PTSD and Renewing my Medical

[Unregistered]

Combat Vet w/PTSD and getting disablility(30%) from the VA. Was flying before PTSD diagnosis. What's the best way to present this to the AME to get new medical/ or the best way to get back to flying this condition? Thanks!

 

[bbchien]

PTSD can only be certified if the Federal Psychiatrist is convinced that the level of PTSD is well below that which affects decisionmaking and has demonstrated stability (measured in years), and does not require medication.

A thorough evaluation by a HIMS team (we use them because their work is known to the FAA to their standards, not just DSM-4 standards) will be necessary and you will need to demonstrate adaptive decisionmaking. And, the outcome of such an evaluation is hardly assured.

Expect a cogscreen AE and several thousand dollars of work. I wish the news were better but Dr. Chesanow has become increasingly conservative as the years have gone by.

See appendix 1 of the attachment.
Also go here for the index accident, known as the "papp**" accident, for the student who died here : http://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief2.aspx?ev_id=20050628X00881&ntsbno=SEA05FA125&akey=1

 

[HIMS program]

PM me, I'd be glad to give you some advice.

 

[KSCessnaDriver]

PM me, I'd be glad to give you some advice.

Hmm, listen to the good doctor or PM a new poster with an apparent axe to grind. That's a tough decision for the original poster.

 

[gprellwitz]

Hmm, listen to the good doctor or PM a new poster with an apparent axe to grind. That's a tough decision for the original poster.

To the OP, just in case you're new here, Dr. Chien is the one you really want to be talking with if you want to stand a chance to get back into the cockpit as acting PIC. Of course, you can always go flying with an instructor or another pilot while you do that. You will not, however, be able to act as PIC? You can still log time as sole manipulator, though.

 

[HIMS program]

I do have an 'axe to grind' with the HIMS psychiatrists so I obviously have a bias.

From the sound of it you don't think your PTSD effects your flying. Good luck convincing the HIMS Psychiatrists of this.

You might ultimately end up having to appeal to the NTSB if you ever want to fly. In my non expert opinion, I'd want have seen as little of of HIMS Psychiatrists as possible, the more you see them the more leverage they have.

Their goal will be to destroy you in court. I'd rather give them less than more to work with.

 

[bbchien]

To the OP: I am leaving the blue board until this guy with a DUI history is done grinding his axe. If you need specific advice, send me a PM through this or the AOPA forum board. All the "railing" in the world won'd do you much good.

 

[HIMS program]

Combat Vet w/PTSD and getting disablility(30%) from the VA. Was flying before PTSD diagnosis. What's the best way to present this to the AME to get new medical/ or the best way to get back to flying this condition? Thanks!

First, you have my respect for serving our country.

Second, I hope I did not come off the wrong way at first. I simply am curious where the HIMS Psychiatrists will be in the event of appeal for your medical. I think it is a fair question to consider before going in for an evaluation with a predetermined conclusion. Is that fair to say Doc Bruce? I hate to look at these things too closely, but it seems too me you already made up your mind about the OP, no?

Otherwise than this small concern, I am inspired by the HIMS Psychiatrists, they will put politics and personal biases aside to help you for as long and for as many thousands and thousands of dollars as it takes. These are the people who hold the hippocratic oath in the highest regard. Any trauma you may have experienced in combat is unmatched to the dedication of the HIMS Psychiatrists to do no harm.

 

[jtheune]

First off I want to thank you for your service.

I'm somewhat curious about what exactly a PTSD disability entails. It's not a physical disability, it's a mental/cognitive issue. I guess I wonder why you would feel you should have a flight medical if your getting money from the goverment becuase of a inability to function normally. From a quick internet search of PTSD symptoms I don't think you should be flying if you exhibit these systems.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with these issues because you volunteered to defend this country.

You might want to do some research about what happened a couple of years ago when the FAA ran a cross check on SS disability lists and found pilots getting disability money and having flight physicals. As I recall it did not turn out well for them.

 

[gprellwitz]

You might want to do some research about what happened a couple of years ago when the FAA ran a cross check on SS disability lists and found pilots getting disability money and having flight physicals. As I recall it did not turn out well for them.

IIRC, in those cases they hadn't disclosed the disability or the reasons for them. Unless the standards for the FAA medical and for disability are the same, as long as the conditions are disclosed for both and the requirements met, there shouldn't be a problem. The issue, of course, is that, according to Dr. Bruce, it will be very difficult to meet the requirements for the FAA medical with PTSD.

 

[bbchien]

....pointing out the need to obtain opinions/evaluations privately before an application even exists. You need to assemble all components before an application is even created....with or without the help of an AME.