Neurontin
 

First off, my medical has been expired for about a year, and I have only been flying with other pilots privately (currently on leave from a regional, not related).

I had back surgery last month for a herniated disk that was causing pain in my sciatic nerve. The surgery was a success in removing the material that was putting pressure on the nerve, but the pain is still there. They feel like the cause could be the nerve being "kinked" from having the material pushing on the nerve for so long. So, they put me on a drug called Neurontin that is supposed to make the nerve more pliable to hopefully stop the pain by allowing the "kink" to work its self out. I found on some unofficial website that Neurontin is not allowed while flying. I have been doing some looking around and have found that it looks like some medications are banned due to the types of ailments they are for. The main reason people are put on Neurontin is because of seizures and other nervous disorders that would be an issue for any pilot.

So the question is: Is there any way for me to fly on Neurontin, or do I have to find something else? Special issue medical since it isn't for seizures or anything that would cause me to not be guarenteed to be safe in the air perhaps?

Call your AME or your best bet is your unions medical staff. Union dept is better bet cause they do not report back to the FAA.

Thanks for the quick response.

I have a call in to my AME and my neurosurgeon to see what they say.

I didn't think of calling the union. Being that I am on personal leave, I am not completely sure they would be willing to help me much, but certaily worth a try. Thanks for the idea.

A search of AOPA's Drug DB did not turn anything up. All (the good) pain meds were pretty much no-go's (except OTC NSAIDS).

How severe is the pain? I know kidney stones are (temporarily) disqualifying due to the possibility of incapacitating pain.

Hope you get fixed and flying soon!

Neurontin is not a "pain med", it's an anti-sezieure med.

I had a ruptured L5/S1 disc about 6 years ago, had the Lamenectomy because I was getting to the point where I couldn't walk the sciatic pain was so bad. Most of the pain went away the next day, but 6 years later the ball of my foot is still numb, and I have to be very careful about how I lift...anything. I do lift weights at the gym, but I cut the wt. in half, doubled the reps, on the advice of my Neurologist. I was out of work about 6 weeks for the recovery. I was only on pain meds for about a week after the op. but it was not Neurontin.

Two years ago I had a different issue that required Neurontin, the ALPA Aero Med guys told me the FAA wants you off the drug for at least as long as you were on it, ie. if you are on it for 6 weeks, they want you off it for another 6 weeks before they will consider you good to fly. Talk to your AME, he's probably delt with it before.

Primarily anti-sezieure, yes, but it has "off label" uses for pain management. My mother is going through this right now with a spinal fusion that's been dramatically displaced. The info below mentions shingles, but the key phrase is "changing the way the body senses pain". Also note the the OP references pain, not seizures.

I agree with you that if it is for off label (i.e. not a disqualifying condition), and you're "fixed" with out the meds, the AME should be able to issue the medical.

From the Interweb, so I know it's true. :)

Gabapentin (Neurotin) capsules, tablets, and oral solution are also used to relieve the pain of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN; the burning, stabbing pain or aches that may last for months or years after an attack of shingles). Gabapentin relieves the pain of PHN by changing the way the body senses pain.

I think it may also change the way the FAA senses your return to work status...

I was told you have to be off it at least as long as you were on it, before they will let you fly again.

Okay, I talked to my AME. He said that I can fly on Neurontin, but I have some hoops to jump through. I have to get a letter from the Doc stating everything about how much, how long, what for, prognosis, everything. I take that letter to my physical with the AME, and after I pass that, the AME sends the letter to Oklahoma with his report, and they will review it and most likely issue me a special medical in about 90 days. If I were currently flying for a paycheck, they would get it back to me within about 3 weeks.

Turns out, not only is taking Neurontin disqualifying, but also having sciatica that is bad enough to need medication. Getting a special medical issued for a year is the way around that.

YES!

the best course of action is to discontinue gabapentin. I was going to call the faa but it's Christmas! Your AME is right . . . but how many if any exceptions for this drug have been issued?

Hmm... OKC told me in 2010 that Neurotin was not allowed, period, especially if part 121.