Zoloft 50mg

[ChloeL]

Hi everyone! Another medical question here.

In May 2017, I was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and was put on Zoloft 50mg.

Fast forward to September 2019, I go for my first medical, and get deferred. Obviously. At the end of November 2019, I went to see an AME HIMS who told me that the best way is to stop the medication. I contacted my primary care doctor and gradually stopped taking the medication. I have been off the medication as of December 26th 2019. And I've been doing better than ever!

Now I was wondering if this is going to be a long and complicated path for me, as I'm trying to do this for a career? I was never admitted to the hospital for suicidal ideation or anything like that. It was situational. So what are the next steps? I have to wait 60 days, and then what? How long is this going to take? I don't take any other drugs.

I've been flying gliders in the meantime, but I'm really hoping I'll be able to fly planes soon.

Thank you!

 

[dans2992]

Yep. You’ll have to do a bit of hoop jumping. The FAA prefers that nobody ever seeks help for anything, unfortunately.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I would think that your AME would hold the answers to those questions.

 

[dbahn]

I would think that your AME would hold the answers to those questions.

. . . And a HIMS AME to boot. ChloeL, there are a lot of detailed facts required to get you on the right path, and you AME already should have most of them and in the best position to assemble them for the FAA.

 

[2Dudes]

I have to wait 60 days, and then what? How long is this going to take? I don't take any other drugs.

I'm currently working on SSRI path 1 and here is what I have learned in my journey.

You will have to be off Zoloft and stable for 90 days, not 60. The whole process will take a year +/- a few months; count on significantly longer than that if the HIMS psychiatrist and neuropsychologist determine the underlying diagnosis is persistent or recurring. Then your only option is SSRI Path 2.

The HIMS psychiatrist will be about $1000-1500. The HIMS Neuropsych eval will be about $3000-5000+. Yes, you will need a Neuropsych evaluation including Cogscreen with a history of taking Zoloft of that period of time.

Pick your HIMS AME very carefully. This is a long, detail oriented, frustrating, annoying process.