W
warthog123
Guest
Despite being a healthy male in my 20's (now late 20's) I have been in the application process for over 2 years due to an old OCD diagnosis and associated SSRI usage. I have not taken SSRIs in many years nor sought treatment in many years since the diagnosis. Yes, I understand that in the FAA's eyes an old OCD diagnosis constitutes an "unhealthy" individual, and their viewpoint is certainly understandable, so I have been consistently submitting to their requests. So far, these have included several rounds of documentation and a psych eval, which over the aforementioned period of time has cost me a few thousand dollars.
Their latest request, and hopefully the last one before issuance, is a letter from a HIMS AME accepting monitoring responsibility. I have contacted quite a few HIMS AMEs via the list they sent (https://www.faa.gov/pilots/medical_certification/media/hims-ames.pdf) however it seems many of those individuals are not actively practicing. I have received a response from a friendly and helpful HIMS AME whom will hopefully be available to assist with this case, but in case he is unavailable I am hoping you all could recommend a friendly and professional HIMS AME to work with to fulfill the FAA's requirement. I am happy to travel just about anywhere, so location is not so important.
As an aside, I am curious as to whether you think my case will result in Special Issuance. My understanding is that SI is for individuals who are actively taking medication or have a disqualifying condition, neither of which applies to me. However, some people I have spoken (such as AOPA's medical consulting services) have suggested my case does NOT require SI, while others say it does. Additionally, the aforementioned HIMS AME who I received a reply from suggested I call the FAA to ask why a HIMS letter is needed given that I am not taking medication (though I am not exactly sure who to call, as the medical certification division usually just gives status updates to applications and does not provide insight into WHY things are being asked). If anyone knows who to call for that, that information would also be helpful.
Thank you everyone! I apologize for the lengthy post but just wanted to give some context to the current situation. Thanks again!
Their latest request, and hopefully the last one before issuance, is a letter from a HIMS AME accepting monitoring responsibility. I have contacted quite a few HIMS AMEs via the list they sent (https://www.faa.gov/pilots/medical_certification/media/hims-ames.pdf) however it seems many of those individuals are not actively practicing. I have received a response from a friendly and helpful HIMS AME whom will hopefully be available to assist with this case, but in case he is unavailable I am hoping you all could recommend a friendly and professional HIMS AME to work with to fulfill the FAA's requirement. I am happy to travel just about anywhere, so location is not so important.
As an aside, I am curious as to whether you think my case will result in Special Issuance. My understanding is that SI is for individuals who are actively taking medication or have a disqualifying condition, neither of which applies to me. However, some people I have spoken (such as AOPA's medical consulting services) have suggested my case does NOT require SI, while others say it does. Additionally, the aforementioned HIMS AME who I received a reply from suggested I call the FAA to ask why a HIMS letter is needed given that I am not taking medication (though I am not exactly sure who to call, as the medical certification division usually just gives status updates to applications and does not provide insight into WHY things are being asked). If anyone knows who to call for that, that information would also be helpful.
Thank you everyone! I apologize for the lengthy post but just wanted to give some context to the current situation. Thanks again!
