Medication requirements

So, a friend of mine who happens to take a prescription stimulant for ADD (Concerta, which is a form of Ritalin, I believe), got to asking me about applying for the ATC... and we got around to the question of whether or not her medication would be an issue. I've gone over what's allowed and what's not for a flight license -- and it looks like Ritalin is a limiting factor (which surprises me, to be honest) -- but I couldn't find anything at all about medications and air traffic controllers.

Can anyone shed some light on this for us? Thanks.

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Applied PUBNAT3/4/5/6 - May 31, et al.
AT-SAT - Aug. 14

Guide for Aviation Medical Examiner

maybe what you are looking for? in #1

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Any medical issues need to be run through the FAA medical office. There is a list (A long one) of items you can not take and work traffic. Many things you can take if you try it over a 72 hour period and show no side affects. Claritin-D is an example. Other medicines you have a time period from last use (I think it is 12 hours) such as Benadril before you can work.

I will tell you a simple rule the medical officer told me. If it affects your brain it is 99.99999% likely to be disqualifying. Some blood pressure medicines (Beta blockers are OK after they have been determined to control the BP AND show no ill affects), all Migraine medicines and most certainly Ritalin.

I also have to add that ADD and ATC does not mix. Any with a diagnosis of ADD even under control of medicines I would have to doubt could get a medical cert. I figured that would make , OH LOOK A SQUIRREL! sense, I mean.

I seemed to remember reading an article somewhere stating that (while - i know it is a bit different) students with ADD or ADHD actually did fairly well as student pilots. Since we know aviating requires the pilot to preform many tasks at any given moment, the brain stimulation was such that students were able to curb their ADD/ADHD/Alphabet Soup Disorder by subconsciously slowing down their thoughts by focusing on multiple items at once (i.e radio, nav, engine monitoring, etc., etc., etc.).

... Just a random fun fact - I'll see if I can find the article soon.

LMAO

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That's actually what I was thinking. I know the common perception is that ADD = severe distractability / inattention, but a lot of people with it experience hyperfocus when it's a task that they're actually interested in -- this girl, for example, can lose herself in a book for hours without noticing, able to recall every little detail she's read almost perfectly.

I've got family who work in psychology -- which is where I'm pulling the focus thing from -- so maybe I'll get around to asking her about it.

Thanks for the link, Shyu.

I'll let y'all know if I hear anything. And pass it along to me if y'all do as well, I'd appreciate it. She's a little nervous about whether she should even bother applying.

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Applied PUBNAT3/4/5/6 - May 31, et al.
AT-SAT - Aug. 14

I don't think the ADD itself is disqualifying but I know for a fact that the medications for it are banned. I know some people who have done very well getting off their medication for ADHD by trying natural remedies, such as diet changes, yoga, herbal supplements and various control techniques. If your friend can't function without her meds then she shouldn't bother applying. On the other hand if she can function off her meds and have her doctor sign off on it she'd probably be okay.