Getting sick and trucking, how do you get your medications?

I caught Covid twice while out on the road. The first time it pretty much kicked my butt. Crawled my way back to the yard at the company. I worked at at the time and basically was in a coma in the truck for 48 hours nobody even checked to see if I was alive. Lol this is not my current company. They definitely wouldn’t do that but the old one? Yeah it was like that. I have never called out sick a day in my life to any job I’ve ever had and yes, I know. I never got anything for it either. It’s just my being stubborn. If you’re too sick to drive or you don’t feel safe driving definitely don’t try to do it. Getting healthcare out on the road? Good luck. First you gotta find a healthcare provider that can see you and then you try to finagle truck parking close enough to get to it. In the past two years, I’ve scheduled five regular doctors appointments just for a basic check up. And I had to cancel all of those appointments because I never know when I’m coming or going. I question why I even have health insurance because it’s not like I get to use it. Lol does that answer your question? And if you get sick all the time you might want to look into your overall health. there’s lots of things you do to improve your health.

 

Loaded or empty? Can’t keep anything down means you’re blowing both ends. Usually caused by food poisoning.

1. Loaded
Double bag the Duty Bucket with tall kitchen bags. Double up the plastic bags you get from truckstops for barf bags. Drive as far as you can. When you feel the mudslide, hit the next exit, grab a shoulder spot on the ramp, set the brakes, hit the duty bucket and release the mudslide.
2. Empty
Call dispatch and tell them you are OOS. They get mad, you don’t care. Check into a motel and blow until the blowing stops.

Flu
You know how you feel when the flu is coming on…achy, eyeballs hurt? As soon as you began to suspect the flu, you have to act.
Go to the liquor store and get my favorite spirits and a gallon of orange juice. Check into a motel. 20 ounce glass, fill it half OJ, half booze. Kill it refill it kill it refill it kill it. Crank the room heater as hot as it will get, climb under the blankets. Wake up 4 hours later, take a shower and will be perfectly fine. It’s easier to stop the flu before it completely sets in.

This is what I do, but other than food disagreeing, I don’t really get sick…maybe once every 10 years I will have the flu try to set in.

 

That's funny, but sounds exactly like my 1st boss. He also told me on a write in weight ticket, you can get it pretty close with a pencil. That's not true, though, bed rest in a nonmoving vehicle is best.
Far as this persons question, any time you deal with the public directly, you are at risk . Trucking alleviates that some, but you still have to go where people are, like bathrooms, restaurants, etc. Fuel island too, just grab the pump handle? Hold on, the last person to use that pump ,,,um, well, you get the point. I think common sense should dictate if you drive a 80,000 pound vehicle. Sniffles or low temp, maybe, but high fever sick, working through that is worse than anything for you.

 

Tell the truth driver, you did $#### your pants. I've been it TS bathrooms washing my face. And there always seems to be that one guy that barely made it. You here him burst in the door. Move move I gotta go move. Then when he gets in the stall and close the door. You immediately hear all kinds off noises. And I usually say to the guy at the sink next to me. There his no way he got his pants down that fast!!! And the guy will say yep he definitely messed his pants up. Couldn't have held it if its coming out like that!!!

 

Truckers don’t get sick ha ha They sell over the counter stuff at truck stops. Not much of a selection and it’s expensive. You be better to stock up before or stop a Walmart and getting stuff.

I was told by dispatchers if I was sick enough to stop I better be going to the ER. That was a long time ago not sure if they would say that today. Their is a DOT law that your not supposed to drive when sick. When is to sick to not drive ? When you are loaded and have a delivery appointment it not that easy for trucking company to find another truck that is empty. If you drive cross country finding another company truck that is empty in Montana will be a big problem.

If you go to walk in clinic your insurance might not cover it or only cover part of the bill. Then you have make sure if you get a prescription it nothing that will make you drowsy or is some on the DOT list of stuff you can’t take as truck driver. They are not DOT doctors and probably don’t know what you can’t take. Imagine you take something that make you drowsy and the trucking company say keep driving and you get involved in accident that not even you fault. It can turn into a big problem. Your better off sticking with simple over the counter stuff or don’t drive once you get empty.

 

You are not going to be able to go off duty every time you get sick. If you start missing a few appointments because of not feeling well then the company will start giving you trouble for it. If you have a simple no touch freight dry van job then it will not be such a big deal to drive with a cough and runny nose since there is not a lot of physical labor involved.

Try to fix the cause of your problem though, instead of worrying about treating it with medications. Do you eat a lot of ultra processed foods with ingredients that you cannot even pronounce? By eliminating those from your diet your immune system will start working better.

 

I’ll be the one to address the elephant in the room. OP truckin ain’t for you

 

lacking proper sleep was my main reason for getting sick, most of the time.

I learned early on to get enough, no exceptions.

 

You work when sick. If you can't walk past a drug store without buying the place out, don't get into trucking. You are paid to move freight not focus on your inner peace & happiness.

 

Ask the nurse in a box if you should spend money in the drug store? What's the answer if you ask a barber should you get a haircut? What if you ask a car salesman should you buy a car? Eat well, get exercise, wash your hands, don't hang around with strangers.