Im on suboxone and drug clean for about a year, im also an wellbutrin for depression. Ive heard of HIMS but i dont want to go in thinking i'll pass and than fail it because i assume that would not allow me to continue until ive been off suboxone for a certain number of months or something of that sort.
Pretty sure you won’t pass unless you are off. I think Wellbutrin is also not going to help. You can search in that here in the forums. The FAA is pretty much against all mood altering drugs.
Wellbutrin is absolutely disqualifying for an FAA medical. Wait for one of the docs here to advise. Do NOT apply for a medical.
Both of those drugs are absolutely disqualifying. There's no way you can pass a medical. The combination of the substance abuse and depression, even without the medication would be a tough issuance. Even if you were on one of the approved drugs for your depression, you aren't going to walk into a HIMS AME and walk out with a medical.
I'm sure the resident AMEs will be along soon and they certainly know more than the rest of us but I don't think you will. Suboxone is not approved and wellbutrin is also not approved. There are only 4 SSRIs that are approved. Fluoxetine (Prozac) or Escitalopram (Lexapro) or Sertraline (Zoloft) or Citalopram (Celexa)
Not saying an eventual certification isn’t possible….but it sounds like a very long, winding, and expensive road. Aside from the medications, the depression diagnosis is going to be a huge issue which requires a lot of steps. Reach out to a senior HIMS AME…Dr Chien and Dr Fowler frequent this site and may be able to give you guidance. Do NOT fill out a MedXpress or go for a medical before consulting a HIMS AME.
I don't even know if you can take a sport pilot route. You will have to disclose those drugs and diagnoses to the FAA. Then you will have to wait for them to get their heads out of their assessment and come to a modern understanding of treatment vs career implications.
If he has a driver's license, he can go the sport pilot route. There is no requirement to disclose anything of the sort to the FAA unless you're applying for a medical, which sport pilot doesn't require. Whether it's a good idea is a completely different consideration.
I'd hate to think that Sport Pilot ends up being a dumping ground for folks that have no business in or near an aircraft (I'm NOT referring to the OP). So far it appears that hasn't been the case ...
Sport Pilot has been a well kept secret, it appears. I mean think of how many people we get on here who only wanted to fly for fun, but because of their ignorance of the SP option, barged into a 3rd class medical exam and got themselves caught up in the medical system. People whose flying itch would have been scratched by the SP path.
Whether the pilot has a first-class medical or just a driver's license, we have to make intelligent decisions about whether to fly or not.
No doubt about that but those suffering anxiety, depression, ADHD, bipolar, phobias, addictions, etc. may not have the cognitive ability to make that intelligent decision. Hopefully the CFI will discover those that cannot be pilots and move them into another area of life where they can fulfill their dream, be successful, and remain safe for themselves and others.
That's my hope as well, but CFIs and DPEs are not the only gate-keepers. State issuers of driver's licenses also play a role.
True, but there is usually a great deal less exposure in obtaining a drivers license. I'm not to be a busy-body in other people matters and yet I believe we are all, to some extent, to be caretakers of one another.
Don't forget about motorized glider in that sense either. At least as dangerous as they can be, they can't carry many passengers.
