Will past SSRI use affect a third class medical?

[Unregistered]

I was training for the Sport Pilot cert. for a while and was ready to solo when the only FBO within a reasonable distance from me with an LSA sold it. A couple of months down the road and I’m going off of the Zoloft which I was prescribed (in November of 2014) to treat some depression due to some life events at the time. I am so eager to start training for my private but that means I’ll need a medical. My understanding is that once I’m off the medication for 60 days, and if I go in with a letter from the prescribing Dr. as well as a therapist that I see fairly regularly that I’m stable, no longer have symptoms, and that the condition has resolved, that the AME can and should issue my medical without deferral. If I’m wrong or if there is anything else that I should/need to do to get a medical please inform me because I’m so ready to start training again.

 

[frfly172]

You need to go over to the red board and ask Dr Bruce these questions.

 

[AggieMike88]

With what you describe and what Dr. Bruce has shared with others in past threads, I believe obtaining a medical is possible. However, you need to proceed cautiously and make sure your submission is done correctly and to specific standards. And you need to work with the select few AME's who have successfully done submissions similar to your case. Go to any other and you might eff your self 9 ways to blursday.

As suggested by Ron, a comsultation with Dr. Bruce Chien will be money and time well spent.

 

[flyingron]

Transient depression that you are no longer taking meds for (60 days) shouldn't be an issue, but as others say, this is one of the things you don't want an "average" AME to deal with as it may indeed cause you some delays.

 

[JCranford]

A friend of mine knew a guy that had a similar situation. Off the meds for 60 days plus statements from the prescribing doctor that the meds were prescribed for a transient condition, you have been off the meds for over 60 days, show no symptoms for which you were prescribed the meds and continue to be stable off the meds should result in a regular issuance.

 

[azure]

Based on what Bruce has said recently at the Red Board, if your exposure to the SSRI was greater than 6 months, the AME cannot issue in the office, and most won't anyway because they'll be audited if they do. If it was greater than 2 years they're definitely going to want a full psych workup. If in between, it's not clear. They have gotten stricter about this since Germanwings. Best ask Bruce directly about your case. Sounds like it will not be easy, and will at least require your full psych record, and a deferral.