rivets
Filing Flight Plan
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Messages
- 21
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Rivets
Hi folks,
I have another medical issue. I was diagnosed and treated for thyroid cancer in 2012. All scans clear so no remaining tumor (thankful for that!) but I am now euthryroid (don't have a thyroid gland) and so need thyroid hormone replacement.
I see lots of posts about hypothyroidism. Duly noted, thanks.
The thing that makes post-thyroid cancer treatment different is that we are, as a matter of standard protocol, deliberately given a higher than usual dose of hormone, so that our TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level goes down. This is like sort of sending a "down, boy!" signal to any possible lingering thyroid cells in case they too are cancerous.
Overdose of thyroid hormone causes thyrotoxicosis, which can have effects on mood and the heart.
A nice writeup is given here --
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...signee_types/ame/fasmb/media/201004_color.pdf
In order to keep my TSH low, endocrinologists often have to adjust the dosage of thyroid hormone. In all cases, though, at least for low-risk patients like me, the target TSH is in the normal range (if on the extreme low end of it).
Question -> Will the FAA certify if the endocrinologist simply reports, "thyroid hormone is currently being adjusted to keep TSH low, but TSH is now and will be kept in the normal range"? Or must the patient have a 100% stable thyroid hormone dosage and TSH before being certified?
Thanks!!
Rivets
I have another medical issue. I was diagnosed and treated for thyroid cancer in 2012. All scans clear so no remaining tumor (thankful for that!) but I am now euthryroid (don't have a thyroid gland) and so need thyroid hormone replacement.
I see lots of posts about hypothyroidism. Duly noted, thanks.
The thing that makes post-thyroid cancer treatment different is that we are, as a matter of standard protocol, deliberately given a higher than usual dose of hormone, so that our TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) level goes down. This is like sort of sending a "down, boy!" signal to any possible lingering thyroid cells in case they too are cancerous.
Overdose of thyroid hormone causes thyrotoxicosis, which can have effects on mood and the heart.
A nice writeup is given here --
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...signee_types/ame/fasmb/media/201004_color.pdf
In order to keep my TSH low, endocrinologists often have to adjust the dosage of thyroid hormone. In all cases, though, at least for low-risk patients like me, the target TSH is in the normal range (if on the extreme low end of it).
Question -> Will the FAA certify if the endocrinologist simply reports, "thyroid hormone is currently being adjusted to keep TSH low, but TSH is now and will be kept in the normal range"? Or must the patient have a 100% stable thyroid hormone dosage and TSH before being certified?
Thanks!!
Rivets