Antidepressants and 3rd Class Medical

Last I knew all antidepressants were immediately disqualifying for any
class of medical certificate. Is this still the case? If a pilot has a
current 3rd class medical, and then begins taking antidepressants, I
assume his certificate immediately becomes void. What is the process
for re-obtaining the medical certificate after treatment is completed?
What kinds of things is the FAA looking for? Are there certain
antidepressants that they are more lenient on than others (after
treatment)?

Thanks! =)

--TWH
--PP-ASEL-IA

"Tim Howell" wrote:

What is the process for re-obtaining the
medical certificate after treatment is completed?

That rather depends whether he tells the FAA or not.....

Lately it seems to depend somewhat on why the antidepressant is prescribed.
Some antidepressants are sold under two different names; one as a pain
medication, for example, and the other as an antidepressant. Even your
doctor may not be aware that they are really the same drug.

What is the process for re-obtaining the
medical certificate after treatment is completed?

That rather depends whether he tells the FAA or not.....

That's the key. There are 2 issues here that the FAA will react to - the
depression that is being treated and the medication that is being used.
While it may be reasonable for the FAA to specify what medications are
safe/unsafe, I don't think it is reasonable to have them wading around in
psychological conditions.

Fortunately, you do have the room to manage your health and the FAA by
maintaining separate medical relationships. But with that ability comes a
great deal of responsibility.

"Tim Howell" wrote in message ...
Last I knew all antidepressants were immediately disqualifying for any
class of medical certificate. Is this still the case?

To my knowledge, yes. The FAA has a bug up it's ass about anything remotely
psychoactive.

What is the process
for re-obtaining the medical certificate after treatment is completed?
What kinds of things is the FAA looking for? Are there certain
antidepressants that they are more lenient on than others (after
treatment)?

Mostly they want a statement from the treating doctors that the medication
is no longer required. They want a statement that you've been off for 90
days and don't need them anymore. Depending on the conditions that
caused you to need them to begin with, they may require additional
Psychiatric/Psycological tests.

It's excruciatingly slow to work through the FAA bureaucracy on this (only
because the medical certification office is wallowing in disorganized paper
pushing and it's not getting any better). However, the process is rather
straight forward and other than time and expense usually is resolved in
favor of the pilot.

"Toks Desalu" wrote in message news:3f15ac79@shknews01...
Tim-
From my experience, anideppressants/anxiety medications do not mix with
flying, no question about it.

Only because of FAA obstinance. There is no indication that controlled SSRI
use isn't advantageous in some people.

If a pilot has current 3rd class medical, and then
begins taking antidepressants, you are required to void your certificate
VOLUNTARILY according to FAA regulation.

No, you're just required not to use it.

To re-obtain your certificate, you
would require a six-month evaluation without a medication.

90 days in most cases.

Tim-
From my experience, anideppressants/anxiety medications do not mix with
flying, no question about it. There is no other way around it. Actually,
there is one other way but, it is against the regulation. So, I wouldn't do
that if I were you. If a pilot has current 3rd class medical, and then
begins taking antidepressants, you are required to void your certificate
VOLUNTARILY according to FAA regulation. To re-obtain your certificate, you
would require a six-month evaluation without a medication. A Letter must be
written to FAA by your psychologist. FAA will approve it and you are free to
soar!

Toks
PP-ASEL

"Toks Desalu" wrote in message
news:3f15ac79@shknews01...
From my experience, anideppressants/anxiety medications do not mix with
flying, no question about it. There is no other way around it.

Hmm. Might you agree that:

If your experience is as a patient, the experience is somewhat narrow and
the conclusion a bit broad given the variety of such medications?

If your experience is as a doctor, the experience is 2nd hand and the
conclusion a bit broad "" "" "" ?

I agree that it may be the only reasonable policy for the FAA to follow but
I think it is inaccurate to say that certain medications and flying don't
mix. e.g. Wellbutrin IMHO

In a previous article, "Ron Natalie" said:
To re-obtain your certificate, you
would require a six-month evaluation without a medication.

90 days in most cases.

It took me nearly a year. First, I took the Welbutrin for a couple of
months. Then I stopped just before Sun n Fun last year. I asked the FAA
medical expert there and he said I had to wait 6 months before I could
reapply. So I did. And then it took them about 4 months with several
followup questionaires and requests for further information from my doctor
and my therapist to process the reapplication. I got it back just before
Sun n Fun this year, and it's a special issuance only good until August
this year.

However, after starting the reapplication process, I realized that I could
take dual without a medical, so I started on (and recently finished) my
instrument rating.


--
Paul Tomblin , not speaking for anybody
"Imagine if every Thursday your shoes exploded if you tied them the
usual way. This happens to us all the time with computers, and nobody
thinks of complaining."

Toks Desalu wrote:
If a pilot has current 3rd class medical, and then
begins taking antidepressants, you are required to void your certificate
VOLUNTARILY according to FAA regulation.

What FAA regulation would this be? Can you provide a reference?

My understanding is: don't act as PIC while suffering from a medical
condition or taking medication which preclude safe flight or which
are not approved by FAA. When the condition is ameliorated and
the medication is out of one's system, go for it.

Cheers,
Sydney