Are there any pilots on here? Are you able to work while on ADT?

Hey @jeffmarc
What you answered is only partially correct, and it's not the license that is the issue but the medical certificate. For the rest of the folks on here, this may be a little "pilot speak" but hopefully will answer @cjflyguy 's question. ..and we likely have the same type rating there!

US Part 121 active pilot. Class I medical

I was using Orgovyx, Orgovyx isn't (or wasn't) on the banned list and it isn't on the approved list, so it's a sort of case by case basis. If it was just the Orgovyx, my guess is they'd treat like other meds, you'd have to take it for some period of time and if all was good, they'd give you an SI.

Short form timeline,
Diagnosed, RARP, chemical recurrence, Radiation and Orgovyx as salvage.

So FAA medical could not be issued because of the recurrence. Then I had to get an SI as a result, they didn't issue that for about 7 mos, my guess is waiting to see if I reported more side effects. Mine were very manageable. So, short answer, yes, I was allowed to fly while on Orgovyx. Thankfully, my company was outstanding during all of this. Also, I'm senior enough to have very good control of my schedule, I took it easy on myself. 🙂 If this happened while I was 91/135 my guess is it would have been different.

The SI isn't good for any class for more than one year, need clinical reports from cancer care giver every year for the medical to renew the SI (it's now issued under those guidelines by the AME, don't have to wait for OKC). I think I'm stuck in SI land for a couple more years. It's a PITA but at least I was able to keep working.

I would suggest going to a Senior AME, mine was excellent at dealing with all of this. He happens to be a GP who's practice is mostly on aging folks, in my area, and referred a lot of folks to my urologist(s) and knows them. Just dumb luck on my part.

Working off old company schedules....
Recurrence and orgovyx start was around 6/22
Issuance of SI was around 1/23 (ish) ,
Orgovyx break started around 6/24

Fingers crossed, still off it. Blood test in a couple weeks, and retiring in 3 weeks! (aging out...)

Feel free to contact me directly if I can help in any way.
Best of luck to you!

@jeffmarc is orgovyx FAA approved? AI OverviewOrgovyx (relugolix) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for advanced prostate cancer, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not "approve" medications in that manner. Instead, the FAA evaluates medications on a case-by-case basis to determine if a pilot or air traffic controller can safely perform duties while taking them.FAA Medication RulesThe FAA maintains a list of accepted or deferred medications rather than giving blanket approvals.Cancer treatments and hormone therapies like Orgovyx generally require special issuance medical certification.Active treatment and side effects (such as fatigue or heart rhythm changes) are closely reviewed by an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) or the FAA aeromedical division.If you are an airman seeking medical certification while on Orgovyx, would you like guidance on how to coordinate with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) or what documentation the FAA typically requires for prostate cancer evaluations?Federal Aviation Administration (.gov)Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners - Federal Aviation AdministrationAug 25, 2017 — Medical History: Use of medication for erectile dysfunction (ED) and/or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may not be disqualifying for medical certification if...Facing Hereditary Cancer EmpoweredUpdate: FDA approves Orgovyx, the first oral hormone therapy of its type for treating advanced prostate cancerFeb 18, 2021 — The FDA approved Orgovyx (relugolix) in December 2020 to treat advanced prostate cancer. The approval was based on data from the HERO clinical trial, which incl...ZERO Prostate CancerMyovant Sciences Announces FDA Approval of ORGOVYX™ ( ...Dec 21, 2020 — Myovant Sciences Announces FDA Approval of ORGOVYX™ (relugolix), the First and Only Oral Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Receptor Antagonist for Advanced ...Pilot Medical SolutionsFAA Accepted Medications – Pilot Medical Solutions – LeftSeat.comVision, and in particular, color vision can be affected. The FAA will likely require color vision testing utilizing the latest color vision tests. ... Anti-Neop...American College of Clinical PharmacologyFDA Approves ORGOVYX for the Treatment of Advanced Prostate ...Dec 18, 2020 — FDA Approves ORGOVYX (relugolix) for the Treatment of Advanced Prostate Cancer * On December 18, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ORGO...aeromedexam.comMedicationsThe FAA does not publish an official list of approved medications. Acceptable/approved medications are generally for the condition listed and are approved on a ...Pilot Medical SolutionsFAA Medical Certification | Medications – Pilot Medical Solutions – LeftSeat.comThe FAA does not publish a list of approved medications. Usually, it is the condition being treated which determines approval.AOPACancerWith few exceptions, the FAA considers all types of cancer to be disqualifying, and require a special issuance medical certificate. To be considered for a speci...MedicineNetOrgovyx: Prostate Cancer Treatment Side Effects & InteractionsOrgovyx (relugolix) is a prescription medication used to treat prostate cancer. Serious side effects include changes in the electrical activity of your heart (Q...This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a professional. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
Postscript: your AME will help you with a Special Issuance Medical Certificate.

@web265
Thank you! That’s excellent information. I am in Canada and some of the terms are different, but it’s the same idea. I believe instead of SI it is a class 1 with restrictions depending on the situation. I am hoping to start the process in September after my next blood test and Urologist appointment. From what I’ve heard so far it seems to be a case by case situation as everyone manages any side effects differently. I have a few years left and am hoping to age out too. Happy retirement! Enjoy your last flight!

@cjflyguy Yes, I always found the TCCA people (at least my regional office in Toronto) quite accommodating — it was less of an adversarial relationship when I started a new med than a friendly "take a couple of weeks, and if there are no side-effects, you're OK to fly." Granted that it was a Class 3 medical, not a Class 1 like yours.

But when I let them know about my spinal injury, they came down hard and told me (politely) that I'd be unlikely to be allowed to exercise the privileges of any aviation license or permit again (even an RPP or ultralight).

My orthopedic surgeon said their concerns about my spine were nonsense and he was willing to write a letter, but so far, I haven't decided to appeal, because I know I could spend months and thousands in legal fees, only to have them turn around and mention my cancer meds.

Also, I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy being limited to flying rental planes in day VFR on an RPP or something similar. I was more of a cross-country pilot than a $100 hamburger one. For now, getting on with my life in long-term remission no longer includes negotiating with Toronto Centre for a better altitude. 🙂

But then, it's not my livelihood, so it's a different situation. I hope things work out for you.

Prostate cancer did not take away my pilot's license. After RP and recovery, I was back in the air. Two years later, stage 4 metastatic cancer resulted in ADT. My medical was pulled, and my file still sits in Oklahoma City, where it will stay. Although I am no longer on ADT, I felt that trying to get my medical reinstated was not a smart move. I absolutely love piloting. But I realized the symptoms I clearly have from the cancer make it unsafe to pilot an aircraft.

@web265
You are specifically talking about Orgovyx it seems.

Does the medical certificate requirement say anything about Lupron, Firmagon or Eligard?

@azp52 That's a fair concern. 1 1/2 years after my diagnosis, as soon as I could walk again with a cane (the spinal lesion had paralyzed me), I went up in a rental 172 dual with an instructor in the right seat and flew around the patch. He said my stick-and-rudder skills were still fine. You might enjoy trying that too, just for the ego boost (if nothing else).

If it were strictly about me and not the other aircraft at/near airports, I'd be more worried about driving than flying.

In the air, there's typically no one else within 1 km of me in any direction (sometimes far more than that); driving a car on the highway, there are trucks passing within a few feet of me in the opposite direction, and our combined closing speed is over 200 km/h, so it would take only a 10° turn of the steering wheel to be dead in a couple of seconds.

Frankly, I don't know why more people aren't afraid of driving than flying.

Hi CJflyguy,

I am a retired airline pilot (age 69) however my PC train ride (Gleason 7) has not yet stopped at the ADT station.
Presently 22 months out of my RALP surgery and I hold a Class 1 medical and presently fly corporate. I have a couple friends in the PC club that are retired airline guys who who now hold Class 3 medicals in order to exercise the privilege of private pilot only. I have one friend who is now on ADT after a recurrence and as I understand it switched to a "Basic Med" medical to operate his single seat lite Sport aircraft.
Following my RALP surgery (and 4 months automatic grounding), the biggest issue was urinary urgency that required me limit caffeine and water intake a bit while in flight. The urinary urgency passed after about 8 months and things are completely normal now in that regard. What treatment are you recovering from?

@northoftheborder, I agree with your driving/flying comparison. The majority of my flying was XC, and I always felt safe and confident. When driving the same routes, I was more concerned about other drivers. My issue now is the pain level. The pain is so distracting that I can see myself falling behind the plane. As you know, falling behind the plane is when the holes in the Swiss cheese can begin to line up. That can lead to disaster. I find it difficult to even drive, which can be just as dangerous to me and others on the road. I have been up with a CFI, and we did basic and advanced maneuvers. Admittedly, I was distracted by intense pain in the hips where my cancer is now. If you control the pain with prescribed pain meds, that’s another level of medical disqualification. For now, my flying will be sitting in the right seat with my pilot son as the PIC. Best wishes to you!

@beachflyer
I had a prostatectomy last summer but then required radiation as well. I started ADT in November and so far my PSA is undetectable, so I am hoping to start the return to work process soon. I appreciate all of the information!