Anaphalaxis

[Graham K]

Hi, just wondering if anaphalaxis, or severe allergies will stop me from being a pilot. i have to carry an anapen you see, but its no problem.

[gingernut]

I think there has been a thread recently Graham.

I would imagine the authorities would be interested in your history of hospital admissions, triggers, warnings and effect of anaphylaxis.

I'm assuming that the effects of your trigger was fairly severe if you have been prescribed epinephrine??

[Bealzebub]

Yes Graham, I think it is very likely.

As an airline pilot (or many other types of professional pilot), you cannot place your colleagues or your passengers in any degree of unreasonable jeopardy. When it comes to chronic medical conditions, there are many cases that may be acceptable from the "reasonable risk" standpoint. For example, Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a chronic condition that usually involves long term (lifetime) medication. However in a case where the controlling medication is forgotten, lost, or otherwise not taken, it is very unlikely to result in short term incapacitation. That may well not be the case with somebody who is susceptable to severe allergic reaction, particularly where the triggers are likely to be commonly encountered.

The regulator in these matters in the UK, is the medical division of the Civil Aviation Authority. In other countries the regulator is usually also that countries Civil aviation adminstration. They and they alone are responsible for setting the acceptable standards. There is very often a flexibility and individual assesment made of conditions that may actually or potentially be disqualifying, and often an individual assesment is made with the consultation of medical specialist reports. However only the CAA will be able to properly advise you in this respect. Any advice given here is opinion or anecdotal, and as such it would be unwise to base any hard career choices on what is simply general comment or opinion.

When you are old enough to qualify for a licence, it would be very prudent to first submit to a class 1 medical. It isn't particularly cheap, and the result might he disappointing, but the cost is very small in relation to the potential sums involved in flight training.

[Graham K]

just to say, im allergic to bee and wasp stings, so there isnt much chance of having a reaction while flying. at worst, i could be randomly attacked by a restless large swarm of bees as i inspect the aircraft before flight. im also maybe (emphasis on the maybe, because you cant be sure) allergic to Kiwi fruit, so as long as i dont fly to New Zealand or something where they use Kiwi in a lot of foods. but youre right, its would be best to check it out beforehand. what about hay fever then?

[Flyin'Dutch']

Hi Graham

As has been said; the people to ask are the CAA or the IAA if you are in Ireland.

They will be happy to give you the appropriate advice when you are about to apply for the medical; you can ring them or email them.

Much will depend on how severe the reaction is; the rationale behind the medical certification process is to a) make sure that people meet the various standards set out (as in vision/hearing etc) and b) that your chance of having an condition which can incapacitate you during your work is significantly low to affect flight safety. The latter will be the issue that needs discussing with the authorities.

[Graham K]

Fair enough, problem is theres no way of telling how severe the reaction could be. you can be tested but the results wont always be the same. i was stung by a bee several years ago and had a fairly laid back reaction, no adrenaline needed. but theres a possibility that i could have a severe reaction and have to land the plane at the nearest airport if it happened again. but as i said, chances are no bee will find itself in the cockpit of a air plane in flight. i could check it out with the Irish authorities before jumping into loans for flying lessons.

[redsnail]

Graham, you've made a couple of assumptions WRT kiwifruit and bees. I have been "buzzed" by a bee whilst doing my walk around at European airports. I've also had various flying beasties in the aeroplane before departure. Leave a door open? It's possible.

Kiwifruit is definitely found in Europe. Have a look at any major chain hotel breakfast. There it is in all it's glory. You'll also find it in mixed fruit salads and the like. Avoiding it may be a lot harder than you think - especially if you do hotac overnights.

[Graham K]

youre a pilot, im not so ill take youre word for it. ive kept out of the way of kiwis for 14 years, i doubt ill get a reaction. anyway, i can just check whats on the menu before i fly if i want an in flight meal. kiwis not to hard to avoid, i can tell you that for a fact. its not like im allergic to nuts or wheat or dairy or something very common. its not going to turn into the first Airplane movie. the bees thing, not so easy, but its what i do that will determine its reaction. if i swear at it and swat it, it might try revenge. otherwise itll fly off in search for flowers on the apron of an airport.

[homonculus]

The regulator will NOT let you fly if there is any risk of an anaphylactic attack. Period. The problem is that an allergy is an abnormal response of the immune system and however weak the response last time, any future exposure could be very severe or fatal.

As has been said there have been other threads on this site from which it appears you havent a hope if you are deemed a risk. Carrying adrenaline (an accupen) suggests to the regulator that the medical profession considers you to be a risk.

Coming at this as an anaesthetist (who deals with these issues every day) as opposed to an AME, about half the population tell me they have an allergy to something or another. Even when I exclude the 'non allergies' (temperature after penicillin etc) it still leaves a lot of people, some of whom fly professionally with no problem. Many pilots discover they are allergic to penicillin or another drug or a food during their career, stop the drug or avoid the food, and continue to fly.

I cannot suggest you tell lies, but I would suggest you ask your GP why you need to carry adrenaline - most beekeepers have massive responses to beestings but we just have to give up. We dont carry adrenaline. Equally an allergy to one food that is identifiable is no different medically than a patient with a religious belief. Personally I wouldnt dream of advising you to carry an accupen based on what you have posted but of course I dont have your full history!! - you may live on a bee farm!!!

In other words I assume if you tell the CAA you carry adrenaline and have multiple allergies you wont get past the door, but if you simply dont eat Kiwi fruit and have had one nasty response to a bee sting it may be a different matter, although probably crop spraying in bee country would not be a long term career progression

Good luck

[Rory Dixon]

Graham,
from what you write it is not fully clear to me wheather you really are prone to type I allergic reactions.
My suggestion, as your situation might influence your future, is that you search for a specialized allergy center in a university hospital and get them to do specific IgEs. That is the type of antibody that takes part in anaphylacitc reactions. Today it is possible to measure the specific antibodies to a single allergen, and therefore you can reduce the guesswork with allergies. Important is, not just to measure IgE - levels, but to measure the specific ones for your alleged allergies.
Good luck
Rory

[lofo101]

The kiwi fruit allergy is possibly more significant IMHO as it's something you're not able to prevent, and you do eat alot of pre-prepared food as a pilot...ie you are extremely likely to come across this at some point.

It also depends how 'allergic' you are ie. do you have a full blown anaphylactic reaction, or just tingly swollen lips for a few minutes? A full blown anaphylactic reaction is a medical emergency, and if there was a risk of it happening, it would preclude you from being a pilot (in Australia anyway).

You might want to research desensitisation...the technique's not perfect, but is improving all the time. Needless to say, this all costs $$$$, but it might be a way out.

[homonculus]

Sorry chaps but he just wants to fly and says in the initial post its not a problem

Going to a 'university hospital' and having multiple tests will say what? That you should stay away from bees and not eat Kiwi fruit. and it will say to the aviation regulator that this guy has a problem that needs a university hospital and shouldnt go within 100 yards of a plane

So keep it simple - you are no different from many other pilots. Talk to your GP

Good luck

[Rory Dixon]

If the specific IgE to bees or whatever else is negativ, than there is no type I allergy, thus no risk of anaphylaxis.
If specific IgE is positiv, than there is in fact a risk of anaphylaxis. In this situation piloting an aircraft will probably not be possible. This is identical to the current situation with carrying epinephrine. So documenting a negativ specific IgE could well be the only chance into a flying future.
The concepts in immunology have advanced considerably in the last years http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif, and I doubt, a GP is capable of advising correctly in this case. At least where I live I would prefer somebody with adequate training and my experience from the NHS when I worked there suggests it is not better in your country :=.

[Loose rivets]

This is a post of mine from not that long after 9/11. By the grace of God, I was redundant after my little airline went bust on the 20th of that month.

There is not the slightest chance I could have flown the aircraft.

Every word of this is true. The woman needed urgent treatment for brainlessness.

http://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/297324-delicate-question-manners-part-ii-2.html#post3654185