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.

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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.