Minding your P's and Q's

Sac Arrow

Sac Arrow

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
May 11, 2010
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Charlotte, NC
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Snorting his way across the USA
I'm currently Q'd up to get my Class 3 medical in two hours. I know I will have to P. I have to P now, but if I P now, I won't be able to P later.

I have to believe this issue is fairly common. How is the consensus dealing with it?
 
I can P on demand. May not be much, but they don't need much.
 
P if you got to, with time you'll learn never to pass up an opportunity. You can always hang around the office until it's time again. They don't need much.
 
That's why there's a water fountain in every Dr office. Couple of cups and you should be ready to go.
 
docmirror said:
That's why there's a water fountain in every Dr office. Couple of cups and you should be ready to go.
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That works with coffee, but I'm not having coffee until I finish the exam, for other reasons.
 
Sac Arrow said:
That works with coffee, but I'm not having coffee until I finish the exam, for other reasons.
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Works with water. If it goes in, it's gonna come out. I think coffee is about 98% water.
 
P now and drink water until the appointment. I did mine a couple weeks ago and I always worry about waiting to long to P and then getting stuck in the waiting room and becoming very uncomfortable. OR P early and drink water, I choose the later, but I have a small bladder. :dunno:
 
docmirror said:
Works with water. If it goes in, it's gonna come out. I think coffee is about 98% water.
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the things we drink are mostly water (milk it pretty close to 90%). The problem with drinking coffee, tea, pop, or other caffeinated items are their effects on other portions of your physical. Blood pressure, pulse, etc are all measurably affected by most flavored drinks. If you need to P, go. Chug down 20oz of water on your way to the doctor's office and I'm sure you'll be ready to go when the time comes.
 
My 3rd class is tee'ed up for Mon @ 1PM....

Took me a while to navigate the FAA website... Apparently they had computer issues and my log in password was lost and I had to call and reset it.....

I want to the old days to come back... I really hate computers...:redface:

Edit..

Just got this email response from the Feds.....

Dear STEPHEN HASS,

We are pleased to inform you that your reported Incident where you are listed as the contact person has been resolved.

Incident No.: INC000002900970
Summary: MEDXPRESS - PASSWORD RESET


They can't even spell my name right..... :mad2::mad2::mad2::mad:.....
 
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P now and just be happy you are not at the age where you know that even if you p now you will have to p again before the exam. After you P, drink a large glass of water or even a soothing tea. Something like chamomile won't raise your blood pressure if that is what you are worried about. In fact, you blood pressure will be lower if you are well hydrated.
 
SoonerAviator said:
the things we drink are mostly water (milk it pretty close to 90%). The problem with drinking coffee, tea, pop, or other caffeinated items are their effects on other portions of your physical. Blood pressure, pulse, etc are all measurably affected by most flavored drinks. If you need to P, go. Chug down 20oz of water on your way to the doctor's office and I'm sure you'll be ready to go when the time comes.
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Please see post 4.

Or, alternately don't bother quoting me.
 
Oh, and no one caught my pun yet? What happens when you try too hard to be clever.
 
Sit and drink water. Can't? Come out and read an AOPA magazine for a bit. It will come out sooner or later.
 
Bust in and be like, I got go NOW! Let's do this.....
 
Sac Arrow said:
I'm currently Q'd up to get my Class 3 medical in two hours. I know I will have to P. I have to P now, but if I P now, I won't be able to P later.

I have to believe this issue is fairly common. How is the consensus dealing with it?
Click to expand...

Pee now, start drinking water now.
 
I thought they would have Sac's picture up on the AME's wall as the most fit pilot ever to come in the office. Why worry about any of it?
 
Drink a lot of coffee in the morning, then you can P whenever you need to... I took my phys yesterday... Hope this is the last time! Go CONGRESS!
 
Sac Arrow said:
I'm currently Q'd up to get my Class 3 medical in two hours. I know I will have to P. I have to P now, but if I P now, I won't be able to P later.

I have to believe this issue is fairly common. How is the consensus dealing with it?
Click to expand...

P before leaving home, drink s much as I can on the way there. Usually the wait in the office makes me have to go again.

David
 
Alexb2000 said:
I thought they would have Sac's picture up on the AME's wall as the most fit pilot ever to come in the office. Why worry about any of it?
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How would being fit correlate to the probability of passing an FAA medical exam?

But, I am in the P now and drink lots of water to dilute the blood sugar and whatever else may be an issue camp.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
How would being fit correlate to the probability of passing an FAA medical exam?

But, I am in the P now and drink lots of water to dilute the blood sugar and whatever else may be an issue camp.
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Just from reading his exercise lifestyle posts I doubt he has blood pressure or any weight related issues. He also sounds fairly young. The P test is for blood sugar so he obviously isn't a type 1 diabetic and I highly doubt he is at any risk of type 2. This is a renewal so there should be no surprises with the eyes.

What am I missing?
 
p early, then drink lots of water, then p some more, and drink more water. This is the FAA, not your primary care doc. Dilute anything you can, as much as you can.
 
N801BH said:
Too late... he is taking a P right now...:yikes:
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From the timestamp of the post, that was probably exactly right.

Alexb2000 said:
Just from reading his exercise lifestyle posts I doubt he has blood pressure or any weight related issues. He also sounds fairly young. The P test is for blood sugar so he obviously isn't a type 1 diabetic and I highly doubt he is at any risk of type 2. This is a renewal so there should be no surprises with the eyes.

What am I missing?
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No surprises, but regardless of my fitness level my blood pressure has always been on the high end. There was a time when both my AME's and primary physicians wanted me to go on blood pressure meds but I got it under control by stepping up an already high fitness regimen to a ridiculous one by many standards.

Anyway, far vision, color and depth perception were all spot on, I struggled with near vision but fudged through it, BP was on the high side but "get this checked out if it gets higher", not "you still pass but you really should get this checked out now."
 
Glad it worked out.....

I have always been a 72 /112 BP kinda guy.... year after year.... for 50 + years.... On the second to last medical it came in 80/128...:yikes::hairraise::yikes:..

After a lengthy chat with the doc we figured out the reason.....

I am a big black licorice addict and I had bought 5 lbs of Jelly Belly beans... I did pig out on them a few days before the exam..:redface::redface::redface:...

It had raised my BP to that level.... He passed me , but asked that I don't eat any and come back in 2 weeks.......

Next test showed 73/113....:):):):):)...

YMMV....
 
Sac Arrow said:
From the timestamp of the post, that was probably exactly right.



No surprises, but regardless of my fitness level my blood pressure has always been on the high end. There was a time when both my AME's and primary physicians wanted me to go on blood pressure meds but I got it under control by stepping up an already high fitness regimen to a ridiculous one by many standards.

Anyway, far vision, color and depth perception were all spot on, I struggled with near vision but fudged through it, BP was on the high side but "get this checked out if it gets higher", not "you still pass but you really should get this checked out now."
Click to expand...

Glad it worked out. My BP runs about 140/80 and I exercise quite a bit, although nothing near your level.
 
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