Doc got arrested

[Anonymous]

Im a pilot and I have a history of anxiety and depression and a hospital stay on watch. That was over a year ago. I’ve been off medication for almost a year. My psychiatrist thought everything was fine, but I wanted a rock solid case so I planned to keep seeing him for a year before getting a new medical. Now today he gets arrested for drugs. After a long journey to the appointment I found the feds there and told me the office was closed. I’m gonna have to find a new psychiatrist but if I can somehow get my records from him should I submit it to the faa all things considered?

 

[bflynn]

Not to add to your anxiety, but there may be bigger problems than your doctor getting busted.

Your condition is potentially grounding and for good reason. Anxiety, depression and a hospital stay are serious red flags. You need to contact one of the AMEs on the board and figure out what you need to show and IF you can show it. It's an expensive route and will put you on a special issuance.

There's a medical problem. Go deal with the medical problem first, your life is worth so much more than being in an airplane.

 

[Half Fast]

Not a good situation at all. And even though "My psychiatrist thought everything was fine,..." you now have to wonder about his credibility. Not to mention whether he was stoned when he told you that. The hospitalization doesn't bode well, and being off the meds now might be perceived as being untreated.

If any AME is willing to touch this, it will be Dr Bruce (aka @bbchien ). He'll probably be along before too long but you could PM him. He's one of the docs who created the protocol for pilots taking SSRIs and you can trust whatever he tells you, so long as you're completely open and honest with him.

Bottom line, though - deal with your health FIRST, flying be damned. Do what you have to do to get completely well, then worry about how to get in the air.

 

[bbchien]

Hospital stay “on watch” we both know is for suicidality. That is totally uncertifiable until (informally) after 10 years of:
No meds
no events
Good psychiatry hygiene and function
Successful as documented by supervisors
Documentation of the ten years, yearly by at least a Ph.D Psychologist.
Favorable after re-evaluations at the HIMS level....

Time for a new psychiatrist, too.....