Sleep Aids

[Texasspilot]

whats up doc?

Just tryin to get an idea of legal and safe sleep aids for pilots on short overnights.

Someone recommended melatonin?!?!?

Anything else that works well with minimal sides?




BTW I'm typing this at 11:22 pm, i've been up since 5am, after 3 hours of sleep.............my bodyclock is messed up.

[My Flight Surgeon]

Right now only melatonin can be used and this is because it is a naturally occurring profuct and does not require a prescription. It is approved for people WITHOUT sleep disorders. The FAA has not approved any prescription drugs yet. Use 6 mg. when you take it. There were some fair studies that showed it decreased jet lag in drews going to and from Europe several years ago.

None of the OTC sleep preparations, including Sominex, Tylenol PM, and Excedrin PM, are allowed for flight deck use and require waiting 12-24 hours from last dose to flight duty. Prescription medications such as Sonata, Halcion and Restoril are not approved for airmen. Those pilots taking Ambien (zolpidem), another prescription medication, must wait 24-48 hours after the last dose before flying. The Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin states that Ambien may be used if no more than twice a week and not within 24 hours of flight duties.

If new medications get approved, I will post them on this site.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

None of the OTC sleep preparations, including Sominex, Tylenol PM, and Excedrin PM, are allowed for flight deck use and require waiting 12-24 hours from last dose to flight duty. Prescription medications such as Sonata, Halcion and Restoril are not approved for airmen. Those pilots taking Ambien (zolpidem), another prescription medication, must wait 24-48 hours after the last dose before flying. The Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin states that Ambien may be used if no more than twice a week and not within 24 hours of flight duties.

If new medications get approved, I will post them on this site.

How about temazepam/restoril?

And for that matter, are uppers allowed in civil aviation? We're issued dextroamphetimine tabs to fly with for combat theatre flying. Can these be used in civil applications?

[My Flight Surgeon]

No, temazepam/restoril are not allowed. As for "uppers" the answer is the same, NO. Military uses these for specific opeational needs. There is no such critical operational need in civilian aviation.

[SeanD]

I took Ambien briefly and it had way too much kick to be a sleep aid. I felt intoxicated more than tired and threw the prescription away. I would not recomend anyone flying use this drug unless your a pax on a long flight.

[averyrm]

My wife took Ambien once. She was so high off of it, she was having a conversation with the people living in the tupperware... apparently they had a campfire going.

No joke.

[My Flight Surgeon]

All of the sleeping drugs (Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, etc.)except Rozerem have this problem. They are all also addicting to one degree or another. None are FAA approved for use within 48 hours of operating an aircraft.

[MidlifeFlyer]

Doc,

Sorry to bring this thread back to the top. What is the current status of the new crop of sleep aids, like Ambien, Lunesta. I have heard about the medical bulletin on Ambien (would it be possible to get a copy?) but are there others in the group to which the low use - 48 hour advisory applies?

More generally, what is the process by which drugs such as Ambien get looked at by the FAA?

Thanks.

[My Flight Surgeon]

The 48 hours is a common sense guideline. I don't think I have seen it in print officialliy anywhere. All of the sleeping aids have the same problems and are not FAA approved.

As far as FAA approval of medications - first the drug has to be FDA approved. After that, the FAA looks at the class of drug (what it does and how it does it), the half-life of the drug, any reported side effects in the drug trials reported to the FDA and then considers all of these factors in relation to altitude physiology. They tend to be very conservative. I have seen drugs with significant short-term side effects approved if the pilot allows a defined period of time for the drug to be metabolized (Viagra) that are now approved. So they don't put their head in the sand but do apply some science to the process.

[cessnajockey454]

I stuck a 5 mg subling...something Melatonin under my tongue and it put me to sleep in no time but I woke up four hours later - feelling refreshed but still. So I popped another one and slept for the rest of the night - apparently 10 mg is a little too much because I felt groggy all day.

Tonight, I'll break it in two and take the second half when I wake up - maybe that'll work a little better.

If that doesn't work, I think I'll try the time release - I went for the tongue because I figured it would be out of my system when I woke up...I just didn't figure on waking up so early.

[My Flight Surgeon]

The original studies with aircrews was done with 6 mg. I would not exceed that dose.

[JaceTheAce]

Originally Posted by averyrm

My wife took Ambien once. She was so high off of it, she was having a conversation with the people living in the tupperware... apparently they had a campfire going.

No joke.

: rotfl:

This seriously made my laugh my ass off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111