Student Medical appointment set, but GP Doc wants an echo.

[AggieMike88]

This morning, I had the annual "poke and prod" physical with my general practice doc. This is in preface to going to see the AME for my first 3rd class/student pilot medical exam on Wednesday, Feb. 24. (Dr. Gabriel Fried in Dallas, near KADS)

Main objective of the GP visit was not only for regular check up, but to get copies of items in my file, especially the records related to my sleep apnea.

GP Doc said all is pretty much well, was happy that my CPAP therapy is making a difference, but noted that my blood pressure was in the "lower end of the caution zone" as he put it. Not high enough to warrant medication, but a definite "monitor, continue losing weight, up the exercise, watch dietary intake, and return in 6-8 weeks for follow up".

Now the question I have for Dr. Bruce is the additional thing this doc has ordered: An echocardiogram focusing on a particular area of my heart. I don't beleive he suspects a major problem, but he explained he wants it done to rule out something that could be major if not caught early. He also knows my mother had a heart valve replacement 15 years ago, so he might also be checking for something congenital.

I do have my AME appointment set for Wednesday next week. GP Doc was hoping the echo lab will set an appointment before end of this week.

Dr Bruce -- How should this echo be reported to the AME and the new paperwork I'll be filing (remember, first ever visit)? This same (or similar exam) was performed 2 years ago for pretty much the same reason, but GP Doc evidently was satisfied with the results because no treatment or meds were prescribed. I got a feeling this will be a similar result.

Echo appointment has not been set, so I could always delay for short time if that strategy works.

As always thank you for your information, advice, and service to the airman community.

 

[Mooneymike]

Good luck with your Medical Mike. As a side note on the BP thing I was amazed at how much sodium we can intake even trying to eat healthy. I have added sodium to the list of things I count in my diet. When I started I was over 2Kmg a day, I now limit it to under 1Kmg and it has effected my BP dramatically.

 

[AggieMike88]

I saw your info on the Red board. And I concur that sodium intake is one of the sneaky things about nutrition. I need to read up on why sodium is the culprit that it is.

Once you started monitoring intake and reduced, how quickly did you see the results, and what was the difference in readings?

 

[Trapper John]

Good luck with your Medical Mike. As a side note on the BP thing I was amazed at how much sodium we can intake even trying to eat healthy. I have added sodium to the list of things I count in my diet. When I started I was over 2Kmg a day, I now limit it to under 1Kmg and it has effected my BP dramatically.

And I bet you can't hardly eat at KFC or Long John's any more...at least I can't. There's enough salt in that stuff to clear the ice off my driveway!


Trapper John

 

[Doggtyred]

I need to read up on why sodium is the culprit that it is.

Its because its so so widespread... used as a preservative...

Pickles.. Olives.. canned soups, canned meats, canned chili, canned ANYTHING (if its stored at room temperature and has moisture it has LOTS of salt in it)..Ramen (the sauce packets).. Broths..

You can have a no salt added diet, but eat stuff that comes in cans and you will be fighting an uphill battle.

Once in the body, water follows salt. You ingest salt, and retain it.. then water is "kept" rather than excreted, to dilute the salt to normal concentrations.. all that extra fluid stays in the blood vessels, increasing blood pressure in the way that putting more air in a balloon stretches things out and increases air pressure..

Its all tied together.

 

[Mooneymike]

It is still kind of early, only a week but I am running about 110/75. I have not taken any Lisinopril for a month, when I first quit taking it my BP went up to about 140/80.
Hard to belive I was 180/90 just 4 months ago. Limiting the salt has had the net result of my BP now is the same as it was taking 20mg of Lisinopril and not monitering the sodium. A side note is my pulse has increased up to about 70 beats a minute on the Lisinopril I was about 60.

 

[rainsux]

> sodium ...

I'm just back from Sneeze & Freeze ... a weekend gathering to fly skiplanes. At dinner,
I noticed that one of the irregulars with a SI for hypertension added quite a bit of salt
to his dinner.

I kept my yap shut, until breakfast, when he salted his english muffin(s) and date bread.

 

[bbchien]

Well, it'll allow him to testify that there are no right heart consequences ("No evidence of right heart failure") whcih is testimony item #4 on the SI for Sleep Apnea.

Is there something unusual which is prompting him to get this? Are you really big? Did you mom have Mitral Stenosis or Mitral regurgitation or Mitral Prolapse? He may have HEARD something.....

The key issue here is trust. If you don't think he's ordering it because he is covering his buns, "get your health in line first, then worry about the FAA".

 

[AggieMike88]

Well, it'll allow him to testify that there are no right heart consequences ("No evidence of right heart failure") whcih is testimony item #4 on the SI for Sleep Apnea.

Is there something unusual which is prompting him to get this? Are you really big? Did you mom have Mitral Stenosis or Mitral regurgitation or Mitral Prolapse? He may have HEARD something.....

The key issue here is trust. If you don't think he's ordering it because he is covering his buns, "get your health in line first, then worry about the FAA".

6ft 00in, 204lbs nekkid out of the shower this morning. (of course they do it fully clothed - and recorded 212). He didn't specifically say he heard anything in particular. Unsure what the condition was that Mom had... I'll have to ask.

I think lesson learned here is to ask more questions so that I can obtain correct educational benefit. Especially more details of "What do you suspect? Why is this test the right one? What are you looking to determine from it? What is a good result and what is a bad result?"

As I said, I was able to get a photocopy of everything in my file. But in looking through the pages again this afternoon, I found it a bit odd that there was nothing regarding the echo results from 2 years ago.

Sooo, I might really be worrying about nothing. But as you said, double check to make sure general health good, then enjoy the fun with the FAA.

Now working on getting the MWT scheduled. That should be no factor since CPAP therapy working just fine. Just comply with the FAA requirements.

I will update as I complete the various doctor appointments.

 

[AggieMike88]

Appointment for Echo set for next Monday. Gonna make sure I ask for copies of reports generated.

Also made contact with the Senior & Difficult case AME nearby to me, Dr. Gabriel Fried (on Midway Rd. near KADS). The staff member I have spoke with (Connie) has done a top notch job answering questions. And she paid a complement to me for being knowledgeable about the exam/review process when Sleep Apnea is involved. And I need to toss that to Dr. Bruce for his generosity and time in educating me.

So I'm moving forward in the process.

(Edit to add: I just got a call from Dr. Fried's office. They inform me that my 2008 polysonogram may not play for a 3rd class submission this year (2010). They checked with OKC today and determined that going in for a new PSG would be worth doing. And they provided a referral to a sleep disorder clinic that many of their professional pilots are using. So bonus points to Dr. Fried and his staff for doing good work before I have even reported to their office. This is demonstrating they have a similar attitude to Dr. Bruce and want everyone who uses them to have the chance to fly.

Got an appointment with the clinic tomorrow. I'll report what they have to say when I return.)