1st class and headaches

[Matt ciotto]

Hello. I’m just beginning my training and hope to follow through to a career in aviation.
Any headache suffers here? Throughout my adult life I’ve gone in and out of phases where I get frequent headaches. I understand thats a question that I’ll have to answer yes to on my medical.
so a little background; I’ve never sought medical attention for headaches. I simply dealt with them by taking otc medication such as excedrin and Tylenol, hydrating and laying down if possible. They don’t cause vision problems. And I can’t say if they’re tension or migraine.
It would be helpful to here from any guys or gals here who are headache sufferers.
thank you.

 

[p1l0t]

Hello. I’m just beginning my training and hope to follow through to a career in aviation.
Any headache suffers here? Throughout my adult life I’ve gone in and out of phases where I get frequent headaches. I understand thats a question that I’ll have to answer yes to on my medical.
so a little background; I’ve never sought medical attention for headaches. I simply dealt with them by taking otc medication such as excedrin and Tylenol, hydrating and laying down if possible. They don’t cause vision problems. And I can’t say if they’re tension or migraine.
It would be helpful to here from any guys or gals here who are headache sufferers.
thank you.

You can answer yes and get possibly rejected, or you can answer no and possibly keep your medical.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Sac Arrow]

I mean define frequent. Everyone gets headaches. And who defines it? You. Ultimately, will an untimely headache affect the safety of a flight? Can you drive a car safely? I don't have the answer here. I personally would say no unless you have a clinical diagnosis in 'The System' of frequent headaches. At the same time, I would ask myself the two previous questions.

 

[Matt ciotto]

I mean define frequent. Everyone gets headaches. And who defines it? You. Ultimately, will an untimely headache affect the safety of a flight? Can you drive a car safely? I don't have the answer here. I personally would say no unless you have a clinical diagnosis in 'The System' of frequent headaches. At the same time, I would ask myself the two previous questions.

I see your point. Frequency varies. I go through phases in my life when they occur a few times a week. Then phases when I go without for months. I made it through college and grad school on the deans list, hold a full time demanding job. so are they incapacitating? I suppose not as I’ve always managed to persevere with and without them.
However I want to start off on the right foot.

 

[AggieMike88]

Pinging Doctor’s Lou and Bruce for their input. @lbfjrmd @bbchien

 

[Brad Z]

Hello. I’m just beginning my training and hope to follow through to a career in aviation.
Any headache suffers here? Throughout my adult life I’ve gone in and out of phases where I get frequent headaches. I understand thats a question that I’ll have to answer yes to on my medical.
so a little background; I’ve never sought medical attention for headaches. I simply dealt with them by taking otc medication such as excedrin and Tylenol, hydrating and laying down if possible. They don’t cause vision problems. And I can’t say if they’re tension or migraine.
It would be helpful to here from any guys or gals here who are headache sufferers.
thank you.

from the medxpress users guide:

"Frequent or severe headaches
For example: Chronic (daily or weekly) headaches, headaches that have required medical treatment, migraine headaches, cluster headaches, or headaches associated with visual or neurological symptoms."

Dont make this harder than necessary...do your headaches meet the criteria described above? More importantly, do you believe the headaches would prevent you from safely operating an aircraft? If you're successfully treating the headaches by hydrating, than it appears you may know how to prevent them in the first place.

 

[smv]

I made it through college and grad school on the deans list, hold a full time demanding job. so are they incapacitating? I suppose not as I’ve always managed to persevere with and without them.

A headache that is managable in the study hall could very well be lethal at 5000' AGL.

 

[lbfjrmd]

frequent, mild HA's alleviated by non-controlled meds, or rest sound benign. Clear it by your primary care doc, then report same to faa.

 

[wrbix]

By your description you may suffer from Cluster Headaches (aka Horton’s cephalgia or suicide headaches). Are they typically unilateral and centered behind your eye?
I was able with moderate documentation to get my Third Class with same.

Get thee to a Neurologist for evaluation.....vascular abnormalities need to be ruled out definitively and I found injectable Imitrex used at onset of each episode to be a life changing therapeutic maneuver.