Anxiety - Unspecified diagnosis

[DudeWhoFlies117]

Hey everyone; I'm a newly minted PPL w/ a 3rd class medical that I got in September of 2021. I've been going to weekly talk therapy with a LPC-MHSP since about August of 2021. I discovered in my last session that she had diagnosed me for insurance purposes with "anxiety - unspecified" and that upon intake I was going through a depressive episode. I don't know when that anxiety diagnosis became a thing, but I would guess the "depressive episode" was pretty early on as she said it was upon intake. When I got my medical, I didn't report ANY diagnosis, as I knew of none. I have been prescribed no medication, and I've taken none. When I saw my AME in September, I did disclose to him that I was going to talk therapy for body image issues and I was also going to the gym to work on that too. All he said when I told him that was something along the lines of "Continue the talk therapy, and keep working out" My questions are, 1) Is it possible that I'm in any trouble for not reporting my depressive episode, 2) As I do intend on flying for hire down the line, how should I go about getting my 2nd/1st class medical? 3) How does this interact with my probable need for a SODA due to the eyesight in my right eye being /just/ under 20/20?
Thanks in advance.

 

[mryan75]

My guess is yes, it is a problem. Did you report the therapy visits on your medical application?

 

[DudeWhoFlies117]

My guess is yes, it is a problem. Did you report the therapy visits on your medical application?

I didn't report the therapy visits because they weren't related to substance abuse or a psychiatric condition, or at least not to my knowledge. I verbally told the AME I went to talk therapy and he seemed to have no issue with it.

 

[mryan75]

I didn't report the therapy visits because they weren't related to substance abuse or a psychiatric condition, or at least not to my knowledge. I verbally told the AME I went to talk therapy and he seemed to have no issue with it.

Oops.

Question 18 specifically asks about anxiety.
Question 19 asks you to list ALL (in caps) visits to “any health practitioners” in the last 3 years.

 

[DudeWhoFlies117]

Oops.

Question 18 specifically asks about anxiety.
Question 19 asks you to list ALL (in caps) visits to “any health practitioners” in the last 3 years.

I didn't think my therapist qualified for that, as she isn't a doctor, just a counselor, and question 19 also says to ONLY report counseling if related to substance abuse or a psychiatric condition.

 

[mryan75]

I didn't think my therapist qualified for that, as she isn't a doctor, just a counselor, and question 19 also says to ONLY report counseling if related to substance abuse or a psychiatric condition.

This is what question 19 says exactly:

“You are required to enter ALL visits to any health professionals (such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, chiropractor, clinical social worker, or substance abuse specialist, including an EAP employer-sponsored specialist) for treatment, examination, or medical/mental evaluation.”

I’ll let someone smarter than me answer, but I doubt it makes any difference if you say “I didn’t know” regarding the anxiety diagnosis, and I’m sort of shocked your AME didn’t have you list those sessions. They absolutely should have been. The question will be, what do you do now?

 

[DudeWhoFlies117]

This is what question 19 says exactly:

“You are required to enter ALL visits to any health professionals (such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, psychologist, psychiatrist, chiropractor, clinical social worker, or substance abuse specialist, including an EAP employer-sponsored specialist) for treatment, examination, or medical/mental evaluation.”

I’ll let someone smarter than me answer, but I doubt it makes any difference if you say “I didn’t know” regarding the anxiety diagnosis, and I’m sort of shocked your AME didn’t have you list those sessions. They absolutely should have been. The question will be, what do you do now?

Reading the full question 19, I still don't think my therapist falls under that. The closest thing on there would be psychologist, which she is not. My state's laws details that as an LPC, she practices as an "independent practitioner"

 

[PaulS]

You disclosed it to the ame. I think you are good

 

[mryan75]

Reading the full question 19, I still don't think my therapist falls under that.

All therapists fall under that. But again, I’ll let someone smarter than me advise any further.

 

[DudeWhoFlies117]

UPDATE: I've done some more research and I've decided to have a consult with my AME, which I've scheduled for next wednesday. If he says my outlook is grim, I think that I will pursue Basic Med before my 3rd class Medical expires so I can continue to fly GA as a hobby.

 

[Lindberg]

1) The medical application is affirmed to the best of your knowledge. You didn't know what you didn't know.
2) You actually read the instructions. Ignore comments and suggestions from those who haven't. You disclosed the visits to your AME anyway, which is fine.
3) Ask your therapist if she has actually diagnosed you with a psychiatric condition. Explain why you're asking. Tell her you can pay cash for the visits if it matters. See what she says.

 

[mryan75]

You actually read the instructions. Ignore comments and suggestions from those who haven't. You disclosed the visits to your AME anyway, which is fine.

Firstly I would say, I find fault with the AME rather than the OP. But to your point, no, he did not, and the requirement isn’t to disclose the visits to your AME, the requirement is to list all visits to a healthcare professional on your medical application. From what Doc Bruce has said in the past, if they’re licensed by the state, they’re a healthcare professional. And I find that less ambiguous given that this “practitioner” provided a diagnosis to the OPs health insurance provider to receive payment. I just can’t see how you don’t consider this a healthcare visit. They put “ALL” in caps for a reason.

This wouldn’t be the first time an AME gave crap advice. I was really hoping one of the docs on here would advise. But in any event I think the OP is doing a smart thing by talking to an AME again. I freely admit I could be wrong, but I doubt I am.

 

[DudeWhoFlies117]

UPDATE: I spoke with my AME. When I explained the situation to him and his head nurse, they thought it was just a little bit silly of me to book the consult, as they don't think this is going to be problematic at all; because the reason for the diagnosis is just billing-related, as my therapist doesn't actually think I ACTUALLY have anxiety, my AME says that the diagnosis doesn't need to be reported since it's not really telling of my true mental state, according to him, myself, and my therapist. He reccomended I get a written statement from my therapist saying such and have that sent to his office just in case the FAA asks questions, but otherwise, the AME didn't think I'd be in any trouble here at all.