CDL ME trusts me to manage my chronic pain

What medicines?

If it is Schedule Two like Oxycodone, you cannot have that in your system when driving. Im also a pain patient. And that medicine takes 8 hours to clear from the system and a certain number of days to clear the urine test.

If you are a newbie, you will be rejected until hired by a bottom feeder carrier who will abuse you with very little because you literally do not know any different.

If you can get a doctor to sign his DEA number, name etc to a letter swearing to your ability to stay safe when driving a 18 wheeler on the medicine (There is no point in talking meds without being specific here...) you are prescribed.

Take note, laws for pain medicine in my state now require a visit every 2 months without fail no matter where you may be. That will throw a wrench into the dispatching.

I don't drive. I stopped as a crew boss for truck sales in Adesa when I went blind, I herded newbies to teach them just enough auto or manual to take rigs to the sale barn and back and provided knowledge to those unfamiliar with old iron. I was in surgery later that year restored my sight and my future. I went into pain management some years ago. My doctor does not give me a dose strong enough to affect my car driving... much. Even then trips are planned weeks in advance and I complete withdrawl in 4 days prior to driving always.

There is one more very very important thing. Two actually.

If you are given and are using schedule 1 through 4 medicines (Controlled ones) you CANNOT have either... or...

1- Less pills in the bottle than whatever Date it is inspected and counted by LEO versus your prescription fill date on the bottle. Less Pills indicate abuse and sometimes sales when away from home.

2- You cannot ever. Ever. have any pill, not one pill anywhere OUT of it's labeled container given to you at the pharmacy. If the police saw a pill on the vehicle floor with no bottle to it or in your pocket by itself, you are arrested.

No ifs buts or maybes.

3- I don't need to tell you that if you hit people, hurt people or god forbid kill People while on medicine... even if it's PRN... and your urine and or blood/hair is hot for the controlled pain medicine you will lose your freedom pending trial. Sometimes companies wont hire you if they for example go into Georgia because some states like GA have laws that indict and arrest your trucking company owner, officers etc for the person you killed or hurt while in GA on pain meds.

Do you understand now?

4- and finally.

You might THINK there is Trust for you to manage PRN. It's not trust. But rather a knowing authroity that if you ever exhibit signs of abuse or sales to the doctor who issues you medicine for pain, you will be cut in doses if not completely cut off and told to go away. The doctors might even say you cannot drive a 18 wheeler anymore. Stay home. That means disability under SSdI. for example.

No one trusts a pain patient. Ever. Especially ER doctors etc. Because of rampant drug seekers who ruin it for the legitimate people.

 

I am not 100% in agreement with everything x1heavy just said, but I am 100% in agreement with his points. Be careful with (Opioid and Opiate not the same thing) use as someone in a heavily regulated industry like trucking.

 

Forgive me I just noticed that statement. If you have had your pain medications OKed by a registered FMCSA medical examiner in accordance with FMCSA rules you are OK to have these substances in your body even if driving IF I AM READING THIS FROM THE FMCSA RIGHT!

Please though even if allowed by FMCSA policy be careful using those substances.

 

Absolutely positively wrong about Schedule 2 drugs in your system while driving. You most certainly can take a Schedule 2 while driving, so long as you comply with the reg governing same.

As to #1, what is a Leo going to do if he counts your pills and you're a couple short? What is the crime?

 

Do not disclose your prescription info to the potential employer. The law does not require you to do so, and you are unnecessarily shooting yourself in the foot if you do.

The law requires only that you disclose meds to the ME--which you have done.

 

I encountered a trucker I believe it was while eating at the truck stop at the western edge of Deming NM some few years ago that claimed he was using an amphetamine legally and it was cleared by the FMCSA because of that thing I posted a few minutes ago. I thought the guy full of it then and still do today, but that thing I just posted makes me wonder. I thought the only legal use of an amphetamine was to fight narcolepsy and if a trucker has that I don't even want to be in the same state as he is. FMCSA rules sometimes seem to contradict themselves (CSA IS A PRIME EXAMPLE) and honestly I think somewhere each of them have an exception. I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable on the Federal Rules as per 49 CFR but I sometimes get confused. I pity a poor new guy that just barely understands part 395. When it comes to illegal drugs or the legal kind and testing I really wish the FMCSA would stop this crap make good solid law so there is NO confusion. This crap is getting really really tiresome and a bit annoying.

 

He could have been taking Adderall (Amphetamine Salt) for adult ADD.

 

I saw quite a few websites for Trucking companies,That flat out stated If you have EVER tested positive for a controlled substance(like Adderall) don't even bother Applying for a job.

 

I think they mean if you failed a dot drug test for a controlled substance. If you have a script, you won't have a positive test. The MRO will report the test as negative.