Sleep Aid and Medical Question

If I were to take an OTC sleep aid (and do not plan on flying in the next
week) does it impact my medical? Would I need to report this at my next
medical?

--
Mike Flyin'8
PP-ASEL
Temecula, CA
http://flying.4alexanders.com

I would not report it. It's OTC, so there is no paper trail. Thus if
you don't report it, nothing can happen. If you do report it, someone
may possibly (not likely) take issue.

And whatever OTC sleep aid you took a week ago is certainly not a
factor.

Michael

wrote in message
...
If I were to take an OTC sleep aid (and do not plan on flying in the next
week) does it impact my medical? Would I need to report this at my next
medical?

The FAA's medical form asks about prescription and OTC medication alike; but
it only asks what medications you *currently* use:
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...orm_8500_8.pdf.

--Gary

Michael wrote:
I would not report it. It's OTC, so there is no paper trail. Thus if
you don't report it, nothing can happen. If you do report it, someone
may possibly (not likely) take issue.

And whatever OTC sleep aid you took a week ago is certainly not a
factor.


Not only that, but blood tests are very specific. The usual bloodwork done in
the doctors office shows nothing other than the properties of the blood.
Toxicology tests done at the behest of the police or possibly an employer might
show the presence of alcohol, marijuana, opiates, barbituates and amphetamines.
That's pretty much it.

I don't imagine something you did a week ago is going to have much bearing on
you today, at least as far as OTC meds go.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN

VE

If you regularly "need" a sleep mediation to go to sleep you
have a reportable and possibly disqualifying condition. If
you take a pill a few times a year, it doesn't rise to the
level of an issue. But if you regularly, 2-3 times a week ,
take a pill to sleep, it should be reported.

Will the FAA investigate? Not until there is an accident.
There is a spirit behind the FAA rules.
There is a point when a drug has left the system and does
not effect performance. Being sleepy also effects
performance.


--
James H. Macklin
ATP,CFI,A&P

--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.
some support
http://www.usdoj.gov/olc/secondamendment2.htm
See http://www.fija.org/ more about your rights and duties.



"Gary Drescher" wrote in message
...
| wrote in message
| ...
| If I were to take an OTC sleep aid (and do not plan on
flying in the next
| week) does it impact my medical? Would I need to report
this at my next
| medical?
|
| The FAA's medical form asks about prescription and OTC
medication alike; but
| it only asks what medications you *currently* use:
|
http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/...orm_8500_8.pdf.
|
| --Gary
|
|

Being sleepy also effects performance.

Actually, being awake effects performance. Being sleepy affects
performance.

Just a p.p. of mine.

Jose
--
Nothing takes longer than a shortcut.
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

I have seen NTSB and military accident reports list antidepressant and
antihistamine levels.

David

Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
Michael wrote:

I would not report it. It's OTC, so there is no paper trail. Thus if
you don't report it, nothing can happen. If you do report it, someone
may possibly (not likely) take issue.

And whatever OTC sleep aid you took a week ago is certainly not a
factor.



Not only that, but blood tests are very specific. The usual bloodwork done in
the doctors office shows nothing other than the properties of the blood.
Toxicology tests done at the behest of the police or possibly an employer might
show the presence of alcohol, marijuana, opiates, barbituates and amphetamines.
That's pretty much it.

I don't imagine something you did a week ago is going to have much bearing on
you today, at least as far as OTC meds go.

David Kazdan wrote:

I have seen NTSB and military accident reports list antidepressant and
antihistamine levels.

Do sleep aids contain antidepressant or antihistamines? I don't take them
so I legitimately don't know.


--
Peter

Military accidents (at least ones that result in major injury, death, or
over a million dollars damage require tox screens on all flight crew
members). Many OTC sleep aids contain benadryl, the antihistamine.

The issue regarding reporting is more philosophical: if the drug wasn't on
an approved list, and there were an accident or even a fatality and the drug
was found in a pilot's blood, an insurance company might not pay, with the
presumption that the individual was not flying with a valid medical. In
other words, taking an unapproved medication (or having a procedure that was
grounding, but was not reported) might void the medical, and therefore the
insurance company would not need to pay on any claim.

At the very least, some careful homework would be in order prior to making
the decision.

The next poster, Viperdoc, is more knowledgable here than I am--but all
(I believe) over-the-counter sleep aids are antihistamines. The "first
generation" antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) are quite
sedating, and those drugs make a feature out of that bug.

David

Peter R. wrote:
David Kazdan wrote:


I have seen NTSB and military accident reports list antidepressant and
antihistamine levels.


Do sleep aids contain antidepressant or antihistamines? I don't take them
so I legitimately don't know.