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Thread: Flying with Type II diabetes

  1. #1

    Flying with Type II diabetes

    I have been told by my doctor (today) that since my oral medications are no longer working to control my blood sugar. She said I need to go on either Victoza (which she said has been happy with as far as effectiveness is concerned) or insulin (Lantus). Can anyone tell me their experiences with either medication and what hoops you had to go through with the FAA to get a class III medical? I'm upset and nervous about having to shoot myself and side effects. It's been several years since I've flown and my most recent class III expired more than 10 yrs ago, but when I got diagnosed in '89 my medical was initially refused although I got a SI (This is why I'm assuming I won't be able to use my driver's license even if I do sport pilot). Please correct me if I'm wrong.

  2. #2
    tdm's Avatar
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    Hi Gtausten,

    According to pilotfriend.com, (http://www.pilotfriend.com/aeromed/medical/diabetes.htm), the "
    FAA will certify some diabetic pilots who must use insulin for control of their condition. This authorization is limited to Third Class privileges only."

    Don't worry about injecting yourself, contemporary autoinjectors and jet injectors are very easy and almost painless to use.

    I also think this thread might be more appropriate in the "Hangar Talk" category.
    學而不思則罔,思而不學則殆。

  3. #3

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    I'm pretty sure you can be certified. Get ahold of Dr. Bruce through his website (http://home.comcast.net/~bbchien/site/) or the www.pilotsofamerica.com.

  4. #4
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    Hi GT,

    I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last August. My blood sugar over the last few years was going up slightly every year as discovered by my yearly medical check-ups with my GP doctor. Last year it spiked dramatically from the previous year of 6.9 to 10.6. My doctor who is also very well versed in diabetes diagnosis/prognosis and diabetes education said the best meds to control my blood sugar, in his opinion, was a combination of Metformin(very standard and effective) and Victosa(relatively new drug). I too did not look forward to sticking myself with a needle in the abdomin. I found the needle was the least of my worries. It was quite simple to use and the prick of the needle was impreceptable.

    The problem for me was the side effects. Read the info that comes with this drug and you will find a laundry list of side effects that makes your logical, smart mind say, why the hell do I want to take this stuff. After the first dose I felt a little nausaus. After the second shot the next day I threw up and noticed that my eyesight was blurry. Well, that was it for me. I immediately stopped the injections and told my doctor the symtoms and would no longer take this stuff. Clear eyesight came back to normal in a week!

    As a replacement, he put me on Januvia, a drug that's pretty new but because it's still within it's non-generic timeframe, is very expensive. But this combo appears to be working well. My sugar number ranges from 5.9-6-2.

    As for pilot medical issues related to type 2, I'll find out this July when I'm due but I'm not expecting any problems. I'm Canadian, our DOT is not nearly as nasty and intrusive as the FAA. The type 2 has not had any negative impact on my pilot abilities whatsoever or my daily life for that matter. As you know, meds is not enough to control your sugar levels--major diet changes and exercise are part of the keys to success. Good luck, talk to your GP about Januvia.
    Last edited by Floatsflyer; 02-19-2012 at 01:59 PM.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Floatsflyer View Post
    Hi GT,

    I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last August. My blood sugar over the last few years was going up slightly every year as discovered by my yearly medical check-ups with my GP doctor. Last year it spiked dramatically from the previous year of 6.9 to 10.6. My doctor who is also very well versed in diabetes diagnosis/prognosis and diabetes education said the best meds to control my blood sugar, in his opinion, was a combination of Metformin(very standard and effective) and Victosa(relatively new drug). I too did not look forward to sticking myself with a needle in the abdomin. I found the needle was the least of my worries. It was quite simple to use and the prick of the needle was impreceptable.

    The problem for me was the side effects. Read the info that comes with this drug and you will find a laundry list of side effects that makes your logical, smart mind say, why the hell do I want to take this stuff. After the first dose I felt a little nausaus. After the second shot the next day I threw up and noticed that my eyesight was blurry. Well, that was it for me. I immediately stopped the injections and told my doctor the symtoms and would no longer take this stuff. Clear eyesight came back to normal in a week!

    As a replacement, he put me on Januvia, a drug that's pretty new but because it's still within it's non-generic timeframe, is very expensive. But this combo appears to be working well. My sugar number ranges from 5.9-6-2.

    As for pilot medical issues related to type 2, I'll find out this July when I'm due but I'm not expecting any problems. I'm Canadian, our DOT is not nearly as nasty and intrusive as the FAA. The type 2 has not had any negative impact on my pilot abilities whatsoever or my daily life for that matter. As you know, meds is not enough to control your sugar levels--major diet changes and exercise are part of the keys to success. Good luck, talk to your GP about Januvia.
    I just started Victoza about 4 days ago on the starter dose and have already noticed significant improvements in my morning sugars (and yes, pricking my finger IS more painful than the shots as I have been told, much to my relief) I still have about a week and a half to take it and check before breakfast and before bed and then my doctor will decide on the final dose...I sure hope she lowers the dose on my other meds. I have occasionally noted very slight nausea about 4 or 5 hours after I shoot myself, but that's it, and it's not enough to really bother me. The bad thing is that it's an $85/mo co-pay and I currently don't have a full-time job.

  6. #6
    Hi: Your A1C will need to come down to below 9 to gain certification and it looks like you have that part taken care of. I am a bit unclear as to the medication combination you are using but if you are Januvia/Metformin that is an allowable combination. There are two important parts of the documentation that you will need. One is that there have been no hypoglycemic events and that there is no evidence of eye, kidney, neurological or cardiac disease. I can send you a form that we use for our type 2 pilots which is accepted by the FAA. Please write if you want on this forum or we can help you further at gpinnell@charter.net if you want more confidentiality. Regards, Greg Pinnell, MD

  7. #7
    JimRice85's Avatar
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    If you got an SI after first denial, were not subsequently revoked/denied and your SI simply expired you CAN exercise Sport Pilot privileges.
    Jim Rice
    Wolf River Airport (54M)
    Collierville, TN

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  8. #8

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    I have been a Type II diabetic for the last 5 years. I started on oral medication and switched over to Lantus (injection type insulin) late last year. I have been flying as a Light Sport pilot frankly because I don't want to have to jump through hoops to keep a medical. Last summer my doctor and I noticed that my A1C had climbed to 9.3 after a history of never being over 6.0 while on oral medication. It took a couple of months to get my dosage correct with the Lantus but now my blood sugar readings have dropped to where they should be. I have not had any problems with side effects since I started the Lantus. My next A1C test will be in a week and I'm looking forward to finding out how I am doing. I have also started to get serious about exercise and diet and have lost weight.

    My paternal grandparents and my mother and father were all diabetic so I knew I had it coming, although none of my 3 siblings are, yet. I don't think that being diabetic will prevent you from getting a medical but you need to be aggressive about monitoring and controlling it.

  9. #9
    Unfortunately diabetes can keep you from getting your medical. There are parameters for your Hgb A1C numbers that you have to stay within and many different medication combinations that are not allowed. I have to deal with this problem every day with my pilot patients. After 50 you need to have a stress test every 5 years if you are on insulin. If you are contemplating flying other than LSA (and even if you are) a good plan would be to stay in touch with Susan Sedlachek at EAA at 920-426-6112. We also have a five member Flight Surgeon Aeromedical Council at EAA which can help pilots with problems as well as around 150 physician pilot advocates. Best of luck with the A1C next week and please stay in touch.
    Last edited by gpinnell; 02-22-2012 at 05:18 PM. Reason: clarification

  10. #10

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    Both my dad and myself had type 2 but through diet and exercise we both kept our licenses over the years.His airline transport and mine commercial.

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