Would like some advise on this if you all don't mind

A friend of mine who is cop and got his CDL's driving on days off had told me that my weight shouldn't be a problem while taking the DOT physical, I'm 375lbs, 5'10". I do however still have high blood pressure,150/89-160/90 range. I dont believe to have sleep apnea either(never had any of the symptoms, I snore but that's it.) I can run, jump, lift heavy objects, climb stuff(funny seeing a fat guy climb something).

Last November I canceled a training date at Stevens Transport in Dallas due to another thread I made back then that revealed the DOT BP requirements. Since then I have been eating healthier and working out and walking about 2 miles a day out of work. Been trying to lower my blood pressure naturally. But I'm getting really really bored of my job here at the Hospital (been here 6 years now)and long to try my hand in a big rig. I've been reading the CDL manual from the BMV all the time and even going as far as watching training videos on youtube.

So what I'm bugging ya'll about is should I just pop out some more applications and try to get into a cdl school by some company or suck it up and stay put til I lose more weight. I've considered going to the doctor to get some blood pressure meds. To get under the 30% BMI I have to go from 375lbs to under 220lbs, I'm at 53% or something like that. I don't mean to come off as an impatient brat I always make sure my work is done to the fullest. But I pretty much want to get into this career path as quick as possible.

 

Definitely lose the weight first......if you really are trying to get in this industry as fast as possible, If I were you: I'd take that energy you have towards that goal, and start working out 6-7 days a week ( on top of you eating healthier)

if you have the dedication it's gonna take to lose that amount of weight.....I can't see why you won't be REAL successful in this industry.

best of luck to you.

 

watch this.....

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

 

If your blood pressure & sugar levels are good, even on medication, and you don't have sleep apnea you should be OK. Even with sleep apnea, if a machine works, you should still be OK. Can you afford a private CDL school? If not, keep the applications going.

 

Go to a truck driving school, get your cdl and then worry about the dot physical. I am overweight and I passed my last one. You might be able to convince the Doc you don't need the sleep study. Keep checking your blood pressure until then. If it's still high get medication.

If you try to wait until you lose 175 lbs you will never get your cdl. Why not make money while you lose the weight. There are plenty of fat guys driving trucks.

 

"...then worry about the DOT physical????" Any driving school that's worth going to is going to require the OP to have a medical card before they even enroll him. There's no point to spending all of that money if you can't pass the physical.

 

Very true and what "his doctor " decides means nothing when a preemployment physical is done by a carrier physician . He also needs to get his BP below 140/90 which will most likely require meds . Trial and error to find proper med dosage can take time .

 

FWiW with that size/weight, don't be surprised if they "inform you that you in fact have sleep apnea", irregardless of what you do or do not physically have going on, and before any actual sleep testing is done.

 

that's what i was gonna say. i'm only 240 lbs. 6 ft. and i'm waiting for someone to accuse me of sleep apnea. they put my brother in law on the machine and he's only 275 and 5.10

 

Well, "may have sleep apnea," and a test is required. It's a medical diagnosis... not a judgement some jerk recruiter can confer. I'll agree that the way this is presently handled is a problem.