FAA Medical Neuroligical

[Donnie Eden]

So, I'm 51 and taking lessons. Passed physical but due to past "stuff" I have to get some more docs. I had Hodgkin's disease in 01. Np issues since and haven't seen a Dr in 10 years...
I think I have this one covered. Y issue is I was diagnosed with mild tourettes when I was a teen (35 years ago). I've taken a low dose med ever since and no issues. BUT this send FAA into tailspin, I had to go to neurologist and get the full workup....EEG (sleep deprived), mpry test, ekg , it's been exhausting. Again I haven't been to a neurologist since say 1995....with no issues...is this excessive and how's my chances of passing?

 

[bflynn]

So when you say "passed", were you issued a medical or deferred? If you were deferred, you should get a letter giving you 90 days to accomplish what they're asking for.

Hodgkins 20 years ago shouldn't be an issue, but maybe they want a current evaluation?

What drug? Aside, without seeing a Dr for 10 years, how do you have a prescription for a drug?

For information, https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/NeurologicalSpecificationSheet.pdf

 

[douglas393]

Agree with above. What med. My experience with the FAA on their requirements for their requirements for neuro issues has been that they ask for the world and go way overboard with a billion dollar workup with all sorts of very expensive test which have absolutely nothing to do with the diagnosis but if you jump through their unreasonable and unnecessary hoops they do come up with the correct decision. Unfortunately it is usually quite expensive, time consuming, and cumbersome.

 

[dbahn]

"Low dose med" and "neurologist" are two word that when used together on an application make the FAA assume it's a condition that makes the applicant ineligible UNTIL proven otherwise, particularly when the medication has been taken for a long period of time.

Your chances of passing are likely very high, but as suggested above you'll need to figure out if it's worth it, and that may include discontinuing the medication.

 

[dleii]

I take Orap (pimozide), which is a classic tourettes med...my primary phys prescribes due to length of time I've taken it with no issues.
Also, just got a prelim EEG results, and I had a few Grade 1 arythmyias....but a quick Google said that sleep deprivation would exacerbate. I have no history of seizures

 

[TCABM]

You’ve asked the FAA to certify your medical history as fit for purpose. Low dose or not, IF the medication you’re taking is classed as an antipsychotic, antidepressant, anti seizure, or SSRI, there are standard protocols the FAA must follow.

Whether that’s excessive or not is a matter opinion, but the FAA only knows what’s provided on the application and will follow with a detailed ask for additional information. At that point, it’s your choice to continue the process or not.

I seem to recall something like more than 95% of all medical applications are eventually approved.

 

[bbchien]

What med?
You can't really expect any commentary as this area of medicine is "medication specific".

 

[bflynn]

There's a procedure for getting off it, but do you want to?

Sorry to say, but health comes first. Try the withdrawal route, but realize the path is likely to be long and expense and in the end you might be told no.