Successful Special Issuance - Factor V Leiden

Razor

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Razor
This may be directed to a very small minority (i.e. I could be talking to myself, but who knows?), but I just wanted to make a quick post of my experiences with an SI for Factor V.

Factor V Leiden is the most common blood clotting disorder, and I found I had it last October when the pedal on my mountain bike had the audacity to damage a vein in my calf, and leave me with a 5 inch bruise that became SVT and DVT with some small PE. For the blood clotting acronym neophytes that would be Superficial and Deep Vein Thromboses and Pulmonary Emboli. That left me on Coumadin (warfarin sodium), an anticoagulant that's commonly prescribed for heart patients as well as blood clotters. As a digression, Coumadin is actually a form of rat poison, but that's another story.

At any rate, thromboembolic disorders and Coumadin make me a Special Issuance medical now, but it really didn't take as much hoop jumping as I thought, although I was working with an AME specializing in the SI process.

I had to have a record of my last 4 INRs and show them to be stable, plus have copies of all the test results since my diagnosis (hypercoagubility blood panel showing everything negative or within normal ranges except heterozygous Factor V Leiden, all ultrasounds and CT scans). I also included a report by the hemotologist who saw me while I was being bored nearly to death in the hospital (is it possible that I was in the only hospital with only 14 channels to watch? Not even ESPN? :eek: ) as she was the only specialist who actually listened to what I had to say and wrote it out correctly.

The AME did the exam and told me he'd call Chicago in the morning (my exam was done at 9am on a Sunday!) and thought they'd bite on giving the okay for the issuance as he'd had no problems with any of his other clotters although they were renewals not first issues. He told me he could "sell" any INR range my docs decreed as long as I was stable and not having any issues. Also, my last ultrasound from February showed a 98% resolution of clots, so that also was a positive.

He called me at noon the next day and said they gave the green light and voila, I was certified. :)

This is contrary to what I was told by AOPA when I had called them. "They" told me I'd have to pass my stuff through OK City and it'd take months and months.

It didn't and I was quite pleased with my experience.

I think it was helpful to have consulted an AME that was well versed in the SI process (and very accomodating I might add... if you're anywhere within flying distance of Saginaw, MI I'd suggest looking up the fine folks here: http://www.ok2fly.com ). They worked with me via e-mail and telephone to get all my stuff in order before the exam so there were no delays.

I've heard so many nightmares about the SI process and with little to no info on clotting disorders I was very leery. I just wanted to share a success story in case there are any other hyper-clotters (or rat poison, er, Coumadin users) out there wondering about medical certification.

Carolyn :cheerswine:
 
Carolyn,

I am really glad to hear things worked out. It's been a long process for you and I KNOW how badly you hated being immobile for two weeks. Your experience should provide good information for others seeking SI for whatever that weird disease is you have. Why didn't you just tell me blood clots? ;)

I am sure the folks at Ed's computers are happy to have you back at work. ;) I know your students are happy to have their instructor back. And, by the way, congratulations on having your first instrument student do so well on his checkride! :cheerswine:

C
 
Razor said:
At any rate, thromboembolic disorders and Coumadin make me a Special Issuance medical now, but it really didn't take as much hoop jumping as I thought, although I was working with an AME specializing in the SI process.


He called me at noon the next day and said they gave the green light and voila, I was certified. :)

I think it was helpful to have consulted an AME that was well versed in the SI process (and very accomodating I might add... if you're anywhere within flying distance of Saginaw, MI I'd suggest looking up the fine folks here: http://www.ok2fly.com ). They worked with me via e-mail and telephone to get all my stuff in order before the exam so there were no delays.

Carolyn :cheerswine:
Good to hear! Like I keep saying, find an AME who does lots of SIs and do that thing. :)

Does Difficult Issuances :)
 
Carol said:
Carolyn,

I am really glad to hear things worked out. It's been a long process for you and I KNOW how badly you hated being immobile for two weeks. Your experience should provide good information for others seeking SI for whatever that weird disease is you have. Why didn't you just tell me blood clots? ;)

I am sure the folks at Ed's computers are happy to have you back at work. ;) I know your students are happy to have their instructor back. And, by the way, congratulations on having your first instrument student do so well on his checkride! :cheerswine:

C

Thanks, Carol... It's good to be back. :) Yes, Ed's was glad to have me back... :rofl: and my first instrument student was definitely the most rewarding... just don't tell him that. Wouldn't want his head to get any bigger than it already is. ;) We had a ball that's for sure. I actually miss flying with him and figure it's about time he and I go trade some approaches for currency.

Carolyn (now if I can just get rid of the 10 pounds I gained....)
 
bbchien said:
Good to hear! Like I keep saying, find an AME who does lots of SIs and do that thing. :)

Does Difficult Issuances :)

Yes, the right AME makes all the difference. Thanks too for your advice, I considered flying down to you until I found a closer alternative. :)

Carolyn
 
It is great to hear that you are back in the game again Razor. Michigan would be at a great lose if there best CFI is out of the game. Keep at it and I will keep quite about Dave being a good stink. LOL Look forward to seeing you this fall.

Sere :)
 
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