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Not exactly sure who to turn to for help or answers anymore so I figured I’d throw this out to the aviation community. Here’s my dilemma:
I started taking flight lessons last January, and applied for a special issuance medical due to SSRI use. The medication I take does fall under the category of approved SSRIs by the FAA. Because of this, I am required to jump through psychiatric testing hoops which include a psychiatrist visit, a neuropsychiatrist visit, meeting with a special aviation medical examiner as well as an evaluation from a prescribing doctor. Let me clarify that none of these tests were easy or cheap. To this point I have spent approximately $2000 out of pocket to try and get a medical. And all of the psychiatric professionals that I was evaluated came to the same conclusion: Not Crazy.
I have followed the FAAs directions to the “t”. However, they continue to send me letters requesting more and more paperwork and letters in order to determine my eligibility to hold a medical.
It is frustrating because I would love to explain to the FAA that their policy and views on SSRI use is far behind the times and discriminatory to people that are attempting to seek help and better their lives…I am employed full-time as a firefighter paramedic and routinely make emergency decisions when it comes to fire suppression, patient care and crew safety…how does the ability to excel at a high stress job and excellent reports from evaluating psychiatric professionals make me ineligible to hold a medical certificate?
It has been almost a year since I first applied for a medical and I am really starting to fear that this will ruin my desire to continuing flying. At some point I imagine I will most likely reach my personal and financial limit with the process and give up all together on flying.
But for right now, you can bet I would do anything to fly.
Thanks for letting me vent,
Alex P
Chicago, Illinois
I started taking flight lessons last January, and applied for a special issuance medical due to SSRI use. The medication I take does fall under the category of approved SSRIs by the FAA. Because of this, I am required to jump through psychiatric testing hoops which include a psychiatrist visit, a neuropsychiatrist visit, meeting with a special aviation medical examiner as well as an evaluation from a prescribing doctor. Let me clarify that none of these tests were easy or cheap. To this point I have spent approximately $2000 out of pocket to try and get a medical. And all of the psychiatric professionals that I was evaluated came to the same conclusion: Not Crazy.
I have followed the FAAs directions to the “t”. However, they continue to send me letters requesting more and more paperwork and letters in order to determine my eligibility to hold a medical.
It is frustrating because I would love to explain to the FAA that their policy and views on SSRI use is far behind the times and discriminatory to people that are attempting to seek help and better their lives…I am employed full-time as a firefighter paramedic and routinely make emergency decisions when it comes to fire suppression, patient care and crew safety…how does the ability to excel at a high stress job and excellent reports from evaluating psychiatric professionals make me ineligible to hold a medical certificate?
It has been almost a year since I first applied for a medical and I am really starting to fear that this will ruin my desire to continuing flying. At some point I imagine I will most likely reach my personal and financial limit with the process and give up all together on flying.
But for right now, you can bet I would do anything to fly.
Thanks for letting me vent,
Alex P
Chicago, Illinois
