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Can you fly while on antidepressants?

Pharmaceutical Considerations: The use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying for aeromedical certification purposes – this includes all antidepressant drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).



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Pharmaceutical Considerations: The use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying for aeromedical certification purposes – this includes all antidepressant drugs, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

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If you aren't sure whether your medication falls into one of these categories, you should check with your AME:
  • Tranquilizers, such as but not limited to Valium, Librium, Ativan.
  • Most antidepressants. ...
  • Opiates, such as Morphine, Codeine, Lortab, Percodan, Oxycontin.
  • Muscle relaxants, such as Soma, Sonata, Flexeril.


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Avoid driving or operating machinery. Avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. Drink plenty of fluids. Take your antidepressant at bedtime if your doctor approves.

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The SSRI pathway only allows consideration for pilots who take one of four SSRIS: fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), or sertraline (Zoloft).

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An interaction between grapefruit and some medications may result in adverse side effects hence why the fruit is among the food to be avoided while taking antidepressants. Due to the high levels of the medicine in your body, you may start experiencing symptoms similar to overdose side effects.

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Interactions with food and drink The SSRI, fluvoxamine, is also known to enhance the effects of caffeine, so people who drink large amounts of caffeine may experience unpleasant symptoms such as heart palpitations, feeling sick, restlessness and insomnia.

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It's important not to miss any of your doses, as this could make your treatment less effective. You may also get withdrawal symptoms as a result of missing a dose of the medicine.

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Medication is usually screened by X-ray; however, if a passenger does not want a medication X-rayed, he or she may ask for a visual inspection instead. This request must be made before any items are sent through the X-ray tunnel.

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Bringing medicine to the UK If you're not a UK resident, you will need to carry a letter of proof that the medicine was prescribed for you. The letter must include: your name. the dates you are travelling to or from the UK.

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It is not necessary to present your medication to, or notify an officer about any medication you are traveling with unless it is in liquid form (See next bullet). Medication in liquid form is allowed in carry-on bags in excess of 3.4 ounces in reasonable quantities for the flight.

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Antidepressants are not considered drugs of abuse. That's why employers generally don't usually test for these prescriptions drugs in a screening. However, antidepressants have been known to produce false positives.

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Those foods include processed carbohydrates (think chips, white bread, store-bought confections), fried foods, soda and red meat, says the Harvard Medical School. If you're taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), there are some specific concerns, too.

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