Percy Pwood Georgia Wood wrote: > > Excellent question, Ed. > The FAR part 67 says that a diabetes diagnosis with hypoglycemic drug > treatment is disqualifying. Now, I do not consider that in itself a bad > thing. A person can be fine climbing into the cockpit, then have an > insulin reaction and be in la-la land just after take off. > But that is old medicine. I am on a drug called Glucophage ($2 a day > habit, but insurance pays while I am working) which is not hypoglycemic. > That's what my treating physician says. But the FAA AME has a different > position. I am mosted pissed at this saw-bones, and will probably not be > back. He got mad when I asked him about this proviso in the law. > Now I can see his point. The AME's have sort of a monopoly. The FAA > allows only so many in an area (restraint of trade), so he is very prone > to do what he thinks will make `em happy. I just pay his bill, not keep > other doctors out of the business! > I am also type II - diagnosed just before my 55th birthday. With diet > and the medication, I may even live a good while. But my medical is only > good for a year. Once the FAA has you on the hook, they don't let go - > just like that other Great American Institution, the IRS. > Thanx for letting me vent! Please write any time. Percy
I expect to get really frustrated over the next few months. My type II diabetes is a little bit worse than yours. I have to take Glucotrol XL AND Glucophage AND take insulin shots. (I had expected to freak if I ever had to give myself shots, but the way it's done makes it a non-event.) It's only by the grace of ????? that the FAA is now allowing some insulin-treated type II diabetics to get special issuances. It looks like I meet all the qualifications. I have my sugars under control, can make sure it stays in the 100-200 range whenever I want, let alone the 100-300 range they allow. I have a recording meter that I can use when driving my car so I'm sure I can use it when flying. I have never had any loss of consiousness events, nor anything where I had any cognition problems, nor anything where I needed the assistance of others. I exercise regularly and expect to pass the stress (treadmill) EKG when I schedule it in a month or two. Today, I planned my eating for a blood sugar of 150 for the afternoon and was in the 145-157 range during my target period, never went below 100 and never went over 200. Maybe, if I can just lose 40-70 lbs, I'll be able to drop the insulin and go to the simpler 1-year medical you have. For now, I'm getting my paperwork together for an assault on the FAA about July. -- Ed Burkhead East Peoria, Ill. N3802H, 415-D
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