Depression and flying

"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Skylune" said:
Suspended for two years! That's a long time. Wellbutrin is the same
medication used in an anti smoking drug (Zyban). I wonder if treatment
for anti-smoking using Zyban disqualifies you for medical.

Yes, Zyban is disqualifying.

Personally, I don't smoke, but a few years back (in '01) I was on Lexapro
for a few months after sudden death of a loved one. I resisted the doc's

Lexapro is also disqualifying. As is any other SSRI antidepressant.

Would that episode prevent me from getting a real license (PPL)? (I'm
not
interested in the sport license, which strikes me as a waste of time
unless
you wanna fly in circles for fun...)

To get a medical, you'd have to prove that the drug is no longer affecting
you (which isn't hard if you haven't taken it in a few weeks) but also
that the condition that it's treating no longer affects you.


Wow! Zyban for smoking Lose Medical Stop taking Zyban Start Smoking again
never get medical back! Ouch!!!! Glad I Quit Cold Turkey over 2 years ago
now not 1 relapse!

So, you admit to treating a depression? Even with Flying, any depression
requiring treatment is disqualifying.

Al



"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:l0JGf.756489$x96.135591@attbi_s72...
I spent two years without a medical because I took Welbutrin for two
months. Is it any wonder that pilots who suspect that they are suffering
from depression don't seek treatment?

It truly is a Catch-22 situation, and I'm sure the FAA's current policy
has made liars out of many hundreds of pilots.

Luckily (for me), flying itself is a catch-all cure for depressions of all
kinds...

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

In a previous article, "Jay Honeck" said:

I spent two years without a medical because I took Welbutrin for two
months. Is it any wonder that pilots who suspect that they are suffering
from depression don't seek treatment?

It truly is a Catch-22 situation, and I'm sure the FAA's current policy has
made liars out of many hundreds of pilots.

Luckily (for me), flying itself is a catch-all cure for depressions of all
kinds...

"Feeling a bit down" is not depression. Coming to terms with the fact
that your brother sadistically beat you, tortured you and worse when you
were 12 to 14 is depression. You don't just shake stuff like that off by
going flying.


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"If you get upset, emotional, or angry you are not dealing with the
emergency"
-- Rick Grant (quoting RCAF pilot training)

Many years ago, I was diagnosed with depression because of a lack of ability
to concentrate. I took a mild prescription of Prozac. It helped some.

A few years later I was canoeing in the North West Territories of Canada
(the Nahanni River) on guided tour. The second day (bear with me here) one
of the other paddlers came up to me and asked if I knew that I snored like
there was no tomorrow and that it sounded like I stopped breathing from time
to time. He thought it was sleep apnea and I should look into it.

I did. I had sleep apnea. I did something about it and the doctor asked if I
was on any anti-depressants. I said I was. He said you don't need anti
depressants. You need sleep.

I did.

Several years later I took up flying. In order to get a medical after
declaring that I once took anti-depressants, Transport Canada required
several tests and Doctors letters but I got (and still have ) my medical.

Marc
CYBW

Calgary

"... cold, but it's a dry cold."





"Paul Tomblin" wrote in message
...
In a previous article, "Flyingmonk" said:
HELENA - A 21-year-old flight instructor from Butte apparently
committed suicide Monday by crashing his company's helicopter into a
Helena hayfield, but only after placing a call to the air traffic
control tower and informing them of his intentions.
The man, identified as Patrick Pfeifhofer, of Italy, was working as a
flight instructor for Silver State Helicopters in Butte on a visa.

I spent two years without a medical because I took Welbutrin for two
months. Is it any wonder that pilots who suspect that they are suffering
from depression don't seek treatment?


--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"Grove giveth and Gates taketh away."
- Bob Metcalfe (inventor of Ethernet) on the trend of hardware
speedups
not being able to keep up with software demands

Al wrote:
So, you admit to treating a depression? Even with Flying, any depression
requiring treatment is disqualifying.

Al

I'm not sure that's true. I believe talk therapy is allowed, with
status reports from the treating physician.

("Paul Tomblin" wrote)
"Feeling a bit down" is not depression. Coming to terms with the fact
that your brother sadistically beat you, tortured you and worse when you
were 12 to 14 is depression. You don't just shake stuff like that off by
going flying.


I don't even want to know what comes after sadistically beaten and
tortured - yikes.

I've OFTEN wondered when the depression line has been crossed, and how does
the average person recognize it?

I call it deep thinking - clinically they probably refer to it as
ruminating. :-)


Montblack
#5 out of 7 kids ...everyone kicked my arse. And the name calling...

I am with ya there Jay, I get depressed when I cannot fly hop in an
airplane
and all is good. Oh! I may be passing through Iowa City soon with a
Commander I may be ferrying.

We'll keep the beer cold for ya!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

So, you admit to treating a depression? Even with Flying, any depression
requiring treatment is disqualifying.

Wow, now THERE'S a Catch-22!

Flying makes me happy. Not flying makes me sad. I'll need treatment for
depression when I have to stop flying, hopefully in about 40 years.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I've OFTEN wondered when the depression line has been crossed, and how
does the average person recognize it?

I call it deep thinking - clinically they probably refer to it as
ruminating. :-)

Deep thinking leads to depression. That's why writers and artists are
"tortured" -- they can only produce their most excellent work while
suffering.

As someone who spent five years doing little else beside reading, writing
(and thinking about writing) in college, (well, there *was* tequila in
there, somewhere.... :-) I can attest to the fact that ruminating about life
TOO much is counterproductive in the extreme.

The Germans have a great saying: "Work makes life sweet." They're not
referring to the monetary advantages, nor the intellectual exercise.
They're referring to the fact that keeping busy is good for your state of
mind.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Feeling a bit down" is not depression. Coming to terms with the fact
that your brother sadistically beat you, tortured you and worse when you
were 12 to 14 is depression. You don't just shake stuff like that off by
going flying.

Sorry, Paul. I hope you know I wasn't making light of your condition, and I
wish you well.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"