FAA Approved Allergy Meds

Millions of people suffer from seasonal allergies. Allergies can result in mild to severe symptoms, including coughing, nasal congestion, throat irritation, watery eyes, sneezing, and runny nose. The symptoms can interfere with concentration, sleep, and performance. Operating an aircraft when experiencing the consequences of allegories can be extremely dangerous.

Many people take prescription or over-the-counter allergy medications to treat these symptoms. However, many allergy medications have side effects that can be even more dangerous for pilots than allergy symptoms. Therefore, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has strict rules for taking allergy medications and flying.

FAA Rules for Allergy Medications and Flying

A common ingredient in many allergy meds is diphenhydramine, which acts as a sedative. Side effects of diphenhydramine can include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Dry throat, mouth, and nose
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Nervousness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Muscle weakness

The FAA notes that it has been shown that although people feel “fine” after taking medications containing diphenhydramine, performance tests show that they were as incapacitated as if they were legally intoxicated from alcohol. Therefore, the FAA guide for over-the-counter medications states that pilots should never fly after taking a new medication for the first time until at least 48 hours have passed and the pilot has had no side effects.

What To Do Before Taking an OTC Allergy Medication

When taking an over-the-counter allergy medication, pilots should:

  • Determine the Medication Ingredients: Identify the active ingredients in the allergy medication to verify they have taken the medication in the past with no side effects. Single-ingredient products are preferred.
  • Check for Side Effects: Read the entire label to determine if there is a warning that the medication could cause drowsiness or advise the person to be careful when operating machinery or a vehicle. If so, the medication is unsafe for pilots to take before operating an aircraft.
  • Observe a Waiting Period: Pilots should wait the amount of time it would take to complete a minimum of five dosage intervals when taking allergy medications for the first time to determine side effects. Additionally, if a pilot takes any allergy meds on the NO GO mediations list, they must wait at least five dosage intervals after the last dose before flying.

For example, if you take the medication every 8 hours or 3 times a day, the waiting period for flying would be at least 40 hours after taking the last dose. However, medications that contain a sedating antihistamine have a longer half-life, so pilots should wait 60 hours after taking Benadryl or other medications containing diphenhydramine before operating a plane.

FAA Approved Allergy Medications for Flying

Medications that are generally safe to use when flying include, but are not limited to:

  • Allegra (fexofenadine)
  • Claritin (loratadine)
  • Astepro (azelastine)
  • Nasacort (triamcinolone)
  • Flonase (fluticasone)
  • Nasonex (mometasone)
  • Saline nasal sprays
  • Afrin (oxymetazoline)
  • Sudafed (pseudoephedrine)
  • Sudafed PE (phenylephrine)
  • Robitussin or Mucinex (guaifenesin)

The above list is not all-inclusive. Pilots must check medication labels to determine if any medication, including those listed above, contains other ingredients that could cause drowsiness or other side effects. If they are taking an allergy medication for the first time, they should follow the waiting period guidelines to ensure the allergy medication does not cause side effects that impair their ability to fly an aircraft.

Non-FAA-Approved Allergy Medications for Flying

The FAA lists several allergy meds as “NO GO” medications because they cause drowsiness or other side effects that are dangerous for flying. Those medications include, but are not limited to:

  • Dimetapp (brompheniramine)
  • Benadryl (diphenhydramine)
  • Zyrtec (cetirizine)
  • Xyzal (levocetirizine)
  • Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine)
  • Delsym and other allergy meds containing
  • Coricidin HBP (chlorpheniramine)
  • Nyquil (doxylamine)
  • Dextromethorphans such as Dayquil and Mucinex Fast-Max Severe Congestion and Cough

The above list is not all-inclusive. Pilots must know, understand, and follow all requirements under 14 CFR 61.53 (prohibition on operations during medical deficiency). OTC and prescription allergy medications may contain more than one ingredient.

A careful review of all ingredients is required to determine if the allergy medication could impair a pilot’s ability to operate an aircraft safely. Even though a medication is considered safe to treat allergies, it does not make the medication safe to use while flying an airplane.

Get Help with FAA Medical Certifications

If you are an airman, obtaining and maintaining your FAA medical certification while taking allergy medications could be challenging. Our FAA medical lawyers can help. We represent pilots in cases involving:

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