Prescription Adderall

Is it legal to use adderall when proscribed it by your doctor? How is adderall viewed in the trucking industry? Also, what companies allow adderall if some dont?

You will need to check the federal DOT list for allowed drugs. I don't have the link, but its somewhere in another post. Also, simply ask your doctor to check to see if it is a class 4 drug, as most of those are not allowed. And if it is a no go...ask your doctor to try and change it to one that is allowed....You have options.

Being that Aderall is an "amphetamine mixed salt", my guess would be that it would NOT be accepted, as the main, key-word is "amphetamine". This is at the very top of the no-no list. However, as has been suggested, check with your recruiter, as well as the DOT list.

The following is taken directly from the U.S. Department of Transportation, F.M.C.S.A., website

49 CFR 391.41(b)(12)(i)(ii)(A)(B)

"A person is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person —

Does not use a controlled substance identified in 21 CFR 1308.11 Schedule I, an amphetamine, a narcotic, or any other habit-forming drug.

Exception. A driver may use such a substance or drug, if the substance or drug is prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner who:

Is familiar with the driver’s medical history and assigned duties; and

Has advised the driver that the prescribed substance or drug will not adversely affect the driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle."

Regulations Versus Medical Guidelines (Guidance)

LittleJoe

Because of this one statement.........and specifically the use of the word 'amphetamine' and as stated and quoted above the fmcsa is very specific with this drug group and basically YOU have to prove to a DOT certified doctor that the listed medical side effect of this drug will never happen. If there is even a small chance that any thing on the side effect list could happen one day I seriously doubt a doctor passing you on a dot physical. Not to mention with the new fmcsa rules now coming out most doctors that are dot certified will not be willing to risk their business or livelihood and take a chance.

dderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine salts) is used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Side effects of Adderall include nervousness, restlessness, excitability, dizziness, headache, fear, anxiety, and tremor. Blood pressure and heart rate may increase, and patients may experience palpitations of the heart. Adderall is habit forming and chronic use may lead to dependence

Not sure which you are being treated for but........

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ......another term for people that get easily board and have no attention span and have to much energy. Basically in the 80 ' s doctors needed a name for hyperactivity and an excuse to explain misdirected energy and kids that could not complete a simple task without constant supervision. That was just about the time where drug companies were pushing Adderall and other behavior/mood modifying drugs down the throats of people that did not have the parenting skills needed to deal with kids and young adults with to much nervous energy.

narcolepsy.......sorry if that is the case you will not be allowed to even get near a truck.

K.T. I was prescribed Adderall for ADHD by the Air Force during my time in service (22 years). Unfortunately there is no clear answer to your question and I am guessing the research you have done so far has ranged from somewhat useful to downright ignorant. Hopefully what I share here at least falls into the former category.

As posted, The CFR states that a medical practitioner that is familiar with your medical history will have to sign off on your DOT physical and state that the prescription will not adversely affect your ability to safely operate a commercial motor vehicle. What this means is that your personal physician is most likely the only person that will even consider signing off on your DOT physical. In my case the military doctor that I had been seeing for several years was willing to sign off my physical with the prescription, however I had already decided to discontinue my medication when I retired a couple months ago.

So far pretty simple right? Get your doctor to approve the DOT physical and all is good.

Nope! Here is where the uncertainty comes to play; first, as mentioned earlier, your physician my not be qualified to due to recent regulation changes that require care providers to be on a national registry. Second, even if your doctor can sign off your DOT physical and you get your CDL license the company that hires you will want you to take another physical with their physician and since that practitioner will not be familiar with your medical history... well, you hopefully now can understand where uncertainty really comes into play.

As far as my advice for you. It is also hard to say since I do not know you and am in no position to tell you how to live your life however you have at least couple options.

Do like me and consult your doctor to see if you can discontinue the Adderall or at least change your medication to an approved non-stimulant. If it is practical this would probably be the best option, but once again I don't know your situation.

or,

If you have to keep taking Adderall understand that there will be no guarantees, but never say never and talk/apply to as many companies as possible then ask a lot of questions. I did mention my ADHD/Adderall prescription to a Werner recruiter and he did not seem concerned about it, but then again he will not be the person signing my DOT physical if I were to chose to work there.

One last very important thing to keep in mind if you should choose to discontinue your Adderall prescription most companies do hair follicle drug testing which means it will probably be at least 90 days before you will pass a company drug test. So you will either have to wait or be prepared to provide your drug history with a letter from you doctor stating that the prescription is no longer current.

Once again, I apologize for not being able to give a clear and easy answer, I can only share my experience so far, but hopefully you can glean at least something useful from this post.

Thanks for everyone's input. I have ADHD and have been on Ritalin or Vyvans or Adderall most of my life. I dont get the euphoric high that most people get when taking the medication due to the fact it effects me differently since i actually have ADHD.. Its rough b/c i quit taking my meds about 5 weeks ago and it has become harder to learn/study.. It has effected me in many different ways coming off of the adderall and I am now wanting to get back on it. I guess from researching it and reading these comments my best option would be to get into a company then try and figure out if my medications are acceptable once working.. again thank you for the feedback everyone much appreciated

Going by this statement....

I guess from researching it and reading these comments my best option would be to get into a company then try and figure out if my medications are acceptable once working.. again thank you for the feedback everyone much appreciated

.....that means you plan on getting back on it correct? In the above plan in the quote that is the worst possible plan that you could possibly proceed with. If a company will not take you if you are on Adderall then you will be fired ASAP if you get hired onto a company AND then start taking it again after you are employed.

As was suggested try talking to a doctor that knows the dot regulations and see if it would be better to change meds to something that would be allowed. Failing that make sure you disclose your plan to go back on Adderall in the near future BEFORE you get hired on. Main reason is if you continue like you plan and there is trouble over it and you get fired because of it it's a super good chance they will list the reason for termination as "Taking a substance against company policy" on your DAC report which will scream drug use to all future employers. After that no one will touch you for a very long time. If unfair to be sure but that is more than likely how it will come down or something very close to it.

As was stated ALWAYS check with a doctor that knows the DOT regulations as we are not doctors but just plain hard working people that try to do our best to help you avoid a pot hole big enough to swallow a big truck that we see coming.

Thanks for the input guyjax...

Maybe I will have to stay off my prescription for a year or two.. Then I will approach the situation once I have been on the road for awhile.. I just get this vibe like there is no definitive answer to this situation.. I read somewhere that even if a DOT doctor clears you, as well as your company, you can get in trouble with DOT when pulled over?!? It almost seems not even worth the argument, which I don't feel is fair to me. I completely understand why it is controlled though as I have seen some friends in college have issues with adderall.. So I could be blacklisted for drug use for prescription meds, wow thats nuts.. I will look into a DOT knowledgeable doctor before finding a company, thank you for your time.

So I could be blacklisted for drug use for prescription meds, wow thats nuts

Well.....it's not really nuts because you're driving an 80,000 pound building on wheels surrounded by minivans full of children. So even if a medication is legal, that doesn't mean it's safe to use while operating a commercial vehicle.

Anything that impairs your judgment or could make you drowsy will not be allowed for commercial driving. But as the others have stated there's pretty much always an alternative medicine that will do the job and be legal for commercial driving.