Advice wanted for medical

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4RNB

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4RNB
Hello and thank you in advance.
FAA medical appt next week before taking lessons. I understand BP limits are 150/90. A month or so ago when I learned of this I was close on both numbers. I dropped a little weight and when using a home OMRON BP reader my systolic is always 130-145 but my diastolic is near the 90. Of the 7 or so series of readings I've done, one of them was 92, the rest were all 88 or lower.

So my questions are this:
Should I cancel my medical appt until I drop weight (or god forbid see an MD and take a low dose med)?
If BP dings me on the medical, am I out forever or can I come back and retake the medical down the road? How does this work?

I was 290#, now 277, have dropped weight before.

I'm not looking for medical advice, just advice as it pertains to getting medical clearance.
 
Failing because of blood pressure is not permanently fatal to your certificate. But pressures as high as yours are seriously detrimental to your health. See your doc and find a permitted med to get those numbers down. And continue with the weight loss.... I am fighting the same battle, and it is a battle, to get the weight down....
 
Failing will, however, permanently preclude you from light sport. I don't know about you, but my bp is always higher at the dr's office than what I measure at home with my omron. I wouldn't go into the AME's office without being confident that you will pass. An aht rx will be a yawn.
 
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Any cardio doctor would tell you not to worry about flying but rather first lose a lot of weight or die. The choice is yours. I'd go to a heart specialist , get a complete exam and then get on a sensible weight loss, excercise program. Otherwise your headed for big trouble. You won't have to worry about flying!
 
So how tall are you? - Likely you'll be gigged by the Sleep Apnea mandate. Many reasons to have a more healthy weight....good commentary here so far.
 
Eat better, lots of water and slowly get yourself into some exercise, walk everywhere.

I'd also have your BP checked the old fashion way, it's more accurate than lots of that stuff, I still check mine a few times before my medical and I'm always right at normal.
 
Hi 4RNB!

Good advice here. The only thing I would add is if you are a little concerned about passing, it would be better to get your BP under control first.
 
I always request the BP done at the end of the appt, whether it's the AME or my physician. I'm one of those with White Coat Syndrome. Also the fact that my Dr is on the 3rd floor and I always run up the stairs.
 
murphey said:
I always request the BP done at the end of the appt, whether it's the AME or my physician. I'm one of those with White Coat Syndrome. Also the fact that my Dr is on the 3rd floor and I always run up the stairs.
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Exercise is supposed to lower BP. Haw haw, hee hee hawwww! :D
 
I never let anyone but the doctor take my blood pressure. The probability of someone messing it up is too great. Been there, gone through the process of getting it corrected.

And I also work to keep blood pressure down. So far been able to keep it in the good limits with diet and exercise.
 
Lachlan said:
Exercise is supposed to lower BP. Haw haw, hee hee hawwww! :D
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Compare the resting BP of a athlete to that of a couch potato with a chit diet. Yeah, I'm sure there will be a few odd balls, but my money is on the active guy who eats right will be lower, well until the fattie really starts to circle the drain.
 
lbfjrmd said:
many of my class 1 airline pilots take ... a bp pill
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I'll probably end up taking bp pills at some time, but for now just trying to keep in limits naturally. And I am the type of person that worries more about health that keeping a medical.

This sounds weird coming from an old redneck, but yoga works. Just don't expect pictures of me in spandex....:eek:
 
And go ahead and start the lessons. You don't need the medical until you solo. That will help with motivation. Also working W&B problems is a motivator, depending on the plane.
 
James331 said:
Compare the resting BP of a athlete to that of a couch potato with a chit diet. Yeah, I'm sure there will be a few odd balls, but my money is on the active guy who eats right will be lower, well until the fattie really starts to circle the drain.
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Very true! A well trained athletes pulse can be around 40-45, resting, yours can be 60-80. Many people with proper diet and excercise can be taken off Bp medicine. Bp is nothing to f.....around with! Yours should be something like
 
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115 over 60, or in that neighbor hood. What is it? I bought a bp machine for a hundred bucks at the drug store. It very close to the reading my primary care doctor gets.
 
bbchien said:
So how tall are you? - Likely you'll be gigged by the Sleep Apnea mandate. Many reasons to have a more healthy weight....good commentary here so far.
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Does the AME just do a quck BMI calc on height and weight and if you are <40 you are good to go, or does he do a neck measurement also if you are under 40?
 
midcap said:
Does the AME just do a quck BMI calc on height and weight and if you are <40 you are good to go, or does he do a neck measurement also if you are under 40?
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Troubles begin at BMI 35 for sure, not 40. THE OP has ignored this, but if he's not 6-4" he will have an issue here.
 
midcap said:
oh ok, so under 35 and no worries about it I assume?
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I wouldn't put it that way. I would just say, it is more discretionary to the AME.

For example: If you fall asleep in my waiting area you will have a hard time not seeing the sleep doc. I will be watching your airway......
 
bbchien said:
I wouldn't put it that way. I would just say, it is more discretionary to the AME.

For example: If you fall asleep in my waiting area you will have a hard time not seeing the sleep doc. I will be watching your airway......
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that makes sense.
 
What is the sleep apnea mandate? What puts one into that cohort?

I am eating better and bought a digital scale, suspect that overall have lost 10-15#. 271# this am, many year low.
Bought an OMRON home BP meter, trend has been better. 129/74 average this am!
 
4RNB said:
What is the sleep apnea mandate? What puts one into that cohort?
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What puts you there? Often being overweight. That you are losing weight is good, keep at it.

Are you currently diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Or do any of these signs/symptoms apply to you? What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Sleep Apnea?

In the past few years, the FAA has really tightened up on Obstructive Sleep Apnea. If you are diagnosed with OSA, then your AME will assist you with obtaining the Special issuance (SI). If you are not currently diagnosed, then the AME's are now required to observe many things including your height/weight/BMI and make a determination as to your risk of OSA. Should they determine the risk is great enough, then you must be officially evaluated by a sleep lab study to confirm or rule out. For more information, please see this Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners page on the FAA website, and this FAA OSA Brochure.
 
FYI - I was in the same situation several years ago - flirting with the BP limits for my medical. Many people, including Dr. B. told me I need to get that under control. I am down about 50 pounds from 4 years ago. No BP issues and feel much better. I was entirely motivated to loose the weight to hold on to my medical. I am not sure why I chose to ignore the health issues with the weight but looking back on it - I wish I would have done it sooner. You will feel better.

Good luck to you.
 
Jim_CAK said:
FYI - I was in the same situation several years ago - flirting with the BP limits for my medical. Many people, including Dr. B. told me I need to get that under control. I am down about 50 pounds from 4 years ago. No BP issues and feel much better. I was entirely motivated to loose the weight to hold on to my medical. I am not sure why I chose to ignore the health issues with the weight but looking back on it - I wish I would have done it sooner. You will feel better.

Good luck to you.
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very good post, there are a plethora of medical issues that can be corrected just by weight loss.
 
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