Dot Physical
Topic 831 | Page 1
The answer is no. Insulin injections causes a problem, but none of the things that you mentioned are dis-qualifiers. There are a lot of truck drivers using C-Pap machines. If those are the only things weighing on your mind your should be fine.
Let me also encourage you to use the High Road Training Program to prepare for your exams. It's an extremely helpful way to master the materials needed for the tests and a successful beginning in the industry. And as a new person getting into this business you'll find the information available to you in the Trucker's Career Guide very helpful. All this stuff is absolutely free and I might add invaluable.
We welcome you to the forum. and wish you the best in your pursuit of a new career.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Indeed Old School is correct - you'll be fine with what you've told us.
You may want to call a doctor that gives DOT physicals to confirm that your medications will be approved for commercial driving. If not, your doctor can switch you over to something that is.
But there are a ton of drivers on medications, and more everyday are using CPAP machines as the industry focuses harder on detecting sleep apnea.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
Thank you for the welcome and the information, it is a load off of my mind and I now full concentrate on the task at hand instead of worrying about my medical issues. looking forward to future post, advice, and encouragement.
In January I went to my regular doctor for DOT physical and got a 2 year medical card. Now I just got hired by a company and they surprised me with a new physical (right after buffet lunch with all the soda I wanted, 100degree motorcycle ride to the clinic, knowing my new career balanced on this) and my blood pressure was high, so I got a 90 day medical card.
Are there non prescription medicines that can lower blood pressure just a little? I think they said I was 150/95. Is morning better than afternoon for blood pressure? What can I do, short of buying expensive prescriptions for the rest of my life, to get my blood pressure down for a follow up measurement?
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
I am diabetic with good blood pressure. I take a pill everyday for my diabetes and one for chlorestrol. I don't have the cpap or sleeping disorder, and I was able to pass two dot physicals, and I have a one year DOT card. Not sure if company physicals will be more stringent, but I think you should be fine.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
In January I went to my regular doctor for DOT physical and got a 2 year medical card. Now I just got hired by a company and they surprised me with a new physical (right after buffet lunch with all the soda I wanted, 100degree motorcycle ride to the clinic, knowing my new career balanced on this) and my blood pressure was high, so I got a 90 day medical card.
Are there non prescription medicines that can lower blood pressure just a little? I think they said I was 150/95. Is morning better than afternoon for blood pressure? What can I do, short of buying expensive prescriptions for the rest of my life, to get my blood pressure down for a follow up measurement?
Going for my DOT in ten days also. Would like to lower blood pressure before I even go there. I know to cut out salt and sugar 4 days in advance and I am starting to walk 20 mins a day but over the counter to help would be great.
Thanks
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
In January I went to my regular doctor for DOT physical and got a 2 year medical card. Now I just got hired by a company and they surprised me with a new physical (right after buffet lunch with all the soda I wanted, 100degree motorcycle ride to the clinic, knowing my new career balanced on this) and my blood pressure was high, so I got a 90 day medical card.
Are there non prescription medicines that can lower blood pressure just a little? I think they said I was 150/95. Is morning better than afternoon for blood pressure? What can I do, short of buying expensive prescriptions for the rest of my life, to get my blood pressure down for a follow up measurement?
Going for my DOT in ten days also. Would like to lower blood pressure before I even go there. I know to cut out salt and sugar 4 days in advance and I am starting to walk 20 mins a day but over the counter to help would be great.
Thanks
I have stage 1 hypertension , and I am on Lisinopril and HCTZ water pills. I have noticed that if I take my normal dosage each day, on days that I really work up a sweat, my BP actually falls to the point I don't feel very well, like my body is oxygen starved, and I get light headed when rising from a chair, etc. When I take my BP at that point, it reads 90s/60s. What this tells me is that when I am less hydrated, my BP always seems to drop well into the healthy range.
What I intend to do on the days I know I will have a physical, I am going to get up very early and work up a serious sweat before going in, then not rehydrate until after the physical. I bet that will do the trick, at least for me, and I am not doing anything illegal. Strenous exercise will also quickly drop blood sugar levels.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Hypertension:
Abnormally high blood pressure.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
I will try that next week. I will be sure to measure blood pressure each day before I go then work out the day of the DOT exam and see what the results are. I was hoping there was an over the counter option to help just in case blood pressure is border line.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
I will try that next week. I will be sure to measure blood pressure each day before I go then work out the day of the DOT exam and see what the results are. I was hoping there was an over the counter option to help just in case blood pressure is border line.
Cutting out the salt and sugar days before should help as well. I cut down on salt intake the past week, and have noticed a difference. I also stopped getting headaches since doing so. What I also plan to do several days before the physicals, is only eat fresh non starchy vegetables, cooked meat, and perhaps a little fresh fruit. I will eat all of those without adding any salt at all. I feel certain that with a good exercise at least every other day, and on the day of the physical, and with that diet, and just my normal bp med dosage, I will be in the normal range.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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DOT Physical
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I am interested in getting into trucking and I am worried because I take medication for border line high blood presure, and I have not been diganosed with diabetiates but I also take medication (oral) for my blood sugar levels as well, and I have a c pap machine that I sue for sleep. Will these keep me from getting my Dot card.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.