HIMS drug testing during travel abroad

T

Travelasker

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I'm wondering if anyone could shed some light on this.

Because I used illegal substances in the past, I'm being supervised by a local HIMS AME who sends me for random drug testing about once a month. When I travel within the U.S., I simply tell the AME ahead of time and give him the name of a convenient lab at my destination, just in case he needs to send me for a drug test on a travel day.

But in the next few months, I have two trips to Europe planned, including a business trip required by my job. The HIMS AME is a little confused because he's never had to contemplate sending someone for a drug test in another country before. I'm visiting two non-English-speaking countries, and I'm worried things will get very complicated very quickly.

Does anyone have any advice or experience?

Thank you.
 
Advice #1: don't take any substances that are banned in the US, even if legal elsewhere!
I'm certain that there are labs that could do such a test just about everywhere on the planet that isn't truly third-world. If you are leaving for fewer than 30 days at a time, getting tested when you are back in the USA may be good enough for your AME. If not, you'll need to find a foreign testing facility.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
Advice #1: don't take any substances that are banned in the US, even if legal elsewhere!
I'm certain that there are labs that could do such a test just about everywhere on the planet that isn't truly third-world. If you are leaving for fewer than 30 days at a time, getting tested when you are back in the USA may be good enough for your AME. If not, you'll need to find a foreign testing facility.
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Thanks Kenny. Of course I won't use any banned substances — absolutely not.
 
How long will you be out of the country? If it’s for more than a month maybe you can suggest a hair test to your AME? That’s another major problem with the HIMS program. Was only created with the professional pilot in mind.
 
Fair question about how to comply with program while you’re overseas. And sorta surprised your supervising HIMS AME didn’t know how to advise you.

My current suggestion is to make contact with your HIMS AME and ask if he has had to chance to ask the question of his superiors. If he hasn’t, then nudge him to do so and get back to you.

Maybe @bbchien can comment.
 
If your HIMS AME is looking for a route to put this in, he might consider using a lab that EASA uses to test European pilots. Their testing rules are a little different, but they do have drug testing for pilots in Europe too. I don't have information about it, but I suspect contacting a European AME in the country you'd be in would be a place to start.
 
bflynn, because the general rule is that you can still purchase a negative test result particularly in some of the eastern European countries, the FAA is loathe to take such reports. If a man can be managed by a Soberlink, we do that, But if it's not alcohol we're looking for, that candidate is pretty much remanded to the United States as if he's abroad and recieves a test demand, he'll never make it to a 50- states lab in time. And a missed test is a positive test.

-HIMS AME

Your choices if the items are off a panel 10, are to get re-assigned in your line of work, of be gone a Max of 3 days. FAA's attitude is, "we didn't abuse the drugs, and getting compliance is not our problem. The problem is the applicant's. HIs priority has to be high enough......
 
bbchien said:
bflynn, because the general rule is that you can still purchase a negative test result particularly in some of the eastern European countries, the FAA is loathe to take such reports. If a man can be managed by a Soberlink, we do that, But if it's not alcohol we're looking for, that candidate is pretty much remanded to the United States as if he's abroad and recieves a test demand, he'll never make it to a 50- states lab in time. And a missed test is a positive test.

-HIMS AME

Your choices if the items are off a panel 10, are to get re-assigned in your line of work, of be gone a Max of 3 days. FAA's attitude is, "we didn't abuse the drugs, and getting compliance is not our problem. The problem is the applicant's. HIs priority has to be high enough......
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I was supposed to go out of town at one point for 3 months (for work) and my HIMS AME was ok with doing hair testing And a peth when I came back in town at the end of the 3 months. So is this an FAA thing or dependent on which HIMS AME Someone has?
 
Jonathan Stein said:
I was supposed to go out of town at one point for 3 months (for work) and my HIMS AME was ok with doing hair testing And a peth when I came back in town at the end of the 3 months. So is this an FAA thing or dependent on which HIMS AME Someone has?
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I could be wrong but I don't think HIMS AME's receive such comprehensive training to deal with all sorts of situations like these. If your AME was ok with that, chances are he had checked with someone to make sure it was actually ok. At least that's my impression from my experience.

To OP, why don't you be patient and let your AME figure it out?
 
I advise! HIMS candidates: no outconus travel, no elective surgeries and to be reachable by email every day. Even after SI, many of these rules apply though you and your HIMS AME can work thing out. Do not screw up your initial SI approach.
 
Just brainstorming here, but If the SSRI is for drugs (not alcohol) and the trip was for a week or 10 days, could the HIMS AME do a scheduled test on the day prior and day of return rather than a random during the interval? Are there any drugs that would not be traceable in the 10 day period with the scheduled check on return day?

And if alcohol, it looks like BBChien already proposed an alternative with the real time ankle cuff that monitors for alcohol.
 
Volzalum said:
Just brainstorming here, but If the SSRI is for drugs (not alcohol) and the trip was for a week or 10 days, could the HIMS AME do a scheduled test on the day prior and day of return rather than a random during the interval? Are there any drugs that would not be traceable in the 10 day period with the scheduled check on return day?

And if alcohol, it looks like BBChien already proposed an alternative with the real time ankle cuff that monitors for alcohol.
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Yes, most. Vast majority of drugs are not detectable in pee after just a few days. I think blood may be even sooner. Weed is an outlier. If heavy user, it can be detected for months. Hell, even heavy smoker nicotine takes less then a week to clear out from pee.

Edit:I should probably say "majority of common recreational drugs" as there are plenty of drugs that i'm sure can be detected longer
 
So working for an airline would be impossible if you are on HIMS?
Start a 4-day with min rest, no way you can get a drug test done in time for that.
Even more impossible if you fly international.
 
It appears that the OP’s issue is alcohol. Hair Peth and nail PETH can cover reliably ~2 mos.

Soberlink does work provided you can get the cdma vs tdma thing worked out.....
 
Major airlines have 12 day international trips... They simply submit their schedules and testing gets done around them on days off.

This should not be a problem.

Contact choice labs, griffin ga, they handle this routinely.
 
Tools said:
Major airlines have 12 day international trips... They simply submit their schedules and testing gets done around them on days off.This should not be a problem. Contact choice labs, griffin ga, they handle this routinely.
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Naieve, ghost rider, We cannot give the applicant nor the captain a window in which he could abuse and not be detected. Easy enough for alcohol, but much harder with the panel 10 items.....the HIMS guy with cocaine abuse cannot hold an overseas line PERIOD. That guy needs to be grateful that his in permitted on any flight deck. If he resentful he’s likely not in recovery. The agency will not tolerate a purchaseable negative. TOUGH, but the way it is.
 
Boeing76 said:
I have a question for you since you are enrolled in the HIMS program, I would greatly appreciate it if you answered. I will be enrolled into the HIMS program due to a marijuana disclosure with my psychiatrist in high school back in 2016. I never had a possession of weed my record is clean but I told my psychiatrist I smoked weed here and there and the FAA found out once I released my medical records to them. I don’t smoke or drink I just take cbd products sometimes for anxiety. How does the random drug testing work? Do you get tested once you see your HIMS? Or does he call you randomly any day and ask you to submit a drug test at a labcorb or quest?
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ruh ro, rorge. Weed for an anxiety disorder. Muy No Bueno.
 
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