Prescription Meds????

Yep, did this myself for about 5 years, but it was a local intrastate job. Started using chiropractic and massage therapy and quit the pills before I went out on the road. Took a while, but the longer therapy helped a lot. Now just aspirin or ibuprofen as needed.

Let's face it, some of our problems are from our weight, size and the injuries just help exacerbate it. Control the weight and rehabilitate with physical therapy and the long term benefits can be astronomical.

Almost forgot, you are required by FMCSA to disclose this information to a carrier, not doing so will have more serious consequences.

 

Even if you have a prescription for them you are not allowed to take them if you are going to drive. You must not take them for 24 hours before driving. If DOT drug tests you and finds them in your system you have now failed a drug test and are DONE in the industry.

Personally (and I am not necessarily telling you to do this) I would stop taking them while driving and not mention the whole back thing. You may not be hireable if you were to mention this. Companies do not like newbies with pre-existing back problems. Just makes for a workmans comp claim!

You are also going to have to pass a wellness exam during orientation. Some of which can be a little strenuous if you have back problems. They will have you lift weights, climb things, run, twist, bend etc... Companies like Knight have very, very extensive wellness exams in which are conducted by multiple doctors in a health training facility.

Not trying to scare you just trying to give you a heads up so you can find a solution before the problem presents itself.

Good luck man...

 

Unfortunately it may get worse when you drive. Sitting for long periods of time day after day in that truck allows for your back muscles that keep your spine in place to weaken. Therefore causing your muscles to spasm due to your discs not being held in place by those muscles. I highly recommend you get out and exercise daily to keep your back muscles strong and your discs in place. I have had this happen multiple times myself and have learned that exercise helps immensely and keeps you from having this problem. Also another good tip is to keep your back support in the seat inflated at all times to help keep your spine in the correct position. Sometimes I even use a towel or small pillow behind my back to help. Same thing goes for when you are in the sleeper. I keep a blanket, towel or small pillow in the nook of my back to keep it in the right position while I sleep.

 

Yeah 3 or 4 days for urine test, months or longer for hair samples.

By the way, check out kratom for pain relief as a substitute for opiates. I have a friend who quit using lortabs (legit) and started using kratom and the pain relief was better than the lortabs. I could tell just from looking at him, he was walking better and had a great attitude. Pretty sure kratom is physically addictive though, and not necessarily indicated for consumption, but a lot of folks are using it as a crutch to beat opiate withdrawal.

 

hey jhavard there are many people on here that have pros and cons on every subject matter that you can imagine,just remember that the advice given here is just simply that advice with only being on this site less than a month i believe that 90percent of the advice on here is least to say very erroneous. i myself have been on adderall for almost 20 yrs i have told every company and every mro that i am on this drug and i pop positive every time i piss test but not once have i ever been terminated for using it nor has any company that i worked for or applied to has stated to me it was against the law or there policy. yet if you have ever read the little green bible it does say i cant be on a stimulant but read the post (no reputable company, or better yet couple of posts ago where a driver with less than a yr of service says dont do it of corse with all that exp he should know right?) do yourself a favor and ask a dr you may be shocked on the real truth based on facts, not on rumor or personell options of gloried cb rambos!

 

Heather is right about that. My friend I told you about who took lortabs was approved by his physician and used them at night when he shut down. He's been popped with a whiz-quiz during a roadside, and he didn't get into trouble when he provided a legit script and his DOT med long form. Sure, it's a grey area and with people being so litigious these days you stand a big chance of getting hit with a lawsuit (even if it's not your fault) from an accident. The lawyers would have a field day with the driver that was on pain pills. But that's not what you asked, and beside the point.

If it's not a schedule I drug and you can satisfy the DOT regs, you can indeed continue your treatment if done responsibly and in cooperation with the carrier and physicians. Good luck, be safe.