Chris Finlayson

The other requirement is to be evaluated by a board certified psychiatrist. The psychiatrist that I was seeing, she was a nurse practitioner. That wasn't at the level for which the FAA would require. So I then had to search out a MD.

The other requirement is to be evaluated by a board certified psychiatrist. The psychiatrist that I was seeing, she was a nurse practitioner. That wasn't at the level for which the FAA would require. So I then had to search out a MD.

I had to go through a cognitive screening, a personality screening, as well as an interview by a neuropsychologist.

I had to go through a cognitive screening, a personality screening, as well as an interview by a neuropsychologist.

I also had to go through neurological testing.

I also had to go through neurological testing.

It is boring. It is paying about four grand out of pocket to play. Oh, what's the app on the phone? Basically like paying four grand to play luminosity while a doctor stares over your shoulder. That's all elective testing. None of that is covered by insurance. So it's all out of pocket.

It is boring. It is paying about four grand out of pocket to play. Oh, what's the app on the phone? Basically like paying four grand to play luminosity while a doctor stares over your shoulder. That's all elective testing. None of that is covered by insurance. So it's all out of pocket.

So, yeah. So in the FAA world, it is absolutely required. It is a requirement for me to get a medical. It is a requirement to have a medical to do my job. Requirement, requirement, requirement. Insurance land, it is, I do not need to be a pilot. This is not medically necessary for my health. It is medically necessary for my employment.

So, yeah. So in the FAA world, it is absolutely required. It is a requirement for me to get a medical. It is a requirement to have a medical to do my job. Requirement, requirement, requirement. Insurance land, it is, I do not need to be a pilot. This is not medically necessary for my health. It is medically necessary for my employment.

I got a really bad bout of long COVID. Memory loss, brain fog, fatigue. That really tanked my serotonin that all of a sudden triggered every anxiety I possibly had. December 19th, 2021 was my last flight.

I got a really bad bout of long COVID. Memory loss, brain fog, fatigue. That really tanked my serotonin that all of a sudden triggered every anxiety I possibly had. December 19th, 2021 was my last flight.

The woman just said, yep, you were denied. I was like, what? I actually requested my full file from the FAA with the application notes and things that they normally don't send you. They see me as in remission, but I need to check more boxes, essentially. That's probably the most frustrating thing for me right now is the fact that, like, I kind of got hosed.

The woman just said, yep, you were denied. I was like, what? I actually requested my full file from the FAA with the application notes and things that they normally don't send you. They see me as in remission, but I need to check more boxes, essentially. That's probably the most frustrating thing for me right now is the fact that, like, I kind of got hosed.

And now there's no recourse other than to start it all over. So...

And now there's no recourse other than to start it all over. So...

I remember sitting in my bed after a panic attack and just thinking, I can't do this. And I remember going into the doctor's office in February of 2022, thinking that, frankly, I was throwing my career away.

I remember sitting in my bed after a panic attack and just thinking, I can't do this. And I remember going into the doctor's office in February of 2022, thinking that, frankly, I was throwing my career away.

Yep. Basically, I'm having to restart the whole process. So I have to wait on the FAA to send them my paperwork. I have to wait on my other doctors to send them paperwork. I have to wait on all that stuff for them to compile that. I'm probably going to have to redo some testing because, you know, the FAA is not going to want to see a test that's a year and a half old.

Yep. Basically, I'm having to restart the whole process. So I have to wait on the FAA to send them my paperwork. I have to wait on my other doctors to send them paperwork. I have to wait on all that stuff for them to compile that. I'm probably going to have to redo some testing because, you know, the FAA is not going to want to see a test that's a year and a half old.

I'm in for the long haul, let's say the least.

I'm in for the long haul, let's say the least.

10 milligrams. Did that for about six months, tried to go off it. And unfortunately that didn't work.

10 milligrams. Did that for about six months, tried to go off it. And unfortunately that didn't work.

And that's when my psychiatrist was like, look, like, I get all this stuff, but we should really escalate you up to 20 just to see what happens because there's nothing to lose at this point. And that's when I really gave up like, okay, I guess I'm just going to be on this rug no matter what. So I am going to, no matter what, need these special issuance.

And that's when my psychiatrist was like, look, like, I get all this stuff, but we should really escalate you up to 20 just to see what happens because there's nothing to lose at this point. And that's when I really gave up like, okay, I guess I'm just going to be on this rug no matter what. So I am going to, no matter what, need these special issuance.

When I started that higher dosage of my SSRI, After about six weeks on that, I was like, oh, this is clarity. This is awesome. This is a good state to be in. I've maintained that ever since.

When I started that higher dosage of my SSRI, After about six weeks on that, I was like, oh, this is clarity. This is awesome. This is a good state to be in. I've maintained that ever since.

I didn't know how long it was potentially going to take. I wasn't sure what exactly that cost was going to be, how I was going to pay for that if I wasn't going to be working. the lack of transparency involved with the FAA's processes, all of those things.

I didn't know how long it was potentially going to take. I wasn't sure what exactly that cost was going to be, how I was going to pay for that if I wasn't going to be working. the lack of transparency involved with the FAA's processes, all of those things.

The other requirement is to be evaluated by a board certified psychiatrist. The psychiatrist that I was seeing, she was a nurse practitioner. That wasn't at the level for which the FAA would require. So I then had to search out a MD.

I had to go through a cognitive screening, a personality screening, as well as an interview by a neuropsychologist.

I also had to go through neurological testing.

It is boring. It is paying about four grand out of pocket to play. Oh, what's the app on the phone? Basically like paying four grand to play luminosity while a doctor stares over your shoulder. That's all elective testing. None of that is covered by insurance. So it's all out of pocket.

So, yeah. So in the FAA world, it is absolutely required. It is a requirement for me to get a medical. It is a requirement to have a medical to do my job. Requirement, requirement, requirement. Insurance land, it is, I do not need to be a pilot. This is not medically necessary for my health. It is medically necessary for my employment.

I got a really bad bout of long COVID. Memory loss, brain fog, fatigue. That really tanked my serotonin that all of a sudden triggered every anxiety I possibly had. December 19th, 2021 was my last flight.

The woman just said, yep, you were denied. I was like, what? I actually requested my full file from the FAA with the application notes and things that they normally don't send you. They see me as in remission, but I need to check more boxes, essentially. That's probably the most frustrating thing for me right now is the fact that, like, I kind of got hosed.

And now there's no recourse other than to start it all over. So...

I remember sitting in my bed after a panic attack and just thinking, I can't do this. And I remember going into the doctor's office in February of 2022, thinking that, frankly, I was throwing my career away.

Yep. Basically, I'm having to restart the whole process. So I have to wait on the FAA to send them my paperwork. I have to wait on my other doctors to send them paperwork. I have to wait on all that stuff for them to compile that. I'm probably going to have to redo some testing because, you know, the FAA is not going to want to see a test that's a year and a half old.

I'm in for the long haul, let's say the least.

10 milligrams. Did that for about six months, tried to go off it. And unfortunately that didn't work.

And that's when my psychiatrist was like, look, like, I get all this stuff, but we should really escalate you up to 20 just to see what happens because there's nothing to lose at this point. And that's when I really gave up like, okay, I guess I'm just going to be on this rug no matter what. So I am going to, no matter what, need these special issuance.

When I started that higher dosage of my SSRI, After about six weeks on that, I was like, oh, this is clarity. This is awesome. This is a good state to be in. I've maintained that ever since.

I didn't know how long it was potentially going to take. I wasn't sure what exactly that cost was going to be, how I was going to pay for that if I wasn't going to be working. the lack of transparency involved with the FAA's processes, all of those things.