Vasovagal Syncope

[nm755]

Hello!

I am a 17 year-old high school senior who has recently been accepted to a major Aeronautical University (am I doing this whole "major airline" thing right?).

I have history of Vasovagal Syncope, and I was wondering how I should report this to my AME when getting my first-class certificate.

My situation is that I faint in the dumbest situations (always medical-wise) such as visiting the doctor and simply getting too anxious/nervous and ending up fainting, which is usually a result of myself being nervous about fainting.

I have never fainted outside of these situations such as doctors checkups, and I have been to a heart specialist as a result of being sent to the hospital after fainting at a MinuteClinic while getting a sports physical for high school - and at the hospital, they put me through an ECG (and all results came out fine) and afterwards, another ECG and ultrasound at the heart specialist (where everything came out fine and I was diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope/white coat hypertension)

I am very healthy in every other respect (I've never had anything beyond the common cold), but I am afraid that my history of fainting in situations such as visiting the doctor - or even fainting during my FAA medical with an AME would severely affect my medical.

What should I do? Are there any pilots here who have the same condition?

I have found this article: A pilot with vasovagal syncope: fit to fly? | Syncopedia and the pilot described literally matches up with everything I have experienced.

 

[DE727UPS]

I fainted once while sitting in bed in a hospital setting right after a blood draw. Never happened again since or before that. I was in the ER when it happened and I had the same sort of tests you had. My AME had to write a letter to the FAA explaining it was an isolated incident due to blood being drawn and wouldn't happen again (It hasn't, just had blood drawn yesterday and felt fine). That was the end of it.

 

[nm755]

I fainted once while sitting in bed in a hospital setting right after a blood draw. Never happened again since or before that. I was in the ER when it happened and I had the same sort of tests you had. My AME had to write a letter to the FAA explaining it was an isolated incident due to blood being drawn and wouldn't happen again (It hasn't, just had blood drawn yesterday and felt fine). That was the end of it.

Yeah, that's why I was wondering how I should go about talking to my AME about it. I'd want them to know about this and have it on file in the case that I faint in a similar situation in the future, they would know what's up - instead of not talking about it at all, and then it happening again causing me to lose my medical etc etc - I'm thinking way ahead, and I don't know if I should be.

 

[DE727UPS]

Well, you pretty much gotta talk to them about something that's documented like this or it could come back to haunt you. He may ask for more testing of some sort to satisfy the FAA. Or, come to him with good documented proof that it won't happen to you again.

 

[broncoav8r]

Hello!

I am a 17 year-old high school senior who has recently been accepted to a major Aeronautical University (am I doing this whole "major airline" thing right?).

I have history of Vasovagal Syncope, and I was wondering how I should report this to my AME when getting my first-class certificate.

My situation is that I faint in the dumbest situations (always medical-wise) such as visiting the doctor and simply getting too anxious/nervous and ending up fainting, which is usually a result of myself being nervous about fainting.

I have never fainted outside of these situations such as doctors checkups, and I have been to a heart specialist as a result of being sent to the hospital after fainting at a MinuteClinic while getting a sports physical for high school - and at the hospital, they put me through an ECG (and all results came out fine) and afterwards, another ECG and ultrasound at the heart specialist (where everything came out fine and I was diagnosed with Vasovagal Syncope/white coat hypertension)

I am very healthy in every other respect (I've never had anything beyond the common cold), but I am afraid that my history of fainting in situations such as visiting the doctor - or even fainting during my FAA medical with an AME would severely affect my medical.

What should I do? Are there any pilots here who have the same condition?

I have found this article: A pilot with vasovagal syncope: fit to fly? | Syncopedia and the pilot described literally matches up with everything I have experienced.

Shouldn’t be a problem, but I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to find an AME who knows what their doing.

If you don’t already have one, can’t say enough good things about Dr. Pinnell at Home - Air Docs.

ALPA AMAS is also worth looking at if you want a second option.

Talking with the FAA is not like talking with your family doctor. It is much more like a legal proceeding. The easiest thing for the FAA medical office is to say “no”, even if you say the wrong thing and it’s misinterpreted. Having an AME who is knowledgeable about what is ACTUALLY required will save you years and thousands on unnecessary tests.

These are both things I wish I had known at 17, and would have saved me YEARS of grief with the FAA medical office.

 

[FlightSurgeon]

Hi nm755,

You should definitely get copies of your cardiac evaluation, including reports from any tests performed. It would also be helpful to have the cardiologist write up a status report that discussed the diagnosis, treatment, side effects if any treatment, and prognosis as far as whether there is any concern about safety with you flying. I agree with the above that using an advocate at least for your initial certification may be wise.

Best Regards,

Aaron Florkowski, MD
FAA designated Aviation Medical Examiner
www.kansascityame.com

 

[nm755]

Thank you for all the replies!

I will surely look into this deeper and try to get the papers from my first diagnosis to the FAA medical examiner just so it's on record (so it doesn't come back to haunt me!) However, I feel like there is a slim to none chance of this recurring, so I don't know if it'd be worth the complication of explaining everything and potentially going through all of the testing again?

 

[EAD]

I am not a doctor, nor a lawyer, so my opinion that follows is just that. An opinion.

DO NOT try to hide this! Being up-front with your carefully chosen examiner should almost always work out better in the long term. If the FAA finds out about it without you disclosing it, you could theoretically be looking at federal charges along with the loss of your medical (the application is a federal form you certify as being true and accurate). I could even see them justifying an emergency revocation of any pilot certificate that had been issued up until that point.

You would then be fighting an uphill battle for even just your medical certificate. The FAA won't trust you because you "hid" a medical condition that could affect the safety of flight, and I suspect your AME wouldn't be very happy either.

In my experience in this industry, honesty really is the best policy. I have heard multiple stories in my company of pilots getting fired because they tried to cover something up. Conversely, I have heard multiple stories where pilots merely received "additional training" because they were open and honest about how they screwed up.

It may make things more difficult at first, but you won't be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your career.

 

[broncoav8r]

However, I feel like there is a slim to none chance of this recurring, so I don't know if it'd be worth the complication of explaining everything and potentially going through all of the testing again?

I get it. However,

I CANNOT emphasize enough that you find an AME that you can have an honest conversation about this to guide you through the process. It might not even require a cardiologist (I know personally people who experienced vasovagal episodes and were able to obtain medicals without additional testing, but they are them and you are you). But you CAN'T know that till you talk to an AME you trust.

What @EAD said. DO NOT try to hide it because it was a "one time thing".