Minnesota_Flyer
New Member
Dr. Forred,
I'd appreciate your opinion. I have a class 3, expiring spring 2011. Question is whether to self-ground and report to FAA now, or report at the next flight physical. Here's the story -- as short as I can.
Aug. 2008, on a trip to Montana, I experienced a bout of dizziness (vertigo? not clear on the difference). I was walking 2 blocks to a park when my vision when swirly and I had to support myself on a railing to walk. Lasted maybe 5 minutes; when I got to the park, I sat down and drank some water and then ate and felt normal pretty quickly. I chalked it up to lack of sleep (I arrived well past midnight night before and hiked all day), dehydration and mountain sickness. This still seems the likely cause.
Aug. 2009, on another trip, to DC/VA. Was sitting down to dinner and started feeling ill -- sweating, room swimming, hyperventilating, lost appetite, upset stomach and ultimately lost my lunch. Walking I was dizzy and balance was off, staggering like I was drunk. Lasted several days. Turning my head to the side (such as looking to the back seat of the car) made the world spin. On day 2 or 3 I went to urgent care since I couldn't keep even water down. He did some blood work, blood sugar normal and normal white cells (don't know what else he checked). He thought it might be viral (which seems consistent with how I felt and how long I was sick/recovering). He gave me a motion sickness prescription to treat the symptoms, which worked to let me eat.
A couple weeks later I got in to an ENT. He did hearing tests, some pressure on the ears test and sent me for a CT scan of my ear structure. Everything normal. Since both occurred within 24 hours of a commercial flight, he thought that the pressure change might have had something to do with it. But offered no diagnosis or treatment (other than to offer suggestions to clear pressure on descent).
So not sure what to do at this point. I am fine now, and have no diagnosis of any illness. Under the circumstances, do I need to continue to self-ground? Thanks.
I'd appreciate your opinion. I have a class 3, expiring spring 2011. Question is whether to self-ground and report to FAA now, or report at the next flight physical. Here's the story -- as short as I can.
Aug. 2008, on a trip to Montana, I experienced a bout of dizziness (vertigo? not clear on the difference). I was walking 2 blocks to a park when my vision when swirly and I had to support myself on a railing to walk. Lasted maybe 5 minutes; when I got to the park, I sat down and drank some water and then ate and felt normal pretty quickly. I chalked it up to lack of sleep (I arrived well past midnight night before and hiked all day), dehydration and mountain sickness. This still seems the likely cause.
Aug. 2009, on another trip, to DC/VA. Was sitting down to dinner and started feeling ill -- sweating, room swimming, hyperventilating, lost appetite, upset stomach and ultimately lost my lunch. Walking I was dizzy and balance was off, staggering like I was drunk. Lasted several days. Turning my head to the side (such as looking to the back seat of the car) made the world spin. On day 2 or 3 I went to urgent care since I couldn't keep even water down. He did some blood work, blood sugar normal and normal white cells (don't know what else he checked). He thought it might be viral (which seems consistent with how I felt and how long I was sick/recovering). He gave me a motion sickness prescription to treat the symptoms, which worked to let me eat.
A couple weeks later I got in to an ENT. He did hearing tests, some pressure on the ears test and sent me for a CT scan of my ear structure. Everything normal. Since both occurred within 24 hours of a commercial flight, he thought that the pressure change might have had something to do with it. But offered no diagnosis or treatment (other than to offer suggestions to clear pressure on descent).
So not sure what to do at this point. I am fine now, and have no diagnosis of any illness. Under the circumstances, do I need to continue to self-ground? Thanks.
