Vertigo attack

[BWBI]

Hi All,

Suffered what my Doctor has described as a vertigo attack yesterday. It lasted a short time but my Doctor has grounded me for 2 months as PIC!!

I am flying on an NPPL so any advice on reporting to the appropriate Authorities please? I fly a Permit Aircraft. The opinions of the multitude or at least some of them would be appreciated before I press the potential self destruct key!

I guess it will be a good time to fine tune some instrument flying with an Instructor ( I realise I cannot fly IMC or undertake IMC Training as such ) but want to keep flying in the interim.

TIA.

[homonculus]

Hi

Vertigo just means dizziness. So you were dizzy. I was too last night after a party.

We would need to know a bit more - what were you doing, how long it lasted, any other symptoms, did you fall over etc etc. Then what other medical issues you have and the drugs you are on. And finally we would examine you - cardiovascular, ENT - especially examining the middle ear.

I am sure your doctor did all this and it justifies him taking this action. On the whole isolated dizziness without falling / loss of consciousness and no medical history or findings would be a 'watch and see' for most doctors

godd luck

[BWBI]

Homonculus,

Thanks for your response.

I take it is reportable to CAA Medical or whoever for NPPL Licence / Medical Holders? If so are the CAA likely to go along with my Doctor ie No Solo Flying for two months or are they likely to make a big deal out of it and go to Town on me? I have some medical issues ( TIA stroke 3 years ago. BP now controlled by medication ) all known to my Doctor and the CAA hence the reason I am now flying on an NPPL because I lost my JAR class 2 medical.

I am just worried that they will ground me for longer! I can cope with two months flying say once a week with an Instructor but six months or so would be devastating.

By the way all the checks you suggest were carried out and nothing out of the ordinary was found and BP was well controlled. I was working in my allotment when latest event occured so I guess it is safer to eat out in future!!!

[gingernut]

Be careful banding around terms such as "TIA Stroke" around (there is a difference between the two by the way), and be sure to tell your clinician of the importance of labelling as , without a firm diagnosis, to your licence.

It sounds like a sensible compromise in your case has been reached. Flying with instructors is top.:)

[BWBI]

Gingernut,

Thanks for the advice and point taken, I was just trying to explain to those that did not know what type of medical event a TIA was and of course it is different to an actual stroke.

I am still unsure whether or not this incident has to be reported to the CAA as I was not hospitalised in any way. It was just the Doctor at the Practice ( not my normal flying Doctor who signs my NPPL medical ) who said just as I was leaving " Who do you have to report it to because I don't see many Pilots! "

I am not sure what he actually endorsed on my Medical Notes. I have searched the CAA and NPPL websites and so far I have been unable find any actual guidance for this type of medical incident.

I think I may make an appointment to see my normal flying Doctor next week but I don't want to make too much of this as I am quite prepared to go along with the two months flying with an Instructor as to my mind that is good sense and similar to what I did following the TIA 3 years ago although on that occasion I also did the Tredmill Test.

However it would useful to know the actual legal position before I speak to anyone and in fact if there was no legal need to report it I would not bother my Doctor further.

[BWBI]

Hey Ho,

Just found the answer to my question! I finally realised that because I am flying on a NPPL medical that my controlling medical standards are DVLA Driving Standards, so I Downloaded from the DVLA website : For Medical Practitioners at a Glance Guide to Current Medical Standards.

There is no mention in there of Vertigo being a reportable condition other than as with many other general not specified conditions if it became a relevant disability to effect the safety of your driving.

Therefore providing it does not become a disability it is not reportable. In my case if I suffer a further incident it will be the end of my flying or good sense at least says so, unless of course I restricted my flying activities to the presence of a safety Pilot. In the case of driving it would probably need to be a more regular or a diagnosed condition to meet the disability criteria.

We will have to see what the next two months brings, hopefully no further medical events!