Question about getting hired as an ATC & being on pain meds?

[KindaRadley]

I was wondering if anyone can possibly ease my mind. Here's my "past" and was wondering how bad it may hurt me, and if I need to get any sort of "letters of recommendation/clearance". Here goes...

I injured my back in 2001 and ended up having surgery on it (over the past 7 years, I've had a total of 4 surgeries, and 6 infection debreedment surgeries). During that time, from 2001-2005 I was prescribed to Oxycontin, and in the end was at a fairly high dose. I ended up becoming physically dependent upon the pain meds, and was considered to be "medically addicted" (basically meaning that the doctors expected me to become addicted because of the type of medications I was on, and the length of time I was on them). I was finally able to get off of the Oxycontin in 2005, but that was after about 3 or 4 times of going through detox between 2004-2005. The first thing I'm concerned about is that I went through detox 3 or 4 times (every time I got off the medication, my pain came back so badly that I ended up having to go back on the Oxycontin because no one could treat the pain once I got off the medication). I finally found a place that was able to treat my back pain when I got off the medication, and in May 2005 I was able to successfully get off of the Oxycontin, and I've been off of it since. Another thing during those years however is that I had a few issues in which I was found unconscious, due to medication interactions (Klonopin & Oxycontin mainly). The doctors though I was overdosing and at one point they even thought I was suicidal, which I wasn't. I know that this stuff is in my medical records, so I know I'll need to be upfront about it if/when it comes up... how should I handle this if it does come up though? I finally found out recently how the medications were causing me to pass out, and I am able to prove that part (the Klonopin was causing the pain medication to not be absorbed, causing the opiods to stay in my system 4 times longer than normal). The last time any of this happened was in early 2005.

Now my *MAJOR*concern is that I re-injured/re-aggravated my back this past January, and after almost 3 years of being off of the pain medications, I ended up having to start to take them again (and I was very reluctant to do so, and I'm still not happy that , but I'm no where NEAR the dose that I was at (I was on about 240-320mg of Oxycontin a day back then compared to only 80-100mg of oxycodone a day currently). Since I've been taking the Percocet for almost 4 months, I have become dependent on the meds again... I know this because I tried at one point about a month ago to stop taking them, and I started to get massive withdrawl symptoms. My doctor knows this, and currently we are tapering me off of the medications. What I want to know is if I consider going back into a detox place so that I can get off of the meds quickly, will this hurt my chances of getting hired? I don't want it to come back and bite me by having them think I am a drug abuser, which I'm not, nor have I ever been. I read online in the medical area under drug addiction/abuse that as long as I "didn't have an issue for at least 2 years", then I was clear. I'm afraid that if I choose to go back into detox, it would end up screwing me over.... is this something where I can simply explain to them like I am now, and be OK?

Also, I have never taken any type of illegal drugs in my life, and I have never abused the pain medications. I'm just kind of in a tough position because when I reinjured my back in January, the Percocet was the only thing that gave me any type of relief. I'm hoping to be off of the meds by the end of June, as my doctor and I have been already tapering me off as he knows I'm in the process of being interviewed & hired by the FAA to become a controller. My doctor and I have also talked about just simply going "cold turkey" to get off the meds, and I know that I can be done in about a week and a half.... I'd just have to suffer through the direaha.

So can anyone please advise me as to what to do, and offer some suggestions on how to go about this? If anything, at this point I have expressed to my doctor that I want to get off the meds ASAP, and I am willing to spend a week in detox, and almost want to go this route because it will be the least painful, and least tempting (I know that when I get into the major part of the tapering, it will be hard, and I don't know if I will be able to do it myself). What could I expect when it comes to getting hired and having my medical records reviewed? I already have a Class 2 medical, so will any of the even be brought up? Like I said, my doctor can verify that I have not been abusing the medication, and that he has been aware of me being in the process of being picked up by the FAA. I will be more than happy, and would really like to talk to someone verbally if at all possible, but as for now, anything you all can talk to me about would be highly appreciated!!!

Thank you ahead of time, and if you wouldn't mind talking to me privately via the phone, please send me a private message & I can make arrangements with you!

[My Flight Surgeon]

You are going top have troubles getting a clearance to work. If you want to get the straight answer, call the Regional Flight Surgeon's office in Kansas City and talk to them. Get the answer from the horses mouth.

[ATLTRACON]

I too had the same issue with Oxy a few years back. I had been injured at ATL Tower and, to make a long story short, was forced to stop working for a few years as I lost my medical. When I did come back, initially not as an ATCS, I attempted to stop the Oxy cold turkey (400 mg a day). Felt like I was dying. Finally the withdrawals stopped after about a week+ and I started feeling a lot better.

I went and took my flight physical and because of the injury the Flight Physician had to defer it to the FAA Flight Surgeon.

That is what I would be worried about. Nothing personal Flight Surgeon folks, but I found it very difficult dealing with the Flight Surgeons in the Southern Region.

I would, before you do anything else, speak to your Regional Flight Surgeon, go see him if possible and see what possible difficulties you may encounter.

Good Luck.