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View Full Version : Restriction of drug-taking in RAF Aircrew (Research help)


Culio
28th Jan 2010, 14:42
Hello Pprune!

Perhaps one of the more obscure threads here in Military Aircrew, but I was hoping somebody could provide some help on a bit of research I'm conducting in line with my degree.

There are a number of drugs and medication that have side-effects such as drowsiness and loss of concentration over a period of time, an apt example of this is Melatonin. I am aware that US civilian aircrew are forbidden from taking Melatonin and other listed drugs up to three days before a flight as it can affect their performance.

I was hoping to gather some similar evidence from our ever faithful RAF. Do you recall any restrictions on consumption of certain drugs etc.? Could anyone point me in the direction of a current policy? (I've scoured the RAF website to no avail)

I'm aware of the Zero-Tolerance of Drug Consumption within the RAF, but just to dispel any comments, I mean over-the-counter/prescribed drugs or those that are not listed as "unacceptable" under the Zero Tolerance Policy.

I thank ye of good faith in advance!

Cheers,

Adam.

Pontius Navigator
28th Jan 2010, 15:23
Self-medication = no-no. Simple.

In theory paracetemol, asprin or alka-seltzer should not be taken without medical supervision. The issue is very simple. A over-the-counter drug may have no or minimal side-effects in an earth bound environment. Sitting comfortably at 8,000 feet and then banging out at 40,000 feet may have totally unforeseen consequence.

I would hazard a guess that the pharacuteicals do not test drugs for extreme use unless requested by an authority.

You mention melatonin. Many years ago there were various trials to find a suitable drug that could be used as a sleeping pill. On issue was getting aircrew to sleep at odd hours or after high-stress activity. One such was Temazepan and another were Mogadon. Ideally they would put you out but allow you to be woken and become instantly alert. The latter was effective at putting you out for 8 hours and have minimal residual effects after that time. Unfortunately I believe it was assessed as adictive and the recovery period inside the 8 hours (2 pills) was not as rapid as they hoped.

Look at the Air Clues link and you will find the address of the AvMed people who will I imagine be delighted to help, Dr Stevenson in particular.

Diablo Rouge
28th Jan 2010, 16:29
I can remember hearing the gear clunk in the up position leaving Washington USA aboard a Vickers Funbus and then popping a Temazepan.
the landing at BZN did not wake me up but a kind gent on his way off the aeroplane did. Awesome. It was subscribed to many on irregular or anti-social shifts in the early ninties. AFAIK few took up the offer for it as routine.

SirToppamHat
28th Jan 2010, 18:08
Diablo Rouge
I can remember hearing the gear clunk in the up position leaving Washington USA aboard a Vickers Funbus and then popping a Temazepan.

Were you the Air Eng then?

STH

BEagle
28th Jan 2010, 18:27
.........a kind gent on his way off the aeroplane did.

No, that would have been the Air Eng!

Although Te-marzipan was regularly available during Gulf War 1, I only used it once when sharing overnight accommodation at Tabuk with about 8 others and a couple of enormous diesel generators. Did just what it said on the tin and I slept like a lamb, to wake up feeling fine the next day.

Only other drug rule I recall was no alcohol within 12 hours (or was it 50 ft?) of flying.

minigundiplomat
28th Jan 2010, 18:49
Seem to remember some rule about viagra when it first appeared on the scene, as it could affect peripheral vision.

simufly
28th Jan 2010, 18:59
Rather a wide ranging topic but with regard hypnotics (ie sleeping tabs) the trick is to get the desired effect (good sleep) without the nasty after effects (lethargy etc) To do this the drug has to have a very short half life.
Tamazipan has a half life of approx 8hrs so is not to be recommended in aviation.
Dormicum (Midozalam) was used in the Falklands with success, the newer type of hypnotics of the Imidozopyridene group would seem to offer even better results, quick acting, very short half life with non of the barbiturate hangover.
Best of luck with the study.

BEagle
28th Jan 2010, 19:27
Seem to remember some rule about viagra...

How very appropriate for a self-professed minigun person.....:p

minigundiplomat
28th Jan 2010, 19:39
Yes Beagle, very droll. Never needed it's services, but seem to remember some ruling, and bizarrely something about bungee jumping when it first appeared. The quacks had some concerns about eye damage from the shockloading.

MrBernoulli
28th Jan 2010, 21:27
Used Temazepam fairly frequently during Gulf War 1, bewteen sorties, as the timings were irregular and spread all over the clock. Effective stuff.

Used sparingly during the initial Afghanistan invasion, as sleeping in a BFOT, with up to 30 other folk, on the edge of a civilian airfield, with the Americans building a huge field hospital on your doorstep, was hard work.

FFP
28th Jan 2010, 21:45
BFOT

You are of course using a highly technical term there that not many would understand.......;)

Melchett01
28th Jan 2010, 22:29
Big Floral Orange Tent?

Diablo Rouge
28th Jan 2010, 22:59
ARRSE is your friend for translations. One that I was in not long ago had a few more than 30 in, in fact I believe it was several hundred mostly USMC, aren't I a lucky one.

reynoldsno1
28th Jan 2010, 23:13
ISTR Night Nurse was handy during kipper fleet tacevals ....:zzz:

Pontius Navigator
29th Jan 2010, 07:58
I think the only OTC drugs mentioned are NightNurse, Paracetamol, and Asprins. However, I see no one has contradicted the assertion that self-medication is a no-no.

I remember one particular Nav Plotter who was adicted to Vic Nasal sniffers. He lost one on take-off as it shot through the nav crate before he could catch it :}

greenhaven
29th Jan 2010, 09:05
Probably obvious to most, but you're not supposed to fly if taking Fluoxetine (Prozac) and will be downgraded whilst on them, and for a period afterwards. However you are likely to be under close medical supervision, so it would seem unlikely (and kind of daft) to be self-medicating Prozac!

Don't know whether the downgrading is due to the effects of the drug itself or because of the state-of-mind usually associated with the reason for taking them in the first place. Docs mentioned in previous posts should be able to clarify.

ShyTorque
29th Jan 2010, 09:16
Sitting comfortably at 8,000 feet and then banging out at 40,000 feet may have totally unforeseen consequence.

That's one hell of a bang seat.

We were simply told no medication/drugs without the docs' say so.

Pontius Navigator
29th Jan 2010, 12:27
Shy, droll, you know what I meant.

vecvechookattack
29th Jan 2010, 12:36
Good chance to be honest about our drug taking here.

If you were suffering from a cold, would you :

a) Take a Lemsip and wait until it was over

or

b) Go to the Doc ?

VinRouge
29th Jan 2010, 12:52
Verve,

would depend on what was going on. Not going to turn down urgent op flying due to a bit of congestion. Sudafed plus Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride nasal spray seems to do the job for a day. Any longer than that or head still not clearing, I visit the doc. I always seem to suffer a few days of stuffiness on a det, combination of the human excrement dust that is blowing around, poo pond and aircraft air con. Both of those drugs have been prescribed to me in theatre by the flight surgeon for short term use only.

As for the sleep issue, a firm dose of Temazapalm usually does the trick! :\

If I had to choose between Melatonin and Temazepam, I would choose the latter, with the former having some pretty big question marks over its long term side effects. I dont think its been passed by UK authorities.

talk_shy_tall_knight
29th Jan 2010, 15:22
When spending time in some of the reestier places, the flying fellows would be on a different anti-malarial regime to the ground based folk. I cant remember the names of the drugs. Maybe someone else can.

minigundiplomat
29th Jan 2010, 16:22
Seem to recall Larium was a no no for aircrew. There again full fat milk, red meat and several other things were good for you several years ago, now they are not. It may well have changed.

Double Zero
29th Jan 2010, 17:03
Sleeping pills;

This is an important overlooked point.

Tamazepam ( SP ? ) is a cleared, prescription sleeping pill, but very powerful, much in demand by druggies who will beg, borrow or steal it; I'd not have thought safe to fly until long after using, and I think it's addictive ( I have trouble sleeping, am not aircrew, but I doubt I could get it from my doctor even now ).

Diazapam is a weaker pill, more of a calmer-downer than sleeping pill, if having taken a very small dose I would think it OK to fly after a good 10 hours, but still addictive and I expect most Doctors would disagree with it's use entirely when flying.

There are other subtler drugs available, but rule out Nightol, available from chemists - the only version which has an effect on me is the one -shot version, there are also 2-shot and herbal versions which work in incrementally decreasing efficiency and value; after taking one-shot- Nightol, I have definitely found myself feeling sh**ty the next day, and certainly wouldn't want to drive a car, let alone an aeroplane.

Nightnurse, unless it's changed a lot since years ago when I had it, is a very powerful sedative inc' alcohol and should be avoided at all costs - you'd be better off after a sleepless night listening to the radio than flying with that stuff.

Likewise beware Benolyn cough medicicine; it seems to me it only works against coughs in its' original form, the 'non-drowsy' doing bugger all help to cure one's cough if persistent; however 'original' Benylin is also VERY powerful, I'd hate to think of flying within 48 hrs of touching it...

A couple of tricks I have learned in order to get to sleep;

1, And I Know this works - imagine in your mind a route by road you know well, picture in your mind every turn, junction, straight etc - I guarantee you will be snoring before you reach the end.

2, put on your ( personal civvie ) radio, if necessary with earplug' phones so as not to disturb anyone nearby, and tune into the world service / any local radio in the UK; this will put you to sleep, there might be the odd informative bit, but I guarantee you some sleep !

All the best,

DZ

cornish-stormrider
29th Jan 2010, 17:15
If you need to ask "do I need to bother the doc for this?" and you are driving (or whatever the nav does) some of my hard earned tax dollars round the sky then please feel free to go and pester the quack. In fact, I insist that you do.

A phone call along the lines of "Oi, medic, is this **** ok to fly with? " should suffice. Better that than CFIT through being asleep at the wheel.

minigundiplomat
29th Jan 2010, 19:07
A couple of tricks I have learned in order to get to sleep;



Failing that, The Aircrew Manual will normally do the trick.

Bob the Doc
30th Jan 2010, 17:31
All sedatives require discussion with the doc before you use them. Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) is sedative (especially when taken with alcohol) as well as being a decongestant. Some formulations also contain a stimulant (frequently caffeine) to reduce the sedative effect. Xylometazoline spray (Otrivine) is not sedative as it is administered topically and not systemically.

There is a list of drugs approved and banned in aircrew. It's probably in AP1269 but as I haven't seen a copy for about 10 years (we don't regularly have recourse to it in anaesthetics!)

Generally any drug should be discussed with the doc (although I think you are probably safe with paracetamol!).

Lariam (Mefloquine) causes all sorts of very odd side effects (up to and including florid psychosis) in about 10% of patients so is generally not recommended in aircrew. The specific agent used depends on where you are going and how soon. The last time I had a short notice trip to Sierra Leone (<48 h notice), we were given Malarone.

HTH

BtD

Tiger_mate
30th Jan 2010, 18:28
I know of an incident in which an aircrew member found himself in the company of an individual suffering acute pain. The source of the pain was clear to see and therefore genuine. The ‘good Samaritan’ opened his aircrew first aid kit and donated a painkiller tablet from it to the ‘patient’.

Shortly afterwards the patient had hallucinations of being chased by alligators and snakes replacing the pain. A GP who arrived on scene suspected a deliberate overdose which was far from the truth. Side effects which were never warned about despite every crew member being in possession of said drugs. I believe that the contents of the aircrew first aid kit have since changed but do not know to this day if the painkillers in this story remain in the kit.

Dengue_Dude
30th Jan 2010, 20:57
Yellow bombers were the biz.

I was quite happy taking them - it was the difference between getting SOME sleep and being a zombie! (rather setting myself up here . . .)

Bit like a couple of glasses of wine effect without the headache ;)