Medicines and CDL drug test

I don't know for sure; let @Moose1958 check for you.

 

What medications disqualify a CMV driver?

 

There is a lot of noise out there about medications. Some of it is out and out BS. lets us get right to the point. The medical examiners are THE FINAL authority when it comes to things like anti-depressants etc.

Almost everything about this AND MUCH MORE is covered in this FMCSA published handbook!

 

Different companies have different policies in regards to medications. What ever you do, if you are on the medication you must disclose it on your long form. I would recommend that you seek out Company Sponsored training. That way you will know the company will hire you. Check with recruiters with companies you are interested in.

 

I just scheduled my Physical at CVS. It was an online deal. Very easy. Hoping all goes well, since I’m now taking about 4 new medications for BP, cholesterol , blood thinner, and another for my heart health. Hopefully my anxiety doesn’t cause my BP to spike. Lol. Has to be under 140. Which it has.Still can’t help but be anxious. Hoping to still get a 2 yr certificate. Mine expires on Saturday. I’ll soon find out. 4:00 appt. Surprised I got in, since they’re busy with covid testing. You’re not the only one that worries about passing the physical. It’s not as simple as it used to be. Now they have a information sharing computer base. Doctors have guidelines plus Independant Judgement on how long the certificate is good for. Like with any reform, Lending, Mortgage, Bankruptcy, everyone’s trying to cover themselves against Liabilities. More red tape.

 

Thank you, Im going to do a quick read. I think I’ll be fine.

 

For reasons I have articulated now for years, I don't recommend company financed training. What I recommend is to let this be the 2nd option if you can't get into a tech school. This way you are not locked into a company and can be selective of whom you drive for. It's been my experience after speaking to many drivers over the past few years this issue with anti-depressants is not a serious problem PROVIDED you are stable with the treatments and can get your private Physician to state so. Like I said, lots of noise. The M.Es and the carriers are really more concerned about what happens if you stop taking these meds. Some meds are different. List these medications in the long-form and get the prescribing physician to state in writing you are stable. Almost every M.E. I have heard about is happy if you can do this. Look, MEs are just wanting you to be safe and really want to give you that card. They are not staying awake at night trying to figure out a way to screw drivers over!

 

That's true, as far as it goes. The only problem is that if an ME has a 100% passing rate for any length of time he's going to come under scrutiny from a regulatory agency.
The ME is expected to disqualify some applicants. He usually doesn't have any problem finding people to dq.
But if he passes too many he's probably not doing his job. Big brother watches him like a hawk.

 

There is a term and right now I am having a brain fart and can't remember it. It describes this. If an ME does their job correctly and makes certification decisions as they come, just through an everyday business they are going to come across health issues. Everything from high blood pressure to having protein in the urine. This is what they are being judged on. My point was really not talking about this. I was saying an ME wants you to get that card. If you are otherwise healthy you will get it. I was speaking to a driver that works for HRT the other day. He is on a 90 day card because his BP was way too high.