Medications that can ground you

[hangar7guy]

I've been asked recently about medications that are unacceptable to the FAA. What the prospective student wanted to know about, specifically, were antidepressants such as Prozac.

It's my understanding that you must be off of such a medication for a certain length of time (a year?) before they'll even consider recertifiying you. And...you must also satisfy them that you're over whatever sort of depressive illness required you to use that prescription in the first place. AND it's also my understanding that it's a long and very difficult process. Correct?

Does anyone have an answer to this, or can you point me to the appropriate place in the FAA's circuitous web site(s) that will provide an answer? I should know how to find it, but I've roamed all over and got kind of exasperated. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Flymach2]

Hi...

In addition to checking into what AOPA has to offer, this link may also be helpful.

Regards

Pilot Medical Solutions

 

[JCJ]

Prozac and other anti-depressants are considered by the FAA as "mood-altering" and are therefore use of the drug DQ's one for any class of medical certificate. Unfortunately this is true even if you are using the medication for a non DQ'ing condition. For example Zyban is commonly prescribed as an aid for persons who want to stop smoking - but since it is an antidepressant, it's use is DQ'ing for any class of medical - even if only used as an aid to stop smoking.

As mentioned, after the medicine is stopped for a certain period of time (i think 3 months) one may be eligible for a medical certificate if the condition that required it's use in the first place allows one to qualify.

The FAA doesn't seem to be too interested in granting any waivers on this issue. The two resources mentioned above are excellent, and just the medical help alone makes a $39.00/yr AOPA membership worthwhile.

jj

 

[Airpiraterob]

heres what i found out...

i went through this with a student...a few actually. it showed up when he mentioned a prescription drug on his student pilot application for the medical.

he was taking Zyban...to help quit smoking. well guess what that was baned...it has aparently within the drug combination. a small ammount of anti-depressant.

so i called OK city to find out more about it. and heres what they told me.

anything mood-altering will disqualify you. absolutely. dosent matter how much there is. anything CONCIDERED mood altering. so all anti-depressants and stability drugs basicly.

now, to fly again after using it you must be off the drug for 90 days, then see an AME, and get the medical done and he/she will determine if youre capable and safe to fly without the drug. then after that you will be able to fly.

same thing with any serious accidents you may have had (such as a car accident and skull fracture 16 years ago with one student)..took a whole year to get everything sorted out so he could get his licence.

all the FAA is doing is making absolutely sure theres no risk of the pilot wacking out in mid air.

 

[B190Captain]

Why is Nyquil so taboo?

 

[avbug]

Regardless of the medication used, a more critical factor is the underlying condition for which the medication is taken. While the medication may provide side affects which are not acceptable for flight, the condition that requires the medication is very possibly grounding of it's own accord.

The FAA doesn't publish a list of "approved" drugs. However, an unofficial listing can be seen at:

http://www.leftseat.com/medcat1.htm

That site will also provide additional useful information on the subject.

 

[JCJ]

nyquil

doxylamine (one of the ingredients in nyquil) is a sedating ahtihistamine, i.e. a sedative. in fact, this medication is marketed by itself an an OTC sleeping pill - therefore Nyquil use is DQing.

As mentioned, the condition requiring Nyquil might be DQing itself - if you have a cold bad enough to use something like nyquil, then you probably shouldn't be flying until your illness has resolved

if you have mild seasonal allergies, there are non-sedating antihistamines (Allegra or Claritin) that the FAA is OK with

 

[B190Captain]

Re: nyquil

doxylamine (one of the ingredients in nyquil) is a sedating ahtihistamine, i.e. a sedative. in fact, this medication is marketed by itself an an OTC sleeping pill - therefore Nyquil use is DQing.

As mentioned, the condition requiring Nyquil might be DQing itself - if you have a cold bad enough to use something like nyquil, then you probably shouldn't be flying until your illness has resolved

if you have mild seasonal allergies, there are non-sedating antihistamines (Allegra or Claritin) that the FAA is OK with

FlyChicaga stated that you could not use it AT ALL regardless of time off from flying. Would that be a true statement?

 

[Singlecoil]

Here is why they don't like mood altering drugs. It was Paxil in this case.

Crash in Haines, AK

 

[JCJ]

use of nyquil and other cold remedies

Disclaimer: I am not an AME, but I am am a physician, and I do follow aviation medicine and flight safety stuff closely both for my own medical and becasue i supervise some other pilots

temporary use of a cold remedy such as nyquil is not permanently disqualifying. You should not fly while you have a cold, especially one severe enough that you need to use a cold remedy.

A general rule is that you are probably good to go once your cold symptoms are gone, and you have waited three times the length of time recommended as the dosing interval for the cold remedy.

for example, if your cold remedy is recommended to be taken every six hours, you are probably ok if you are back to your normal state of health, your cold symptoms are gone and it has been eighteen hours since your last dose of the medication.

every time you choose to act as PIC, you "self certify" that your health is ok as defined in 61.53. Remember the two issues - you should be over whatever made you sick enough to need the cold remedy in the first place and you should be off the cold remedy for at least three times the dosing interval before you fly.

the above applies only to temporary, self limited conditions. more serious illnesses should result in at least a phone call to your ame or family physician before resuming your flying

fly safe

jcj

Singlecoil is that a "B-52 Stratocaster"?