Misdiagnosis of bipolar as a minor

K

Kelly1211

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Hi all, I know this question has been asked before but just seeking advice. I had a bit of a wild period as a teenager and my parents sent me to a psychiatrist. I was diagnosed with bipolar at 17 and prescribed with lithium. I might have had other diagnoses too, I do not remember. I visited mental health providers for a short period (less than 12 months). I never took the psych meds and ended up going to college and becoming a well adjusted adult.

I'm now 25 and working in aviation, and I'm interested in pursuing my PPL with the ultimate goal of becoming an airline pilot. I realize bipolar is a disqualifying condition for a first class medical, but truthfully I was not bipolar. I'm not sure if the diagnosis will show up on a MedXpress report. I do not remember who the psychiatrist is, and I don't even know how to obtain those records.

My friend who is already an airline pilot suggested I simply lie on the questionnaire. Ethically I have no qualms with that but obviously I don't want to create further problems down the road. I also know I can speak to a HIMS AME about this but I'm not sure how that process works. Just looking for advice on this topic. Thanks all.
 
Oh, I forgot to mention that outside of that brief period at 17 I have not pursued mental health treatment since, aside for a session or two at the student counseling center in college due to exam stress.
 
Your airline pilot friend is providing bad advice. Plus it’s not his butt that gets hauled in if lying on a federal form (aka a Federal offense) is uncovered and the charges are made.

Pinging @bbchien to the thread so he can provide proper advice on how to proceed.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Your airline pilot friend is providing bad advice. Plus it’s not his butt that gets hauled in if lying on a federal form (aka a Federal offense) is uncovered and the charges are made.

Pinging @bbchien to the thread so he can provide proper advice on how to proceed.
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Thanks, that's what my initial thoughts were too. I do feel frustrated that 1 visit with a psychiatric NP at a vulnerable age could keep me from a career. But of course I'm glad the FAA is thorough.

Is there any way I can fly, even for recreation?
 
Kelly1211 said:
Thanks, that's what my initial thoughts were too. I do feel frustrated that 1 visit with a psychiatric NP at a vulnerable age could keep me from a career. But of course I'm glad the FAA is thorough.

Is there any way I can fly, even for recreation?
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If getting a medical certificate turns out not to be an option, you could get a light sport certificate, which does not require a medical as long as you meet the qualifications to hold a driver's license. Light sport aircraft are two seats only, you have to pack light, and there are other limitations, but I had a lot of fun during the two years that I was limited to flying them.
 
To get accurate advice a HIMS AME needs to read your entire record. They’re listed on the FAA website. You want a consult and NOT AN APPLICATION.

I can tell you that the FAA will not reconsider that diagnosis for 10 years…
 
Karlene Petit got a diagnosis of bipolar courtesy delta airlines. It was bogus, there’s a method to contest it. She did, she won. Was a 121 pilot throughout the ordeal. Still is.

Google her, details emerge. Contact me back channel, can put you in touch. What ever works for you.

I recommend a good aviation attorney as part of your team.

By the way, that doc lost his license. Altman I believe.
 
Kelly1211 said:
Is there any way I can fly, even for recreation?
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As @Palmpilot said, a Sport Pilot certificate requires no medical... but only if you haven't applied for and been denied a medical. Once you fail a medical, your only options are ultralights, gliders, or balloons.

So learn to fly as a SP while you work things out... but do not submit the medical application until you're reasonably certain you will pass... it will be an expensive and time consuming process.
 
Tools said:
Karlene Petit got a diagnosis of bipolar courtesy delta airlines. It was bogus, there’s a method to contest it. She did, she won. Was a 121 pilot throughout the ordeal. Still is.

Google her, details emerge. Contact me back channel, can put you in touch. What ever works for you.

I recommend a good aviation attorney as part of your team.

By the way, that doc lost his license. Altman I believe.
Click to expand...
i would not lawyer up, but tools says to get a lawyer for anything. this is in no way a legal issue. the petit case has no bearing on your situation. you were taken to a medical doctor by your parents and a diagnosis was given. this needs to be handled under the medical guidelines of the faa, and until such time as a protocol is violated getting an attorney involved will just make matters worse. get a good hims doctor, do what they say and let the long process work its way out.
 
Half Fast said:
Having no sense of right and wrong may be evidence of psychosis. Likely disqualifying.
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I don't think that is a fair judgement on the OP, but his statement was unartful. If that was truly what they believed, I doubt they would be asking a question here.
 
Anyone else find it weird that you can get a disqualifying diagnosis from a nurse practitioner but an NP can't perform your basicmed?
 
Well, it fits the pattern of “you can check in any time you want, but you can never leave...” they seem to adopt.
 
bbchien said:
To all: Ms Petit considers this to be libel, depsite the fact that the comment is clearly "heresay" as related as "apparently". Therefore I apologize to her for making the comment, despite the hearsay nature of the comment. I will take down the post of 11:44 Pm on the 13th in 48 hours, as well as this one.
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Interesting. What does the chief pilot consider it to be? :)
 
bbchien said:
…never mind she was apparently in bed with the chief pilot…..sheesh.
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Do you have evidence to this? All I ever heard is she filed a whistleblower complaint and was retaliated against by Delta management as a result. I heard and read nothing about inappropriate relations with the chief pilot. Management might have screwed her but not in the literal sense.

The strange thing about the Petitt case was the involvement of Steve Dickson who was SVP of Ops at Delta at the time and had his fingerprints all over the mess but it did not stop his confirmation as FAA Administrator. The Senate should not have confirmed him. Heck, he should not have even been nominated. But, ethics and decency be damned.

Things change though. Cleanup is underway.
 
OP: if this only happened 8 years ago, all your medical records are digital and available, somehow, somewhere. Find out what doctors, what hospitals, what insurance company it was billed to, etc. It will take a lot of leg work but as the most qualified man on this board, bbchien said, you have to get every record for this case to reviewed.
 
Kelly1211 said:
Hi all, I know this question has been asked before but just seeking advice. I had a bit of a wild period as a teenager and my parents sent me to a psychiatrist. I was diagnosed with bipolar at 17 and prescribed with lithium. I might have had other diagnoses too, I do not remember. I visited mental health providers for a short period (less than 12 months). I never took the psych meds and ended up going to college and becoming a well adjusted adult.

I'm now 25 and working in aviation, and I'm interested in pursuing my PPL with the ultimate goal of becoming an airline pilot. I realize bipolar is a disqualifying condition for a first class medical, but truthfully I was not bipolar. I'm not sure if the diagnosis will show up on a MedXpress report. I do not remember who the psychiatrist is, and I don't even know how to obtain those records.

My friend who is already an airline pilot suggested I simply lie on the questionnaire. Ethically I have no qualms with that but obviously I don't want to create further problems down the road. I also know I can speak to a HIMS AME about this but I'm not sure how that process works. Just looking for advice on this topic. Thanks all.
Click to expand...

Firstly, bipolar is disqualifying for a third class medical as well - 14 CFR §67.307(a)(3). Second, no diagnoses "show up" on a MedXpress - you have to check yes or no, since the FAA has absolutely no way to get your medical records besides a request under §67.413.

Obviously, no one should lie on the 8500-8. However, I would suggest that lying is not your only answer. Consult with an aviation attorney. We can get your records and evaluate the case for merit. If the diagnosis is indeed shown to be false, you should have no problem getting whatever class medical you want.
 
Joe LoRusso said:
If the diagnosis is indeed shown to be false, you should have no problem getting whatever class medical you want.
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...and therein lies the catch. As with many medical issues, the FAA's stance, once an indication is disclosed, is, "prove to us you don't."

"Indication," not even a diagnosis. There was a discussion several years ago in the Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin about an applicant who made the mistake of disclosing he had a genetic marker for a disqualifying disease. "once we were informed, we had no choice but to ask for additional information to be sure that he was not symptomatic for the disease."
 
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