Could my medication cause me to be disqualified?

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When I was fifteen, I went through some crazy life events and decided to cut myself. I never wanted to kill myself or harm other people, though. I have a lot of scars on my arm because of this situation. My parents found out and decided to take me to a psychiatrist who prescribed me prozak which I took for a month. However, this medication didn't react well with me, so he put me on another medication that was used to treat bipolar disorder. However, he never diagnosed me with any kind of mental illness, and he said that the second was prescribed in such a low dosage that it probably wouldn't have any effect. I took it for roughly two months, and stopped - never to take it again. Eight years later, I'm now twenty three years old and I'm interested in becoming a pilot. However, I've read up on the FAA regulations regarding mental illness, and I'm not sure how to go about this. What are your guy's opinions regarding my likelihood of getting a special issuance and how should I go about navigating this issue?
 
If you want a medical, you have a bit of a long row to hoe. DO NOT just walk into a random AME and ask for a physical - you need to find one that is willing to work with you and get all the necessary documentation / testing in place before ANYTHING goes to the FAA. Dr. Chien is a standard recommendation hereabouts.

The other option is to explore no-medical options such as sport pilot.
 
Join AOPA. Pay $99 for a one year subscription to Pilot Protection Services. Once completed pick up the phone and call AOPA aeromedical services and talk to an advisor. You can have your answers today.
 
Henning said:
http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83702&highlight=Scars
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Nah

The other guy was doing some kinky stuff with his chick, no biggie, who cares.

This guy was cutting him self to get attention from mommy and daddy, who took the little dude to a shirk and the whole nine yards.

Now this one probably needs some professional advice, and that's if he even should be a pilot, which is a BIG if.


Stewartb said:
Join AOPA. Pay $99 for a one year subscription to Pilot Protection Services. Once completed pick up the phone and call AOPA aeromedical services and talk to an advisor. You can have your answers today.
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Advice worth exactly that 99 cents. Just like their "legal" subscription :rolleyes2:

There is more value in just buying a AOPA hat and t shirt lol
 
My advice is sincere and is a pirep of very valuable services I received from PPS. If your experience differs feel free to provide your own comments. As for attacking mine? Bite me.
 
Stewartb said:
My advice is sincere and is a pirep of very valuable services I received from PPS. If your experience differs feel free to provide your own comments. As for attacking mine? Bite me.
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Easy killer, from working at drop zones, I've known a few people who have been dragged into the edge of some FARs (myself once to a lesser degree) and the PPS service isn't much more than what you would get here IMO.

From what I've seen if it's serious enough that you don't trust your own judgement of the FARs and feel the matter is grave enough that asking advice on the net isn't enough, you probably want to talk to someone like Dr. Bruce or a real aviation lawyer.

YMMV.
 
The reality is "yes, you will have problems." You will likely spend >$5000 getting the data to submit for the FAA to consider giving you a medical. Even then the chances are slim.
 
Aviation is also not for thin skinned folks (no pun intended), if someone yells at the OP, or in a emergency is he going to break down? Also I highly doubt the folks around the community would feel comfortable around him if word got out.
 
Henning said:
The reality is "yes, you will have problems." You will likely spend >$5000 getting the data to submit for the FAA to consider giving you a medical. Even then the chances are slim.
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He might, but I'm not sure it will be because of the medication. It's been a year or so since I've followed the Red Board medical forum, but I think Bruce has said that if exposure to psychoactive medication is < 6 months, and there is no underlying lifelong diagnosis, the AME has discretion to issue.

If that's correct, the big question would be about the underlying diagnosis. He took something that's normally prescribed for bipolar, but does he have a bipolar diagnosis? If yes (which is likely since many non-pilot physicians don't care about the aeromedical or career consequences of codes that go into a pt's record), then he needs the full psych eval. If not... maybe this one is simpler than some folks are making it out to be :dunno:

But he definitely needs the advice of a problem case AME like Bruce. :yes:
 
It's not the meds, it's why he was on the meds. I doubt he makes it out without a full psychiatric work up.
 
Unregistered said:
Not me, but I guess some of the info there can be kind of useful. I know my scars are going to get me medical deferred since they're self harm, but I was more or less concerned with the medications.
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Why not go to your mental health doctor and ask him? one who knows your history and can better judge your ability to put others at risk, not to mention yourself. Seems like a better plan than asking on the Internet. If your not currently speaking to a pro, in person, you should be.
 
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