Nvld psychosis ocd major depression

[Jim1]

I don’t want to give up on a medical. I was deferred with these conditions. I’m still on meds. I’d like to come off.

 

[Jim1]

I am stable and have been for a while. Would ten years off meds be possible or longer to get a medical? They are asking for a prognosis sheet from my doctor.

 

[Finny]

Join and call AOPA’s aeromedical department or go pay for Mayo Clinic’s aeromedical advice. They’re going to be the ones to give you expert medical advice.

 

[Jim1]

Thank You. Any other thoughts to?

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

NVLD = Non verbal learning disorder?

I'm not a doctor, but psychosis is a pretty serious mental affliction. Along with OCD and major depression, it just sounds like a serious trifecta. I'd take @Finny suggestion about AOPA and Mayo. But here's what the FAA already has to say on the topic.

https://www.faa.gov/pilot-mental-fitness

-"However, certain medical conditions such as a psychosis, bipolar disorder and some types of personality disorder automatically disqualify a pilot from obtaining an FAA medical certificate."

 

[JordanD]

NVLD = Non verbal learning disorder?

I'm not a doctor, but psychosis is a pretty serious mental affliction. Along with OCD and major depression, it just sounds like a serious trifecta. I'd take @Finny suggestion about AOPA and Mayo. But here's what the FAA already has to say on the topic.

https://www.faa.gov/pilot-mental-fitness

-"However, certain medical conditions such as a psychosis, bipolar disorder and some types of personality disorder automatically disqualify a pilot from obtaining an FAA medical certificate."

This is why it's important they talk to someone who is actually an expert in this who can give more insight. What you are quoting is the blanket "FAA says no" list, while a lot of things on the blanket list can possibly be issued under some kind of special issuance. Zero of us in this thread are qualified to really give advice other than trying to point someone in the right direction, but this kind of thing without additional context could end up needlessly discouraging someone from looking into it further.

 

[Jim1]

For psychosis it’s rare to get a special issuance

 

[Jim1]

anti psychotics aren’t allowed so you’d have to be off meds. Even then it’s up to the faa

 

[Jim1]

Thank You all!

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

For psychosis it’s rare to get a special issuance

anti psychotics aren’t allowed so you’d have to be off meds. Even then it’s up to the faa

Again, I'd take what @Finny and @JordanD have said, as it seems like a good course of action. Again, I'm not a doctor, but I work in an acute level one court order involuntary in-patient unit, which admittedly still doesn't in anyway make me an expert. But the facts are that there is no cure for psychosis, which is related to either structural or biochemical changes in the brain, only treatment i.e. meds. In my job I routinely see individuals that have been off their meds for hours, days, weeks, months or even years. I want to impress upon you that its never a pretty sight. The level of gross motor dysfunction, confusion, disorientation, delusion, hallucinations and disorganized thoughts and judgement, it can be quite astounding to witness depending on severity.

I say that simply due to your comment about anti psychotics not being allowed and having to be off of your meds. Which is probably never a good idea at least from what I witness daily. Everyone's illness is of course different in severity, but the meds help regulate neurotransmitter brain function, which is vital to maintaining normal daily rational function. I see grossly psychotic patients daily who at admission simply can't function after being off their meds for either a short or a prolonged period. I'm also witness daily to miraculous transformations with forced medication stabilization, they're able to engage in full conversation, rational thinking and judgement and at discharge are fully functional again.

This is a conversation best had with your doctor/AME in order to achieve the answers that you seek. We do have an AME here that sometimes post, hopefully he'll be along soon to assist. But he'll probably still refer you back to your local AME.

 

[Jim1]

Thank You. I functioned fine off meds. I appreciate Your detailed response.

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

Thank You. I functioned fine off meds. I appreciate Your detailed response.

Which is why I made it important to state that there are different levels of severity related to psychosis. Granted at my work I see the very worst of the worst examples which might color my thinking at times. But even on the general psych units it can often be a toss up. All you can do is talk to your AME and submit your medical records and clinical status to the FAA and await a response related to a Special Issuance. Good luck, I hope it works out.

 

[FlightSurgeon]

Hi Jim,

The FAA would require an Aviation Medical Examiner to defer your application. It would then be reviewed by the Aerospace Medical Certification Division in Oklahoma City. They would want your records (treatment, pharmacy) to review and likely would send you for a psychiatric evaluation. Without knowing more about your case it would be hard to speculate whether you would be given special issuance or not. I agree with what the other pilots have said here that having an advocate to steer you through the process would give you the best chance of success.

I will review some of my notes taken after conversations with the chief psychiatrist at AMCD to see if I can give you any more guidance here.

Aaron Florkowski, MD

 

[Jim1]

I don’t want to bother him. I spoke with him. He’s a good guy. He answered questions. Thank You!