Alright. Long story short, ongoing charge of DUI. 1st class med, airline Pilot. Went to my regular AME and deferred my medical, letter from the FAA was to order me to undergo a pyschatric eval by a HIMS psychiatrist. I found one, this included a multi hour interview, with blood test following the interview. Doc calls today and explains the results showed some discrepancies in my stories of my history of drinking, didn’t really like what the results showed. Suggested I enter treatment programs, use a sponsor, etc before finishing his eval. Essentially without saying, he said he pretty much already had determined I have some form of alcohol dependency/abuse. I disagree with a lot of the results, I think they’re inflated based off my current psychical health being at its worst ever. Weight gain, no psychical activity, poor diet, stress, etc. May I seek a 2nd opinion and eval from another HIMs pyschatrist would may give me a better shake at things? And who are some to see?
FAA HIMs psychiatric eval
- Thread starter Dotdotdot
- Start date
George S
Pre-Flight
Contact an aviation attorney before you do anything else (message me for a name). I’m hearing that the HIMS psychiatrists are now uploading their reports to huddle once it’s generated. If that’s the case you probably can’t see another psych. There are some really corrupt HIMS psychiatrists you do not want to have anything to do with. Google David Altman who was hired by delta. Very bad news. I hope the psych you saw was one of the honest ones and remember to not admit that you have any type of problem. Was the blood test a peth test or liver enzyme? If you do actually have a substance abuse problem it’s much better to dodge HIMS and handle it privately.
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To be clear the eval isn’t complete. The doc wanted me to seek a HIMs AME and start some treatment thifns including sponsor etc. I guess that would mean nothing has been submitted? Also it the blood test was liver Enzyme, Peth test, including something called GGT.
what happened ? as in you claimed you dont drink anymore, but the alcohol test came up that you had have alcohol ?
As for HIMS psych and Delta, that was corporate exerting significant influence to get rid of someone. that doesnt malign the entire HIMS doctor field. Although since people are so worked up over HIMS psych (usually because they are in it) - they want to paint the entire group. I mean - does one pilot lying on their medxpress form about something malign the entire pool of pilots ?
As for HIMS psych and Delta, that was corporate exerting significant influence to get rid of someone. that doesnt malign the entire HIMS doctor field. Although since people are so worked up over HIMS psych (usually because they are in it) - they want to paint the entire group. I mean - does one pilot lying on their medxpress form about something malign the entire pool of pilots ?
bbchien
Touchdown! Greaser!
You can seek a second but that's the reason the referral has to be through a HIMS AME. and also why the HIMS psychiatrist list isn't published. FAA doesn't allow you to shop the opinion. If you manage to find a different HIMS AME who thinks there might be something to this, and in the rare event the second opinions is at odds with the first, it'll go to an FAA consultant, who is a 3rd HIMS level evaluator. That process takes nearly a year. In the meantime you could have proven sobriety, done the AA, done the rehab, applied and been spicial issued which woudl owrk out certainly in your favor.
Discrepancies are really bad for your cred, dotdotdot.
NB: however it does require that you give up alcohol. See Anthem's comment above.
Remember, YOU got the dui, not the HIMS pscyhiatrist. The FAA owns the sky an dthey have something you wnat. Their ball, their game, their league, per congress. If you want something at very least, you fill the squares.
Discrepancies are really bad for your cred, dotdotdot.
NB: however it does require that you give up alcohol. See Anthem's comment above.
Remember, YOU got the dui, not the HIMS pscyhiatrist. The FAA owns the sky an dthey have something you wnat. Their ball, their game, their league, per congress. If you want something at very least, you fill the squares.
The eval on the first day ended, he called back saying he forgot to ask when the last time I drank was. I panicked I suppose, answered 2 months ago. The GGT test showed that not true.
So, I was just given a list of names of all FAA HIMS psychiatrist by a HIMS AME front office people. I later found out they’re not supposed to do that. I do not think anything has been submitted with the first one as he called me to suggest maybe I do treatment programs now and he finishes his eval after. I’ve been worried about doing so because that feels like admitting I have a problem which I thought was a No no to do. Money wise, I would hate to do treatment programs, finish the eval, be labeled alcohol dependent, then whatever happens from that.
The FAA will look at this as a deliberate attempt to hide or minimize alcohol consumption. Their view will likely be that only someone with a problem would do that. The alternative to entering treatment, compliance with aftercare instructions and testing/AA attendance will likely be much more unpalatable.
Do give Tools a shout. He has much information to share on ATP's and how the system works.
Will call you tomorrow if that’s okay