Back Injury, Should I even try?

its always worth a try . but i know exactly how you feel. i am currently having problems in L4 L5 and S1. I am going for my second surgery in 2 weeks. the pain is bad and i feel for you. as far as work goes , all you can do is try. i hope to drive again , but its not looking good at the moment. good luck.

 

First, you can't take narcotics and pass the DOT physical.
If you can get around that, then go with a company that has 100% no-touch freight. Pride Transport has 100% no-touch freight, but that's a no-go because they do hair follicle tests. That may be a problem if you've been on narcotic medications.
There's other companies to choose from though.

 

If a doctor prescribes a narcotic and everyone knows and approves there's no law that says you can not drive. The problem is with the companies. When they see back injury then they think time off and extra cost. So they'll pass and move on to the next application. If you hide it from them then they will catch you lying and that would be worse. If you let everyone know from your doctor to the company and they are ok with it then you might have a chance. But unless you have some outstanding qualities to your working ability then you're just list most drivers except you have a medical problem. Sorry to say but better to know so you do not dump a whole lot of cash. This is what I have seen more than once but please check it out for yourself because just like the rest of us I'm no Doctor. My 2¢.

 

Sorry China, but you're 100% incorrect in your post. I have been on narcotic pain meds for the better part of 10 years now, and never had a problem passing DOT drug tests (both pre-employment and random). If a drug is detected in your system that has legal uses, the MRO (Medical Review Officer) of the testing facility will contact the person being tested. If they can provide legal prescriptions for the medication/s, then they are good to go. The company you are being tested for isn't even informed, due to the HIPPA laws on patient confidentiality.

As for "lying" to a company by not telling them about past injuries and medications.....It's not lying in my book, because my medical history is none of their business. Period. As long as you and your doctor agree you are able to perform the job, that's good enough for me.

 

If the medication has no medical use it is a Schedule 1 drug which have a high abuse rate. Like all your street drugs. A Schedule 2 drug are prescribed but have a lot of controls and do have medical uses like morphine. FMCSR's state no Schedule 1 and only Schedule 2, 3, 4 if the doctor knows what you do for a living and is ok with it. There's some confusion with medical marijuana but that drug still remains on the Schedule 1 list so it's out.

As far as lying I agree, it's your own business. However, I have seen some job applications where they ask "have you ever been hurt on the job and/or needed surgery?". I'm sure you could fight and win that, but by the time you win the job has already been filled. I'm not 100% sure it's been many years since I had to fill out a job application. If someone is taking any type of medication it's best to talk with the doctor and the company before any money is spent for school to see if it's ok. Stay away from truck stop lawyers.

 

I'd recommend a tanker gig, but there are variations on the theme. A food-grade gig like Indian River might work...they're not (AFAIK) slinging hoses, but they're smoothbore which can jolt you a bit until you get the surge figured out. I would definitely not pick an oilfield tanker gig, or any other where you'll be in and out of the truck and running hoses all over the place. Also as another poster mentioned, 3 points of contact in and out of the truck cab. It helps a lot, and this is coming from a former flatbedder who used to think it was fun to jump off the trailer.

 

Before attempting driving a semi truck...try some home brew physical therapy; Buy the AB Rocket, ($50)...the device uses full back & neck support w/spring straps n hand holds to assist the user while doing a "Sit Up".
Myself, I use this device one session: 1 hour & 20 minutes continuous usage.

When using this device...there are support muscles that are being strengthen peripheral to the spine.
(Get the breathing down, exhale when contracting, breath in during extensions...don't exceed 3x per week).

What ever you decide doing whether in work or life...be mindful of your own physical health.

 

Go to a local truck stop and take a look at some of the people that drive truck. I've seen morbidly obese to skin and bones. Weird limps to amputees. As long as your not on meds that are not allowed in a CMV and your back doesn't bother you driving around all day you'll do fine.

I wouldn't recommend flat bed or tanker with the physical work involved.

If you decide to get your CDL don't tell companies about your back. It's your personal medical issue and only available to the DOT approved doctor.

Some flat bed companies require a back exray to probably decrease insurance claims, but you'll do fine yanking a van or reefer.

Good luck and welcome to the forum. The search feature is a great tool as most questions have been asked and answered.