Advice for Class 3 medical with OCD and Zoloft

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User8388473

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Hello. I know you are all very busy. I am a 16 year old junior in high school and I am currently working towards getting my PPL. Aviation has been a dream for a long time and I am already many hours into ground school &set to start flight training soon.. however there is a problem.. around 2017 I was diagnosed with mild OCD by a psychiatrist and put on Zoloft.. I decided to stop taking Zoloft on my own in 2020 due to discomfort caused by the medication(loss of appetite), and now I have not been on the medication for over a year.. I function well without it i don’t need or want to be on meds anymore anyways … what are my options for a class 3 medical? I haven’t spoken with an AME yet or done any part of the medical application process yet.. what do you suggest I do? I know that because of my OCD diagnosis it’s going to be a game of hoops to try to get through to get certified… and possibly psychiatric evaluations since I decided to stop taking the medication on my own.. What is your advice? (And I’ve heard of the LSA route and I’m not completely opposed to it , but I want to get instrument rated and prefer to go towards PPL, what are my chances).

Should I get all medical records first before speaking to the AME so I know what I’m dealing with and so I know what my medical providers have said ? What do you suggest? Thank you so much for your time, and any suggestion is welcome
 
If you're looking to make aviation a career, get your 1st class now. If you aren't able to obtain one, it will save you a lot of money.
 
But before you immediately run off to an AME and apply for the 1st class that @Groundpounder mentions, get fully educated on the requirements and process that is involved to obtain that 1st class with your medical history of OCD and Zoloft.

Bomb into the AME office before you are properly educated and prepared (in both time, discipline, and money budget), you are not going to like the outcome.
 
AggieMike88 said:
But before you immediately run off to an AME and apply for the 1st class that @Groundpounder mentions, get fully educated on the requirements and process that is involved to obtain that 1st class with your medical history of OCD and Zoloft.

Bomb into the AME office before you are properly educated and prepared (in both time, discipline, and money budget), you are not going to like the outcome.
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Do you think I have any chance of passing this medical considering my history of OCD and Zoloft? What is the FAA’s view on OCD?
 
Groundpounder said:
If you're looking to make aviation a career, get your 1st class now. If you aren't able to obtain one, it will save you a lot of money.
Click to expand...

What is the benefit in getting a first class medical for my PPL? Isn’t the first class medical more strict?
 
User8388473 said:
What is the benefit in getting a first class medical for my PPL? Isn’t the first class medical more strict?
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Yup, but you'll need it someday if you want to fly for a living. If you can't pass it now, then there is no use wasting money on flight training.
 
User8388473 said:
What is the benefit in getting a first class medical for my PPL? Isn’t the first class medical more strict?
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If this is your first medical, a third class is the minimum requirement to earn your PPL.

However, it's not uncommon to suggest going for a first class if professional piloting is in your short term future and you are going to go to one of the professional pilot training programs around the country.
 
If you try for a first or third class medical and fail. You are ****ed as far as Sport Pilot is concerned.

Question 1) Do you want to fly for fun/hobby, or do you want a job?
 
User8388473 said:
Hello. I know you are all very busy. I am a 16 year old junior in high school and I am currently working towards getting my PPL. Aviation has been a dream for a long time and I am already many hours into ground school &set to start flight training soon.. however there is a problem.. around 2017 I was diagnosed with mild OCD by a psychiatrist and put on Zoloft.. I decided to stop taking Zoloft on my own in 2020 due to discomfort caused by the medication(loss of appetite), and now I have not been on the medication for over a year.. I function well without it i don’t need or want to be on meds anymore anyways … what are my options for a class 3 medical? I haven’t spoken with an AME yet or done any part of the medical application process yet.. what do you suggest I do? I know that because of my OCD diagnosis it’s going to be a game of hoops to try to get through to get certified… and possibly psychiatric evaluations since I decided to stop taking the medication on my own.. What is your advice? (And I’ve heard of the LSA route and I’m not completely opposed to it , but I want to get instrument rated and prefer to go towards PPL, what are my chances).

Should I get all medical records first before speaking to the AME so I know what I’m dealing with and so I know what my medical providers have said ? What do you suggest? Thank you so much for your time, and any suggestion is welcome
Click to expand...

BEFORE you apply for a medical, hire someone like Dr. Bruce Chien or Dr. Lou Fowler...both active here. They're experts on difficult medical certification. Let them walk you through the process, step-by-step. Listen to their advice, and follow it to the letter. They're your best chance to avoid the FAA's landmines, and come out on the other end of this process with the medical certificate you're seeking.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
If you try for a first or third class medical and fail. You are ****ed as far as Sport Pilot is concerned.

Question 1) Do you want to fly for fun/hobby, or do you want a job?
Click to expand...

Yep. I already knew that if I failed the class 3 or 1 medical I wouldn’t be able to even fly sport pilot (which is light sport aircraft under VFR conditions only I believe). I’m not completely opposed to being a sport pilot only, but, I’d rather get my Private Pilot’s License if possible. I’ll have to make that decision after I talk with a few people. I’ve already started talking to Bruce through email, and I’m going to let my CFI know at my next
lesson, and hopefully I can get this sorted out.
 
User8388473 said:
Do you think I have any chance of passing this medical considering my history of OCD and Zoloft? What is the FAA’s view on OCD?
Click to expand...

I have a history of OCD and received a SI and third class medical last year. Took a deferred medical, and neuropsychological/psychiatric evaluations, but it's over and done with now and I can move on to BasicMed. I was urged to forget getting another medical and be content with sport pilot, but I'm happy I went for it.
 
I considered sport pilot but I’m just too heavy. I went for the whole enchilada. Meet with one of the guys mentioned earlier. If they say it can be done then count on it. If they say it ain’t gonna fly then lose all the weight you can and go sport pilot.
 
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