Is Adderall ok for DOT Physical

The main part to the message is: A companies insurance carrier dictates what they may or may not allow as far as prescription drugs.
While it may not be a disqualifying drug, a carrier's insurance company might not allow it for liability purposes. They don't have to hire you just because your doctor says you aren't affected by it.

 

I have adhd and take concerta. It's on my DOT long form which I passed with flying colors.

 

As I understand it from talking with other drivers, "If your doctor writes a letter that states that you can perform effectively and without danger to others, then the Medical Examiner has the right to accept this letter or reject this letter!" Either way he/she - the Medical Examiner - "MUST" document the presentation of the letter. Next, - as I understand this - the hiring company does not have to accept the recommendation of your physician and the Medical Examiner and can refuse to hire upon the fact of disclosure of medical therapy of the drug Adderall. "CAN ANYONE TELL ME FOR A F-A-C-T THAT THESE ASCERTIONS ARE TRUE!!"

 

I don't know about the drugs , but any employer can not hire you for any reason as long as its not racial religious or age. they can just say were not a good fit and your done.

 

perfectly legal. Just had a random test at schneider, had to provide prescription proof and proof that i had ADD and that was the end of it.

 

It can be dangerous for you to stop taking the Adderall cold turkey. Your doctor needs to titrate you off the medication slowly.

 

Fellows,

Allow me. In order to be on any controlled medication, you need a letter from your doctor saying it is okay to take the said medication. In addition, the doctor needs to write down it is safe to drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle while taking said medications.

As with any medication, check with your doctor before you stop taking the prescribed medication. Stopping cold turkey can be like a alcoholic going cold turkey on alcohol. Having bad results is not uncommon with some medications.

KH

 

The problem with a lot of this is most conditions/symptoms occur over a broad range. There are many shades of grey. Unfortunately, most regulations (and many uninformed peopleor insurance companies, as pointed out earlier) can only deal in black and white.

10 years ago when I lost my FAA medical (private), the regs stated that ANY "nervous condition" was disqualifying, with no way to get around it. Depression, ADD and others: out of luck. Blind in one eye, previous heart attack with high cholesterol, history of stroke and heart disease in the family, lack of common sense, quick tempered? NO PROBLEM (The vision could be overrulled by "demonstrated competence", just show you have no problem landing without depth perception). Mildly depressed, forget it. You might be a candidate for a voluntary suicide bomb run :-0 (as opposed to loss of conciousness from heart failure, causing an acceptable INvoluntary suicide bomb run ;-|).

I have ADD and have driven a van for an expeditor 7+ years without incident (estimate over a half million miles). Still, I do wonder whether it would be wise to start an OTR career in a semi.

Specifics of how you perform while on meds (including caffeine) fall into a wide range of grey. Do you come off slow or "crash" (not acceptable).
Again, who is to decide if there's a good probability that you will turn into a coffee catastrophe on the road? Personally, when I start yawning and get hungry, I know I've forgotten to take my med (I use a watch with a count-down timer as a reminder). Despite what looks like obvious fatigue (yawning), I'm only in trouble if I SHOULD normally be tired at that point, like I got too little sleep the previous night. That probably wasn't comforting to you and maybe it shouldn't be.

Again, it's all shades of grey and who does the evaluating?
In a strict sense, you can't trust your own perception of how you perform (the weaver in the lane in front of you, obviously on a cell phone, will get all bent out of shape if you dare suggest they can't both talk and drive). Short of someone certifying you by observing you for a week (prohibitively expensive), who is to say you're OK? It only takes that one instantaneous moment for it to all go wrong. I feel that I drive better than 95% of the drivers on the road (which may not be saying much). I once tested in the 99.8th percentile for visualization skills and I understand physics at a college level. Both help to make for a great driving skill-set, but it still may not be enough.

I think I'll go back to dispatching (and Poker).

 

just an fyi...as an expert on add, I can tell you that it is, in fact, a condition of paying attention to everything! That is why so many think it is just the opposite...not paying attention to those who expect it!! This is a big problem primarily identified by teachers etc...in elementry-high school. Those with add would be great drivers! They are typically very bright, with exceptional response skills, and are aware of everything going on around them!! Good luck!!!

 

The reality is what someone already stated...the carriers insurer tells them what is allowed. I had a ruptured tendon while on the job. I saw my doctor when I got home and told him it felt like a raw nerve in the area. He prescribed a medication which I filled and took. I then told my dispatcher about the injury and was sent to a clinic their workers comp insurer allowed. He sent me to a specialist at the same clinic. I was approved to return to work. I was denied to return to work by their insurer because of the medication. It is also used to treat siezures. I called the worked comp rep and asked to see another dr. They sent me to one who also said I could return to work. He also wanted to have me do some physical therapy like the previous one did. I told him not to put it on the report because I wouldn't be allowed to return to work unless I did it. He wanted it there so I could come in whenever I had hometime but said I really didn't need to do it there so he didn't include it on the report. I asked about the med I was prescribed and he said he normally gives it out to patients who have a nerve pain. I told him the insurer refused to allow me to return to work due to it. He was confused by that. I was only allowed to return to work after giving the med to my physician, stop using it for 10 days, and having him fax the insurer that I had no symptoms that might affect me driving or operating a motor vehicle after having stopped taking it. It's not about taking a drug test and finding it, it's about their insurer discovering your taking a med that's on their disqualifying list, whether or not the reason your taking it has anything whatsoever to do with why you're taking it is the reason it's on that list to begin with.