Recurrent disease SSRI protocol

[Minnesotaflyer]

What counts as recurrent disease when attempting SSRI path 1? I was diagnosed with depression NOS in 2014 and given at first an SSRI and then discontinued it with doctor oversight for an SNRI. I was given the all clear to discontinue after less than a year on it. I was recently treated for anxiety with another SNRI. The medication was discontinued with less than 3 months of treatment as the cause of the anxiety went away. Is my only option path 2 now, even if the diseases were different and there were no severity factors like multi drug?

 

[bbchien]

Unless your caretaker was a board certified psychiatrist and can make the case you are stating, to the Federal psychiatrist, Not a chance. This is recurrent disease. Anxiety and depression are half siblings. You can call it what you want but FAA's view: you're splitting hairs and that's recurrent. You'll have a really hard time proving that. Over 100 years ago Austrian Psychiatrist Dr. Krepelin recognized that the two were so closely related as to be indistinguishable. The fact that we have two very adjacent diagnosis codes, reflects current thinking.

 

[Minnesotaflyer]

Well thats not what I was hoping to hear, but I can appreciate getting straight to the truth of the matter. If I didn't want to do SSRI path 2, I've read threads where you mention a 10 year observation period. While I am not entirely against taking an SSRI as needed, I am afraid of lifetime dependence and side effects of long term use including cognitive decline. Would the 10 year clean record and psychiatrist observation be enough to demonstrate my mental health to the flight surgeon, despite my past? If so, is there some guidance available on what specifically they need documented, so that all of the t's can be crossed and i's dotted? Thanks Doc.

 

[bbchien]

The ten years begin at “I was recently treated……for anxiety with another SNRI, the medication was discontinued with less than 3 months of treatment…..” and have to show no episodes, no meds and a successful life test…..

 

[Half Fast]

Of course, you could fly as a Sport Pilot while waiting out those 10 years, assuming you haven’t already applied for a medical and been denied.

 

[Minnesotaflyer]

That's my plan for now, is to do some lessons occasionally and get into sport once I can afford to buy. I haven't applied yet thanks to the abundance of advice online that says don't do it unless you know you can get a cert.

Doc, do I need the board certified psychiatrist documentation throughout the period? If so, how often? Or is that only for the most severe cases like I read about with suicide attempts?