with it is very minor so I’m wondering if there’s any chance I can get off without needing the lengthy and expensive testing.

Background - I didn’t have any history of adhd while growing up but decided to get checked while having some motivation troubles at 29. I met with my doc for about 10 minutes before he decided to give me a “trial” of adderall. I was on it for 3 months then stopped and that was it. Turns out I just hated my job at the time lol, no more issues since.

Given that, does anyone think it’s possible my medical records and personal statement will be enough for the FAA? I’ve already sent my documentation to AAM-300 so I’ll find out soon enough, just kinda want to see what my odds may be.

This is almost exactly how I got put on adderall in 2009 although I was on it for a bit longer and I was forced to go through the neuropsychological testing/cogscreen but TBH it's not bad and the report the neuropsychologist wrote was actually quite interesting to read. The hardest part for me was letting go of $2300 cash for the testing.

 

[SkyChaser]

Pretty much the same as I described in the post. I checked that I had a previous adhd diagnosis and explained the best I could in the small section they provide on the app then I elaborated in a personal statement that they asked for when I submitted my medical records. Interesting note is that my doctor described it as a trial in my medical records.

Did the doctor describe your ADHD as a "trial" of a diagnosis or just a trial of the meds? The FAA is not just concerned with the meds in this case. If you truly have ADHD, you have no business flying...so the FAA has to treat every ADHD diagnosis as real unless proven to be false through testing, even ones like yours which sound as if they should never have been medicated or diagnosed as anything in the first place.

 

[Chris Charanza]

Did the doctor describe your ADHD as a "trial" of a diagnosis or just a trial of the meds? The FAA is not just concerned with the meds in this case. If you truly have ADHD, you have no business flying...so the FAA has to treat every ADHD diagnosis as real unless proven to be false through testing, even ones like yours which sound as if they should never have been medicated or diagnosed as anything in the first place.

I don't recall but I don't think it really matters much. I'm quite certain that it'll be charted because a prescription was written and then the prescription was picked up and taken. I mean there may be a loophole in there somewhere but I wouldn't count on it. My doctor even sent them a letter stating that I was fine off medication but it didn't matter they still sent me the letter requesting the cognitive testing.

 

[SkyChaser]

I don't recall but I don't think it really matters much. I'm quite certain that it'll be charted because a prescription was written and then the prescription was picked up and taken. I mean there may be a loophole in there somewhere but I wouldn't count on it. My doctor even sent them a letter stating that I was fine off medication but it didn't matter they still sent me the letter requesting the cognitive testing.

I guess I should have been more clear. I was trying to say that it didn't matter if the meds were just a trial, because the diagnosis itself is an issue, and not just the meds.

 

[Chris Charanza]

I guess I should have been more clear. I was trying to say that it didn't matter if the meds were just a trial, because the diagnosis itself is an issue, and not just the meds.

I got completely lost in the thread and responded to a question that wasn't even directed at me, my apologies on that one but I think the OP is going to be forced into the neuropsychological evaluation. I'm not sure you can really have a trial diagnosis of anything. I think once you are saddled with you that's it and you have to take all the cognitive testing to prove otherwise.

 

[Lindberg]

I guess I should have been more clear. I was trying to say that it didn't matter if the meds were just a trial, because the diagnosis itself is an issue, and not just the meds.

The meds in your history without a diagnosis are not an issue at all because there's no need to disclose meds you aren't currently taking.

 

[bbchien]

Lindberg, Not true. Unless the airman paid cash (~$700/month) for adderall trial, there is an insurance record in whcih the doc gave him a DIAGNOSIS to get them to pay. And that would be F90.2. And that database the FAA CAN access.

 

[Lindberg]

Lindberg, Not true. Unless the airman paid cash (~$700/month) for adderall trial, there is an insurance record in whcih the doc gave him a DIAGNOSIS to get them to pay. And that would be F90.2. And that database the FAA CAN access.

So what did I say that's not true?

 

[Anotheradhd]

Thanks for the input everyone, looks like I should probably start budgeting for the neuropsych testing. It’s a bummer but not entirely surprising, just wish it didn’t take so long and cost so much.

 

[Anotheradhd]

Lindberg, Not true. Unless the airman paid cash (~$700/month) for adderall trial, there is an insurance record in whcih the doc gave him a DIAGNOSIS to get them to pay. And that would be F90.2. And that database the FAA CAN access.

I actually did pay cash because I didn’t have insurance at the time (not as expensive as you’d think), not sure that really matters at this point because I already disclosed everything on my app (which I would have done regardless) and submitted all my medical records.

 

[WingmanMed]

So what did I say that's not true?

The meds not being taken, thus not having to be disclosed, is true. But to get those meds legally requires a diagnosis. The historical diagnosis always has to be disclosed. Then questions like "did you ever take meds" come up.

 

[Lawson_Stone]

The meds not being taken, thus not having to be disclosed, is true. But to get those meds legally requires a diagnosis. The historical diagnosis always has to be disclosed. Then questions like "did you ever take meds" come up.

I'm curious about the "never took them" part. This could actually be documented. Most ADHD meds are controlled substances. The prescription itself is reported, as is the filling of the prescription. If one fills the prescription, but doesn't take the meds, the unused meds can be retained and every capsule accounted for. I don't know if this matters in the grand scheme of things, but it seems like that's how one would certify, for example, they have been off their meds for 90 days prior to the neuropsychological exam. The prescription being filled documents how many doses were issued, the dated, ID'd bottle with the unused meds proves they were not taken.

 

[bbchien]

So what did I say that's not true?

Usually, he has a diagnosis. It's an insurance diagnosis but he has the code in teh HCFA database, if ANY ins. co. helped pay for the Adderal Rx.

However if the A/M wants to play slight and loose with the truth, if no insurance co . was involved, it's very hard to "find". Be careful, any "trick or strategy " is still a class 4 felony.

 

[Cxt1067]

This is almost exactly how I got put on adderall in 2009 although I was on it for a bit longer and I was forced to go through the neuropsychological testing/cogscreen but TBH it's not bad and the report the neuropsychologist wrote was actually quite interesting to read. The hardest part for me was letting go of $2300 cash for the testing.

Can't AGREE MORE, except mine was 2500, after a 200 discount, she said: you did really good and didn’t take as long as I was expecting, I am gonna give you a discount.

 

[Nihilistichag1995]

Like many here I was deferred due to a past adhd diagnosis but my history with it is very minor so I’m wondering if there’s any chance I can get off without needing the lengthy and expensive testing.

Background - I didn’t have any history of adhd while growing up but decided to get checked while having some motivation troubles at 29. I met with my doc for about 10 minutes before he decided to give me a “trial” of adderall. I was on it for 3 months then stopped and that was it. Turns out I just hated my job at the time lol, no more issues since.

Given that, does anyone think it’s possible my medical records and personal statement will be enough for the FAA? I’ve already sent my documentation to AAM-300 so I’ll find out soon enough, just kinda want to see what my odds may be.

“The applicant must not have been on any ADHD medications or used any ADHD medications for any reason in the past four years”

When exactly (date) where you were prescribed the adderall? You will have to take the standard track if you took the medication within that timeframe (4 years). Standard track includes testing.

 

[bbchien]

Well, even in off meds for 4 years demonstrably, you will still need a PhD Psychologist's take on the matter....though it will not be a HIMS neuropscyhologist (Oct 2023 policy change).