Thyroid problem and Aviation?

Question

Hi, I am an 18 yo male who lives in Canada and took the Class 1 Aviation Medical, and passed, to begin my Private Pilots License. However I am a little concerned, because my mother suffers from a Thyroid problem, and must take medication for the rest of her life. I was wondering if this is hereditary, and I will suffer from it? Would they have picked it up when they did testing on my blood for the medical? I am concerned because I do not want this to afffect my future plans to become an airline pilot.

Answer 1

To answer your first question, yes, thyroid disorder can be genetic.  For example I have it, my mother had it, her brother had it, two of my sisters and one of my brothers have it, my daughter has it and now my three year old grandson has it.  The good news is that it is not a big deal.  You get diagnosed, take medication, and get on with your life, doing anything you want to do - including aviation.  You may get it, and you may not.   Two of my brothers do not have it, and one of my daughters does not have it.

With the blood tests they did with you, they may or may not have done the thyroid test.  If they did, you know that everything is fine.  In case they didn't do it, you should get it done once a year because of your family history and that way you know it will be picked up quickly.  Either way, it will not affect an aviation career.

As a point of interest where I was born in Canada there is 10 times as much thyroid disorder as in the rest of the country and they don't know why.  It is not an industrialized area, no chemicals or anything like that.

Answer 2

I do not think you will have problems in future. Since you passed your Class 1 medicals which at the initial levels are more stringent and would have detected any overt disease. Any way as a precautionary method do a T3, T4 & TSH test to rule out thyroid disorder. Even then if you suffer from it in future you need to be in a euthyriod state ( ie normal thyroid function) with medication and you are fit to fly.

For more go through the resource mentioned below