can I drive a tractor trailer while taking ativan for generalized anxiety disorder?

If you are doing those things I would diagnose you with a lead deficiency.

 

Well im sorry that all these so called professional drivers are giving you #### for something they obviously do not know a #### thing about. I have drove truck for 9 years 5 of which i have been on Alprazolam (xanax)which is also a benzodiazepine like ativan only stronger i am on 4 to 6 mg a day of xanax. First of there is no federal drug test including a non federal hair folicle test that is a 12 panel test that tests for benzos. So as far as keeping you from getting a job to a failed drug screen it will not happen i have worked for big names from Gordon and Interstate as well as smaller companies never will benzos be a part of the drug screen. I myself have over a half million safe miles accident and incident free. Now i would highly advise you to take a look at yourself in this situation. Do yoy feel under the influence while on ativan ? If not you are fine if your not impaired then you are fine. YOU WILL NEVER BE DRUG TESTED FOR ATIVAN THIS IS FROM FIRST HAND EXPIRIENCE NOT TALKING OUT MY ###. I have taken dozens of drug screens while on xanax. Now as you and i have both experienced it is not a good thing if you run out. I myself have experienced seizures from this so driving while you are withdrawing not a safe or good idea. So this is where you have to keep control and not run out explain to your doctor what you do because i have found they are willing to give you extra in case you are stuck on the road. Long story short from first hand EXPIRIENCE you will never lose not get a job or fail a drug screen. I do not recommend you tell anybody you are on this med its your privacy. Just be careful i don't know your situation with this med but i will tell you benzodiazepine are a bad med if you can get off of them do it. I myself have researched this med alot and to get off of it is not fun it normally results in inpatient rehab,Death if you try to cold turkey and suicide in some people. I know myself that i am not unable to drive while on xanax,your situation may be different feel free to reply with any questions. I thought you may like a life EXPIRIENCE response instead of a narrow minded answer be safe and FYI on your script bottle it does not say do not drive while taking it says do not operate heavy machinery or drive until you know how this medication affects you.....hope this helps this is all from my experience as a Class A driver for 9 years.....

 

Have you disclosed this information on your medical form?

 

OK for those who just don't seem to get a couple things, the first thing is these drugs are mind altering drugs. They are like LSD in so much they change the chemistry in the mind to fix or change a person.

They don't all work the same for each person, they have to be given and watched by someone who knows what the heck they are doing over a month or two and that is not a primary care physician but a mental health professional who can properly evaluate a person's needs and progress.

The problem with most of these drugs they are given out by a doctor who you see ones every 6 months or more if you are lucky, one who has to spend no more than 20 minutes with you because of their case load and one who is not really trained to spot problems or solutions with mental health issues.

Nothing against the OP, they are OK with me asking but they should be aware that it may be more of a problem if they have an adverse effect from the meds while driving which happens a bit with this drug.

 

I can only speak for my self, but yes my Alprazolam 1mg twice a day as needed is one of the current meds that is faxed to the DOT Dr. from my Dr.'s office every 2 years. As well as a copy of my latest stress test and EKG. Once you are labeled a risk of any type you will jump through hoops for the rest of your life.

 

I happen to specialize in curing lead deficiency...Need a quote?

 

So many wrong answers, a couple that guess with safety on their side but are wrong, and a few right ones. It's all spelled out in the FMCSR's. Basically it says you can not ever use any substance listed 21 CFR1308.11 schedule 1 substance. Those mostly are the drugs that have no medical use. Mostly all other drugs that a doctor can prescribe are legal to use providing the doctor is fully aware of what you do and gives you the warnings. Some drugs like injectable insulin, and a few select others are out no matter what. The key is the DOCTOR. If he gives his ok then you're legal. However, the company may have their own rules and may not allow certain drugs and if you do not tell the doctor during your physical you just may be fired. So there's a difference in what's legal and what's allowable. It's best to let all parties involved know exactly what you are taking. You do that during your physical and not during a drug screen. In fact the collectors should not even ask you and if you try to tell them they are required to tell you to save it. But just like anything else it doesn't all work the same. If you get a positive result then the MRO or someone like that will contact you and ask you if you've had any operations or medical treatments requiring medication. Sometimes it's different but someone other from the company is required to confront you about any prescriptions you may have gotten. Then you show the bottle and you've done what you are required to do.

LEGAL
1. No drugs from schedule 1 ( LSD, Speed, Heroin, and so forth)
2. Medications given by a doctor must know what you do and instruct you if there's any side effects.
3. Certain medications are illegal by the FMCSA.

LEGAL and SMART
1. Doctor gives you a prescription, inform the company. If they abject find out what will work and go back to the doctor for new script.

 

We as professional driver must be willing to make the hard decisions in life. Sometimes that means we stop driving, period. Based on our needs weighed against what is safe and legal.
If your taking meds that are putting you in an altered stated of mind, then having severe adverse reactions when coming off them. Its time to stop driving and re-evaluate what is the right course of action.
Meds like those described earlier, and are being taken by the OP. Are mind altering, mood stabilizers.
They are very powerful in their actions and in their consequences.
This means that if the OP should lose his meds, run out of his meds, he is going to have an adverse reaction to not having them.

Second, and much more important.
He is taking them in the first place. This is a very stressful job\career\lifestyle. Its going to compound that reaction to GOD only knows what. I don't want to be around that reaction when it happens.
Its up to the OP to decide if he's willing to accept the potential consequences of that adverse reaction. Given what the consequnces are for a drive who has an accident or runs behind to begin with (regardless of taking meds like this) and the stress level that compounds with those scenarios alone.

Legal and Safe are two completely divergent topics in this area of Driver Health. Both must be considered separately, and given equal weight when deciding whether to go forward with this decision. Because the consequences are profound, lifelong, and expensive to the driver company and potential victims. That is not to say the OP can't become a top hand. He is starting out with a deck stacked against him, in this field of employment.

 

You say it's ok to use because you've been using for 5 years and have had no problems. There's no test that is going to catch you so you're in the clear. I'm sorry but this is the most ludicrous advice that I have seen in a long time. Just because you have been lucky does not make another driver legal. They may not test for benzos but they will if the driver is in the hospital. They'll want to know if there's anything in his or her blood that may have been a factor to the cause.The warning on the side of the bottle is bunk too. I've taken a high dose of morphine sulfate and all the bottle says is "Use care when operating a car or dangerous machinery". The driver must inform the doctor what he or she does and it's a good idea to inform the company also. You have to list any of this on your physical so there may be some questions asked there. If you go ahead and lie and hide the fact you're playing with fire. Like I said if you're in an accident and they take blood and find out, all the blame shifts to you. Civic court may be very costly to you and you may never drive again. I've seen it happen with gasoline regulations so why take such a large chance over something so minor?

 

I agree 100% except for other than the driver deciding what is safe for him or her. This is a major problem because so many people react differently to medications and in my opinion I can not say how someone is going to react to a drug. The only solution I see is a knowable doctor playing a bigger part in prescribing medications and something like a sleep study to evaluate that person would be needed to see. But that's far fetched and will never happened so there will always be a risk of someone taking a medication that will reduce the skills of that driver. We can't outlaw all medications so something has to be done soon. My 2¢