Narrative:

During my last FAA physical, my examiner checked my blood pressure twice before it recorded in limits. He told me to discuss it with my internist and gave me information about what the FAA required. I saw my internist and she prescribed diovan for my blood pressure. She gave me some samples for 2 weeks and I obtained a manufacturer's brochure from the pharmacy. I didn't read anything in there about drowsiness or dizziness, so I started taking the medicine and reported for my next trip about 3 days later. 2 weeks later after getting a prescription and having it filled, I saw a 'drowsiness and dizziness' sticker on the bottle. I then called dr X at the union aeromedical office. He said I should not fly with the medication until I had been on it for at least 7-10 days and could determine that I had no adverse side effects and submitted blood test results to my aviation medical examiner. Nothing my aviation medical examiner gave me about blood pressure treatment indicated I could not fly right away. All of the possible side effects my internist discussed with me concerned liver function and erectile dysfunction. I believe that if I had been told more about the FAA's requirements I would have called in sick for my rotation. I am lucky that I have not detected any adverse side effects that would affect my ability to fly safely at work or at home.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SENIOR FO RPTS ON THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF A DRUG THAT WAS TAKEN TO CTL HIS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE. RPTR WAS CONCERNED OVER HIS LEGALITY IN RPTING FOR DUTY WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICINE AT ZZZ, US.

Narrative: DURING MY LAST FAA PHYSICAL, MY EXAMINER CHKED MY BLOOD PRESSURE TWICE BEFORE IT RECORDED IN LIMITS. HE TOLD ME TO DISCUSS IT WITH MY INTERNIST AND GAVE ME INFO ABOUT WHAT THE FAA REQUIRED. I SAW MY INTERNIST AND SHE PRESCRIBED DIOVAN FOR MY BLOOD PRESSURE. SHE GAVE ME SOME SAMPLES FOR 2 WKS AND I OBTAINED A MANUFACTURER'S BROCHURE FROM THE PHARMACY. I DIDN'T READ ANYTHING IN THERE ABOUT DROWSINESS OR DIZZINESS, SO I STARTED TAKING THE MEDICINE AND RPTED FOR MY NEXT TRIP ABOUT 3 DAYS LATER. 2 WKS LATER AFTER GETTING A PRESCRIPTION AND HAVING IT FILLED, I SAW A 'DROWSINESS AND DIZZINESS' STICKER ON THE BOTTLE. I THEN CALLED DR X AT THE UNION AEROMEDICAL OFFICE. HE SAID I SHOULD NOT FLY WITH THE MEDICATION UNTIL I HAD BEEN ON IT FOR AT LEAST 7-10 DAYS AND COULD DETERMINE THAT I HAD NO ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS AND SUBMITTED BLOOD TEST RESULTS TO MY AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER. NOTHING MY AVIATION MEDICAL EXAMINER GAVE ME ABOUT BLOOD PRESSURE TREATMENT INDICATED I COULD NOT FLY RIGHT AWAY. ALL OF THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS MY INTERNIST DISCUSSED WITH ME CONCERNED LIVER FUNCTION AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION. I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD BEEN TOLD MORE ABOUT THE FAA'S REQUIREMENTS I WOULD HAVE CALLED IN SICK FOR MY ROTATION. I AM LUCKY THAT I HAVE NOT DETECTED ANY ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS THAT WOULD AFFECT MY ABILITY TO FLY SAFELY AT WORK OR AT HOME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.