Asthma

[Ethansa]

ive had asthma since i was small.
i only need an inhaler when im running or get flat out doing something.
will this affect my class 1?

also i sneeze alot when the air is damp. will this affect flying an aircraft?

:confused:

[Pilot16]

Ethansa,
It shouldnt, I wouldnt immagine it would.

I have Asthma too...the main hurdle, I would think is to get the Class 1 Medical. I currently hold a Class 2 and about to sit the PPL skill test.

I have to book my Class 1 soon.

[Northern Highflyer]

Just got my Class 1 and I have Asthma.

It depends on what triggers your symptoms and how bad they are. Expect to go for a run round the car park and do 3 spirometry (sp?) tests.

The key worries they have appear to be if it is debilitating in any way, if it is triggered by cold air or by stress. Other than that you should be ok. I worried about it but the staff are very helpful and explain everything to you.

[Ethansa]

can you make this clear do you mean expect to run 3 times round a car park in the test

or

im ok if the asthma is triggered after 3 times round the car park??

however sometimes cold air gets me weezing.. oh Sh*t.

[Air Born]

Yes, you will need to run around the carpark for about 5 minutes, having done a test before, immediately after and then again 10 minutes later.

Unfortunately Salbutamol (eg Ventolin and other inhalers) is not approved for use when flying as it can affect reaction times. However, you can be on inhaled (not oral) steroids (usually the range of brown inhalers).

The AME's there are very helpful, but it will cost you in time and money if you fail that section. It's a good idea to chat to your doctor and start taking whatever is necessary asap.

Remember also that the carpark at Gatwick is right at the airport, so the avgas fumes etc are very representative, hence the carpark run and not a treadmill inside.

On a slightly different note, I have found a vitamin supplement that has been invaluable for me and has massively reduced my asthma and hayfever, so that I cruised through my class one earlier this year. However, I am a distributor (it was cheaper that way) so I don't want to put details here (too much like marketing!) If you want details, contact me directly.

Good Luck!

[Northern Highflyer]

What Air born says about the 3 tests is correct, however I diasagree with the comment on salbutamol not being approved. I have salbutamol and the doctors didn't question it at all. I even asked about what was acceptable and was told it was fine.

I ran round the car park for 6 minutes because the treadmill was busy, there were no noticable fumes from the departing aircraft. If anything there is more from the cars entering the car park so I wouldn't worry about avgas fumes.

The cold air trigger may be your biggest problem. The best thing for you to do is ring Gatwick and speak to an aeromedical advisor. They were very helpful and tell you exactly what you can and cannot use.


Good luck.

NH

[Northern Chique]

athma is generally regarded as an acquired chronic reactive respiratory inflammatory disease.

The incidence of which is increasing world wide particularly in kids. There are a number of factors that may reduce the accute phases (attacks).

These range from straight out education about the disease, the steroidal based inhalers such as Becotide, and various fitness programs. Swimming has always been encouraged with success in Australia. Trick is to make sure you havent any chlorine sensitivities. The last one is finding triggers, and learning to control breathing, esp during an attack.

Accute phases are controlled by first line methods such as salbutamol puffers / inhalers. Failing that, my comrades are called, and once again salbutamol is used but at much higher doses nebulised with Oxygen. If the respitory tract closes and no air exchange is taking place, noradrenaline and or other drugs are nebulised and / or injected to help the body control what is essentially a hyper-reaction to a trigger.

Asthma is a condition where the air is trapped in the lungs due to infammation and is difficult to force out. The passages swell to the point where air cannot be inhaled either. there is no question that asthma is a fatal disease, if mismanaged.

Reactions to cold are common enough but difficult to control. The respiratory tract has automatic reactions such as contricting to reduce surface area in the cold! Some say a gentle letdown into the cold is better than walking out into it or moving back to warm air. A friend of mine used to go warm the car up for me particularly if I had a bout of the flu. I hardly ever had problems after that. But I dont have asthma! So there are a number of people who develop some symptoms of asthma who dont have the disease.

The medication (salbutamol) does have side effects. Tachycardia (fast heartbeat over 100 beats per minute and if having an attack doesnt get you panicking enough!!!), opens the bronchioles so hopefully a sufficient space is created for the air to exhale.

All the mucus built up and trapped by the inflammed linings trying hard to rid its self of the triggers, now escapes leading to the other side effect... increased mucus production... well thats the basics...

What that means to a class one medical is up to the Dr conducting the medical. If he or she has any doubts, they will recommond the candidate to a respiratory specialist for further testing. The biggest part is understanding the disease itself.

[Ethansa]

thankyou i have learnt so much especially from the Doc.
ive had a lung function test off my Gp on my own accord which should i was well above average.

i know it depends on the doctor you see but also the fact that if your on the verge of a cold its best to tell the doctor on the day of the medical so they can rearrange what needs to be rearranged.

i think it is the chlorine that also affects me but if its a 6 min run then im just going to practice that in the cold early mornings and at the gym.

once againg thank you all.

[moo]

I really wouldn't worry about it. Got my class one a few months ago, doc asked me loads of questions bout it but didn't even make me run around the car park. If you're really worried about it, have a quick puff of your ventolin before you go in to do the medical. The blood test is only a pinprick on your thumb for hemaglobin levels and the urine test I presume is for sugar/glucose/drugs (I presume) so it won't show up in any of the tests an it'll make things a little easier for you! :ok:

[Flyin'Dutch']

Ethansa,

You can probably get some more and factually correct information of your GP or practice nurse.

Despite the scary information written on here, asthma is a condition which for most patients can be well controlled.

Deaths caused by asthma are actually reducing.

HTH

FD