Does this story sound familiar?
It’s Sunday morning, the last day of a three-day trip. You have four
hours of fl ying ahead of you to get back home, but something about the
air conditioner last night has left you with stuffy nose and sinuses this
morning. You know from your training and experience that fl ying with congested
upper airways is not a good thing. As it turns out, one of the others on the trip
has some new over-the-counter sinus pills that are “guaranteed” to unstop your
breathing passages and let you fl y without any worries about the congestion.
Should you take the medication?
Another scenario
You and your spouse are on the second leg of a fi ve-leg, cross-country
fl ight. While visiting relatives, you stayed up late at the party they threw in
your honor, ate too much, and the next morning your stomach feels sort
of queasy. Your spouse, a non-pilot, offers you a common motion-sickness
pill prescribed by her doctor. Should you take the medication?
Get the facts
Just like any other decision (equipment, weather, etc.) that you must
make when you fl y, you should know all the facts before you can answer
this question. There are several things that you need to know and take into
account before you make the go/no-go decision. Add these to your check
list:
First, consider the underlying condition that you are treating. What
will be the consequences if the medication doesn’t work or if it wears off
before the fl ight is over? A good general rule to follow is not to fl y if you
must depend on the medication to keep the fl ight safe. In other words,
if the untreated condition is one that would prevent safe fl ying, then
you shouldn’t fl y until the condition improves — whether you take the
medication or not.
Second, you must consider your reaction to the medication. There
are two broad categories of medication reactions. One is a unique reaction
based on an individual’s biological make-up. Most people don’t have such
reactions but anyone can, given the right medication. Because of this, you
should NEVER fl y after taking any medication that you have not taken
before. It is not until after you have taken the medication that you will
fi nd out whether you have this uncommon and unexpected reaction to the
medication.
Third, consider the potential for adverse reactions, or side effects
— unwanted reactions to medications. This type of reaction is quite
common, and the manufacturer of the medication lists these on the label.
You MUST carefully read all labeling. If you don’t have access to the label,
then don’t fl y while using the medication.
Look for such key words such as lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness,
or visual disturbance. If these side effects are listed or if the label contains
a warning about operating motor vehicles or machinery, then you should
not fl y while using the medication.
Side effects can occur at any time, so even if you’ve taken the same
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