Proactive Medical Care

[doctornigel]

I've been building my RV-10 for 2 years this summer, I've finished the wings and emp and am waiting patiently for my QB fuse. I fly regularly and renewed my medical last October. I just want to pass on how I think the requirement for pilot medicals may have saved my life. I have a family history of kidney stones, two months ago I started to get sporadic off center back pain, we have all hurt our backs but this would hurt one day and be okay the next. Knowing what my younger brother went through 3 times already with kidney stones, and wanting my medical to be invalid as short as possible, I scheduled an exam with a urologist (you cannot fly with kidney stones until they are removed and it is documented with a clear x-ray). My urologist is very thorough, even though there wasn't any microscopic blood in my urine and likely I didn't have a kidney stone, he recommended he scope my bladder as part of the exam, I almost declined but didn't. He found a tumor in my bladder, 90% are cancer (yes I got scoped again by another urologist later that week and he said exactly the same thing). So because I am a pilot, not because I am a doctor, we found the tumor early. The urologist says he rarely finds them this small, I will have it removed next week, and probably because of it's early treatment I won't need chemo or radiation, just follow-up. Did I tell you that I'm only 47. I should only have to self defer my medical until I can get my special issuance from the FAA, hopefully only a few months. Proactive medical care saved me from alot of grief and potentially saved my life, just wanted to pass this on to my RV-10 family and remind everyone to NOT delay regular medical care. Life is good!

 

[RV7AV8R]

The required medical exam saved my life too. A routine biannual discovered that I had advanced prostrate cancer. I had not been getting my psa tested and had no symptoms, but the digital exam and a psa of 23 was not good. Long story short, surgery followed then external radiation because they didn't get it all in surgery. That was the bad news form 2001. The good news in 2009 is that I got a letter from the FAA that said I can go back to biannual medicals (they had me on annuals) because my psa has been zero since the radiation. I am very lucky to still be alive at 63 and more so to still be flying!
Guys over 45, when you get your exam have them do a psa test on your blood. You often do not have symptoms with prostrate cancer. If detected early it can be treated very well.

p.s. Maybe this should be in the "On going maintenance" topic

 

[N395V]

The required medical exam saved my life too. A routine biannual discovered that I had advanced prostrate cancer. I had not been getting my psa tested and had no symptoms, but the digital exam and a psa of 23 was not good. Long story short, surgery followed then external radiation because they didn't get it all in surgery. That was the bad news form 2001. The good news in 2009 is that I got a letter from the FAA that said I can go back to biannual medicals (they had me on annuals) because my psa has been zero since the radiation. I am very lucky to still be alive at 63 and more so to still be flying!
Guys over 45, when you get your exam have them do a psa test on your blood. You often do not have symptoms with prostrate cancer. If detected early it can be treated very well.

p.s. Maybe this should be in the "On going maintenance" topic

This topic (digital exam on flight physical) has been discussed in many posts over the years usually in the form of a complaint about the digital exam being unecessary. Some have suggested physicians do it because we like to. (NOT) Others suggest we do it only to make money. (NOT)


The above post is why we do it. IT SAVES LIVES!

 

[frankh]

Wow!

What a stoke of good fortune..

At 47.5 I am beginning to worry about what I should be getting done (usually dictated by what the Insurance company will pay for!).

I understand the colonoscopy is for 50+ (assuming no family medical history of colon cancer) but I have no idea what other recommendations are out there.

Of course I have a friend who got CC when he skipped his colonoscopy..that was not fun to watch your buddy say "If I have to do this chemo thing again..well forget it cus I won't!"

Frank

 

[nucleus]

All Good But There is More to Do

I am a big believer in taking concentrated foods that are high in anticancer nutrients as well as regular supported detox fasts to improve detox clearance.

You can reverse your physical age.

Hans

 

[Norman CYYJ]

I am a big believer in taking concentrated foods that are high in anticancer nutrients as well as regular supported detox fasts to improve detox clearance.

You can reverse your physical age.

Hans

How long does it take to reverse your age back to the shape I was in in my twenties?

 

[flyboy1963]

medical care & tests

...and a note to all us lucky Canucks......most of these exams and treatments are covered by our 'universal' medicare...so there is NO reason not to have them!
Even if they aren't, they are cheap insurance! As a 46-year old with a family history, I'm getting all the tests I can that will keep me in the cockpit!
Good advice for us all!

 

[Capflyer]

Flying Saved My Life

I am alive today because of my medical. At 38 years old the AME sent me to get an echo cardiogram because of a very minor life long heart murmur. In the test they found I had an ascending aortic aneurysm that was ready to pop unrelated to the heart murmur. I was in having open heart surgery within the week to repair it. If it had popped, I would have been dead before hitting the floor.

 

[doctornigel]

Ah universal healthcare, I'm lucky we don't have it yet. My test wouldn't have been "approved", I had no blood in the urine. Under government healthcare, all medical tests have a standard for approval, you just check off some boxes and can tell if you are allowed to have a test or not. No doctor or patient input, just government mandates. My urologist's motto is if you walk through my door, I am going to thoroughly examine your entire genitourinary system, that's his job. I am going to avoid cancer treatment because of his and my decision to have a complete urological exam, thank god. My government would mandate that I wait until my tumor was bleeding into my bladder before diagnosis. They would also mandate the type of chemo that they would allow and where I would have treatment. I would not be allowed to go to MD Anderson or Mayo which is where I would go if I had a cancer that needed chemo. If I had a late state metastisized tumor that was deemed terminal with less than 3 months prognosis, I might not be given experimental or any treatment at all. Imagine healthcare run like Social Security or the VA or most government entities for that matter. Imagine someone without a medical degree, at a desk 1000 miles from me, making decisions that affect MY health. I don't need anyone but myself and my doctors to take care of me thank you.