Kidney stone

R

Rusty Pilot

Guest
I had a medical done in 2014, 2nd class. About 10 mo later I went to the ER with back pain. CT was a 1mm kidney stone. The stone passed about 12 hours after I woke up with the pain. I was on business travel at the time, so no follow up. I do not have a primary care, usually just going to urgent care for my needs. No more symptoms, the stone was not tested, I have the original photo/xRay from the ER.

I'm now looking at getting another medical and would like to understand what to expect. I just turned 40 so I understand meds are now 2 years for me. Basic med is not an option for me because of the plane we are going buy/fly.

I searched some threads and it did not seem clear to me what was going to happen.
 
Assuming you're the guy from reddit, my advice is the same. Keep your mouth shut. You've had one kidney stone in your life and it was three years ago.

If you don't want a medical, bring it up. If you don't want a bunch of headaches, keep it to yourself.
 
Having been down this road, I think you will need at least KUB x-ray and a letter from a urologist indicating that you are either stone-free or that any retained stones are of a size and/or location that they are not likely to be an issue.

In my case that routinely led to a Special Issuance. Downside is it had to be renewed annually. It could also lead to over-treatment of stones best left alone.

A bit of a hassle. Enough so I went Light Sport and then BasicMed. But hardly insurmountable in your path to a Medical.
 
jimmyjack said:
Assuming you're the guy from reddit, my advice is the same. Keep your mouth shut. You've had one kidney stone in your life and it was three years ago.

If you don't want a medical, bring it up. If you don't want a bunch of headaches, keep it to yourself.
Click to expand...

Sir, Lying on a legal form is not going to happen with me. I will disclose. I just want to know what my best course will be, to be successful as flying member in this plane. I'm not on Reddit. Do you have a link so I can take a look there as well? Thanks!
 
You need to get a regular doctor rather than urgent care, you'd be more likely to have this all sorted by now.
 
When I had my medical, I had a history of a single kidney stone 1.5 years prior. Had to get a KUB xray, and see a urologist to get a letter stating that the retained stones that I had were unlikely to pass. I got a special issuance and from that point I had to get additional KUB and letter each year for 5 years. After that, they dropped the SI and I'm back to the 2-year cycle.

Really, it's unlikely to be a big deal unless you have a bunch of stones just waiting to drop. Hoops to jump through, yes, but not that big a deal.
 
My KS experience happened the day after my check ride.

Can't remember the details, but FAA wanted a report from a urologist that said I was ok to fly (then I self ungrounded), that I was controlling whatever I could to prevent a recurrence, and a KUB xray that showed I was stone free.

FAA does not like it if you have another stone inside that might drop in flight.

A real AME will have the right answers.
 
jimmyjack said:
Assuming you're the guy from reddit, my advice is the same. Keep your mouth shut. You've had one kidney stone in your life and it was three years ago.

If you don't want a medical, bring it up. If you don't want a bunch of headaches, keep it to yourself.
Click to expand...
Wonderful. Recommend lying by omission on a Federal form.

Peachy.
 
Our favorite sticky... contact Dr Bruce Chien

aeromedicaldoc.com

for best advice from a SuperAME
 
murphey said:
Wonderful. Recommend lying by omission on a Federal form.

Peachy.
Click to expand...
I’ve always found the membership of site interesting in its ignoring that many people do, in fact, lie on the form and go decades without being found out. I guess everyone here is of impeccable character. Lol

And just for the record, I haven’t even had a medical for one decade yet, so I’m not referring to myself. ;)
 
I find it odd that someone who is 40 years old would not have a PCP. That normally just seems to be the case with twenty somethings and the under employed. Since you are a pilot and considering buying an airplane, you obviously aren't of lower income or lack in sophistication so your choice to go without a PCP surprises me. Waiting for an issue to pop up and then go to urgent care is not the best way to manage one's health.

Just curious, what airplane are you looking at that would disqualify you from BadicMed? And do you really need that type?
 
Sort of similar to @Rykymus ...I had one in 2015. Mine was a whopping 8mm that was trying to pass, but wasn't going anywhere. Had a lithotripsy, and back to work.
Still have another one in the other kidney, same size.
Disclosed such on the form, got a fax from the Urologist that it was stable. A few weeks later I had my (3rd) class medical.

My opinion is to be honest, and patient.
Other advice is to get that report from your urologist just prior to getting the medical (or any other reports you may need).
I also had to get a thyroid test because my last one wasn't recent enough. I don't remember if it was 6 months, 90 days, or 60 days, but having them right there to hand to the AME for submission will be less stressful for everyone and maybe save you some money/time.
They charged me $20 handling fee for calling and requesting the faxes from the urologist.
I then learned that I needed the thyroid test, so had to schedule that, wait, test, wait for the results, then fax in the results, then wait for the AME office to get back from vacation and were able to submit.
Next time I'll be ready.

Good luck!
 
SkyDog58 said:
I find it odd that someone who is 40 years old would not have a PCP. That normally just seems to be the case with twenty somethings and the under employed. Since you are a pilot and considering buying an airplane, you obviously aren't of lower income or lack in sophistication so your choice to go without a PCP surprises me. Waiting for an issue to pop up and then go to urgent care is not the best way to manage one's health.
Click to expand...
I know a number of folks - male and female - who don't have a PCP and are over 40. Their theory is "no symptoms, no problem, no doctor". Between the hassle of finding a doc that will take new patients, problems in scheduling, being in otherwise good health, *some* (not all) docs don't take the time to evaluate the patient, and insurance company hassles, I see where they are coming from. Of course, that also puts them at risk if they do have a problem.

So I don't find it that uncommon.
 
jimmyjack said:
Assuming you're the guy from reddit, my advice is the same. Keep your mouth shut. You've had one kidney stone in your life and it was three years ago.

If you don't want a medical, bring it up. If you don't want a bunch of headaches, keep it to yourself.
Click to expand...

Horrible advice from someone who doesn’t what he is talking about.

Reddit thread has good advice and a link the the KS protocol. Yes, you can be grounded over this, but with good reason. You can also make a change, drink more water and use this as an opportunity to improve your health.

Single stone, not really a big deal. This is a CACI condition. With a recent KUB X-ray showing no stone, the AME can summarize your condition and issue your medical at your exam. You will obviously need to bring your X-ray with you, talk with your AME to ensure you bring the right stuff.

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...s/avs/offices/aam/ame/guide/certification_ws/
 
wsuffa said:
I know a number of folks - male and female - who don't have a PCP and are over 40. Their theory is "no symptoms, no problem, no doctor". Between the hassle of finding a doc that will take new patients, problems in scheduling, being in otherwise good health, *some* (not all) docs don't take the time to evaluate the patient, and insurance company hassles, I see where they are coming from. Of course, that also puts them at risk if they do have a problem.

So I don't find it that uncommon.
Click to expand...
I never had any issues until I started going to the doctor.

Seriously though, I see my doc twice a year for routine stuff and when I get sick and need to talk to her, she calls me back because she knows me if it's a weekend or at night, I get right in if it's during office hours. Plus I know everything that needs to be under control is.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I find it odd that someone who is 40 years old would not have a PCP. That normally just seems to be the case with twenty somethings and the under employed.
Click to expand...

I moved with the military and then my traveling circus of a job almost every four years on the dot since I was 21. Never had a doc who knew my name or went to one more than twice! While it would be nice to have someone who knows my history, it just aint' gonna happen unless they move with me. Not everyone lives in the same town their whole lives. Some want to experience the world, not just read about it.
 
bflynn said:
Horrible advice from someone who doesn’t what he is talking about.
Click to expand...

I don't? Go on, then. Tell the FAA, the police, the military, your employer every little thing about your life and see where it lands you. Most likely, grounded, in jail, booted out and fired, respectively.
 
Unit74 said:
I moved with the military and then my traveling circus of a job almost every four years on the dot since I was 21. Never had a doc who knew my name or went to one more than twice! While it would be nice to have someone who knows my history, it just aint' gonna happen unless they move with me. Not everyone lives in the same town their whole lives. Some want to experience the world, not just read about it.
Click to expand...

That’s funny.
 
The best way to suffer fools is not to. Have a nice day.

jimmyjack said:
I don't? Go on, then. Tell the FAA, the police, the military, your employer every little thing about your life and see where it lands you. Most likely, grounded, in jail, booted out and fired, respectively.
Click to expand...
 
I had multiple stones nearly a decade ago now, diagnosed by CT as an incidental finding. Yes, I was grounded, and it nearly turned into a permanent thing, until a subsequent CT showed absolutely no movement and the urologist was able to write a letter stating they were embedded in the parenchyma of the kidney and were extremely unlikely to ever move. As a result it was a CACI, and in fact when the FAA reimposed an old SI and started sending me their usual letters detailing what I needed to do to renew the SI, eventually they stopped even mentioning the stones.

Whether this will be a big deal for you or not depends on the details of your case, and I don't think anyone here can give you reliable information, other than the two AMEs who infrequently post here. I second the advice to get all your medical records pertaining to the event and consult a difficult case AME like Dr. Chien.
 
wsuffa said:
I know a number of folks - male and female - who don't have a PCP and are over 40. Their theory is "no symptoms, no problem, no doctor".
Click to expand...
Ditto... over 55 and haven't "officially" been to a doctor in 35 years. Same theory... why go to a doctor if I never get sick. :cool:
 
go to the general practice doctor for a wellness check.....sit in a waiting room full of sick people......a few days later you have the same cold. flu or bug that they had.
 
biplanebob said:
go to the general practice doctor for a wellness check.....sit in a waiting room full of sick people......a few days later you have the same cold. flu or bug that they had.
Click to expand...

Sure makes business good, eh? Self licking ice cream cone if you ask me. I think Skydog might be one of dem ducters of meadisine and stuff and got panties in a bunch over it....... Last check, Chicken Little was wrong too.
 
If you had one stone on imaging 3 years ago and you passed the stone, the you were stone free after passing. So the critical question is, what else was on your imaging 3 years ago....
:)
 
At the time,I was told, "you have a 1mm kidney stone" and nothing else was said. I received some pain killers, was discharged and passed the stone. I was back at work the next morning 24 hours after the episode. No further occurrences to date. It was late Feb 2015 when I passed the stone.

Thanks for the reply Mr. Bruce.
 
Rusty pilot said:
At the time,I was told, "you have a 1mm kidney stone" and nothing else was said. I received some pain killers, was discharged and passed the stone. I was back at work the next morning 24 hours after the episode. No further occurrences to date. It was late Feb 2015 when I passed the stone.

Thanks for the reply Mr. Bruce.
Click to expand...
FAA will need the record as you have to verify an assertion of one and only stone....
 
I had a stone. Came time to renew the medical. Spoke with my PCM, scheduled a CT. It came back with possible additional stones, next day got an MRI. MRI showed one small, unlikely to move based on its location. Took the data and the Stone worksheet signed by the PCM to the AME, CACI, no problem.
 
jimmyjack said:
I don't? Go on, then. Tell the FAA, the police, the military, your employer every little thing about your life and see where it lands you. Most likely, grounded, in jail, booted out and fired, respectively.
Click to expand...

They already know.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean you shouldn't be scared.
 
Old Thread: Hello . There have been no replies in this thread for 365 days.
Content in this thread may no longer be relevant.
Perhaps it would be better to start a new thread instead.
Back
Top