So I applied for a class 1 flight med before I started ground school because I wanted to be sure I could get one before even trying to become a career pilot.
I have no medical health issues. My appointment with my Ame went ok, though I would never see him again by choice. Fast forward to 3 weeks later, i get a letter from the FAA saying I have to see a psychologist and a psychiatrist for a boatload of mental screening and testing, with no reason attached. I called the AME and the faa to find out whats going on and why, and apparently its because I was on anti-depressants in my past. I have no hospitalizations, nor official diagnosis of clinical depression. I was prescribed them about 10 years ago when I was in college and having a hard time due to stress and and the loss of two family pets.
I never went off them even though I spoke with my primary doctor about them because she told me the dose was so low that it wouldn't hurt to keep taking them. I stopped taking them 6 weeks before my appointment to my AME to be in line with what the FAA regs say on their website.
So the AME is all but refusing to speak with me at all and saying I should route all questions and information straight to the FAA, and the FAA is telling me in person they are "reviewing the info", only to repeatedly just send me carbon copies of the same letters saying I need to see the psychiatrist and psychologist.I am now down to my last 30 days to do this or they will "refer my application to legal action or denial".
I am looking at close to or over 3k just to have these psychological tests done, which is money i really dont want to spend since I still have to pay for ground school, and flight time before I even GET to my instrument ratings. Even though I have no formal diagnosis of depression, have never been hospitalized, and have had no psychological issues in my life outside seeing the doctor that once regarding my issues 10 years ago.
Does anyone have any advice or ideas for me? I honestly am really starting to feel like my AME is sabotaging me somehow. He was a bit of a stuck up jerk in the appointment, and it was obvious he did not care for me as a patient or person in the slightest. Is it just frustrated paranoia over this whole thing?
I have no medical health issues. My appointment with my Ame went ok, though I would never see him again by choice. Fast forward to 3 weeks later, i get a letter from the FAA saying I have to see a psychologist and a psychiatrist for a boatload of mental screening and testing, with no reason attached. I called the AME and the faa to find out whats going on and why, and apparently its because I was on anti-depressants in my past. I have no hospitalizations, nor official diagnosis of clinical depression. I was prescribed them about 10 years ago when I was in college and having a hard time due to stress and and the loss of two family pets.
I never went off them even though I spoke with my primary doctor about them because she told me the dose was so low that it wouldn't hurt to keep taking them. I stopped taking them 6 weeks before my appointment to my AME to be in line with what the FAA regs say on their website.
So the AME is all but refusing to speak with me at all and saying I should route all questions and information straight to the FAA, and the FAA is telling me in person they are "reviewing the info", only to repeatedly just send me carbon copies of the same letters saying I need to see the psychiatrist and psychologist.I am now down to my last 30 days to do this or they will "refer my application to legal action or denial".
I am looking at close to or over 3k just to have these psychological tests done, which is money i really dont want to spend since I still have to pay for ground school, and flight time before I even GET to my instrument ratings. Even though I have no formal diagnosis of depression, have never been hospitalized, and have had no psychological issues in my life outside seeing the doctor that once regarding my issues 10 years ago.
Does anyone have any advice or ideas for me? I honestly am really starting to feel like my AME is sabotaging me somehow. He was a bit of a stuck up jerk in the appointment, and it was obvious he did not care for me as a patient or person in the slightest. Is it just frustrated paranoia over this whole thing?
