Does a bipolar diagnosis disqualify me from truck driving?

Really you want to turn this to politics? I guess that is how you liberals are.

OP: depends on the medication for the most part and the severity. Not sure that some here even know what bipolar is.

 

The lady who gave birth to me is bipolar and the last I heard she drives for JB Hunt.

 

Do you keep in touch with your mom?

 

I have not talked to her in almost 20 years. I heard this via my sister who still keeps in contact.

 

My wife is Bi-Polar and would be an excellent OTR driver. She is on medication that has taken a couple of years to narrow down so that it is perfectly suited to her. If it wasnt for her insomnia (which is commonly found with Bi-Polar) and her need to take heavy sleeping meds she could be driving now.

You can not point a finger and say that no one who is Bi-Polar is capable of driving a truck. It would be the same as saying that no one who is black/mexican/short/fat etc are capable of driving a truck.

It all depends on the individual person and how well their bi-polar is under control. The OP needs to first talk to his Psychiatrist and see what they say. If they say that it is possible then they should involve a Dr that does DOT physicals and if the two Drs say it is ok then the OP should pursue his dream. But he should also be prepared for one or the other of them to say no.

I wish you luck.

 

Exactly!

For those who brought up sleeping habits there are plenty of positions with regular schedules I.e. dedicated, local, city, dump truck, food service, etc.....

 

Safety Director here:

Per FMCSA regulations
391.41(a)(9):
"Has no mental, nervous, organic, or functional disease or psychiatric disorder likely to interfere with his/her ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle safety."

My suggestion is to have your psychologist or whoever prescribed your medications/care giver write and sign a statement that your bi-polar disease is controlled and have had no clinical defects since (he/she will write a date here of last known issue) and have that on-hand when you get your DOT physical done. You must declare that you are taking medications to control your bi-polar disease and they will ask questions to such information. When it is discussed, handed over the letter and the DOT physician will review the letter...may call the psychologist to verify that he/she wrote it and will determine if you qualify for a DOT physical for up to two years at that time.

Remember more information to help the physican make a determination here will greatly improve your odds of walking out with a DOT physical. Also as a safety director stand point...bring that same letter with you to your orientation day at whomever wants to hire you....most likely they will want a copy of that letter to CYA their records. Remember all medical information that the company collects is protected information and is locked up in a secure location normally in the safety directors own office.

If you need anymore help, please ask as we are here to help you.

Good day drivers and please be safe out there.

 

May I ask why you don't speak to her? I could not imagine not talking to my Mommy.

 

Not all people who brought you into the world are worth talking to.
The fact that he doesn't call her "mom" says enough I think.

 

Patty Duke also has bi-polar as does her mom, they were in a snit the one time when they both wanted to wear the same dress. Danielle Steele's has written a book about her son, he commited suicide when he was in his late teens, or 20's, they could not keep him to stay on his meds and had even hired a caretaker to watch over him and this failed. He was a dare taker and would do risqué things like walking on the edge around a roof on high-rise buildings. He had been treated for all kinds of things even to the point of people thinking he was just spoiled, they didn't even know kids could suffer from manic depressive back then. There are different poles, some can suffer just one symptom, depressive, or the high, or both; all the time, some of the time, or just once in a blue moon; all cases are different. It is a genetic disease too I believe, I know in the case of our family I believe my grandmother had ( she died in 59), mom had it but was not diagnosed till way later in life, and a daughter really has it. I think all cases are different and should be treated as such. I have a friend in Canada who's husband was sidelined for several months due to a change in regulations there and had a rough time being approved to drive once again.