Student pilot, 29 hours, grounded by an SSRI deferral pre-solo. Here’s what the process for SSRI Path 1 looked like for me.

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G0rillacake

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Mnurick
I’m a 42 yo student pilot about 29 hours in, ready to solo, and currently grounded waiting on my medical deferral. When I started this process I couldn’t find many real accounts of what SSRI Decision Path 1 actually looks like, so here’s mine in case it helps someone.

Background: Three isolated periods on medication for situational anxiety over 20 years, each tied to a high-stress non-aviation job. Last stint lasted 90 days this spring.

Timeline:
  • Early June: Started training
  • Early July: Board-certified psychiatrist directs me to discontinue meds. 60-day clock starts.
  • Early August: HIMS AME consult. Left with a long list of required documents to "preflight" my medical.
  • August: Collected records from every provider I’ve ever seen. Last training flight Aug 12 pre-solo.
  • Sept 1: Psychiatrist follow-up evaluation on day 61. His FAA letter took about two weeks to draft. My AME guided me on how to prep him.
  • Sept 30: FAA medical exam with the HIMS AME. Submitted all requested documentation. Deferred to OKC same day.
  • Today (10/16): Status moved to "In Review" after 7 days, and now waiting on a decision/letter
  • Next step: See if preflighting my medical prevented a document request/led to faster issuance. Will keep y'all posted!
What I’d tell anyone starting this:
  • Don't make decisions about your health unilaterally. Let a psychiatrist, AME and/or a doctor decide your path. Put your health first, not your medical (as hard as that may be). I have peace of mind going through this process transparently, even though I may have to wait a while to fly again.
  • Get your medical figured out before starting training. I wish I started this process in April.
  • Call to confirm someone is actually an active HIMS AME. The FAA locator was out of date for me.
  • Disclose everything. My AME flagged a 15-year-old cancer diagnosis I didn’t think was relevant. That could have caused more delays if caught later.
  • Start collecting records early, including pharmacy records. Some offices take weeks.
  • Expect a deferral even if your packet is perfect.
Not medical advice, just one pilot’s experience and one pilot's opinions. Happy to answer questions. I also wrote the longer version of my story here with more detail if anyone’s interested: https://onlongfinal.substack.com/p/how-long-do-you-wait-for-a-dream

And if you have your own advice to give me on anything else I could be doing at this stage, I welcome it! The waiting is not easy.
 
My advice would be to clear the medical issue before starting the training.
 
Here's hoping you get a positive answer quickly about your medical!

Have you taken your written knowledge test yet? When I was waiting to start training while stockpiling a few grand, I read the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Airplane Flying Handbook multiple times until I knew the information, plus I watched tons if aviation content on youtube. This was seven years ago now, but I primarily watched Fly8MA's training videos for informative purposes and a bunch of others just for fun. Knocking out the written test will get that out of the way, and if you actually study to learn and understand, studying for the oral portion of the checkride later will be a breeze!
 
SkyChaser said:
Here's hoping you get a positive answer quickly about your medical!

Have you taken your written knowledge test yet? When I was waiting to start training while stockpiling a few grand, I read the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Airplane Flying Handbook multiple times until I knew the information, plus I watched tons if aviation content on youtube. This was seven years ago now, but I primarily watched Fly8MA's training videos for informative purposes and a bunch of others just for fun. Knocking out the written test will get that out of the way, and if you actually study to learn and understand, studying for the oral portion of the checkride later will be a breeze!
Click to expand...
Thank you! Great advice. This was the first thing I did once I was grounded, and I’ve continued to study since the test (it’s wild how quickly the knowledge fades if not used!)

I’m thinking about doing my instrument ground in the meantime as well. But not sure if that’s getting too far ahead of myself. Apparently I can take the IR test without the PPL, but it will start the 2 year clock. But won’t hurt to keep learning!
 
G0rillacake said:
I’m a 42 yo student pilot about 29 hours in, ready to solo, and currently grounded waiting on my medical deferral. When I started this process I couldn’t find many real accounts of what SSRI Decision Path 1 actually looks like, so here’s mine in case it helps someone.

Background: Three isolated periods on medication for situational anxiety over 20 years, each tied to a high-stress non-aviation job. Last stint lasted 90 days this spring.

Timeline:
  • Early June: Started training
  • Early July: Board-certified psychiatrist directs me to discontinue meds. 60-day clock starts.
  • Early August: HIMS AME consult. Left with a long list of required documents to "preflight" my medical.
  • August: Collected records from every provider I’ve ever seen. Last training flight Aug 12 pre-solo.
  • Sept 1: Psychiatrist follow-up evaluation on day 61. His FAA letter took about two weeks to draft. My AME guided me on how to prep him.
  • Sept 30: FAA medical exam with the HIMS AME. Submitted all requested documentation. Deferred to OKC same day.
  • Today (10/16): Status moved to "In Review" after 7 days, and now waiting on a decision/letter
  • Next step: See if preflighting my medical prevented a document request/led to faster issuance. Will keep y'all posted!
What I’d tell anyone starting this:
  • Don't make decisions about your health unilaterally. Let a psychiatrist, AME and/or a doctor decide your path. Put your health first, not your medical (as hard as that may be). I have peace of mind going through this process transparently, even though I may have to wait a while to fly again.
  • Get your medical figured out before starting training. I wish I started this process in April.
  • Call to confirm someone is actually an active HIMS AME. The FAA locator was out of date for me.
  • Disclose everything. My AME flagged a 15-year-old cancer diagnosis I didn’t think was relevant. That could have caused more delays if caught later.
  • Start collecting records early, including pharmacy records. Some offices take weeks.
  • Expect a deferral even if your packet is perfect.
Not medical advice, just one pilot’s experience and one pilot's opinions. Happy to answer questions. I also wrote the longer version of my story here with more detail if anyone’s interested: https://onlongfinal.substack.com/p/how-long-do-you-wait-for-a-dream

And if you have your own advice to give me on anything else I could be doing at this stage, I welcome it! The waiting is not easy.
Click to expand...
I hate to say this but with three episodes the agency is going to categorize you as "recurrent" for disease. That means your path forward is in the ON SSRI pathway as it is NON normal to have three episodes in a life, that requires psych support. One episode, yes. Two - only if the HIMS psychiatrist thinks there is no underlying tendancy to require support) and three- Decision path 1 is highly unlikely..

For recurrent disease untreated and unmonitored (100% denied), the want you supported and treated so that you do not relapse a 4th time, un monitored. Aviation counts as a stressor, too, and they know it!
 
bbchien said:
I hate to say this but with three episodes the agency is going to categorize you as "recurrent" for disease. That means your path forward is in the ON SSRI pathway as it is NON normal to have three episodes in a life, that requires psych support. One episode, yes. Two - only if the HIMS psychiatrist thinks there is no underlying tendancy to require support) and three- Decision path 1 is highly unlikely..

For recurrent disease untreated and unmonitored (100% denied), the want you supported and treated so that you do not relapse a 4th time, un monitored. Aviation counts as a stressor, too, and they know it!
Click to expand...
Thank you Dr. Chien for your insight! I figured as much. Funny thing is in retrospect, talk therapy probably would have been enough to get me through each period. But in NYC and SF, I feel primary care providers are quick to medicate those who hit a rough patch in the finance and tech industries.

In any case, here I am, so looking ahead. My HIMS AME had me prepare a packet based on the SSRI Initial Certification aid, despite being off medication for over 120 days now, doing well, and being monitored by my first-ever actual Psychiatrist. That packet is what is sitting with OKC right now. So hopefully, that expedites things for me. Not sure what else I can do, except wait and study.
 
G0rillacake said:
Not sure what else I can do, except wait and study.
Click to expand...
Be prepared to wait MONTHS. In my case 3 years ago it was 7 months from sending my info into the FAA-OKC for review and then to get a response from them. From the outside looking in I think the Class 1 & Class II renewals have higher priority than Class III renewals.
 
brtsvg1 said:
Be prepared to wait MONTHS. In my case 3 years ago it was 7 months from sending my info into the FAA-OKC for review and then to get a response from them. From the outside looking in I think the Class 1 & Class II renewals have higher priority than Class III renewals.
Click to expand...
Um. Yeah. The applicant not working definitely has a higher priority. Would you think it was any other possibility?
 
Considering we’ve never seen anything original, it should takes minutes to print the form letter.
 
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