Depression Learning

Cops/Pilots on Prozac

Question:

| message | | Yeah, and be careful, because some MDs prescribe Celexa for stomach | disorders – also disqualifying. That’s why you have to tell your MD that | you’re a pilot. | | | Not to be obtuse, but how does the FAA find out about what you MD prescribes | for you? Good point

Response:

— Not to be obtuse, but how does the FAA find out about what you MD prescribes for you?

Well, you fill out the form and , being a good decent guy, tell the truth. If you should lie, then you have a federal offense looking over your shoulder.  A fellow pilot with a grudge drops a dime or wants some free time Steve

Response:

The average, non pilot, MD won’t have a clue as to any relationship between Celexa and the FAR’s…  Remember, the FAR is a bureaucratic document written for the purpose of perpetuating the bureaucracy… It has no resemblence to the science of pharmacology, or physiology, etc… Why does this society assume, insist in fact, that a physician will be an expert on everything?  It isn’t possible… Denny

Response:

— message

Yeah, and be careful, because some MDs prescribe Celexa for stomach disorders – also disqualifying. That’s why you have to tell your MD that you’re a pilot. Not to be obtuse, but how does the FAA find out about what you MD prescribes for you?

They probably don’t. Right up to the moment where there’s an issue that calls for a blood test… PW – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Yeah, and be careful, because some MDs prescribe Celexa for stomach disorders – also disqualifying. That’s why you have to tell your MD that you’re a pilot.

You need to look it up yourself.  Most doctors have no clue what is disqualyfying and what is not.   Mine is aghast that SSRI’s are prohibitted for any reason.

Response:

– Yeah, and be careful, because some MDs prescribe Celexa for stomach disorders – also disqualifying. That’s why you have to tell your MD that you’re a pilot.

Not to be obtuse, but how does the FAA find out about what you MD prescribes for you?

Response:

Not to be obtuse, but how does the FAA find out about what you MD prescribes for you?

You either put it on your medical application or they find it in the toxicology/pharmacology test done on your corpse during the NTSB investigation. The whole medical system is a lot of horseshit as it doesn’t prevent anything if the pilot choses not to disclose the disqualifying conditions.

Response:

. My take on it is, if you require medication to mentally well adjusted and "whole" then you are a risk.

I assume this is your take on the FAA’s opinion, because it’s arguably stupid one. Its not the medication itself that is the issue, its the underlying condition that needs medication that appears to be the guiding force. SSRI’s such as prozac ARE antidepressants. Depressed people can be suicidal, and combined with an aircraft, that can equal bad outcome. Thats how I see their stance.

I can understand if they mentioned depression.   But they ban SSRI for any purpose.   While SSRI can be used for the treatment of depression there are a number of conditions that it can be used for. As for LEO’s using… well… IF they are, they had best be discreet in my end of the world. I was involved in a screening for reserves, and if you had ANY clinical pscyh diagnoses requiring hospitalization OR medication, you were a washout.

Requiring hospitalization indicates a rather SEVERE condition (that the patient either was dangerous or otherwise unable to care for themselves). But a history of "any psychiatric medication" use as a disqualifier is way off base.

Response:

I’m not so much worried about the cop on Prozac but the one who isn’t (and should be). It’s a well established scientific fact that the effects of Prozac are negated after 2 donuts. Holy false-sense-of-securtiy Batman!

Response:

I had the state of Oregon tell me that all kinds of law enforcement officers ARE on Prozac and permitted to carry a weapon on the job.

That’s nothing Charles. If you only knew how many smoke dope you would really flip out.  As far as prozac goes. mentially ill people need that to function. What does that tell you about our Civil Servants? L.B.

Response:

The FAA is still of the old days mind set, when there were only a few psychotrophic drugs, and they were only for really psychotic people, and they had lots of severe side effects. My take on it is, if you require medication to mentally well adjusted and "whole" then you are a risk. Its not the medication itself that is the issue, its the underlying condition that needs medication that appears to be the guiding force. SSRI’s such as prozac ARE antidepressants. Depressed people can be suicidal, and combined with an aircraft, that can equal bad outcome. Thats how I see their stance. As for LEO’s using… well… IF they are, they had best be discreet in my end of the world. I was involved in a screening for reserves, and if you had ANY clinical pscyh diagnoses requiring hospitalization OR medication, you were a washout. Period. Likewise, my area also washes you out for a Concealed Carry License if there is a record of psych hospitalization (Im assuming thats involuntary only, cause there is no real basis for compulsory reporting in my area of voluntary psych admits). Dave, PPSEL RN, EMTP – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi all, Please help me in  putting this issue in its proper perspective. I had the state of Oregon tell me that all kinds of law enforcement officers ARE on Prozac and permitted to carry a weapon on the job.  For the private citizen, as well as ALL pilots,  even though Prozac is not considered an anti-psychotic,  the mere taking of the drug is enough to disqualify flight/deny/revoke a concealed weapons permit.  If so,  does this mean cops on Prozac, while on off-duty,  are NOT permitted to carry a weapon?    If not, what kind of special waiver allows enforcement to *enjoy*  privileges that would disqualify most private citizens from even APPLYING for purchase of a gun? I guess what I’m trying to understand is WHY PILOTS CANNOT FLY while taking this drug? Thanks, Charles Grodin

Response:

| | | What would thier opinion of Wellebutrin be?  It is also a anti-depressant, | and I am taking it for smoking cessation.  The US DOT says I can still | drive | a truck and my department says I can still work and carry my weapon. | | Plus, you haven’t pulled anyone out the vent window in, well,… hours now. Yeah, and be careful, because some MDs prescribe Celexa for stomach disorders – also disqualifying. That’s why you have to tell your MD that you’re a pilot.

Response:

What would thier opinion of Wellebutrin be?  It is also a anti-depressant, and I am taking it for smoking cessation.  The US DOT says I can still drive a truck and my department says I can still work and carry my weapon.

Wellbutrin and Zyban (both are trade names for bupropion) are prohibited for any purpose.

Response:

What would thier opinion of Wellebutrin be?  It is also a anti-depressant, and I am taking it for smoking cessation.  The US DOT says I can still drive a truck and my department says I can still work and carry my weapon.

Plus, you haven’t pulled anyone out the vent window in, well,… hours now. Hi Lenny. PW

Response:

I’m a private pilot with an instrument rating, an engineer by trade. I was 47 last year when my wife, my mate of the last quarter century, passed away due to cancer. I had "secondary depression", meaning I really had something to be depressed about, and was offered happy pills (either tranks or anti-depressants) as a result.

What would thier opinion of Wellebutrin be?  It is also a anti-depressant, and I am taking it for smoking cessation.  The US DOT says I can still drive a truck and my department says I can still work and carry my weapon.

Response:

Pardon the resurrection of a stale thread but I just noticed it….

Hi all, Please help me in  putting this issue in its proper perspective. I had the state of Oregon tell me that all kinds of law enforcement officers ARE on Prozac and permitted to carry a weapon on the job.  For the private citizen, as well as ALL pilots,  even though Prozac is not considered an anti-psychotic,  the mere taking of the drug is enough to disqualify flight/deny/revoke a concealed weapons permit.

I’m a private pilot with an instrument rating, an engineer by trade. I was 47 last year when my wife, my mate of the last quarter century, passed away due to cancer. I had "secondary depression", meaning I really had something to be depressed about, and was offered happy pills (either tranks or anti-depressants) as a result. I would have used them for a month or more if the policy of the damned FAA wasn’t so restrictive. I was in great emotional pain, never suicidal, never fatalistic, just very sad and given to waves of grief (curiously, never while flying… only when the mind had time to wander, like when driving a car on the interstate). I believe if you’re honest to the FAA it means 6 months after stopping usage before you have a chance to regain flight status even for a low performance single engine aircraft. There is anecdotal evidence that for commercial airline crews there is a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy with respect to anti-depressants, and a hint the draconian measures for us honest aviation mortals is mere window dressing. -Greg – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -If so,  does this mean cops on Prozac, while on off-duty,  are NOT permitted to carry a weapon?    If not, what kind of special waiver allows enforcement to *enjoy*  privileges that would disqualify most private citizens from even APPLYING for purchase of a gun? I guess what I’m trying to understand is WHY PILOTS CANNOT FLY while taking this drug? Thanks, Charles Grodin

Response:

Hi all, Please help me in  putting this issue in its proper perspective. I had the state of Oregon tell me that all kinds of law enforcement officers ARE on Prozac and permitted to carry a weapon on the job.  For the private citizen, as well as ALL pilots,  even though Prozac is not considered an anti-psychotic,  the mere taking of the drug is enough to disqualify flight/deny/revoke a concealed weapons permit.  If so,  does this mean cops on Prozac, while on off-duty,  are NOT permitted to carry a weapon?    If not, what kind of special waiver allows enforcement to *enjoy*  privileges that would disqualify most private citizens from even APPLYING for purchase of a gun? I guess what I’m trying to understand is WHY PILOTS CANNOT FLY while taking this drug? Thanks, Charles Grodin

Response:

I guess what I’m trying to understand is WHY PILOTS CANNOT FLY while taking this drug?

The FAA has it’s head up it’s ass with regards to anything psycological.   They have a hard time assigning meaningless arbitrary numbers to it like they do with other physical parameters.   Carefully monitored SSRI use should not be disqualifying. Certainly there are a class of pilots who avoid SSRI use, who would perform better with them if the FAA would allow it.   While I haven’t been able to find a hard reference, a psycologist friend says that the Israeli Air Force not only allows pilots to fly with Zoloft, but actually recommends it for certain reasons. As for carry permits, I can’t comment.  Most jurisdictions I’ve noticed draw the line at those who have been hospitalized or judged by some judicial action to not be of sound mind at some point.   As for what the cops do, in many areas, they are exempt from the permit laws even when they are off-duty.

Response:

Ron is right, cops carry "on the badge" off duty.  Most states also have laws allowing out-of-state officers to carry in their state *if* they’re on a detail. I know of some officers who take Paxil, but they were prescribed after hiring, and it’s not for anger management or other controversial diagnoses. If you have time, I’d love to confirm what you said about Oregon LEO’s – because ’round here, there’s no way someone taking such a medication would get hired by a law enforcement agency.  Unfortunately, as with the FAA, they don’t take these individuals case-by-case, as there are some mild reasons for prescribing such medication, or so I’ve heard. Justin

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I guess what I’m trying to understand is WHY PILOTS CANNOT FLY while taking this drug? The FAA has it’s head up it’s ass with regards to anything psycological. They have a hard time assigning meaningless arbitrary numbers to it like they do with other physical parameters.   Carefully monitored SSRI use should not be disqualifying. Certainly there are a class of pilots who avoid SSRI use, who would perform better with them if the FAA would allow it.   While I haven’t been able to find a hard reference, a psycologist friend says that the Israeli Air Force not only allows pilots to fly with Zoloft, but actually recommends it for certain reasons. As for carry permits, I can’t comment.  Most jurisdictions I’ve noticed draw the line at those who have been hospitalized or judged by some judicial action to not be of sound mind at some point.   As for what the cops do, in many areas, they are exempt from the permit laws even when they are off-duty.

I really hope they change their minds about this. I would rather there be pilots who needed  it and took it, than have pilots who needed it and didn’t because they were afraid they would loose thier tickets/jobs. Same for cops. A depressed pilot or cop who is afraid to get help is a scary thought. Certainly if a good reason is found (suicidal/homicidal tendencies, uncontrollable rage, etc.) they shouldn’t be allowed to fly a plane or carry a gun, but I think just taking the medication on it’s own isn’t reason enough to take such actions. In my state (WV) only an official adjudication of mental incompetence can keep a civilian from getting a concealed carry permit. Or being dumb enough to check the box on the application that says that you are mentally unfit to carry one. Of course, there are other, non-psychological, reasons to deny one. James

Response:

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