Racing pulse and Class 1, do they mix?????

[Tarmach]

When I had my class 3 medical a few years ago my heart was thumping away when the good doctor took my pulse. He lost count at 140 beats per minute. Luckly for me he said there was nothing wrong with me, however I could tell he was still a little concerned.

I know I'm a wet girl's blouse when it comes to these damn medical examinations, but I feel quite worried at the prospect of spending 400 quit for a class 1 and then just failing it due to, quess what.. a racing pulse. I'm not normally a nervous kind of guy but simply I don't like medical matters etc. In fact when I try to calm down, that just makes things worse. Has this happened to other people or are you as 'cool as a cucumber'?

What can I do? I realise this is totally irrational. Would I fail on this anyway? My normal resting pulse is around the low 70's!

Tarmach

[FatFlyer]

Take a Beta blocker ( Atenolol) tablet which should stop your heart rate increasing.

Find someone with high blood pressure to nick one from.

[Jumbo Liar]

If there is a beta blocker in your system when you attend for a class one, you must declare it. Failing to do so would invalidate any certificate issued, and would very likely be an offence.
On the other hand, declaring the use might make passing a class one (especially the initial at LGW ) much less likely !!
What was that phrase that mentioned something about rocks and hard places !! ?
Best of luck with it anyway !!

[RV6]

Tarmach, you might like to try marjoram essential oil. Sounds daft, I know, but if you dab a little on a handkerchief and inhale, it lowers blood pressure and slows a racing pulse. It's got me through Class One medicals!

[Rob_L]

Now you've had enough positive inputs not to be put off, I'll tell you this story...

Friend of mine, know him personally, was let down with his lift to the doctor's for his FAA Class 1 medical. There was a heat wave on, and he'd just arrived from UK where he'd been snowed in. Definitely a shock to the system and not yet acclimatised.

He ran a mile to the bus stop in the midday sun. The bus didn't come so he ran two more miles before one finally arrived. When he got there he was cooked, and his pulse rate after 10 minutes was 120. They said that was pretty good in the circumstances and that they'd not bother waiting any longer since they could send a note to the FAA saying he'd been running.

The ECG was faxed direct to Oklahoma City, which was closed for the night by then. No problem, they'd get it in the morning, and in the meantime the Class I certificate was issued.

Next morning he got a message at the flight school saying the doctor wanted to speak to him urgently. He phoned and was told that the doctor wanted the certificate back urgently, that he was going to come and get it personally, he was in trouble with the FAA for issuing it because the FAA was very concerned about what they were now choosing to call "Tachycardia", and the doctor was now at risk of losing his approval to do FAA medicals (at age 81, this was his best source of income!) Thinking, naively, that this would easily be sorted (after all he'd had a UK CAA ECG only a few months previously with no problems)he took the cert. back to the doctor, who snatched it off him in relief, but agreed to a 3-way telephone call to Oklahoma to discuss the matter. The ratehr short-sighted octogenarian kept peering into his eyes, presumably suspicious that he was "on something", which he wasn't. In fairness to the doctor he stressed the guy had been running, had been mugged the night before (also true) and was not acclimatised. Since the guy only actually needed a Class II, he asked that this be granted instead of the Class I to save an argument (it doesn't require an ECG)since the guy had a check ride the next day for his IR (more stress).

To his relief he heard the FAA doctor agree to the Class II being issued. He passed his check-ride and went home to lick his wounds, where he received a letter saying his ECG tracing was being examined further. Finally he was given the judgement, 6 months later, that he could keep his Class II, but mustn't fly when he had any adverse symptoms with his tachycardia!

He's kept his head down ever since, still not needing the Class 1, and not wanting to stir things up. How unfair! He's since passed several CAA medicals, with ECG, still no problems. He was very nervous the first time after this experience, and his heart rate was high but the rather more sensible CAA doctor didn't turn a hair, especially when after he'd explained to him what had happened and why he was nervous.