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blood pressure problems

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blood pressure problems

Old 2nd Jan 2012, 02:39
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blood pressure problems

I am a student pilot and a about a week before my solo my dog chewed up my wallet and medical. I have high blood pressure, which is not a big deal in its self and i had to send a request to the faa to get another. I did that and they had me do a ecg, blood work, and I had to have a letter from my treating doctor. I a while back about 3weeks before I had this weird thing happen where I started sweating and got flushed. Nothing else happend no chest pain an i did not get dizzy or anything in that era. My doctor included these 2 isolated problems in the letter and stated that they where probably do to being overlymedicated becuase I have white coat syndrom and my body in response to the blood pressure meds lowering it to much shot it up and caused these spells(both times happend after my meds got increased). Sense than I have been put on a diet and started running and I am coming off most if not all the meds, mean while my blood pressure has been aroun 115/60 and have not had another one of these episodes. Keep in mind im only 16 and in other wise good health. My question is will they give me my medical back or if they do will it be an SI? thanks again. I have the first class medical also.
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Old 2nd Jan 2012, 15:00
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I can't advise on the FAA but

If you are 16 and your blood pressure is normal and you are coming off drugs I would put my medical license on the line and say you have never had hypertension

You don't get high blood pressure at your age unless you have one of a number of serious conditions that don't simply go away. In fact most get worse and fast

Go buy yourself a blood pressure machine at Walmart and take your blood pressure a couple of times a day when you are resting. My guess is you don't need drugs, there is nothing wrong with you and the FAA will love you

Having said all that I can't advise you to stop medication unless your current doctor or a second opinion so advises

Good luck
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Old 2nd Jan 2012, 16:13
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Yes, i agree so I am seeing a blood pressure doc. and she ran all the test on me, all coming back normal. Even had a mri to rule out some of the odd stuff, which also came back normal. She is taking me off all the meds that my family doc. put me on because i have white coat syndrom so the doctor said it was high and kept increasing it. She is taking me off it and my home bp stays below 120/75 and I have not had another attak. Because of this and being that both times happend when my meds increase she thinks I was being overly medicated. She does in fact think I may have a little bit of hypertention (runs in the family) but is not big enough of a problem for the meds, yet anyway. She is taking me off these slowly and my bp at home has been staying normal, sometimes even lower then normal. IM hoping becuase of these to little episodes that they will not deny me. Any replies on these episodes i had being a problem?
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Old 2nd Jan 2012, 17:31
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FlyinHi:
Once you've been under treatment for hypertension, you'll have to jump through some hoops to prove you really don't have it. You need to be very careful not to dig yourself into a deeper hole.
If you are in the US, and a member of AOPA, they have a chat forum similar to this one, and a very knowledgeable AME there, Bruce, has been extremely helpful guiding folks through their FAA medical certification.
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Old 2nd Jan 2012, 17:45
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Well, I really would hate to spend the 100$ on somthing that is not going to be a big deal, thats why im asking for your opinions. I will look into the forum though. I already have the basic account i just do not have the medical portion.
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Old 2nd Jan 2012, 19:52
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Let's get the facts clear

1 you do not have any hypertension. Even if your family doctor took your readings a dozen times over a month the fact that you get off and your blood pressure is normal proves this. There is no blood pressure illness that comes and goes. A raised reading due to white coat or running up the stairs is not hypertension. NASA regularly got over 300/180 on crews at launch

2. A family history is irrelevant. There is no such thing as a little blood pressure. Your readings are normal.

3. There is no reason for the regulator to deny a medical as you have had no illness. A doctor Inappropriately gave you a drug you didn't need and you became hypotension. That is good as it shows you have a normal response

4. Your problem is you can't say you have never been on the drugs. You must get your current doctor to stop this 'bit of blood presure' nonsense and give you a letter saying you do not have hypertension, did not need medication, and the other doctor was wrong. I regret this will not be easy and you may need help from your forum BUT it will be easier to get your doctor on your side as opposed to another doctor fighting them
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Old 2nd Jan 2012, 20:59
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Basicly, you are correct. She said that I may be hpertensive, but not like they thought. There is no way of knowing as of right now, and thats because im still on some medication. You cannot just stop taking it at all unfortunitly you have to slowly come off it, which we are doing. But my concern is the 2 episodes I had. Will they say no medical because I could have another, or will they say ok because she THINKS that it was caused by becoming hypotesnive and is not for sure we cannot give you your medical back. I got the letter in my hand and she basically said I cannot guarantee you that he even has hypertenstion as I seen him when he was already on the meds.
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Old 3rd Jan 2012, 21:47
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some good stuff here.... http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/liv...6015/56015.pdf
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Old 3rd Jan 2012, 23:28
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On drugs at 16??????????????????????



Seriously???????????????????????


And you want a medical???????????






Stay out of my airspace is all I can say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 3rd Jan 2012, 23:39
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He is referring to blood pressure (hypertension) drugs.
He is serious.
He does want a medical, and has come here for some advice.
He is probably happy to stay out of "your airspace" for fear of colliding with some 56 question marks and 40 exclamation marks.

Do you read all questions as well as this? Perhaps you have some helpful advice for the poster?
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Old 3rd Jan 2012, 23:40
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Boy, Knighty, if you are going to eliminate everyone who might or might not have had or done something odd at age 16, who are you going to get to fly you around when you're too old to do it yourself?

We don't know here if the young man does or does not have a medical problem -- let's just give him the opportunity to get a fair evaluation.
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Old 4th Jan 2012, 12:39
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Flyinhi, it seems like we are all at odds here.

It may be useful to ditinguish your use of "drugs" (ie illicit substances) or "medication" (ie prescribed.) White night, I'm wondering if you've got the wrong end of the stick?

Also, the terms "raised blood pressure" and "hypertension" are slightly different concepts. Homon seems to tease things out in this respect.

We shouldn't (quite rightly) advise you on specific medication-only your prescriber should do that, but could you give us a few clues as to what you were prescribed, and why ?
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Old 4th Jan 2012, 16:07
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Do calm down White Knight and try to behave like an adult. There are plenty of children out there who need various drugs to help them maintain a healthy life. There are also those for whom drugs are given as prophylaxis. There is a condition called IgA Nephropathy where children may be given anti-hypertensives for just this reason. Do read that article and if you don't understand it then I'm sure someone on here will be able to help you.
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Old 4th Jan 2012, 21:28
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white coat syndrome
We learn something new everyday.

I always wondered why when I get my blood pressure measured at the GP it always shoots up the first time the measurement is taken!!!
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Old 6th Jan 2012, 01:13
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OK I am so sorry for the confusion here. I am not taking drugs just to get high. I am taking prescribed medication by my doctor for high blood pressure. My Family doctor prescribed this to me on my very first visit, checked it a couple times and told me I had high blood pressure. I disagree with his decision because You can take my bp a 100times at a doc. office and its going to be high. That is just me. Because every time I went in for checkups with my family doctor My blood pressure showed high readings so he put me on more bp meds and so of course I did what I was told. I stoped messing around with the docs around here and went to Indianapolis and I now see a Hypertension/kidney specialist for children at Riley's children hospital(I'm not over 18). They ran all the test on me from heart test to kidney test and every thing is clean. She did not like me on all of the medication (Mg of amlodipine and Mg of lasporine**spelling?). I purchased a home blood pressure machine, which showed my blood pressure at home being low(obviously do to the medication I was on). She took me off the amlodipine totally and its still low so they lasporine is going next, Probably in the next week. She is now thinking I may have never had ***hypertension*** and because my blood pressure was dipping to low my body in response would shoot my blood pressure up, thus causing the 2 episodes of me getting sweaty/flushed and my bp would go way up. She also told me she cannot tell me for sure her theory is true as I was already on the medication when I went to see her, so either way I'm coming off the meds, which I think is a good thing so I can prove that I do not have high blood pressure(i think I'm fairly healthy). Although hypertension runs in the family I dont think i have it, yet anyway. My question is, and al ask again to clarify( i think you guys are confused as I made it confusing sorry) Are those 2 episodes going to effect me getting my medical back. Thanks and I'm sorry for the confusion. And AL be sure to stay out of your airspace because I can tell you dont like to share...I almost thought you had a heart attack why pressing the ? key.......Mabe you should worry about your health 2. sorry for spelling mistakes in advance, I have time to review it.

Last edited by flyinhi777; 6th Jan 2012 at 01:37.
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Old 6th Jan 2012, 01:22
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I will give you guys the info needed to help me..i dont think i left anything major out accept that i DO NOT have any organ damage, and i was diagnosed with hypertension after 1 doctor visit with no home bp readings.
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Old 6th Jan 2012, 01:31
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White Knight, I am also sorry you feel this way about a medical condition I do not have much control over, if I even have it. One thing I do know is an arrogant pilot make the worst pilots....That said you do not have to worry about me coming around your airspace.
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Old 6th Jan 2012, 10:32
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I have always showed raised BP at medicals since I was 16 (diving then flying). Eventually my aeromedical examiner wanted me to go to my doctor to check if I actually have hypertension. The upshot was I was grounded after being diagnosed and put on medication by my local doc.

The CAA asked me to go to an approved cardiologist, he ran tests and stated in his report to the CAA that in his opinion I do not have hypertension and just get nervous. I now record my BP at home for say a month before the medical and bring it in to show my aeromedical examiner. My medical is based mainly on these home readings now. I am a commercial pilot btw.

I have found there is a strong link between my heart rate and blood pressure. Resting I have a pulse 50-60 bpm; almost every time the docs record around 120 bpm for me.
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Old 6th Jan 2012, 11:10
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Thom 775257, same problem with me, resting rate 50-60, in GPs rate better than a 100, BP elevated so like you self check at home, and am on minimal medication. Sometimes keeping a record yourself may influence serious decisions.
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Old 6th Jan 2012, 16:44
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Transient raised BP fits with transient raised pulse rate as both are mediated by the release of adrenaline when you see the doc.
As an AME, my pilots often have raised BP with me, yet if my nurse checks it's normal.
What is interesting is how often this happens, and im sure it's related to the personality type of pilots.
We like being in control, and having all the cards, when we go to the AME ( even when I go for my class 2) we are not in control anymore, and that's stressful, which causes release of which chemical?
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