Medical exam

Please don't drive a truck. If you are mentally ill it would be best for you and everyone else on the road.

 

C'mon. If all the depressed drivers were diagnosed and taken off the road, store shelves would be empty.

 

Most likely it will be on your record. It is a nationally registry now. Any pills you take wether you pass or fail will be in the database. That being said I doubt the next doctor gets a copy of the previous physical unless it is the same doctor or office doing the Certification.

I'm not sure you are the same liability as any other driver though. The majority of us don't have counselors or Doctors prescribing pills for mental health reasons. Just being honest here.

 

No, your not being "honest". Your being judgmental and have no clue as to the OP's medical history, other than the tiny bit he gave us.

Depression is over diagnosed (in my opinoin, and several studies have helped form that opinion), and is often treated with drugs, when a decent therapist would have been more appropriate. Granted , a decent therapist (or at least one that meshes with the clients personality) can be hard to find.

Depression is more common among truck driving males than males in the general population (15-20% vs 6% ). Now take that number for what it's worth, as I've already mentioned that studies indicate an over diagnoses of depression.
Quite often truckers never seek help for their condition. Ever seen a very overweight trucker living in a sty of a sleeper, that appears to have never showered? That guy is NOT a happy trucker. And is very likely depressed. Look around a truck stop, and you could surmise that 15-20% may not be too far off.

Correctly diagnosed depression is treatable, and is often "cured". Being depressed does not necessarily include thoughts of suicide.

I think untreated depressed drivers are more of a "liability" (your word) than a driver that is aware and on top of his condition. Just like many other conditions that drivers treat and drive with everyday (high blood pressure, etc...).

Your quick condemnation of him as a liability, and admonishment to not drive a truck for the safety of himself and others was unnecessary and unhelpful. I can only assume you are only acting on some preconceived notion of what depression is.

As to the OP's original question. I would try to get a second opinion on the diagnosis of depression, and / or find a Dr that is more knowledgeable with depression that will be able to confidently sign off on the meds for the DOT exam.

But please, follow the recommendations of a knowledgeable Dr that you trust. If he/she thinks that driving OTR would contribute to the depression, maybe local job home every night would be more suitable. Whatever happens, good luck.


Sources:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/charting-the-depths/201305/depression-over-diagnosed
  
• http://blog.chrwtrucks.com/trucking/truck-drivers-depression-real/\
• http://www.etrucker.com/2001/12/05/depression-driven-to-despair/

 

He is a liability because now he is looking to not take medication and find some other doctor to sign off on him wether he needs help or not. Liability was op's word not mine. Glad you did research on mentally ill truckers. Are you one of them?

 

You're right the OP used the word "liable" in that the Dr did not want to be held liable. I took your use of the word "liability" to mean a liability to an employer, as oppose to a liability for the Dr. I'm not sure why I read it that way. If I misunderstood, that's on me.

I certainly hope the OP gets a 2nd opinion, and is confident of a misdiagnosis, or at least finds a Dr that is confident enough to sign off on the medication, as opposed to having a "big problem because she'd never done anything like that". That sort of non-commitment reeks of a lack of confidence in the treatment plan. A more knowledgeable Dr may be able to recommend a treatment plan that does not require medicine, if in fact the original diagnosis was correct.

Am I "one of them". No. But I do have some experience with depression, and the difficulty in finding a qualified medical Dr and supporting therapist. My brother has been diagnosed with depression as it relates to PTSD, and my ex-wife was diagnosed and prescribed anti represents for about 3 years. Changing Drs, getting off the medication, and finding a good therapist she was all she needed to regain her confidence and get her Master's degree. At which time she divorced me. Depression is no longer an issue. I can only hope the divorce and her feeling better was a coincidence. But I think we all know the truth.

 

Just go get another physical. Don't list any medications you're not currently taking. Problem solved.