Well, that's depressing...

[David Pavlich]

All this time I've been concerned about having high blood pressure, altbeit controlled with meds, as something that will derail my Private certificate. Well, I was just reading through a little tutorial about the physical and noticed that kidney stones can derail the certificate. Guess what...that's me. Any words of encouragement?

David

[rosiejerryrosie]

Buy an Aeronca - stay away from doctors - fly Light Sport. [And if that stone moves to a place where it starts hurting, get a large bottle of whiskey or get to a hospital ASAP]

[Mike Switzer]

Generally, if you are stone free for a certain period of time & your doc will say as much it isn't a problem - although I seem to remember Dr Bruce saying something once about a less common type of stone that keeps coming back and if you had that type you have a problem. If you are an AOPA member do a search in the medical section of the AOPA forums.

[David Pavlich]

I have the most common type which are calcium oxylate. I haven't had an "attack" for about 10 years. Some stone producers can have several in very short times, but that's not me. I can tell you, one is enough!

And as far as getting a Sport certificate, unfortunately, the only flight school in the area that has an S-LSA for instruction is a Cessna school and they require the physical to take lessons. Trust me, I checked into that already. I'm not happy...

David

[Jim Hann]

David, I'm an airline pilot and had an attack on April 22, 2011 as well as one back in 1998. I was cleared to fly less than six months later, and it could have been quicker but I was on furlough so I wasn't in a hurry. It is just more documentation, not a big one at that. Don't sweat it.

I know a retired corporate pilot who has cystine stones which are hereditary and require more attention, but he has still held a first class for many many years.

[David Pavlich]

Thanks, Jim!!! That just lifted my spirits a bunch. I've been in a funk all day. Darn things sure aren't fun. Did you pass the stones, basket extraction or lithotripsy?

David

[Jim Hann]

Thanks, Jim!!! That just lifted my spirits a bunch. I've been in a funk all day. Darn things sure aren't fun. Did you pass the stones, basket extraction or lithotripsy?

David

David, the one back in 1998 spontaneously passed. The two stones two years ago took two lithos, one each. Almost had to get the fragments of the first one with a basket but it passed the day before the second litho, whew! The biggest thing is being stone free (x-ray) in the follow up. If you are either an EAA or AOPA member, they have aeromedical help that can tell you what you can expect.

[David Pavlich]

The basket extraction, while far and away better than the scalpal, is miserable because after the procedure, a stent is placed in the ureter for a couple of weeks to allow the ureter to reform itself after being stretched by the basket. I won't describe the extraction, but suffice it to say, it is NOT fun. When I was 23, I'm 61 now, I had one cut out of my right ureter. The neat little gizmos we have now weren't around then.

I suggested to my urologist that they come up with a ureter replacement that's about a half inch in diameter to allow the stones to pass easily.

Edit: I was PMing with a guy on Cloudy Nights (astronomy forum) that's a retired pilot. I told him that I wouldn't be surprised if I had to have a KUB (X-ray: Kidney/Ureter/Bladder) before I'd be ok'd. It sounds like that may be the course of action that the AME will take. It's been so long since I've had a KUB, there's no telling if there's a stone in there or not. I'm not symptomatic, but who knows.

Jim, are you now required to have a KUB for your Class I now that you've been "blessed" with stones?

David

[Floatsflyer]

I've had 2 attacks spaced 8 years apart, last one in '92. Passed the first, not the second. About 15 years ago I felt one coming on and followed my doctor's instructions by drinking a ton of water which magically eliminated the on-coming pain. Been stone free ever since. The one I passed was biopsied and was found to be of the common 90th percentile variety. My doctor also told me to cut back on the eating of brocolli which is a cause.

I wish you all the best.

[steveinindy]

Edit: I was PMing with a guy on Cloudy Nights (astronomy forum) that's a retired pilot. I told him that I wouldn't be surprised if I had to have a KUB (X-ray: Kidney/Ureter/Bladder) before I'd be ok'd. It sounds like that may be the course of action that the AME will take. It's been so long since I've had a KUB, there's no telling if there's a stone in there or not. I'm not symptomatic, but who knows

Just an FYI, but not all stones show up on a KUB because of their small size, the normal amount of gas in the bowel obstructing the view and however much fat might be overlaying the abdominal wall not to mention the perinephric fat and capsule that surrounds the kidneys. According to my urologist (also had a kidney stone many years back), the stone has to be "rather large" to be reliably detected. I asked about routine screening for them and he said "Honestly, an urinalysis is going to tell you far more than an abdominal film about your chances of chucking a stone in the near future". Just my experience, your mileage may vary....

My doctor also told me to cut back on the eating of brocolli which is a cause.

...along with rhubarb, spinach, beets and a few other common greens which are heavily laden with oxalic acid.