My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
The letter needs to be from the treating physician. If you have been on the antidepressants for more than 6 months, the FAA will make the final determination.
SPECIAL ISSUANCE for ANTIDEPRESSANTS
- Thread starter My Flight Surgeon
- Start date
I have a related question. I take amitriptyline, but not for depression or any other psychotheraputic reason but for chronic pain. This is a well established off-label use for amitriptyline. Does the ban include taking an unapproved antidepressant for uses that have nothing to do with mental health? And if it does, is there some approved thing I can take instead?
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
Yes, it does include the tricyclic antidepressant. The only thing that is "approved" are the NSAID's.
fftoto
Well-Known Member
I recently went to a HIMS AME in Miami with all my paperwork in hand. All went well. She said that I am doing well and that all the paperwork is in order. The funny thing was I forgot my reading glasses and almost was not able to complete the vision test. Thank God my wife left a pair in the truck!! I went to get all the testing, psych evals and letters from counselors prior to the HIMS visit right at a year on the meds. They turned in the paperwork and told me to wait for 30-60 days for a reply, either the good news or they need more info. I am looking forward to the response and things are going well. I will keep an update here to let you guys know how it went. If I can help anyone else in this process, please feel free to send me a message. 
I recently went to a HIMS AME in Miami with all my paperwork in hand. All went well. She said that I am doing well and that all the paperwork is in order. The funny thing was I forgot my reading glasses and almost was not able to complete the vision test. Thank God my wife left a pair in the truck!! I went to get all the testing, psych evals and letters from counselors prior to the HIMS visit right at a year on the meds. They turned in the paperwork and told me to wait for 30-60 days for a reply, either the good news or they need more info. I am looking forward to the response and things are going well. I will keep an update here to let you guys know how it went. If I can help anyone else in this process, please feel free to send me a message.
Would you mind posting what it cost you for all the tests? Also was you official diagnosis depression?
exneophyte
Well-Known Member
I recently went to a HIMS AME in Miami with all my paperwork in hand. All went well. She said that I am doing well and that all the paperwork is in order. The funny thing was I forgot my reading glasses and almost was not able to complete the vision test. Thank God my wife left a pair in the truck!! I went to get all the testing, psych evals and letters from counselors prior to the HIMS visit right at a year on the meds. They turned in the paperwork and told me to wait for 30-60 days for a reply, either the good news or they need more info. I am looking forward to the response and things are going well. I will keep an update here to let you guys know how it went. If I can help anyone else in this process, please feel free to send me a message.
Thank you for posting your experience with this. It's a sensitive subject especially with the negative stigma associated with anti-depressants and I applaud you for being willing to open up about it.
It's my belief that as more people talk about going through the process, more people will realize that it is possible to get their medical with a little extra time and money as the process becomes more transparent. Pretty soon the FAA will have some more data regarding violations and accidents that involved the group of people given special issuance on anti-depressants and hopefully the data will reveal that pilots on anti-depressants are just as safe as their non-anti-depressant counterparts.
fftoto
Well-Known Member
My testing was a full day of testing. The Dr. I went to was in the northern end of Palm Beach County. It was just under 2000.00 for the complete testing. He was not part of my normal counselling group but a referral I found on my own. It was difficult to find the right Dr.'s to complete the testing with the correct aviation type testing wanted by the FAA. So it has been an interesting journey to say the least. My hope is to have all the references in one place, AOPA, ALPA or someother pilot advocacy group so it will be easier to find these people and get the process with as few turbulence as possible. I also agree that the more we talk about these things, the better off everyone will be. I see people on a regular basis that would be much better off if they just go some help. Many are depressed but just are either not aware of it or are afraid of being labeled "depressed".
I'm looking forward to actually hearing about someone who is finally issued an antidepressant special waiver. The AOPA as of September 2010 is not aware of any issuance, and didn't expect any for some time.
Remember, once you start the process by visiting any medical professional, you are obligated to report that visit for three years prior as per section 19 on the actual 8500-8 medical application, even if you don't get the results you seek. Consider the risk.
Remember, once you start the process by visiting any medical professional, you are obligated to report that visit for three years prior as per section 19 on the actual 8500-8 medical application, even if you don't get the results you seek. Consider the risk.
rotorspeed
Well-Known Member
they did in Australia after allowing antidepressants for 20 years and there were no higher incidence for pilots on the antidepressants, also pilots taking meds for anxiety dissorders are allowed to fly as long as they have a letter from the treating physician, this whole thing is a bunch of nonsense
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
Not formally. HIMS AME's have access to the list though.
exneophyte
Well-Known Member
Indeed, I'm aware of studies in a few other countries showing no higher rate of accidents attributed to pilots on specific anti depressants and I'm confident that the US won't be any different. I agree that there are major issues with how the FAA has handled this, but for now we'll have to jump through a few hoops. My mom always told me to think of the glass as half full. In this case we went from "NO FLYING FOR YOU...period...don't care who you are....nope....go away...and come back when you aren't mentally ill" to "we'll give you a shot at it, but we don't want to let just anybody fly so we'll make it a little difficult for you. Essentially, they opened the door, but just barely which is better than the door being double bolted closed.
I'm not so sure about that. Had the door stayed double bolted closed, I would have discontinued the Med for 90 days and applied regularly. Instead, I opened a "can of worms." I must voluntarily wait 3 years before applying regularly off the Med, which I should have done in the first place.
Can you provide more information and clarify your situation? I am not sure what the "3 years" is referencing. As I understand it, if you are on the meds for more than 6 months and then stop them for 90 days, you then need a neuro-psych evaluation before obtaining a medical certificate?
I'll defer to Dr. Forred, but I think those were the rules before the SSRI policy was updated?
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
You are correct.
I'm referring to reporting all health care visits with in the past 3 years as per item 19 of the actual medical application. Once you begin testing for the special waiver application you make a health care visit. If you don't like the resalts of that visit you are still obligated to report the visit.
Now you raise a new question. A requirement that says if you are on the med for more than 6 months then quit, you still need a neuro-psych evaluation?! This is news to me.
Take a look at thread 60 and 61 here. I asked the good doctor from PHX the question about quitting 90 days before medical exam and he answered on thread 61.
Do you know for sure or are you asking if a neuro-psych exam is required just for being on the med longer than 6 months?
I strongly feel this whole issue is a dangerous Pandora's box as I found out first hand. I plan to wait out the three years, thus there will be no obligation to report the visit then I can simply go off the med, show stability for 90 days as per my family doctor and apply normally. Of course the legalities can be so tricky here, I can't be sure.
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
You still need to report the depression in 18m, even if you ar eon longer taking medications.
What if you have never officially been diagnosed with any metal disorder including depression?
In my case, I asked for the Med by name from a family physician thinking it would improve my sleep at the time....it did, and corrected other issues, which improved the overall quality of my life. Family Physicians can give antidepressants out like candy.
My thinking would still be "No to 18M", of course Im not sure if the FAA with all their legalistic trickery would see it the same. They dont like plausible answers that don't fit nicely into their box.
I did check with Gary Crump, Medical director with the AOPA via email regarding a required neuro-psych evaluation after being on the Med for longer than 6 months. I also asked if they knew anyone already issued a special waiver. His answer:
"That is not necessarily correct. Having been on antidepressants for more than six months does require a more detailed evaluation from the treating doctor, but not necessarily a neuropsych eval. Any testing you would have to do will still be much less than meeting the requirements for a special issuance if you stayed on the meds.
To my knowledge, no one has been issued yet, although there are a few in the cycle."
To my knowledge, no one has been issued yet, although there are a few in the cycle."
I think anyone who applies for an anti-depressant special waiver now, at least, seriously risks opening a "can of worms" as I did. Good luck to those that do try.
My Flight Surgeon
Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
Good luck !!