How does he get by with this????

It's Xanax- anti anxiety medication.
I don't know how he gets away with it as I do believe it's classified as one of the medications you can not take and drive (I am not 100% sure and would have to look it up and I don't have time right now sorry). It doesn't make you sleepy or anything or really even feel *lack of better word*like a spagetti noodle. It helps with anxiety/panic attacks. Don't think like Valium-that's a pretty old medication this is a new class with less side effects and adverse reactions.

The only thing I can think is if he takes it on an as needed basis and he HAPPENS to be tested when he's not taking and the medication has cleared his system.

Don't blame you though-would make me a tad nevous LOL to be on the road next to this driver pulling 80k if he NEEDED Xanax to get thru his day!!!

 

Is it any worse than all the drivers doing weed out there ???????

 

Don't worry...he heard that OBGYN has been let loose and is in a big truck...it only got worse when he saw OBGYN was heading for the Northern Sector...he should cool off a bit now...OBGYN is headed West!

 

Without doing a google search does anyone know what the base is for Xanax? i.e. is it an opiate or.....?

Because if memory serves me ........ the DOT U/A only tests for traces of specific drugs (mostly illegal) and if the drug is not in that catagory it will not show up.

Personal experience: about 8 months ago I had a wisdom tooth extracted and was somewhat nervous about it (don't like dentists) ...... and he prescribed one Xanax taken 1 hour before the appointment. It countered the anxiety but other than that I felt quite normal ... just... calm. Two weeks later I got a "random" at work and never heard a word about it.

Admitedly.... two weeks is a decent interval for only one Xanax to leave the system and, I never thought about it until after the test... Just wonderin'

........ Jim

 

Xanax

Generic name: Alprazolam
What is Xanax?

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Xanax is a medicine known as a benzodiazepine; it works by slowing down the movement of chemicals in the brain. Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.


http://www.pdrhealth.com/drugs/rx/r...=Xan1491.html&contentName=Xanax&contentId=839

 

You need to do all of us a favor and help get this guy off the road
Truckers already get a bad name, we don't need this nut helping
His going to kill sombody

 

Appreciate your take on it, Mr. Baack. However...I was prescribed Vicodin, an opiate derivative, for those times my arthritis was just beyond control. And got a two-year medical card because I had my prescribing physician write a note that it wouldn't make me dangerous behind the wheel. The Safety department signed off on it. There was a difference, though. I used it only on rare occasions and placed myself out of service for at least 24 hours after taking it.

My medication has since been changed to a combination of a strong antiinflamatory and a mild antidepressant, both of which are listed on the formulary of acceptable medications.

Xanax is often used as a sleep aid in addition to antianxiety. If this guy is a drooling narcoleptic idiot while taking it and he takes it at times when it will affect his performance, I agree. Get him off the road.

That said, though, he might have a doctor who is willing to vouch for him and a safety department that accepts the physician's opinion. I do believe (could be wrong...it's happened before) diazepines and their derivatives are tested for in a DOT UA.

 

Benzo's will not affect a person the way you describe, unless they are being abused badly. Drug test do not check for these. A person with anxiety syndrom is much safer and calmer with them. Safer than many drivers I have seen that totally lose it with every little bit of stress.

Benzo's are totally safe when used correctly, even though the DOT does not think so.