Originally Posted by
sethgecko
Hi Jordan,
It sounds like you went through many difficult events over a short period of time and I believe that a lot of us would have taken a hit to our mental health if we went through everything you did. From what you have posted it appears that you were able to seek help, were successfully treated and have made a full recovery so well done! you have gone on to pass your PPL exams which is great also!
I am not a medical professional so it would not add any value for me to discuss your particular circumstances but I would like to share my experience of an AME referral to a Psychiatrist (which i attended yesterday) in the hope that this may help put your mind at rest or give you an indication of what to expect.
I received a referral to a Psychiatrist after my AME reviewed my completed forms at the initial examination. I had 3 recorded instances on my GP records of work related stress, depression and low mood and had listed these on the form. I obtained a letter from my GP which detailed the symptoms of these 3 instances including the treatment I received. As this was nearly 5 years ago my GP also stated on the letter that I had been successfully treated and had that it would appear that I have been symptom free for the past 5 years. I have indeed been symptom free for this time and made a full recovery but as the GP has not seen me in 5 years I expect he chose the wording of 'appear'. Anyway, I presented my GP letter to my AME at my Class 1 and his response came across as negative (well from my perception) and he pointed out that i would certainly need to be referred to a Psychiatrist and he referenced the Germanwings incident. I was expecting this and fully understand the reasons for an investigation but like yourself the AME's reaction did not fill me with confidence.
I visited the Psychiatrist that they recommended based in Swindon, he is ex RAF and CAA and a really nice bloke. He put me at ease immediately and starting asking basic life questions such as : where am I from? what do I do for work? any brothers and sisters etc. This relaxed me and the discussion was flowing well, he then stated why I was here and why we had to go through this process, again referencing the Germanwings incident. I then took this opportunity to present him with the letter from my GP which he said was extremely useful. He then took a minute to read it through and then he ran through each of the 3 incidents and we talked about what triggered them and how I was treated. This was an easy discussion as the Psychiatrist was very warm and friendly and made me feel at ease. I believe having this letter was extremely beneficial as it presented the facts in a concise manner and it was easy for me to refer to and respond to any questions without waffling.
The rest of the discussion was very pleasant and actually very educational as the Psychiatrist explained how the body responds to stress triggers and how depression comes on etc. We also spoke a little bit about the RAF and flying in general as well as my plans to start an MPL course.
I was in there for about an hour and the Psychiatrist advised that the stress/depressive episodes I experienced 5 years ago were an expected reaction to the things that were going on in my life at the time. He advised that he was happy to complete the report and that I would not have any issues.
I would recommend that you obtain a letter from whomever you saw before (GP, Psychiatrist etc) stating the dates, symptoms and any treatments so that you have all your facts lined up and clearly presented before you go in.
May of us have 'blips' in our mental health you did the right thing by seeking help and also disclosing it on your Class 1 forms. I was incredibly anxious about my medical history and to the point where like yourself I was worrying wether I should be seeking another Career. Looking back I was getting myself in a state for no reason, I guess we entertain those thoughts because so much is hanging on obtaining this Class 1 that some anxiety is to be expected.
Good luck with it! I expect you will be fine! and let us know how it goes.
This is most helpful and I really appreciate the time you explaining! Honestly, the Psychiatrist seemed so out-of-touch. No small talk, had to ask me why I was even there, looked over my doctors notes, made some funny faces and said “I’ll have to read through this and get back to you” then gave me an invoice for £280! The guy who you saw sounds way better! God knows why my AME referred me to a guy in Brighton who only works on Thursdays and charges £280! (I live In East Yorkshire!)