Medical question

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Wayne in Cleveland

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I am a 62 year old male. I have over 200 hrs. Flying. I have been away from flying for over 30 years. I have started flying again and love it. I have had my physical and I am waiting to hear back from the FAA. I have been taking Paxil for 19 years. That seems to be a problem with the FAA. Just wandering if I can sill get a 3grd class medical. I do have a private license.
 
I am a 62 year old male. I have over 200 hrs. Flying. I have been away from flying for over 30 years. I have started flying again and love it. I have had my physical and I am waiting to hear back from the FAA. I have been taking Paxil for 19 years. That seems to be a problem with the FAA. Just wandering if I can sill get a 3grd class medical. I do have a private license.
Yes... it is still possible. However, since you have already seen the AME and submitted your application, expect the FAA to send you a letter saying more action and documentation will be needed before they will issue your medical certificate.

Did the AME you saw say anything about your Paxil use when your declared it on the MedXpress application? You did declare it, right?

Below is a copy/paste item that likely applies to you.... I hope it helps.

_______________________

The SSRI you mention will be an item you need to learn more about how the FAA handles this.

Start with this page of the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners. Read the entire page, then click the link about SSRI initial certification and read that.

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_or...process/exam_tech/item47/amd/antidepressants/

The FAA provides you two paths to certification... Path #1 is if you can successfully wean off of the medication and be okay without it. There are still some particular steps you must go through, but they are not as many with Path #2, where you remain on the medication


For a really good explanation of the process from an airman's point of view, read this post by @cogscreamer

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/my-ssri-special-issuance.113052
(Scroll to top of page and start reading from there as this link might put you at bottom of page)​


As mentioned by many members here, a really good HIMS AME to start talking to is Dr. Bruce Chien. Go to his website, www.aeromedicaldoc.com and click the How To Start page. Your initial conversations with him will provide you the right knowledge of how to start and proceed through the process. You are more than welcome to find more info on you're own. But Dr. Bruce's knowledge, experience, and expertise will trump Google each time.

And which ever HIMS AME you choose, make sure you do not do an official live exam with any AME until all you initial questions have been answered, all preparatory reports (including exams by non-AME's and psychologists) are done, your submission file is 100% complete and properly organized, and your HIMS AME is willing to say with 100% certainty that you will eventually be issued your medical certificate.
 
For the gallery....

Wayne, do any of these disorders apply to you? If you were to wean off of Paxil, what happens to you? Do you need Paxil to function normally?

Keep in mind that ever since the GermanWings incident in 2015 (click the link to read about it), the FAA has been very deliberate in how it certifies Pilots with a history of mental disorders and/or a history of psychoactive medication use.

Certification is still possible, but the applicant must proceed in a particular manner to demonstrate they are acceptable.
 
paxil is a no no! If you need a anti-depressant/mood stabilizer it needs to be one of the four approved (full HIMS process). Otherwise you will need to come off the paxil to fly (involved evals but probably not full HIMS).
 
The way back: under care of a psychiatrist, wean off Paxil and replace with the least dose of one of the permitted 4 SSri’s. Six months stable...see the psych AGAIN....so long as your record shows no dual drug period in the last 19 years you should be able to do this.

I have a guy who has been on 14 yrs, through founding a business who insisted on coming off. He had terrible documentation by a PCP- the chart was a wasteland. The HIMS psych couldn’t find any evidence that he Ever had anything. It’s been 9 months and it’s now in the FAS queue.

IOW after half your adult life on meds’ nobody is going to believe you have NOTHING.
After getting through the approval serve out the remaining 6 months and get a basic med.
 
The way back: under care of a psychiatrist, wean off Paxil and replace with the least dose of one of the permitted 4 SSri’s. Six months stable...see the psych AGAIN....so long as your record shows no dual drug period in the last 19 years you should be able to do this.

I have a guy who has been on 14 yrs, through founding a business who insisted on coming off. He had terrible documentation by a PCP- the chart was a wasteland. The HIMS psych couldn’t find any evidence that he Ever had anything. It’s been 9 months and it’s now in the FAS queue.

IOW after half your adult life on meds’ nobody is going to believe you have NOTHING.
After getting through the approval serve out the remaining 6 months and get a basic med.


Dr.bruce , just wondering how to contact you in private please
 
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