Randy Babbitt, FAA’s Captain Prozac®!

Superfly FAA Administrator J. Randolph (“Randy”) Babbitt has now authorized drugged-up pilots with mental problems to fly jumbo-jets in the national airspace, including possibly over your house and head. You might even be reading this blog on a PDA, about to take off as a passenger on an airplane, piloted by one of the new members of FAA's Prozac Nation.

But don’t worry. It’s only SOMETIMES that Prozac increases the user’s risk of suicidal thinking – or suicidal behavior – or panic attacks – or drowsiness - or hallucinations – or uncontrollable shaking - or seizures - or fainting - or a coma.

Perhaps today will be your lucky day. After all, according to the below text, your odds are at about 9:1.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1020&bih=532&q=Prozac&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw#hl=en&biw=1020&bih=532&gbv=2&q=the+real+dangers+of+Prozac&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=the+real+dangers+of+Prozac&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=df8e58bf30e69758
Prozac is an antidepressant that can increase the risk of suicidal thinking or behavior.

Prozac® (fluoxetine hydrochloride) is a prescription drug licensed to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bulimia, and panic disorder.

Before you begin taking this drug, dangers associated with the use of antidepressants should be discussed with your healthcare provider. All antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior. You should notify your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any changes in symptoms or new symptoms (such as anxiety, panic, or hallucinations).

Taking Prozac (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) with other medications that affect serotonin can increase your risk of developing a dangerous group of symptoms called serotonin syndrome. Fever, muscle spasms, and difficulty walking are possible symptoms of serotonin syndrome.

A number of side effects have also been reported with Prozac. Some of the most common side effects of Prozac include weakness, diarrhea, and headaches... you should contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, or unexplained swelling.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1020&bih=532&q=Prozac&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=iw#hl=en&biw=1020&bih=532&gbv=2&q=the+real+dangers+of+Prozac&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=the+real+dangers+of+Prozac&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=df8e58bf30e69758
http://tricyclic-antidepressants.simple-plugg.com/common-antidepressant-medications.php
Tired, Sleepless, And Antidepressant Medicated Pilots Spell Human Error Disasters?

Monday marked the first day of the newly revised FAA policy allowing pilots who use antidepressant medications to legally fly the skies. Our sleepless and tired pilots are constantly stressed by their long hours and the constant interruptions of their sleep cycles due to time zone changes. Some of those pilots will now add the effects of antidepressant medications to the list of factors that can affect their abilities to react to unexpected challenges in flight. Will the new policy spell an increase in the number of human error caused disasters?

Greg Griffin in an article in the Denver Post asserts, "Human error factors were cited as the primary problem in 74 commercial aviation safety incidents reported at Denver International Airport since 2005, according to a NASA database of voluntary, anonymous reports from pilots and others." A joint report from the FAA and the aviation industry concluded that, "loss of control accidents - in which the crew was unable to recover from an unexpected event such as engine failure or a stall - accounted for 42 percent of commercial aviation fatalities worldwide from 1999 through 2008, more than any other cause." Human factors such as sleep deprivation, mental distractions, scheduling, and training are all contributing factors. The United Kingdom's Civil Aviation Authority reported last year that "flight crews were the primary cause of two-thirds of fatal commercial and business plane crashes worldwide from 1997 through 2006." Our own FAA found in a 2006 study that "from 1990 to 2002, 45 percent of major airline accidents in the United States and 75 percent of commuter-carrier crashes were associated with human error."

The February 2009 crash of Colgan Air's Flight 3407 in Buffalo NY, killing 50 people, was attributed to fatigue, training, and pay. The NTSB attributed most of the blame to the lack of proper simulator training. The lack of proper simulator training also was a factor in the 2001 crash of an American Airlines A300-600 that killed 265 people.

An October 2009 Delta Airlines plane with 182 passengers landed safely on a taxiway at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. The FAA is still investigating this case where fatigue from a ten hour flight and the distraction of a medical emergency on board could have caused the serious error.

The Northwest Airlines A320 overshot runway incident in October 2009 at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport has been attributed to distraction, but sleeping on board was also suggested. The pilot and copilot claimed they were busy on their laptops, but air traffic controllers were not able to contact the plane for an hour and eighteen minutes. The plane had been at risk of being shot down by fighter planes dispatched in a concern over a possible high jacking.

With all of these stats supporting the conclusion that most airline disasters are caused by human error, it seems incomprehensible that the FAA would add the side effects of antidepressants to the already growing problems of fatigue, stress, and sleep deprivation. The dangerous side effects of antidepressant prescriptions are well documented. The dangers disclosed on the labels of Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro are enough to stoke fears in the most confident air travelers. Randy Babbitt, FAA Administrator, responsible for the change reversing policy in effect for more than 70 years, chooses "culture change" and a new, more "tolerant" view of those affected by depression over and above the public safety he is charged to protect. How many lost lives in future disasters will be required before we return to time-tested policy?
http://tricyclic-antidepressants.simple-plugg.com/common-antidepressant-medications.php
Common Antidepressant Medications | Tricyclic Antidepressants Pain
Randy Babbitt, FAA Administrator, responsible for the change reversing policy in effect for more than 70 years, chooses "culture change" and a new, more tolerant view of those affected by depression over and above the public safety he ...
Articles from Tricyclic Antidepressan... - http://tricyclic-antidepressants.simple-plugg.com/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000885#a689006-sideEffects
What side effects can this medication cause?
Fluoxetine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

•nervousness
•nausea
•dry mouth
•sore throat
•drowsiness
•weakness
•uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
•loss of appetite
•weight loss
•changes in sex drive or ability
•excessive sweating
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
•rash
•hives
•fever
•joint pain
•swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
•difficulty breathing or swallowing
•fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, and severe muscle stiffness
•seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
•seizures

Fluoxetine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000885#a689006-sideEffects
http://www.npr.org/templates/archives/archive.php?thingId=126567597&date=08-29-2010&p=16
In a reversal of a longstanding policy, the Federal Aviation Administration will allow licensed pilots to fly while they are taking some commonly prescribed medicines for depression.

"I'm encouraging pilots who are suffering from depression or using antidepressants to report their medical condition to the FAA," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement announcing the shift. "We need to change the culture and remove the stigma associated with depression. Pilots should be able to get the medical treatment they need so they can safely perform their duties."

So, starting next week, taking medicine to deal with depression won't be an automatic grounding order.

There are a few catches.

Pilots can only have mild-to-moderate depression, and they can only take one of four medicines: Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, or Lexapro. (Generic equivalents are available for the first three.) After sifting through the medical literature, the FAA "figured" the side effects from those medicines wouldn't interfere with a pilot's ability to fly a plane.

Perhaps the highest hurdle is the requirement that pilots show they've been treated for a year and that their symptoms are under stable control.

We called the FAA just to make sure about that, and a spokesman told us that a pilot just beginning treatment would, in fact, be grounded for a year. There will be a six-month amnesty period for pilots who've been undergoing successful treatment and hadn't previously disclosed it. They can step forward without risking FAA enforcement action against them and should be OK to fly in a few months.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association supported the changes and has some more details on the move here.

In a series of questions and answers on the change, the FAA said in the last six years the agency's medical office hasn't moved to revoke the medical clearance for a pilot solely because he or she withheld information about a diagnosis of depression.

But the agency also acknowledged that it doesn't think the proportion of pilots with symptoms of depression would be any different from the roughly 10 percent of the population at large. Not all symptoms require treatment with medicine, of course.

http://www.npr.org/templates/archives/archive.php?thingId=126567597&date=08-29-2010&p=16
Web 7 new results for Randy Babbitt

Mental Health : NPR
... or using antidepressants to report their medical condition to the FAA," FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a statement announcing the shift. ...
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000885
Fluoxetine(floo ox' e teen)
Last reviewed: August 1, 2010.
U.S. National Library of Medicine
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U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health
Important Warning:

A small number of children, teenagers, and young adults (up to 24 years of age) who took antidepressants ('mood elevators') such as fluoxetine during clinical studies became suicidal (thinking about harming or killing oneself or planning or trying to do so). Children, teenagers, and young adults who take antidepressants to treat depression or other mental illnesses may be more likely to become suicidal than children, teenagers, and young adults who do not take antidepressants to treat these conditions. However, experts are not sure about how great this risk is and how much it should be considered in deciding whether a child or teenager should take an antidepressant.

You should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways when you take fluoxetine or other antidepressants even if you are an adult over 24 years of age. You may become suicidal, especially at the beginning of your treatment and any time that your dose is increased or decreased. You, your family, or your caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: new or worsening depression; thinking about harming or killing yourself, or planning or trying to do so; extreme worry; agitation; panic attacks; difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; aggressive behavior; irritability; acting without thinking; severe restlessness; and frenzied abnormal excitement. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor if you are unable to seek treatment on your own.

Your healthcare provider will want to see you often while you are taking fluoxetine, especially at the beginning of your treatment. Be sure to keep all appointments for office visits with your doctor.

The doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with fluoxetine. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You also can obtain the Medication Guide from the FDA website: http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/UCM096273
No matter your age, before you take an antidepressant, you, your parent, or your caregiver should talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of treating your condition with an antidepressant or with other treatments. You should also talk about the risks and benefits of not treating your condition. You should know that having depression or another mental illness greatly increases the risk that you will become suicidal. This risk is higher if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had bipolar disorder (mood that changes from depressed to abnormally excited) or mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood) or has thought about or attempted suicide. Talk to your doctor about your condition, symptoms, and personal and family medical history. You and your doctor will decide what type of treatment is right for you.

Why is this medication prescribed?

Fluoxetine (Prozac) is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (bothersome thoughts that won't go away and the need to perform certain actions over and over), some eating disorders, and panic attacks (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear and worry about these attacks). Fluoxetine (Sarafem) is used to relieve the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, including mood swings, irritability, bloating, and breast tenderness. Fluoxetine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.

How should this medicine be used?

Fluoxetine (Prozac) comes as a capsule, a tablet, a delayed-release (long-acting) capsule, and a solution (liquid) to take by mouth. Fluoxetine may be taken with or without food. Fluoxetine (Sarafem) comes as a capsule to take by mouth. Fluoxetine (Prozac) capsules, tablets, and liquid are usually taken once a day in the morning or twice a day in the morning and at noon. Fluoxetine delayed-released capsules are usually taken once a week. Fluoxetine (Sarafem) is usually taken once a day, either every day of the month or on certain days of the month. Take fluoxetine at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take fluoxetine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Your doctor may start you on a low dose of fluoxetine and gradually increase your dose.

It may take 4 to 5 weeks or longer before you feel the full benefit of fluoxetine. Continue to take fluoxetine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking fluoxetine without talking to your doctor. If you suddenly stop taking fluoxetine, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as mood changes, irritability, agitation, dizziness, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet, anxiety, confusion, headache, tiredness, and difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.

Other uses for this medicine

Fluoxetine is also sometimes used to treat alcoholism, attention-deficit disorder, borderline personality disorder, sleep disorders, headaches, mental illness, posttraumatic stress disorder, Tourette's syndrome, obesity, sexual problems, and phobias. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking fluoxetine,
•tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to fluoxetine or any other medications.

•tell your doctor if you are taking pimozide (Orap),thioridazine or monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or if you have stopped taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor within the past 2 weeks. Your doctor will probably tell you that you should not take fluoxetine. If you stop taking fluoxetine, you should wait at least 5 weeks before you begin to take thioridazine or a monoamine oxidase inhibitor.

•tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications and vitamins you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: alprazolam (Xanax); anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin); antidepressants (mood elevators) such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin, imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn); clopidogrel (Plavix),clopidogrel (Plavix), diazepam (Valium); digoxin (Lanoxin); diuretics ('water pills'); flecainide (Tambocor); insulin or oral medications for diabetes; lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); medications for anxiety and Parkinson's disease; medications for mental illness such as clozapine (Clozaril) and haloperidol (Haldol); medications for migraine headaches such as almotriptan (Axert), eletriptan (Relpax), frovatriptan (Frova), naratriptan (Amerge), rizatriptan (Maxalt), sumatriptan (Imitrex), and zolmitriptan (Zomig); medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol) and phenytoin (Dilantin); sedatives; sibutramine (Meridia); sleeping pills; tramadol (Ultram); tranquilizers; and vinblastine (Velban). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

•tell your doctor what nutritional supplements and herbal products you are taking, especially products that contain St. John's wort or tryptophan.

•tell your doctor if you are being treated with electroshock therapy (procedure in which small electric shocks are administered to the brain to treat certain mental illnesses), if you have recently had a heart attack and if you have or have ever had diabetes, seizures, or liver or heart disease.

•tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking fluoxetine, call your doctor.

•you should know that fluoxetine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.

•remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What side effects can this medication cause?
Fluoxetine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
•nervousness
•nausea
•dry mouth
•sore throat
•drowsiness
•weakness
•uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
•loss of appetite
•weight loss
•changes in sex drive or ability
•excessive sweating

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
•rash
•hives
•fever
•joint pain
•swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
•difficulty breathing or swallowing
•fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, and severe muscle stiffness
•seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
•seizures
Fluoxetine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:
•unsteadiness
•confusion
•unresponsiveness
•nervousness
•uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
•dizziness
•rapid, irregular, or pounding heartbeat
•seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
•fever
•fainting
•coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)

What other information should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

Brand names
Prozac®
Rapiflux®
Sarafem®
Selfemra®

Brand names of combination products
Symbyax® (as a combination product containing Fluoxetine, Olanzapine)
In this page
Why is this medication prescribed?
How should this medicine be used?
Other uses for this medicine
What special precautions should I follow?
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?
What storage conditions are needed for this medicine?
In case of emergency/overdose
What other information should I know?
Brand names
Brand names of combination products

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Disclaimer
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000885