Question on DOT physical

I am not all that shocked...they have put me through the ringer with a silly medical release form as well. Like you I really had my mind made up that I wanted to work there. I still do and I hope if I get the green light I will not regret jumping through all the hoops for this company.

 

Why are the new sleep guidelines dated you refer to dated January 2008 ? FMCSA has lot of outdated info on their website .
as you stated , these are only recommendations .
Maybe some obese drivers that have had physicals in the last 6 months or so can let us know how many doctors are following these guidelines .
This is something else wannabes need to think about . CDL mills won't even mention it . Would a WIA funded student have funds to pay over $1,000 for testing ?

 

Ok i'll make this short and sweet for those guys that are sitting at the pilot with their laptops and heading out or off to sleep soon.

I am leaving to Springfield, MO tomorrow. I will be a student of Prime Inc.
I keep on getting different stories from people about the Physical Exam.
so here is the details....in short

I am 21 years old
I am 6.0 Ft
I weigh 285.0 lbs
I have a very dense bone structure and plenty of brute muscle to go along with the weight. but I do have fat to so,....I drank a bottle of Magnesium Citrate to drop a couple of lbs while im still at home.
I am super stressed out about the BP...
I just tested my BP and it was 149/73
I will have another reading in the morning and probably a more accurate one as well.
I was a corrections officer and ran a mile and passed all their physical stuff and I just drove over 3000 miles in the last week in my own vehicle so I am 100 certain I can become a commercial driver, all the confidence is there...but I need to know about the BP and what exactly does the DOT physical consist of????

Do I have to carry a weighted object up and down stairs?
when do I get my BP checked during the physical?
do I get weighed with or without clothing on?
anything else I need to know about a DOT physical exam

any info would help.

 

I'm pretty sure your gonna be just fine with your BP. I just had mine done last week. my BP was 150/80. I'm 22 5'7'' and weigh 208. The MD said I was a healthy male. I think you're just stressing yourself out about it, it's not that bad.

My DOT physical was:
Take BP
Height, Weight (with clothes on)
Don't have to carry anything
BP was taken after my weight and height was taken.
Hearing test
Eye test
Drop your pants and cough
Checked my breathing
Lift my arms up over my head
Stand up straight and take one step back


It's pretty much a regular doctor check up, nothing real severe.
Hope I helped a little.

 

You may or may not have trouble. With that high on top you may just get a one year card instead of 2. You can lower your blood pressure with breathing. Inhale deeply for 2 full seconds through your nose. Exhale through mouth slowly for 4 seconds. you should also be using you diaphragm. Lay on your back and put one hand on chest and one on stomach just above navel. When inhaling your stomach should rise if you are breathing correctly. Most people don't. With a little practice you should be able to knock 10-20 points off your BP. Lower is great. But you need to get the other down to 115-125. You can do it. Just relax and breath. guy I drive for gets nervous about this stuff and his will jump 50 points. Took him back 2nd day and he did this and passed. You'll be fine. Good luck!

 

You can get the physical form here . http://nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov/part_4_work_ep.htm .
Your blood pressure has to be 140/90 or lower . If it is higher you will get a temporary card and probably need medication to lower it . Once on medication you will need annual physicals .
You do not have to carry anything .
One thing you might have concern about is having a high Body Mass Index . Some doctors will question you about sleep apnea . They could recommend you for testing . Your BMI is 38.6 anything over 30 could require testing by some doctors . Run a forum search on sleep apnea .

http://stnonline.com/home/top-stories/1345-ntsb-targets-commercial-driver-sleep-apnea

I always got weighed fully clothed , sometimes asked to take off shoes .

 

Good morning Sixxstringgod and welcome to the forum! Your question about BP has been bantered about in the forum more than once. There are several other threads on the topic. I'm glad you brought it up again as BP is a very important health indicator. I have a Class B CDL (1 year at a time because of HBP) but my DOT physical requirements are the same as those of Class A CDL holders, at least that is the way I understand it. Your concern with BP should go beyond getting it low enough to pass the physical. In my humble opinion, even if you get a good reading when you get to Prime and get a 2-year card, don't go 2 years without checking your BP. Spend a little time Googlin' the detrimental health risks of having high blood pressure. You may be a strappin', bone-dense, muscle bound lad of 22 but NOW is the time to make regular checks of your BP a HABIT.
Sermon over, have a great day and give 'em hell at Prime!

 

there is some very good info on the webmd site for BP and any other health issues...

 

Brother, you are in trouble!!!! You will never pass the rigorous standards to join the ranks of the perfect physical specimens known as truck drivers.

Chill out bro and look around you. Note the truckers that need a shoehorn and grease to squeeze behind the wheel. Note the ones who are too old to be in an old folks home. Note the ones who need to stop at least once for a breather whilst doing a walkaround. They all take (and pass) DOT physicals regularly. Astronauts we ain't!!!

You gonna do fine.

Lastest time I did one the doc was a fitness nut and told me I should go running when I park my truck at truckstops and the like. Told him "Doc, I drive a hazmat tanker. If I park that with all the placards all over it and start running away I'll freak the whole dang place out".

PS, I do run reglarly in truckstops..... Swift drivers can't hit a moving target!!!

 

Oh kittyfoot,you funny