Augmentin antibiotic - is this a no fly item
 

Hello,

Hope someone can help?

Have just been prescribed a course of the antibiotic "Augmentin" - Amoxicillin Trihydrate Potassium Clavulate. My Part A says I can fly with some antibiotics...but not others...unfortunately it doesnt specify which. I am cabin crew not a pilot (if this makes a difference.

Thanks

I use to take augmentin, and I am a pilot and I didn't fly with it.

HOWEVER, I took it for terrible sinus infections and I wouldn't fly with those either.

YOU will have to check with your local medical authority. Sometimes augmentin can make you sleepy. But you are not a cockpit crew.

And our rules are different in the US.

So, read the information provided by the pharmacist and if it says the meds may make you sleepy, I wouldn't fly. They can also upset the stomach. And you don't need that either.

Wouldn't the CAA be more interested in why you're taking the antibiotic?
You could telephone the medical section at LGW and ask them or call your medical officer or even your operations chief? You'll get a different answer from each one so work out the answer you'd like to hear and then make the call to the person most likely to provide that answer?

CAP 715 An Introduction to Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Human Factors for JAR 66 so not 100% relevant but all they had on the subject:

Antibiotics (such as Penicillin and the various mycins and cyclines) may have short term or delayed effects which affect work performance. Their use indicates that a fairly severe infection may well be present and apart from the effects of these substances themselves, the side-effects of the infection will almost always render an individual unfit for work.

This from the FAA for interest only:
FAA Medications, FAA Medical Certification, FAA Approved Medications

So none of that is any help I fear to say. I'm afraid that I never really had the luxury of being able to call in sick, having nearly always flown for measly little airlines that never had standbys.

Good luck in your endeavours, whichever way you want it to go.

Co-Amoxiclav is usually used as a "2nd line" antibiotic used for a short period.

Generally, it's tolerated but, importantly for pilot's, GI disturbances (aka "the ****s") are common.

The underlying problem is usually of more importance. :)