Dot medical exam history need advice

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by BirdTank3883, Mar 6, 2020.

  1. BirdTank3883

    BirdTank3883 Bobtail Member

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    I’m a couple years into trucking and it’s been great love it and don’t want to stop. My problem is when I was at my CDL school and they did the dot medical exam they had us do everything in a group waiting in line all watching each other, very fast and quick, all besides pissing in front of each other. Everyone was saying they had really no medical history and no medications and i didn’t want to say anything embarrassing my self in front of 10 other men. So I followed suit and basically lied, I wasn’t going to say I had hemmroids removed and stayed a night in the hospital. But Now i am coming up on my third exam and I don’t want to lie again because I am scared of something happening and being thrown in jail. I don’t have a disqualifying medical history don’t take any meds now and I’m healthy now but have a childhood/ teenage life full of hospitals related things that happened.
    So Should I be honest about my history now?! Or is it to late so I continue with what I have done at first and just add anything new? I’m aware of medical history reports so I don’t Not want to not say what’s happened in my past. But also don’t want to have 2 exams say one thing and my new exam say a whole different thing and my company to fire me. Any help would be great
     
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  3. Dennixx

    Dennixx Road Train Member

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    Pretty sure no is gonna care one way or another.
    If it was me I'd carry on as in the past.
    They ain't gonna work that end on your physical anyhow.
    And no one is gonna say squat cause you didn't put down your broken arm in 4th grade.
     
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  4. lovesthedrive

    lovesthedrive R.I.P.

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    It isnt a falsehood to omit parts of knowledge. If the examiner isnt that great, then they wont know. Most of the exams I get are simple. Not even a real physical. Dont worry about what happened years ago. The problem with putting more on the medical card is that you will make yourself unhirable. It isnt a matter of honesty. Your not a doctor, so why put doctors opinions on the form?
     
  5. Studebaker Hawk

    Studebaker Hawk Road Train Member

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    Unfortunately the more honest you are answering the questionnaire, and further interview with a PA, physician's assistant, who will likely conduct most of the exam the more likely you are to talk yourself out of a job. The entire process is set up for failure, which is why your first experience was structured to absolutely minimize any meaningful medical information to be exchanged.
    I am not suggesting you lie about anything. But I am suggesting you volunteer an absolute minimum of information. If you are confident there are no medical conditions you have that will interfere with the safe operation of the truck just keep quiet. Continue the pattern.
    Here is how bad it has gotten: A friend of mine recently quit smoking with the aid of Chantix, a prescription specifically designed for that purpose. The doctor engaged him in an innocent conversation about whether he was a smoker, which he proudly said he quit. The physician asked him whether he used any medications to do so, even know it had happened a year prior. As soon as the doctor heard Chantix, he was required to flunk him. Which he did.
    If he had just said he quit smoking and didn't volunteer any further information, he would have been fine. Which is what he did on the 2nd exam he took at a different location.
     
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  6. BirdTank3883

    BirdTank3883 Bobtail Member

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    Very well said and good point. That is a crazy story and really shows the #### show of the entire situation. Thanks for the advice
     
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  7. Chinatown

    Chinatown Road Train Member

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    Yeah, follow the advice given above; it's good advice.
     
  8. Concorde

    Concorde Road Train Member

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    You all are corralled into one room for a group physical?...seriously?
    Lol, what other cost saving craziness does your crap company offer?

    Have some pride in yourself, grow a pair and quit.
     
  9. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    I was born three months premature, it took 10 years to resolve the damage and grow out of those massive issues and thrive. The original hospital tore up the bill which was several millions equivalent in the 60's The big thing in those days was deafness and loss of education and knowledge vs other children same age (Who are gaining and progressing to age 6) was a form of mental retardation and become a ward of the state. There is only one letter that survives from that day saying I was deaf and not a mental case by the state and it's in the archives. Not something very easily accessible with today's computers by doctors who care. That was a very important year in my life time, the most. Either I get a langauge, education and freedom or have nothing as a ward of the state.

    NO one in my physicals which was frequent, more than 30 in my lifetime and continuing medical care last 15 years by 20 different doctors has a issue with that childhood history interfering with trucking. I present to them the body as it was to examine and it's not a problem perse. Deafness is the biggest discriminator that Ive run into and sometimes that required some court action against a company or two with FMCSA involvement.

    I don;t worry about it.

    What they DO NOT want you to do is take medicine that is in your system at the time of the DOT drug test that tests HOT. The Clearinghouse system built this year and running now needs you to be drug free. Otherwise you will likely be excluded from trucking at the federal level.

    If YOU do have something wrong against the DOT medical and you are caught or exposed to have it later and lied to cover it up or try to change doctors to shuffle, when the records catch up to you thats it for you as well. Don't lie in the DOT exam anywhere. This is not the 80's anymore.
     
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  10. Trucking1111

    Trucking1111 Bobtail Member

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    I think it's wise to be honest in medical exam histories, however, having worked myself in the medical field before, dot physicals do not know your medical history, only you do, so if you pass their requirements you're qualified, and that should suffice!
     
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  11. BirdTank3883

    BirdTank3883 Bobtail Member

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    [QUOTE="
    Have some pride in yourself, grow a pair and quit.[/QUOTE]
    No man it was at my CDL school like I said in the long ### post , my current company was the first legit physical I had lol that’s the problem they are too serious about stuff that’s why I’m concerned
     
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