Class 1 - Shellfish Allergy

[Whiskey Bravo]

Hopefully someone with a similar experience can shed some light here.

I have recently experienced a severe reaction to shell fish, despite having previously eaten the little critters regularly. This has subsequently been investigated by an immunologist via skin prick and blood tests, who has confirmed that I do show an allergic response to several types of shell fish/crustacean.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and managed to attain a Class 1?

[homonculus]

Very common

An allergy in a learned abnormal response of the immune system so allergies occur any time in life

It is irrelevant to flying - just don't eat shellfish. Possibly 30% of the population has allergies

[Whiskey Bravo]

Thanks. My girlfriend is a doctor and sorted me out when I had the severe reaction, so I have a reasonable knowledge of the area, although the CAA may differ! I should probably add that I didn't have a full anaphylactic reaction, just felt pretty crook and did walk myself into and of course out of the clinic when I had the reaction. Hydro-cortisone and O2 had me sorted in a few minutes and I was in and out in under an hour.

My logic (perhaps biased) is that I am tested and know what to avoid and carry the right equipment should I be inadvertently exposed and subsequently suffer a reaction (which is of course not a given anyway). The day before even and for years before that I had been eating pretty much anything I liked without any problem, could mean that anyone might have the same problem in-flight unless they have been pre-tested as being 'zero' to everything...

Seeing an AME tomorrow with all of my immunologist reports, so hopefully that will be the start of getting this cleared up, but I'll keep updating this thread as similar questions seem to have appeared over a number of years, but without a final outcome being posted (I used the search function before posting :-) )

[homonculus]

The have been similar threads before. The gist has been that if you are allergic to a single thing such as penicillin, where exposure is rare or can be controlled there is little problem

If you carry Epi pens around the question might be asked as to why

If you have massive reports and needed oxygen that too might appear to build a problem

Obviously you can't lie, but as a doctor I recall providing treatment to my family
That was in excess of the norm - your partner had the capability to provide drugs and oxygen, but one might ask what the normal treatment might have been. Hopefully your reports will identify a single trigger - shellfish

[Whiskey Bravo]

I should clarify, my partner didn't treat me, rather recognised what was happening and decided that going to a clinic and getting some prompt treatment was a good idea. 70 euros, some drugs and O2 later I was feeling much more chipper.

I saw an immunologist when back in the UK. Had the initial batch of skin prick tests which showed only a reaction to house dust mites, although houses, dusty or otherwise don't raise so much as a sniffle. Apparently there is a crossover between this and a shrimp protein, so I had some blood tests done which showed a reaction to the shrimp protein, crab, lobster and oyster.

On the night in question I had eaten a quantity of all of the above, which probably explains the severe reaction and why I had previously been eating shellfish with no ill effect.

The upshot is that it is narrowed down to being shellfish that I might react to and the Epipen is a precaution. Aside from flying I often travel alone and in countries where I might have trouble communicating. Whilst it is relatively easy to avoid consuming shellfish - should something happen I like to think that I'd have the ability to sort myself out sufficiently to figure out how to get some medical help.

Incidentally I still eat in fish and sushi restaurants, just obviously not the shellfish, where there is a chance of cross contamination and have suffered no ill effects since.

Hopefully I'll get some AME clarity later today.

[A and C]

I am a big seafood fan and could eat anything until a few years back I had a very bad reaction to oysters.

No anaphylactic shock just a violent bout of vomiting. Initially I put this down to a bad oyster but I have had a repeat of the incident and so regretfully I can't eat oysters. My experience is not unique as I have met a number of people who have reacted in this way to oysters.

I have no trouble and continue to enjoy all other types of seafood.

[tommoutrie]

I had a very bad reaction to beer not so long ago. Quite a lot of beer..

[Whiskey Bravo]

Beer never seems to be an issue, just the poo filters in shells! Anyway, had my Class I done today and everything fine although still awaiting some clarity on the allergy issue. AME was almost as puzzled as I since the 'handbook' seems to make no references, so awaiting clarification from the CAA next week.

[despegue]

I fly with collegues with Seafood allergy and they just do not tell the AMI during their renewal.
Just do not eat seafood as catering and no problem. anybody can get an alergic reaction to anything anytime, itmis not a Class 1 issue and I recommend to keep things simple...

[Landflap]

Cripes ! Intellectual levels drifting south, or north if you are unfortunate to be in the antipodes. Look, possoms, if you are allergic to anything, it has nothing to do with the quacks & do not compromise your licence continuity. I shagged a Lady Boy in BKK and got a very severe re-action. Told my local GP but would never have voluntered this information to an AME. Reminds me of the silly pilot who said to his AME "Look Mate, it hurts when I do this" (twisted his hand, kinda backwards & upwards). AME replied, "well, don,t do that !" . C'mon. You are professional pilots !

[Whiskey Bravo]

Thanks fellas. Any how's the CAA issued me with a Class 1 but with an OML restriction (with or as co-pilot) so no massive practical issue. However, the (very supportive) AME is with me in disagreeing with the CAA that that restriction should be there anyway.

For anyone in the same boat, that wants to join me in lobbying the CAA please feel free to PM me. For anyone else that is interested, around 30% of the UK population and therefore probably the pilot community is living with an allergy to something. This could never show any response, could be an irritation, or become 'an incapacitating incident' at any time. Until I had my 'reaction' I had been eating shellfish at least weekly with no issue; however once I had some bloods done it was pretty clear that it was they that caused the problem! Therefore unless everyone has bloods tested for IgE response for everything and is 'clean' then 1/3 of us have the potential for a problem. Mine and the AME's argument is that I now know what to avoid and there is not a snow balls chance in hell that I will going near them again, let alone before flying. I know what might contain traces (not anywhere close to the infamous nut allergy issue) and carry the right gear to sort myself out in the remotest chance that someone feeds me a lobster skinny latte in the cruise...

[gingernut]

a severe reaction to shell fish

I should imagine that this would be the eyebrow raising statement to the medical authorities who are paid to look after the health of your passengers, and those who live beneath your flight plan. The mention of an epi-pen may wake the AME's from their Winter hibernation.

The more you involve medical experts, the more questions you will face.

If you threw up after a dodgy prawn, then I'd leave it at that. If you collapsed after emptying an ash tray that contained an empty packet of skips then it may be best to seek further advice.

[wondering]

I would side with some on the later posts here. Why on earth would you report a shell fish allergy to your AME? I am sure everybody on the planet has some kind of allergy to whatever. One just needs to look long enough. Just deal with it appropriately and don´t wake up sleeping dogs. :=

[Mac the Knife]

Suspect you had scombroid food poisoning rather than allergy - Scombroid food poisoning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scombroid_food_poisoning)

In which case irrelevant to your Class 1

Mac

:cool:

[Loose rivets]

Re earlier posts.

I never did find out what hit me that time c 2001. Hospital soap on the hands is still the best guess. But I'll tell you what, I could not have maintained control of an aircraft, even one foot off the ground on a nice day - I doubt I'd have been able to work an epi-pen either. It was total - elephant-sitting-on-the-chest - incapacitation.

[Whiskey Bravo]

Yup, in hindsight it would have been much easier and less stressful to lie on the form, but once you start doing that, where do you draw the line? Other medical issues? Busting minimums?

I have been assured that my Class 1 was issued yesterday and in the post, so just a question now of discovering whether they put the OML restriction on it or not...

Mac - Your suggestion was one of the avenues of inquiry and still a possibility. If the OML restriction is on my medical I may well pursue the avenue of some food panel testing to see whether I do actually react to the items that showed up on the IgE tests. Given that I had been eating them all until the said incident I suspect not.

Any new information/experience I gain from my interactions with the CAA I'll post here in case it helps someone else in the same boat. Obviously I'm not the only one out there!

[homonculus]

I am unclear if we are suggesting lying. I am not am AME and I don't have a photographic memory of the form, but my recollection is that if you put

I am allergic to penicillin

Or

I may be allergic to Mars bars

You are being fully compliant

What many people have said is that you do not need to embroider it with near death episodes, taking an epipen to bed with you etc

I never suggest anyone is dishonest, but there is no need to ask for your medical to be pulled

Any one else agree?

[gingernut]

Nope, you mustn't lie.

But remember, terms such as "severe" and "reaction" are very subjective.

Be careful with your definitions.

[gingernut]

Anyway, as its Friday..

Two crabs were sunbathing on the beach.
The girl crab suggested that the boy crab go get them an ice cream cone.
Having purchased two cones, Mr. Crab made his way back to the beach, deciding on the way to eat his ice cream. By the time he had finished the ice cream, he realized that his girlfriend's had started to melt all down his claw, so he licked it up and ended up eating hers too.
When he arrived back at the beach Ms. Crab exclaimed "Where's my ice cream cone?
"Well", he said. "I decided to eat mine, then yours melted so I ate that too."
She was incensed and cried "You shellfish bastard!!"


Hat,coat:)