Do multiple small things add up on a Class III Medical

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I'm taking lessons currently to get my private pilot ticket and still need to get my class III medical, but The more I look into it, the more I want to avoid it. Going through the questions on medexpress makes me think I'm a basket case and will never pass. I could use some real answers to put things in perspective. Physically I'm in lousy shape, but no medial problems that I can point to that are an issue. But there are some areas that I have concerns about.
1. Alcohol: I have a DWI and a couple other arrests that are alcohol related. These occured at age 23 or earlier.
2. Criminal: I also have a couple arrests that are not alcohol related but are minor offenses. These also happened at age 23 or before.
3. Psychological: I was diagnosed with ADHD about 8 years ago and was put on Ritalin for a three month trial. It made me go fast. It didn't have the desired effect so I was switched to Bupropion, which was supposed to help with my forgetfulness, and help me stop chewing tobacco at the same time. I stopped taking it 3 months ago and had my family doctor add a note to my record that it wasn't needed any longer. For the record, I don't think I actually have ADHD.
4. Have you EVER had: 10 years ago I had dizzyness. Over the course of about 2 months, I experienced dizzy spells that lasted about 2 to 10 minutes each time. This happened maybe 1 to 2 times a week. If I remember correctly, it happened mostly after soccer practice, but also occasionally if I looked up or around quickly. And of course sometimes out of the blue. I went to the dizzyness clinic, for lack of a better term, and they moved my head about and put me in some sort of spinning machine and on a wobbly stool and other stuff. They couldn't reproduce it, and since that visit I've never had another occurrence of it. I don't remember what they said it was , but I'm sure it wasn't Ménière's disease. I want to say benign positional vertigo, but I'd have to check the report.

So, I'm 44 now and my alcohol and criminal history is 20 years behind me. ADHD shouldn't be much of an obstacle. Dizzyness hasn't recurred in 10 years. Taken one at a time I think it's manageable. But does this all taken together add up to "bad"? What should I expect, and how can I prepare for this to make it go smoothly? Should I not risk a denial?
Thanks in advance for your input.

Sincerely,
Uh,... Ralph
 
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Unregistered said:
I'm taking lessons currently to get my private pilot ticket and still need to get my class III medical, but The more I look into it, the more I want to avoid it. Going through the questions on medexpress makes me think I'm a basket case and will never pass. I could use some real answers to put things in perspective. Physically I'm in lousy shape, but no medial problems that I can point to that are an issue. But there are some areas that I have concerns about.
1. Alcohol: I have a DWI and a couple other arrests that are alcohol related. These occured at age 23 or earlier.
2. Criminal: I also have a couple arrests that are not alcohol related but are minor offenses. These also happened at age 23 or before.
3. Psychological: I was diagnosed with ADHD about 8 years ago and was put on Ritalin for a three month trial. It made me go fast. It didn't have the desired effect so I was switched to Bupropion, which was supposed to help with my forgetfulness, and help me stop chewing tobacco at the same time. I stopped taking it 3 months ago and had my family doctor add a note to my record that it wasn't needed any longer. For the record, I don't think I actually have ADHD.
4. Have you EVER had: 10 years ago I had dizzyness. Over the course of about 2 months, I experienced dizzy spells that lasted about 2 to 10 minutes each time. This happened maybe 1 to 2 times a week. If I remember correctly, it happened mostly after soccer practice, but also occasionally if I looked up or around quickly. And of course sometimes out of the blue. I went to the dizzyness clinic, for lack of a better term, and they moved my head about and put me in some sort of spinning machine and on a wobbly stool and other stuff. They couldn't reproduce it, and since that visit I've never had another occurrence of it. I don't remember what they said it was , but I'm sure it wasn't Ménière's disease. I want to say benign positional vertigo, but I'd have to check the report.

So, I'm 44 now and my alcohol and criminal history is 20 years behind me. ADHD shouldn't be much of an obstacle. Dizzyness hasn't recurred in 10 years. Taken one at a time I think it's manageable. But does this all taken together add up to "bad"? What should I expect, and how can I prepare for this to make it go smoothly? Should I not risk a denial?
Thanks in advance for your input.

Sincerely,
Uh,... Ralph
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Ralph, ADD and Buproprion are a huge obstacle. Not "small things". Unless you are committed enough to go through the $2,000 neuro-cognitive eval, I would NOT apply. I wouln'd send the FAA an aplication unless I had one of these in hand, and it was favorable.

No, lying won't help. They will get your insurance codes in but a few minutes....and actually, if they choose to, they can pursue "lying to a federal agency" which IS criminal. That would be a bummmer.
 
What are you wanting to do with your flying, Ralph? If it is just pure fun and the frequent food run and the odd travel with just one other in VFR conditions, then you still have Sport Pilot open to you at this stage. Just read up on what that is and discuss with your primary physician to determine if you are healthy to fly under those rules.

If you went to fly further, eventually using heavier or more complicated aircraft, and do so under instrument flight rules, then you will need to follow what Doc Bruce says to do. And make sure to seek out someone on his level of expertise and desire for success to walk you through the process. It won't be cheap, but if Dr. Bruce says it's possible, then it's possible.

Just don't ever repeat the DUI and arrest behaviors or get put into situations that create those behaviors. Ever Again.
 
Ralph-

Listen to Dr. Bruce. If for whatever reason you are set on private pilot and don't want to pursue the sport pilot route, make sure you get all the necessary paperwork together. Like he said, these are big obstacles that can only be overcome with a thorough eval and lots of legwork. And again, don't entertain leaving anything off the form.

What would prevent you from getting your sport pilot cert in the meantime? Since your CFI is not "just" a sport pilot CFI, your hours should count toward your private if I'm not mistaken.

If I were in your shoes, I would get my sport pilot cert, and go for my 3rd class medical only when I can be sure there won't be any serious issues that would bar me from flying. Go with the sure thing.
 
bbchien said:
No, lying won't help. They will get your insurance codes in but a few minutes....and actually, if they choose to, they can pursue "lying to a federal agency" which IS criminal. That would be a bummmer.
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I know you're conditioned to expect the worst from most posters here, Dr. Bruce, but to be fair, he said "Should I not risk a denial?", which to me, the eternal optimist, means he's considering not getting a medical, and instead going the sport pilot route...

Where's your faith in humanity? :D
 
bbchien said:
...Unless you are committed enough to go through the $2,000 neuro-cognitive eval, I would NOT apply...
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Considering what he would spend on flying, $2000 doesn't sound all that bad.
 
Palmpilot said:
Considering what he would spend on flying, $2000 doesn't sound all that bad.
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True. But this sort of thing needs to be done BEFORE ever applying for the third class medical to avoid getting locked out of the sport pilot option.

If you apply and fail, you are done. But if you fail to apply, you can fly (assuming personal physician agrees etc.)

How badly do you need a back seat?
 
Okay, I'll talk to the doc about a neurocognitive evaluation. What about the other items? Alcohol, criminal and dizzyness.
And of course I'm not planning on lying to the FAA, that would be shooting myself in the foot.
Sincerely,
Uh,... Ralph
 
FBI search to prove nothing in the last 20 years; DL search to prove no DUIs in 20 years. That's about all you'll need provided there REALLY IS NOTHING in the last 20 years, + the neurocog eval. letter from the psych.
 
Thank you Dr. Chien. Although I don't know why you keep implying that I'm not being truthful. I laid it all out in my first post and don't have any reason to fib on an anonymous board, especially when I'm seeking advice. I'll likely switch my efforts to sport pilot for now so I don't loose months and get frustrated with red tape. Later, if I get totally caught up in flying, I'll be more motivated to tackle the medical.
Nobody has addressed the question of dizzyness which I thought would raise the most eyebrows.
 
So, how does the government get these "insurance codes".

Do you have to tell the AME what insurance company you use? Aren't these records private?
 
dans2992 said:
So, how does the government get these "insurance codes".

Do you have to tell the AME what insurance company you use? Aren't these records private?
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Nope. Which is why you need to not ever ever ever give anyone your social security number. . . . drivers license number etc etc etc .
 
comanchepilot said:
don't call me Shirley
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"Hospital!!!! Dr, what is it?" "It's a big white building with lots of sick people inside but that's not important now."

Actually is a big white building connected to your medical records the Government can access without asking you.;)

Cheers
 
X3 Skier said:
"Hospital!!!! Dr, what is it?" "It's a big white building with lots of sick people inside but that's not important now."

Actually is a big white building connected to your medical records the Government can access without asking you.;)

Cheers
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Yup. Absolutely correct.
dans2992 said:
Do you have to tell the AME what insurance company you use? Aren't these records private?
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A lot of folks never got the word.

The record is protected, but all the diagnosis based and procedure based billing codes were defined as NOT part of the medical record in the healthcare act of 2012, so I'm told. So if they diagnoses psychosis, the code are there and not protected. etc etc. etc.

Any pretense to privacy....well let's just say it's a pretense. The helathcare insurance industry has become like the credit bureaus.

As an old partner of mine used to say, "and you expected....what?"
 
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bbchien said:
Any pretense to privacy....well let's just say it's a pretense. The helathcare insurance industry has become like the credit bureaus.

As an old partner of mine used to say, "and you expected....what?"
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Not to mention when you sign the medical application you give them permission to dig for anything and everything.
 
Hire Dr Bruce and do whatever he says. That is your best chance at this. Your list of things aren't small they're each issues that have to be specifically addressed with the appropriate paperwork to have a shot.
 
dans2992 said:
So the moral of the story is then..... To pay cash?
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If you have someone else paying for things, then you have someone else who knows your business.

Not just relevant to healthcare, but to everything in life. If you want privacy, then keep everyone else out of it.
 
What is "the $2,000 neuro-cognitive eval", who performs the evaluation, and why does it cost $2000?

Thanks
 
Unregistered said:
What is "the $2,000 neuro-cognitive eval", who performs the evaluation, and why does it cost $2000?

Thanks
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It is performed by a Ph.D. Psychologist who has two years' residency beyond the Ph.D. It is a batteyr of tests that really is a full court press to get done in 8 hours and basically requires the doc immobilize his office for you for a day. The really good ones have been to an FAA course (at their own and offices' expense) to learn what parts of all the the FAA wants for STANDARD. $2,000 is what it costs.

All twelve measurable (and population normed) cognitive areas are assessed and evaluated against the population norms. It's very sophisticated.

For example, even if you satisfy clincial criteria that you have ADD, we can tell that you don't. Alcoholic? we'll find the cognitive changes. Depression? we'll find the cogn changes there.

It's pretty invasive.
 
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