Medical 1+ Glucose

[sma]

Hi all,

I received a TOL from 7/7 OTS/CTI bid and completed my medical last week. The AME told me that I have a 1+ glucose from the urinalysis and then I received the following letter from the FAA this morning:

On your recent FAA physical examination, you were found to have 1+ glucose (sugar) in your urine.
Any glucose in the urine is abnormal and suggests either glucose intolerance or abnormal kidney
reabsorption. Based on this history you do not currently meet the Medical Qualifications Standards
of 3930.3B, Air Traffic Control Specialist Health Program. We require additional information
before we can make determination about your medical qualifications for Air Traffic Control
Specialist (ATCS) with or without a special consideration. Therefore, if you wish to continue your
application for an ATCS position, you will need to submit the following:

A current status report from your treating physician regarding any diagnosis of glucose
intolerance vs. early diabetes. The report should include a fingerstick and/or fasting glucose
level and a HgbA1c level, along with repeat urinalysis, listing of your current diagnoses, any
treatments planned, including medications prescribed and dosage, along with the results of
any additional tests performed.

FAA Order 3930.3B writes that you are responsible for paying any fees involved in obtaining
medical tests and/or documentation to support an initial certification or special consideration. The
cost of transportation or other miscellaneous costs also are your responsibility.
If you wish to pursue employment for an Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) position, you should
furnish this information to this office within 15 days of the date of this letter. Otherwise, your name
may be removed from consideration for an ATCS position.

Has anyone else gone through this while being hired and what was your experience? I'm feeling like this is really bad news for me but can anybody tell me otherwise?

 

[Nur810]

Whether it is bad news or not for you will depend on the results of further testing. I don't think anyone here can tell you otherwise. Many applicants have been found medically disqualified and, upon further evaluation and appeal, have been cleared. Your urine result could be a random fluke, or you might have diabetes or something else which would end the game for you. In any case it would be wise to seek further testing for your own sake.

 

[sma]

I do have history of diabetes in my family although I didn't have any reason to believe that I have it currently until I received the letter this morning. If it is diabetes, is that an automatic disqualifier for me or can I get on a regimen with approved meds and diet to keep it under control and the FAA would be ok with that?

 

[Avatar]

I do have history of diabetes in my family although I didn't have any reason to believe that I have it currently until I received the letter this morning. If it is diabetes, is that an automatic disqualifier for me or can I get on a regimen with approved meds and diet to keep it under control and the FAA would be ok with that?

Unfortunately, diabetes is disqualifying. You’ll have to get a physical and do everything you can to make sure/prove you don’t have it.

 

[wand_waver]

Unfortunately, diabetes is disqualifying. You’ll have to get a physical and do everything you can to make sure/prove you don’t have it.

Not sure how much of that is true...I found this from leftseat:

a. Terminal. The terminal specialist who has an established clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus will be evaluated for continued duty based upon the degree of control of the disease. Whether by diet alone, or diet and hypoglycemic drugs, control which results in the absence of symptoms and the absence of complications of the disease or the therapy, may be considered as satisfactory control. A controller with diabetes mellitus who cannot demonstrate satisfactory control over specified and observed periods of 48 hours is not cleared for duty involving active air traffic control.

b. Center. The center specialist who has an established clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus will be evaluated for continued duty based upon the degree of control of the disease. Whether by diet alone, or diet and hypoglycemic drugs, control which results in the absence of symptoms and the absence of complications of he disease or the therapy, may be considered as satisfactory control. A controller with diabetes mellitus who cannot demonstrate satisfactory control over specified and observed periods of 48 hours is not cleared for duty involving active air traffic control.

Also, reference https://www.aviationmedicine.com/wp...-Guidelines-for-ATCS- Revised-31-Jul-2013.pdf

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

Generally requirements for those already in the agency are different than those trying to get hired.

 

[MJ]

1. No medical history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.

It is disqualifying. HOWEVER...
https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/FAA_Order_3930.3B_Chg_1.pdf
That's the document which describes 2152 medical requirements. There is an entire appendix dedicated to diabetes mellitus. In the event insulin treatment is required, you can still be granted a special clearance, but it is not going to be quick or easy.

Go to the doctor, find out what's actually going on.

 

[Acquired Taste]

During my physical my urinalysis hit positive for sugar and microalbumin (protein found in blood that healthy kidneys aren't supposed to let pass through to your urine). My mom has diabetes and my dad has high blood pressure so i thought ( and still think) it's very possible my kidneys are messed up. I ended up just having to go to my primary doctor and have blood and urine tests done. They did better tests in the lab and found no sugar, my albumin levels normal, and my blood sugar was normal too. The initial test might have just been a fluke. They use a dipstick test i believe instead of sending it off to a proper medical lab. My doc sent in the paperwork and I got cleared by the FAA shortly after.

 

[sma]

Thanks all for replying. Of course I will be going to the doctor to check out what the issue is exactly. Was just hoping to hear from anybody who has gone through this and what their experience was. I'll update as I have more info.

 

[sma]

Just wanted to give an update for any who might be wondering, I went and got my blood work done and everything was fine. Blood sugar levels were at a healthy level and no other issues either. But as a word of advice to anybody else who has yet to do their physical, don't eat anything with sugar the night before or the day of your physical. I had cereal and breakfast bars the day of my physical, which I think may have contributed to the faulty 1+ glucose level in the urinalysis.

 

[Bart Harley Jarvis]

Just wanted to give an update for any who might be wondering, I went and got my blood work done and everything was fine. Blood sugar levels were at a healthy level and no other issues either. But as a word of advice to anybody else who has yet to do their physical, don't eat anything with sugar the night before or the day of your physical. I had cereal and breakfast bars the day of my physical, which I think may have contributed to the faulty 1+ glucose level in the urinalysis.

I had Costco pizza like three hours before mine so when I saw my blood pressure reading I was like woah lol.... But luckily never got flagged for anything.