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FAA medical certificate denials-frusterating!


luckforty

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Hey so i started my flight training at the beginning of the year not knowing that i would have problems with getting my medical. So i have had to postpone everything now.

 

The problem began when i answered that question on the physicians form that asked me if i had used any illegal substances in the last 3 years. I had and rather than hide anything i was straitforward and honest with everything.

 

After appealing the initial denial by the FAA they asked me to see a psychologist and get some cognitive tests done to make sure i was functioning properly. I scored well on the IQ tests and everything.

 

Once the info was sent to the FAA i recieved a letter of denial stating that it was due to "marajuana abuse and ADHD (inattentive type)"

 

I have been told that i can get my certificate if i continue to jump through the FAA's hoops. However I am mad because they said i was ADHD.

 

While i was with the Psychologist i asked her to test me for ADD for my own curiosity because my current sales job requires a high level of focus to do well. And because i never did that well in school. That way if something was affecting me i could do something about it.

 

According to the tests She said "it doesnt seem to affect me although maybe i had it when i was in elementary school." However i wasn't diagnosed with anything. It seems that i just dont like doing things that i dont like to do. However i am getting pretty much straight A's now because i like aviation science my degree program. i havent ever even taken any meds like adderall for ADHD ever.

 

What can be done?

 

I hope i haven't completely ruined my chances of flying and doing something that i could actually be good at. Cause i suck at my sales job and i hate it.

 

Anyone have any advice?

 

I asked her to send a letter to the FAA stating that i dont have ADHD but she said all she could say was that "came in complaining about symptoms of adhd but it didnt affect me"

 

I said "well you never diagnosed me with adhd, Do i have it or not" and she just beat around the bush.

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Find an experienced AME, explain your position to him, and try to get him to help you out. Good AMEs look for a way to pass you, not for a way to fail you. The psychologist probably has no clue about how to deal with the FAA, but an old gray-haired AME can get things done if he wants to.

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Hey so i started my flight training at the beginning of the year not knowing that i would have problems with getting my medical. So i have had to postpone everything now.

 

The problem began when i answered that question on the physicians form that asked me if i had used any illegal substances in the last 3 years. I had and rather than hide anything i was straitforward and honest with everything.

 

After appealing the initial denial by the FAA they asked me to see a psychologist and get some cognitive tests done to make sure i was functioning properly. I scored well on the IQ tests and everything.

 

Once the info was sent to the FAA i recieved a letter of denial stating that it was due to "marajuana abuse and ADHD (inattentive type)"

 

I have been told that i can get my certificate if i continue to jump through the FAA's hoops. However I am mad because they said i was ADHD.

 

While i was with the Psychologist i asked her to test me for ADD for my own curiosity because my current sales job requires a high level of focus to do well. And because i never did that well in school. That way if something was affecting me i could do something about it.

 

According to the tests She said "it doesnt seem to affect me although maybe i had it when i was in elementary school." However i wasn't diagnosed with anything. It seems that i just dont like doing things that i dont like to do. However i am getting pretty much straight A's now because i like aviation science my degree program. i havent ever even taken any meds like adderall for ADHD ever.

 

What can be done?

 

I hope i haven't completely ruined my chances of flying and doing something that i could actually be good at. Cause i suck at my sales job and i hate it.

 

Anyone have any advice?

 

I asked her to send a letter to the FAA stating that i dont have ADHD but she said all she could say was that "came in complaining about symptoms of adhd but it didnt affect me"

 

I said "well you never diagnosed me with adhd, Do i have it or not" and she just beat around the bush.

Gomer speaks the truth. Also, I'd find another psych and get re-evaluated. I had a similar issue getting my medical. I sat down with a drug addiction specialist, told him about my youthful indiscretion 7 years ago, answered every question truthfully and he was more than happy to write a letter to the FAA on my behalf. Most people DO want to help you. Best of luck, and I hope you get airborne soon.

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Please do not take this the wrong way because I admire the hell out of your honesty to risk your future career to maintain your integrity......

 

But, if you wanted to be honest, you should have walked out of the office and come back in three years when you could have [honestly] checked "NO" in that box. You admitted that you used an illegal substance on a signed federal document; and that will never go away now. Any 121/135 air carrier is required by law to pull your entire FAA file before hiring you--they're going to see that.

 

If you still want to persue commmercial flying, I suggest the following. It will cost you some money, but Pilot Medical Solutions at www.leftseat.com are the pros in medical matters. Be VERY careful giving the FAA more assessments, documents, etc. They had you see a doc, which ultimately screwed you even more. This company will advise you which Dr. to go to, and EXACTLY what you need to submit; not one piece of paper more.

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If you still want to persue commmercial flying, I suggest the following. It will cost you some money, but Pilot Medical Solutions at www.leftseat.com are the pros in medical matters. Be VERY careful giving the FAA more assessments, documents, etc. They had you see a doc, which ultimately screwed you even more. This company will advise you which Dr. to go to, and EXACTLY what you need to submit; not one piece of paper more.

 

Not really, I used them with my situation and they did absolutely nothing. All they did was play middle man between me and the FAA delaying everything. They did not give me any advice on which doctor to see and had me do a ton of extra stuff the FAA didn't care one bit about. They actually told me that I should have just said no since the urine test done during your physical is not for testing of drugs, its for diabetes.

 

The FAA had me see a shrink, I did what she wanted me to do, she sent in a report to them and I had my medical shortly there after. I was totally honest about all of my drug use.

 

Now, I am not saying do not use them. If you are truly considering this as a career and really want it then you must do everything you can and jump through every hoop given to you by the FAA. This includes using Pilot Medical Solutions. What they did for me from everything I read seems to NOT be the norm. All I am saying is that IMO do not put all of your eggs in one basket, if something does not sound right with them work with the FAA.

 

It just seems to me that Pilot Medical Solutions doesn't really seem to know how to handle past drug use, they seem to be more for the physical handicaps and such that folks may have that is preventing them from getting a physical.

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It just seems to me that Pilot Medical Solutions doesn't really seem to know how to handle past drug use, they seem to be more for the physical handicaps and such that folks may have that is preventing them from getting a physical.

 

Everyone I referred to them in the past had cardiac issues, diabetes, or LOC due to trauma. They always nailed these and had the guy a medical in a few months (when the review process used to take a year or more.) I figure they were pretty good with everything, but maybe it's just the MEDICAL end of things.

 

Perhaps an aviation lawyer may be able to advise in this matter. $200/hr may save you a lot of money in the long run. Try www.jetlaw.com for that.

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  • 11 years later...

I used an attorney for my drug use case and it did NOT go well. It seems when you bring an attorney to the table the FAA brings 2. After wasting 10k I hired Pilot Medical/ leftseat and was approved in less than 2 months. Also, starting with an AME may work for some but I doubt many AME's have done enough cases to really know the waiver ropes. Obviously if you don't have a current medical you need an AME at some point. In some cases you need an AME sponsor but I did that step last, once I had enough records to satisfy the FAA. Leftseat helped me confidentially get the records squared away before the AME did his part. 

DONM
 

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