Peripheral Edema - is it disqualifying?

A

Askies329

Guest
I’m going to apply for my first class medical soon, but I’m worried about getting disqualified because of swelling in my feet.

For context, I saw a cardiologist for other issues a few months ago to be cautious (heart is good and healthy - no issues) but also for my feet swelling which I thought may have been tied to my heart. It’s not. I just have slow lymphatic flow in my legs. It’s not painful or anything. It’s more of a cosmetic issue for me, but I’m not sure if an AME won’t see it that way? I’ve had it since I was a teenager.

Also something I’m worried about is I saw a psychologist last year only two times just to vent to someone about my son’s medical issues. Didn’t get a diagnosis or anything - that I know of. Have any of you called a medical provider to see what they recorded?
 
You should get your medical record from the psychologist. You have to report the visit and the FAA won't care what your assessment is. They will insist on reviewing those records (along with the cardiologist's records) to make their own determination, and you can bet that there is a diagnostic code used for those visits. You may as well review those yourself before applying for any medical and consult with an experienced physician (or post here) for advice on the next steps.

Don't fill out a MedExpress form until you know more about what the FAA will require.
 
FAA is going to at least require a serum creatinine, urinalysis and echocardiogram.
As for the psychologist, Dave is right- get the record. If the diagnosis is reactive anxiety and there have been no meds now or in the past the AME can now make a declaration and issue you.....
 
bbchien said:
FAA is going to at least require a serum creatinine, urinalysis and echocardiogram.
As for the psychologist, Dave is right- get the record. If the diagnosis is reactive anxiety and there have been no meds now or in the past the AME can now make a declaration and issue you.....
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Thanks… I will ask for medical records just to be sure. I’ve never had meds prescribed for anxiety in the past or anything. Those two visits are the only time I ever saw a therapist. Can’t help but be nervous anyway :(
 
dbahn said:
You should get your medical record from the psychologist. You have to report the visit and the FAA won't care what your assessment is.
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No, he doesn't have to report it. The Medxpress instructions say so explicitly:

"List visits for counseling only if related to a personal substance abuse or psychiatric condition."

According to the OP, these visits were related to neither personal substance abuse nor a personal psychiatric condition. Based on his description,
these visits are not reportable. Of course if he reports them anyway, he'll get the microscope treatment and everyone here will complain about how unreasonable the FAA is.

And the medxpress must be filled out to the best of your knowledge.
 
Lindberg said:
No, he doesn't have to report it. The Medxpress instructions say so explicitly:

"List visits for counseling only if related to a personal substance abuse or psychiatric condition."
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That's why he needs to get the psychiatrist's records to know what was recorded for the visit. He'd have a tough time pleading lack of knowledge if the diagnosis was one of many "psychiatric conditions", often up-coded by the psychiatrist to justify charges for the visit. He doesn't know the diagnosis and needs to find out what it was. He didn't even think there was a "diagnosis or anything" (his words), which would be extremely unusual.
 
Lindberg said:
No, he doesn't have to report it. The Medxpress instructions say so explicitly:

"List visits for counseling only if related to a personal substance abuse or psychiatric condition."

According to the OP, these visits were related to neither personal substance abuse nor a personal psychiatric condition. Based on his description,
these visits are not reportable. Of course if he reports them anyway, he'll get the microscope treatment and everyone here will complain about how unreasonable the FAA is.

And the medxpress must be filled out to the best of your knowledge.
Click to expand...
One should not contradict Dr B unless one is more experienced in dealing with the FAA.
 
Bad Advice, Lindberg. How do you know he didn't call it "Anxiety disorder" (BTW that's a condition). So is Adjustment disorder. Both are, since June 26th, isusable, but No AME is gonna do that without seeing the record.

Terrible advice.
 
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