Minear's Disease and 3rd Class

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi,
I was diagnosed with Minear's disease a few weeks after my training had begun. i am trying to get my private pilot's license. i had a few spells of vertigo, but after visiting a very well known ENT, he put me on medication and a strict eating regimen. since then, my vertigo spells have stopped and i have been feeling fine.

all of this has happened after my medical.

what would you recommend?
 
Since this involves both vertigo and medication, I would recommend not flying as a required pilot crewmember until you hear from Bruce -- and tell him what the medication is.
 
here are the meds that are prescribed to me:

::prescriptions::
Propantheline (15mg) - twice daily
Triamterene (37.5 mg) - once daily
Histamine Phosphate - two drops daily

::eek:ver the counter::
Lipo-Flavonoid - 3 tabs daily
Bynadryl (25 mg) - take before going to sleep

i have to stay away from alcohol, caffein, and only consume 2000 (or less) mg of sodium a day (i do this anyway)

regular exercise (i do this anyway)
 
::prescription::
Histamine Phosphate
Propantheline (15 mg) - twice daily
Triamterene (37.5 mg) - once daily

::eek:ver the counter::
Lipo-Flavonoid - 3 times daily
Benedryl (25 mg) - once before bed


exercise, no caffein, minimum alcohol, less than 2000 mg of sodium a day. this will go on for about three months. no episodes have occurred since i began this new life.
 
Unregistered said:
::prescription::
Histamine Phosphate
Propantheline (15 mg) - twice daily
Triamterene (37.5 mg) - once daily

::eek:ver the counter::
Lipo-Flavonoid - 3 times daily
Benedryl (25 mg) - once before bed


exercise, no caffein, minimum alcohol, less than 2000 mg of sodium a day. this will go on for about three months. no episodes have occurred since i began this new life.
Click to expand...
Well, FWIW, I don't see any of these medications listed in the medication database on aopa.org, nor is the disease mentioned. However, as Ron indicates, you really want to wait to hear from Dr. Bruce, especially with something like vertigo involved.
 
Doggtyred said:
Its spelled "Ménière's disease".... even without the little accents...
Click to expand...
and still wasn't listed in the AOPA medication database as a medical condition. It jumps right from "manic stage of bipolar disorder" to "menopause".
 
cherokeeflyboy said:
You might find the article in the Federal Air Surgeon’s Medical Bulletin
(pg 6.) enlightening
http://www.faa.gov/library/reports/medical/fasmb/media/200701a_color.pdf
Click to expand...
Yeah -- this part:

Meniere’s disease is disqualifying
under the general condition provision
of Title 14 CFR §61.53. Current FAA
medical certification policy holds that
medical certification for any class shall
not be issued until vertigo, due to any
cause, is fully resolved. No medication
is acceptable for continuous daily use in
the treatment of vertigo while performing
pilot duties, and pilot duties must
be discontinued while on medication.
In the specific instance of Meniere’s
disease, certification should not be issued
to any airman with active disease. A
certificate may be issued if the condition
has been in remission for a period of 3
months, with a complete ENT evaluation
to document remission. Medical
certification should not be issued for any
class if there is a recurrence of vertigo
after initial remission. Complicated
cases should be referred to the FAA’s
Aeromedical Certifications Division​

for consideration.
Click to expand...
...kind of puts a damper on things. That doesn't mean you can't fly with an instructor, but it does mean you won't be flying solo or getting your Private Pilot certificate until the situation is resolved without further use of medication -- see the requirement for remission for more than 3 months.
 
Ron Levy said:
Yeah -- this part:
...kind of puts a damper on things. That doesn't mean you can't fly with an instructor, but it does mean you won't be flying solo or getting your Private Pilot certificate until the situation is resolved without further use of medication -- see the requirement for remission for more than 3 months.
Click to expand...
Given the section you quoted, I'm disappointed that it wasn't covered on the AOPA site, since the FAA has clearly given guidance on it. Thanks for the find!
 
Ron Levy said:
Yeah -- this part:
...kind of puts a damper on things. That doesn't mean you can't fly with an instructor, but it does mean you won't be flying solo or getting your Private Pilot certificate until the situation is resolved without further use of medication -- see the requirement for remission for more than 3 months.
Click to expand...

I see it as a glass 1/2 full rather than empty

Meniere’s disease is disqualifying
under the general condition provision
of Title 14 CFR §61.53. Current FAA
medical certification policy holds that
medical certification for any class shall
not be issued until vertigo, due to any
cause, is fully resolved. No medication
is acceptable for continuous daily use in
the treatment of vertigo while performing
pilot duties, and pilot duties must
be discontinued while on medication.
In the specific instance of Meniere’s
disease, certification should not be issued
to any airman with active disease. A
certificate may be issued if the condition
has been in remission for a period of 3
months, with a complete ENT evaluation
to document remission. Medical
certification should not be issued for any
class if there is a recurrence of vertigo
after initial remission. Complicated
cases should be referred to the FAA’s
Aeromedical Certifications Division

for consideration.
 
Ron Levy said:
If he's still on the meds, the 3-month clock hasn't started ticking.
Click to expand...

No it has not ...yet, buts lets cheer him on in hopes he can overcome this obstacle by offering some light and the end of the tunnel if he does ..:)
 
Re: Meniere's Disease and 3rd Class

cherokeeflyboy said:
I see it as a glass 1/2 full rather than empty

Meniere’s disease is disqualifying
under the general condition provision
of Title 14 CFR §61.53. Current FAA
medical certification policy holds that
medical certification for any class shall
not be issued until vertigo, due to any
cause, is fully resolved. No medication
is acceptable for continuous daily use in
the treatment of vertigo while performing
pilot duties, and pilot duties must
be discontinued while on medication.
In the specific instance of Meniere’s
disease, certification should not be issued
to any airman with active disease. A
certificate may be issued if the condition
has been in remission for a period of 3
months, with a complete ENT evaluation
to document remission. Medical
certification should not be issued for any
class if there is a recurrence of vertigo
after initial remission. Complicated
cases should be referred to the FAA’s
Aeromedical Certifications Division

for consideration.
Click to expand...
If it's really Meniere's it will soon be associated with auditory hearing loss. There are other things it can be- BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) for example. In any case, your medical is now a special issuance and cannot be issued directly.

The FAA now requires 6 months in remission as the new crop of ENT consultants were completely uncomfortable with just 3 months.

I would not be PIC until this is straightened out. Dual, is just fine, though.

Lastly, my email works.
 
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hearing loss started occurring about 2 years ago. i have been to two different ENT doctors and they both narrowed it down to two different things.

1: A Perilymph Fistula
2: Meniere’s disease (most recent ENT thinks it's this)

apparently it's very difficult to distinguish the difference between the two...

it really bums me out b/c i have been so excited about pursuing my life long dream of being a private pilot and owning a plane. i finally hit a point in my life when everything came together and the opportunity was there. i took advantage of my window and this crap happened....
 
It's not over. If you only have it in one ear, there is the endolymphatic decompression, or the streptomycin vestibular nerve ablation. You can hear perfectly well with the other ear. You'll sit out about a year before you can resume.

After whatever the ENTs recommend, you can return to service after a 6 month period of stability.
 
What about this.........

About five months ago I was in a car accident. I had severe whiplash, concussion, neck and back strain, etc etc. I went to the hospital via ambulance because I was in a lot of pain in my neck and back. Immediately after the crash I noticed ringing in my ears. The Docs ordered an x-ray and a CT Scan and didn't find much. I started seeing a regular Doc, a general practitioner I guess is the term, and even met with a Neurologist. I was having issues with seeing shadows out of the corner of my eyes and a little blurry vision. I was experiencing sudden dizzy spells that would come and go and after awhile the dizzy spells would come and stay and leave me feeling a little "sea sick" is the best way I could describe the feeling.

About three months ago the dizzy, vertigo feelings became a more permanent thing. The vision problems cleared themselves up, but the dizzy, vertigo, ear ringing in both ears, ear pressure in both ears, continued to stay with me. About four weeks ago it got bad...real bad. The spin was rooming folks, and I probably got sick a total of 20 times the past four weeks. The GP put me on Meclizine (sp) which I take up to three times a day. I haven't been sick since I started the meds but I still feel a little sea sick.

Is this Meniere's Disease? A friend of mine who is a therapist that has treated other patients thinks it is. She even noticed my eyes twitching while checking me out. I have read that head trauma can cause it. I am surprised that neither the Neurologist nor the GP have caught this. I just got online this weekend and started doing some research and found this and started connecting the dots.

I have been a pilot for over 25 years and have flown professionally for the last 20 years. I haven't flown since the accident and my disability is about to run out......bye bye money and since I am just a regular line captain I have no other training to fall back on, didn't think I would need to. Although I did hire an accident attorney and he is working the case as we speak. So based on the information I provided, what are your thoughts and opinions in this matter? I will miss flying a little, the crews, the comrads, some of the good times from the past. I know its not the end of the world, but I really want to know what I am dealing with.

Thanks,
Capt Biff
 
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