High Blood Pressure/ DoT physical

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by FLYMIKEXL, Apr 17, 2016.

  1. FLYMIKEXL

    FLYMIKEXL Medium Load Member

    So I had a check up today I'm 235 pounds my waist size is down from a size 40 in jeans to now I'm in size 36. I workout 6 days weeks and I've changed my diet dramatically. But high blood pressure does run on my dad side and my reading today was 158/88 they are giving me a medication called Norvasc 5mg to be taken once daily. My question could this cause me to not pass my physical ? I'm expecting to start school in June but I will continue to push myself to get it lower but what if it never really gets lower without medication? I don't want to lose my opportunity to drive trucks When otherwise I'm in great shape
     
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  3. Krafty24

    Krafty24 Light Load Member

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    Yeah, they'll fail you on that. I'm a vegan and I have high blood pressure. I'm 6', 190lbs. Mine is white coat syndrome I think. Whenever I go in for a physical, I get nervous because my career rides in that. So I get nervous and my pulse jumps up. Now I take a beta blocker before I go in and it helps reduce my heart rate. My dad has them and he gives me one.
     
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  4. FLYMIKEXL

    FLYMIKEXL Medium Load Member

    So do I tell them I'm on medication or no?
     
  5. Krafty24

    Krafty24 Light Load Member

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    Not high blood pressure meds. That's not something that pops on a UA. Take your meds, get your pressure down and pass that biznatch. When you're strapped to the monitor, close your eyes, breath deeply, relax and go somewhere else. Think of something soothing and/or relaxing.
     
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  6. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    Not much choice in the matter because if you are prescribed drugs it is in a database.
    If you lie about it and they find out you will be fired.
    And good luck finding a trucking job after that.

    You are not starting until June, and that gives you plenty of time to get the right prescription to get it below the threshold.
    You may need to see the doc every couple weeks to adjust your meds until it is correct.

    Get in and get the meds instead of trying to lower it by other means.
    Time is probably too short for that.
    It will mean a 1 year card, but that is not really a big deal.

    Once you have the BP under control with the meds, and working, then you can work on lowering it by other means.
    If you can, you can get off the meds and get the 2 year card.
     
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  7. FLYMIKEXL

    FLYMIKEXL Medium Load Member

    They have me on a 5mg dosage and told me come back in a month so maybe if I continue to eat and exercise maybe it gets low enough
     
  8. Krafty24

    Krafty24 Light Load Member

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    Yeah. He's right. I didn't know for sure until I looked it up just now. I just assumed if it can't show up on a pee test, then you don't have to disclose it. I shouldn't have assumed. Sorry for the bad advice. But if they find out and you hide it, you'll be terminated. It shouldn't affect your chances of employment though. As long as you pass the physical. They don't care how you pass it, with or without meds.
     
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  9. roadmap65

    roadmap65 Light Load Member

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    What database are my BP meds or my other meds in?
     
  10. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    You need to let them know what you're planning, as in trucking and starting in June.

    You may also find it useful to buy a blood pressure cuff from Walmart. A decent one is around $50+. That way you can monitor your own pressure without the need to see a doctor every time.
    I use a wrist cuff that seems to be pretty accurate.

    You will be started out on the lowest dosage to see how it works. And the type of medication is only a guess.
    Some drugs will have their full effect in 2-3 days, others will take up to a week. But after 1 week you should get a new stable baseline of your pressure.
    That is from personal experience, so ask your doctor about it.

    But do not wait a month to get it checked again. You will be cutting your time window down too much in case you need to have it adjusted.
     
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  11. 8thnote

    8thnote Road Train Member

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    I've never had an employer check any prescription database. You would have to give expressed permission for anyone to get access to medical records.
     
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