Class 1 Medical referral due to headaches :( Advice or information?

[Sammich]

So the situation is that I'm 20, and yesterday I travelled a very long way for my class 1 medical. I passed everything with flying colours, only on the form I was given I didn't tick 'Frequent or severe headaches'. The Doc asked me why at the end of my medical and I said that I sometimes but its very rare that I get a very bad headache, but I have had some where in the case, I need to lay down in the dark and have a little sleep. I didnt tick it because they aren't frequent, but I -have- had a few severe ones in the past.
Of course as soon as I said that I had a problem. The thing is, I call them migraines, but they are just bad headaches really. I have had maybe two or three in my lifetime which have caused me flashing lights which is again rare but I haven't had one in ages. I think I may have made my case seem worse than it is, and thus given myself a huge obstacle.
I tried to explain that I haven't had one in a very long time, but at this point she had already made up her mind that I was definitely not getting my certificate until it has been thoroughly assessed. I appreciate the concern on the matter, as I know the safety of others comes before my desire to be a pilot, and I would not want to put people at risk for my own self so I know it was the right thing to do to mention it.

I don't even care about the £340 something I spent to get the medical, I just care about getting it passed, especially when I don't think something I may have said which I probably said out of proportion would stop me. She has asked me to go to my GP and get a report on previous consultations of such issues, and what medication I was given, and any triggers that may have caused them. But when I had them I was suffering with anxiety, which has since gone... I fear that they may not see it that way.

The doc did say to me it might be possible to get a certificate with a limitation, in the fact I cannot fly solo and must always have a co-pilot. Which I would still be happy with, but airlines will have preference with those without such limitations, she says.

I am worried I may not get my class 1 due to this, has anyone else had any experience with something like this and can offer me some advice, or possibly reassurance?

Anything is appreciated right now.
Thank you, in advance.

[DX Wombat]

First, do as the Doc says then do a search on here for threads about Migraine as I have a vague recollection of a post mentioning that the CAA disregards them if you have not had any for at least five years.

[Alister101]

Im not a doctor but i've got 'migraines' myself,

You'll need to provide more information about your 'headaches' such as;

Where about does it hurt?
Any family history of a Migraine?
What medication did you take, if any, and did it work?
Do you see/feel anything out the ordinary before a headache?

The fact you mentioned 'flashing lights' does scream migraines.. Which is a ball buster for someone wanting to be in aircrew..
Another question would also be - have you actually been diagnosed with 'migraines'? You call them migraines but infact they could just be a bad headache, I would think you've given yourself a bit of a label after self branding them 'migraines' at your medical.

Best of luck

[Sammich]

Alister;

Yeah, I do believe I have done myself in calling them migraines. I've always called them that. The flashing lights have happened no more than twice in my headache experiences.
I was very nervous throughout nearly the entirety of my medical and honestly didn't think about what I may have just said to the doc, and the consequence of it.

The only family history is my mum, who gets severe migraines (and these are definite) on and off, but those are triggered by red wine and usually when at the end of the week she winds down from work, somehow that sets her off too.

I went to the doctors once about them, but it was more for an odd pain I'd get in my head rather than a headache. He put it down to stress of just starting a new/my first full time job and prescribed me some betablockers which worked, but after that stopped completely. From 2007-mid 2010 I suffered with pretty bad anxiety due to a bad relationship, I couldn't leave my house unescorted and when I did I was in a daze; and I began getting these 'migraines' when stressed or upset about not being able to get out of my front door I've since gotten rid of that, and incredibly, flying has done most of the work. And those headaches went with it.
The only time I get ANY form of headache now is due to my work - I work in a factory producing car components on night shift. Sometimes I get a very minor headache if I have overslept during the day, or find the factory just too loud. Solution I use are earplugs and a simple paracetamol, sorted within half hour and I can work through it no problem.

Before my 'Severe' headaches, no feelings out of the ordinary at all, but the pattern before was anxiety, or a feeling of not enough or over sleeping. More the latter, really.
I think it's something I can control, and help myself to avoid but of course I have a feeling I could say this til I'm blue in the face and not make a blind bit of difference now, I can only hope my GP will give me a helping hand to try to show that they are not going to effect anything I try to do.

I really really hope I haven't buggered myself up.

[Mimpe]

google CASA website in Australia and go to aviation medical section...there is a DAME hand book there.

If you go to the neurological section and there will be a bit on headaches or migraines. There you will find out the level of symptom frequency and so on that allows a class 1 ..at least for Australia, but its pretty much the same everywhere in I C AO adherent countries.

[Alister101]

Sammich,

What I've been told by my doctor, is a Migraine has many triggers and with some people like, myself, you need a whole host of triggers to gain one, think of it like a point system, you need 10 to get a migraine - If I were stressed add 5points, If I were tired add 2 more points, skipped a meal 3 more then I'd then get a migraine attack.

Do what mimple said, check the publication. Migraines are often atypical and no two people with migraines describe the same symptoms. There is no test to confirm the diagnosis - similarly there is no test to refute the diagnosis. It is all about clinical suspicion.

As Dx Wombat said, do what the doc told you to do. But also find out what the rules and regulations are for Migraines. It could be like what Dx Wombat said, 5 years clear then you can fly. But also ask your doctor to see what's on your medical records, you may have never been 'coded' or diagnosed with them and that may be beneficial to you.

Best of luck
Alister