Non-medicated depression medical issue

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SBlakeS

Filing Flight Plan
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SBlakeS
I have read numerous questions similar to this on the forums but I think this situation is different enough to warrant its own thread.

Question: What are my options in this situation?

Details: I have a VA rating for severe depression. This part doesn't really matter but the VA rating is way too high for what was occurring. It was a temporary situation where the past came back to haunt me because I hadn't worked through the events that led to it. By the time I got through the VA system and actually got to talk to someone, I had worked through the issues and the counselor told me I did not need to come back. I don't have any recurring issues but the damage is done.

I applied for a medical certificate a few years ago. I answered everything honestly on the paperwork. This issue came up after the paperwork was submitted and the FAA asked for a long list of documentation, medical records, and an evaluation. I had to submit a Freedom of Information Request to try to get some of the documentation they asked for (that's what the VA records office told me I had to do). After over a year of waiting, I got a response saying that they were unable to give me the information. I submitted the medical records, the documentation that I had (and an explanation of what I couldn't get), and had a mental health evaluation by a neuropsychologist (very in-depth process). The FAA responded by again requesting the same records that I am unable to obtain and asking for another mental health evaluation, but from an aviation psychiatrist. Aviation psychiatrists are hard to find and are quite expensive. I am hesitant to pay for the evaluation if the records issue is going to hold me up. This process has been a few years in the making. My medical certificate has not been denied, revoked, suspended, or referred for legal action.

Again, what are my options here? Is it just going to be impossible to get my medical certificate?

Thank you for any help you can provide,
Blake
 
So not really depressed but collecting a disability pension for being depressed. Got it.
 
wellknow said:
So not really depressed but collecting a disability pension for being depressed. Got it.
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I can’t help how the system works. I wasn’t trying to game anything. I needed help so I sought help. Now I’m dealing with the results of that.
 
SBlakeS said:
I applied for a medical certificate a few years ago. <snip> My medical certificate has not been denied, revoked, suspended, or referred for legal action.
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If there's not more to the story* ... let your medical expire (if you received it a few years ago it should be about done) and go with basic med ...

*I suspect that your medical has been deferred so basic med is not an option.
 
SBlakeS said:
I can’t help how the system works. I wasn’t trying to game anything. I needed help so I sought help. Now I’m dealing with the results of that.
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nothing wrong with that. it’s the american way. u r one of the selfless veterans we have to extend special privileges to
 
SBlakeS said:
I have read numerous questions similar to this on the forums but I think this situation is different enough to warrant its own thread.

Question: What are my options in this situation?

Details: I have a VA rating for severe depression. This part doesn't really matter but the VA rating is way too high for what was occurring. It was a temporary situation where the past came back to haunt me because I hadn't worked through the events that led to it. By the time I got through the VA system and actually got to talk to someone, I had worked through the issues and the counselor told me I did not need to come back. I don't have any recurring issues but the damage is done.

I applied for a medical certificate a few years ago. I answered everything honestly on the paperwork. This issue came up after the paperwork was submitted and the FAA asked for a long list of documentation, medical records, and an evaluation. I had to submit a Freedom of Information Request to try to get some of the documentation they asked for (that's what the VA records office told me I had to do). After over a year of waiting, I got a response saying that they were unable to give me the information. I submitted the medical records, the documentation that I had (and an explanation of what I couldn't get), and had a mental health evaluation by a neuropsychologist (very in-depth process). The FAA responded by again requesting the same records that I am unable to obtain and asking for another mental health evaluation, but from an aviation psychiatrist. Aviation psychiatrists are hard to find and are quite expensive. I am hesitant to pay for the evaluation if the records issue is going to hold me up. This process has been a few years in the making. My medical certificate has not been denied, revoked, suspended, or referred for legal action.

Again, what are my options here? Is it just going to be impossible to get my medical certificate?

Thank you for any help you can provide,
Blake
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At this point, your best option is to work through this with the FAA. If you're not working with a good HIMS AME, you should do that. Even if not required in your situation, it will make the process easier.

Your application is currently deferred; if you don't finish the process, it will be denied.

If that happens, you'd still be able to fly ultralights and gliders.
 
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Daleandee said:
If there's not more to the story* ... let your medical expire (if you received it a few years ago it should be about done) and go with basic med ...

*I suspect that your medical has been deferred so basic med is not an option.
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Thank you. I'm guessing at this point that I won't be able to do Basic Med until this gets worked out.
 
Lindberg said:
At this point, your best option is to work through this with the FAA. If you're not working with a good HIMS AME, you should do that. Even if not required in your situation, it will make the process easier.

Your application is currently deferred; if you don't finish the process, it will be denied.

If that happens, you'd still be able to fly ultralights and gliders.
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Thank you. It sounds like I'll just have to risk spending the money even though I can't get the documentation they want and hope for the best.
 
wellknow said:
nothing wrong with that. it’s the american way. u r one of the selfless veterans we have to extend special privileges to
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I may be misreading your comment. Tone is hard to gauge with just text, but it seems like your comments are unnecessarily judgmental. If that's the case, you don't know all the details so your judgement is misplaced. This rating makes a minimal difference in my case. It increases my total rating by 10%. I needed help and went through the process that was required for me to get help. I don't need the help anymore. That's the situation.
 
I miss Senator McCain. Come Heck or High water he would shake the bureaucracy and get your record. No matter what state you voted in.
Now think about your time in the DOD. No officer is going to belay another. So it comes down to, do the HIMS psychiatry eval or take the bus :).
 
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SBlakeS said:
I may be misreading your comment. Tone is hard to gauge with just text, but it seems like your comments are unnecessarily judgmental. If that's the case, you don't know all the details so your judgement is misplaced. This rating makes a minimal difference in my case. It increases my total rating by 10%. I needed help and went through the process that was required for me to get help. I don't need the help anymore. That's the situation.
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Wellknown is "a peach" of a person. I've started referring to him as "knowitall" in my head.

Thanks for your service and best of luck!
 
UTLonghorn_1979 said:
Wellknown is "a peach" of a person. I've started referring to him as "knowitall" in my head.

Thanks for your service and best of luck!
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some people like to break rules and skirt the system and hate being called on it.
 
Tarheelpilot said:
No one in this thread is breaking rules or skirting th
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one pilot has a mental illness disability but says he actually doesnt suffer from depression. the other pilot seems in denial about the severity of his problem, has been in patient and has relapsed. his struggles to overcome his issues is admirable but the tenor of the posts suggest a large helping of denial. the first step of aa is “admitted we were alcoholics and our own lives had become unmanageable”. so maybe not breaking rules but certainly hints of trouble
 
wellknow said:
one pilot has a mental illness disability but says he actually doesnt suffer from depression. the other pilot seems in denial about the severity of his problem, has been in patient and has relapsed. his struggles to overcome his issues is admirable but the tenor of the posts suggest a large helping of denial. the first step of aa is “admitted we were alcoholics and our own lives had become unmanageable”. so maybe not breaking rules but certainly hints of trouble
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I was responding directly to you calling out @UTLonghorn_1979

It was inappropriate based on what has been shared by @UTLonghorn_1979

Your post indicates you don’t actually know how military disability benefits are determined or what they indicate about someone.
 
you are correct. I assume one would actually have to be depressed to be collecting a disability payment based in part of being depressed. but if im wrong about that im wrong about that
 
wellknow said:
you are correct. I assume one would actually have to be depressed to be collecting a disability payment based in part of being depressed. but if im wrong about that im wrong about that
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The first step is admitting it…
 
SBlakeS said:
Thank you. I'm guessing at this point that I won't be able to do Basic Med until this gets worked out.
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No you have had to have held at least a 3rd close medical to operate under BasicMed and your last medical can’t have been suspended, denied or revoked
 
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