Myocarditis
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Myocarditis
I hold UK CPL and had a heart problem called Myocarditis. Its caused by a virus and involves swelling of the heart muscle. It is not uncommon and normally goes away within a few months. I have a follow up in two months where my cardiologist says he is confident to give me the thumbs up in terms of cardio health if I follow his advice to take it easy for two months. ie. no jogging or cycling. I am on no medication for it. I told my AME doctor about it and now I have been declared unfit by the CAA for both class one and two privileges which I am not surprised about.
I was wondering if any pilots out there have suffered the same or a similar condition? What was your experience with the CAA medical staff and what did they put you through. Also, more importantly, did you get your class one/two back? Did it have conditions? Is there any organisation I could get advice/help from?
I appreciate any advice as I am so worried and upset about this. Flying is my life. Thank you.
I was wondering if any pilots out there have suffered the same or a similar condition? What was your experience with the CAA medical staff and what did they put you through. Also, more importantly, did you get your class one/two back? Did it have conditions? Is there any organisation I could get advice/help from?
I appreciate any advice as I am so worried and upset about this. Flying is my life. Thank you.
I cannot offer much advice on getting your medical back but I can offer sympathy, having suffered from it twice. At the time I didn't have a current medical anyway but, thinking back, once the heart "squeak" goes away, there doesn't appear to be any medical test which will reveal anything.
The first time I had it I felt really ill for about two weeks and then pretty weak and feeble for a month or so. During that time I was checked for glandular fever (similar symptoms) and it was thought that I might have ME. All the tests they carried out revealed nothing. I eventually returned to normal.
The second time I never felt really ill but went into a three day cycle between feeling very weak and tired and then feeling quite well. Once this was established I went back to work until I went on a business trip to Boston when everything went wrong. I ended up with lost luggage and ticket and no hotel room. After that I recovered completely and believe that a good dose of adrenalin is a great help. I have since read some technical papers which support the view that adrenalin can help ME patients.
Not long after my recovery I renewed my Class 2 medical and it was not an issue.
As soon as you are over the main symptoms I would encourage you go skydiving or white water rafting, whatever gives you a buzz. As soon as you feel OK, if you can get your doctor or AME to send a report to the CAA saying that you are OK they should clear you to fly because you will be as fit as you ever were.
Best of luck.
The first time I had it I felt really ill for about two weeks and then pretty weak and feeble for a month or so. During that time I was checked for glandular fever (similar symptoms) and it was thought that I might have ME. All the tests they carried out revealed nothing. I eventually returned to normal.
The second time I never felt really ill but went into a three day cycle between feeling very weak and tired and then feeling quite well. Once this was established I went back to work until I went on a business trip to Boston when everything went wrong. I ended up with lost luggage and ticket and no hotel room. After that I recovered completely and believe that a good dose of adrenalin is a great help. I have since read some technical papers which support the view that adrenalin can help ME patients.
Not long after my recovery I renewed my Class 2 medical and it was not an issue.
As soon as you are over the main symptoms I would encourage you go skydiving or white water rafting, whatever gives you a buzz. As soon as you feel OK, if you can get your doctor or AME to send a report to the CAA saying that you are OK they should clear you to fly because you will be as fit as you ever were.
Best of luck.
Myocarditis is an infection of the heart muscle, most commonly caused by a virus. Symptoms can be the same as a heart attack and the ECG can be mighty bad.
There are two risks: first you can get fluid around the heart called a pericardial effusion. This squashes the heart and may reduce its pumping ability. In some cases we drain it with a needle under ultrasound control.
Second it can damage the heart muscle itself and sometimes the fibres that attach the valves.
The massive fatigue you often get for weeks is not really understood as the heart may be functioning well. Most likely it is the virus itself.
Once you are not too knackered to work you may well have an echocardiogram to demonstrate no effusion, good muscle activity and normal valves. Once this is done no problem. A friend of mine walked through an initial class one and the CAA didn't even talk to heir cardiologist.
So good luck
There are two risks: first you can get fluid around the heart called a pericardial effusion. This squashes the heart and may reduce its pumping ability. In some cases we drain it with a needle under ultrasound control.
Second it can damage the heart muscle itself and sometimes the fibres that attach the valves.
The massive fatigue you often get for weeks is not really understood as the heart may be functioning well. Most likely it is the virus itself.
Once you are not too knackered to work you may well have an echocardiogram to demonstrate no effusion, good muscle activity and normal valves. Once this is done no problem. A friend of mine walked through an initial class one and the CAA didn't even talk to heir cardiologist.
So good luck
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Thank you so much for your reply....Only just read it. I wish an email was sent for new posts as I don't regularly log on. I am having an echocardiogram in July followed by a 24hr ECG and bicycle test. This is what the CAA want so that's what I'm giving them. With reference to your friend who received a Class One, was there any limitations on his Class One because of their heart episode? I'm just worried as I'm really keep to become a flying instructor however I'm worried that the CAA will only give me a Class One with multi pilot flying only endorsement. Thank you again for your detailed reply...I really appreciate it!
Absolutely not. Most patients make a full recovery from the infection so they are 'cured'. The echo will show that your heart is working normally and this is the case
Good luck
Good luck
