Blood pressure harder to control in winter: study

I am trying to get my BP down from over 140/ and finally got a Dr after not seeing one for 5/6 yrs. He put me on meds SIMVASTATIN 20MG TAB couple weeks ago and told me to give up everything I love to eat. So far the readings are down under 140 for the most part in the morning. I am schedules for my DOT this Thursday.

My question is.

A friend just took his DOT Physical and is on BP Meds. His best reading of 2 was under 140 but they only gave him a DOT Cert for one year. I thought anything under 140 was good for two years but he said because he is one BP Meds they said he can only have it one year at a time.

I don't read that on the 9 pages I downloded for the DOT Physical.

What am I missing here?

Thanks

Arkie

 

You can only receive a one year certification while on blood pressure medication. You will receive a shorter one of 3 months if the blood pressure is over 140.

 

Well it is history now.

I passed all my tests on Thur and have my DOT Cert for one year

BP was 130/86

School starts on the 26th

WA WOO

 

Hello all.

I'm a prospective student and I went to start school with CR England ( I've read the bad stories but I was only going to do the zero to company driver thing for the 9 month obligation as it was a way for me to get started right away with only food money). I did not pass the physical. My blood pressure was too high, so they sent me home to see my personal physician and said to call my recruiter to come back when I got it down (I hadn't signed anything other than the DOT physical paperwork).

While I was there the first day waiting to take the physical I had conversations with 3 other guys new to trucking from Michigan who had gotten their CDL paid for by the Michigan Works Program. I was lay-ed off from my previous job in July and would also qualify for this program.

I saw my physician and my blood pressure was "high/normal" range (138/87). Good enough to pass the DOT physical but probably not under a stressful first day job/no job situation. So the plan is to start exercising more, lose about 10 pounds and cut out the salty stuff.

My question is, since I did officially take the physical and didn't pass, is this going to be a bad thing on my record for future employers? My new career plan is to get my CDL at a school first through Michigan Works and then go into a training program with a better company.

Thanks very much for any info.

 

i thought the basic requirement was 140/90? shouldn't you be okay?

anyway, i don't think they keep track of whether you pass the physical the first time or not ... i've heard of lots of guys failing, eating more garlic and heading back.

here's a tip, btw ... hours before the physical, do some situps/pushups/calesthenics. this will relax you and should LOWER your bp come test time if done right. don't smoke or drink coffee the morning of the physical. drink plenty of water. take a natural supplement to prevent the high bp ... you can be disqualified from driving for taking some bp meds so go the natural route.

btw, i'm one of those types that gets nervous at the doctor's office ... especially when it's BP time ... once i blew a 187/99 ... the doctor actually laughed when he got the reading, told me to calm down and he'd try again in 30. was able to get it WAY down (don't remember what) after that.

hope this helps & good luck!

 

Thanks for the info InMyDreams.

Yeah, I blew a 169/95 at England 2 times the first day after a 6 hour Greyhound ride and standing in a hot motel hallway for three hours behind 25 other guys waiting to take the physical (one Doctor). After I blew high I was told I could go to class the next day and be re-tested after class (at that point he had a list of 15 who had not passed the BP test that day). I knew that the the first day orientation was where you had to commit and sign all the paperwork, so I wanted to get the BP sorted out before I was willing to sign anything. I went home to my Doctor and it was 138/87. That's passing, but so close that any nervousness is gonna put it past the 140/90 limit. I guess I have a bit of white coat syndrome, especially when the job opportunity rides on passing the BP test (btw thanks for the tips to lower it).

Now that I probably will go a slightly different route getting started, I was a bit concerned if other employers will see I tested high at England.

I appreciate the response,
Thanks a lot.

 

just chow down on that darn garlic and get some mild exercise ... and i mean MILD. just enough to bring your rate up and let it settle back down. the garlic is the best though.

best of luck to you, keep me posted.

 

Driving is a high stress job. What are you doing to keep it under wraps? Got mine checked the other day 112/66 darn i'm good. How bout you?

 

Mine varies but a normal range for me would be 120/70 - 135/85

Depends where I have taken it and when - but BP varies throughout the day on everyone.