boulderpilot
Well-Known Member
Hi Doc,
I am 35 years old and last received a third class medical in January 2013. I went to visit a sleep doctor late last year because I was snoring a lot and waking up with terrible headaches. The doctor who owns a king air suggested I get a sleep study done and also try a dental appliance. I followed through on both and self-grounded myself. He told me I would have no trouble getting a special issuance if the dental appliance worked. I'm a CFI, but do not fly professionally and was moving across the country at the time, so grounding myself wasn't a big deal.
I got the appliance in the mail in January and it has worked amazingly well. No snoring. No headaches. I went to see a new sleep doctor last week and have set an appointment for a follow-up sleep study next week. Before I do the sleep study, I want to make sure I've done everything right. I've read over much of what's in this forum re sleep apnea, but have a few questions.
1. Because I already have a 3rd class medical with a few years left on it and have self-grounded myself, can I just get a special issuance without getting a new medical? If so, how do I do this? My reasoning here is that I want to avoid a certificate denial because, I would like to fly gliders and/or LSA. I think I saw this mentioned in one of the threads as a tactic for avoiding a denial. The post was in reference to ATC, I but wanted to make sure it was something pilots could do as well. What I thought it said was that a denial of a special issuance isn't a denial of a medical, so you can still fly gliders or LSA. I know the likelihood of me getting a special issuance is very high, but still want to make sure I avoid the denial if possible. Or does the denial of a special issuance on an existing certificate result in a revocation of the medical?
2. I should plan to send the FAA all of the following docs:
4. The most recent doc prescribed me 1 ambien to take for the test. I didn't do that for the last test. Does the FAA care if I'm medicated during the sleep test?
5. Both docs also said that my nasal passages are blocked from a deviated septum and have recommended surgery. They don't think it will make a huge difference re my sleep apnea but could improve my general daytime breathing and sinus inflamtion. Will the FAA require a follow-up sleep study after the surgery? If so I might just postpone the sleep study until I haver surgery in a few months.
6. Lastly, I had my medical deferred a few weeks in 2002 because I had been previously prescribed Ritalin for "distractibility" by my primary care doctor. My doctor provided a letter saying I was off the meds and in good health etc, to the regional flight surgeon and the regional flight surgeon sent me my medical a few weeks later without any limitations. I've been marking the appropriate box on the form on subsequent medicals and saying "no changes" for years, but sometimes I wonder if OKC took a look at this they would have a different opinion than the regional flight surgeon did in 2002. I know previous ritalin prescriptions have been very problematic for medical applicants. Could this review by OKC of my record re the sleep apnea bring that back up and result in a denial or revocation, or tons more testing on my part? (goes back to question 1 that I don't want a denial... particularly with some legal/regulatory movement possible on third class medicals in the next 12-24 months.)
I am 35 years old and last received a third class medical in January 2013. I went to visit a sleep doctor late last year because I was snoring a lot and waking up with terrible headaches. The doctor who owns a king air suggested I get a sleep study done and also try a dental appliance. I followed through on both and self-grounded myself. He told me I would have no trouble getting a special issuance if the dental appliance worked. I'm a CFI, but do not fly professionally and was moving across the country at the time, so grounding myself wasn't a big deal.
I got the appliance in the mail in January and it has worked amazingly well. No snoring. No headaches. I went to see a new sleep doctor last week and have set an appointment for a follow-up sleep study next week. Before I do the sleep study, I want to make sure I've done everything right. I've read over much of what's in this forum re sleep apnea, but have a few questions.
1. Because I already have a 3rd class medical with a few years left on it and have self-grounded myself, can I just get a special issuance without getting a new medical? If so, how do I do this? My reasoning here is that I want to avoid a certificate denial because, I would like to fly gliders and/or LSA. I think I saw this mentioned in one of the threads as a tactic for avoiding a denial. The post was in reference to ATC, I but wanted to make sure it was something pilots could do as well. What I thought it said was that a denial of a special issuance isn't a denial of a medical, so you can still fly gliders or LSA. I know the likelihood of me getting a special issuance is very high, but still want to make sure I avoid the denial if possible. Or does the denial of a special issuance on an existing certificate result in a revocation of the medical?
2. I should plan to send the FAA all of the following docs:
- the results of the initial sleep study showing SA
- the results of the latest sleep study while wearing my appliance (assuming its shows no SA)
- a letter from my new doctor stating that my treatment is working and that I have no daytime somnolence.
- MWT test (see below.)
4. The most recent doc prescribed me 1 ambien to take for the test. I didn't do that for the last test. Does the FAA care if I'm medicated during the sleep test?
5. Both docs also said that my nasal passages are blocked from a deviated septum and have recommended surgery. They don't think it will make a huge difference re my sleep apnea but could improve my general daytime breathing and sinus inflamtion. Will the FAA require a follow-up sleep study after the surgery? If so I might just postpone the sleep study until I haver surgery in a few months.
6. Lastly, I had my medical deferred a few weeks in 2002 because I had been previously prescribed Ritalin for "distractibility" by my primary care doctor. My doctor provided a letter saying I was off the meds and in good health etc, to the regional flight surgeon and the regional flight surgeon sent me my medical a few weeks later without any limitations. I've been marking the appropriate box on the form on subsequent medicals and saying "no changes" for years, but sometimes I wonder if OKC took a look at this they would have a different opinion than the regional flight surgeon did in 2002. I know previous ritalin prescriptions have been very problematic for medical applicants. Could this review by OKC of my record re the sleep apnea bring that back up and result in a denial or revocation, or tons more testing on my part? (goes back to question 1 that I don't want a denial... particularly with some legal/regulatory movement possible on third class medicals in the next 12-24 months.)