Vicodin And Trucking..

Quick question for you guys..

I had to have a tooth pulled today and my dentist gave me some Vicodin. I'm not driving today so I decided to take some, but I am supposed to take a load tomorrow. My dispatcher said I'm good as long as I wait 10 hours before driving. Is this true?

I'm planning on sticking to Ibuprofen tomorrow but just want to make sure I'm ok since I took some Vicodin today. I took two pills at 1130 today and I probably won't be leaving with my load til at least 0900 tomorrow.

I found a couple articles that said it can be detected in a drug test for at least a few days, so I'm kinda nervous.

In my opinion, as long as your dispatcher is aware of it, you should be fine. I never took Vicodin so I wouldn't know it's side effects, but Ibuprofen should be sufficient enough regardless.

In my opinion, as long as your dispatcher is aware of it, you should be fine. I never took Vicodin so I wouldn't know it's side effects, but Ibuprofen should be sufficient enough regardless.

Yeah, my dispatcher is the coolest and he drove for many many years. I'm just worried about DOT. Can't find any info so far on the FMCSA website, other than this:

What medications disqualify a CMV driver?

A driver cannot take a controlled substance or prescription medication without a prescription from a licensed practitioner. If a driver uses a drug identified in 21 CFR 1308.11 (391.42(b)(12)) or any other substance such as amphetamine, a narcotic, or any other habit forming drug, The driver is medically unqualified. There is an exception: the prescribing doctor can write that the driver is safe to be a commercial driver while taking the medication. In this case, the Medical Examiner may, but does not have to certify the driver.

But that's just talking about getting medically qualified in the first place. I'm already medically qualified and trying to find out about temporary use of hydrocodone with a prescription.

Make sure you have the bottle from the pharmacy with you for the next couple of months in case you get random tested. Your fine as long as you can prove the prescription.

Make sure you have the bottle from the pharmacy with you for the next couple of months in case you get random tested. Your fine as long as you can prove the prescription.

Ok thanks will do.

So I kind of answered my own question. Couldn't find anything on the website so I called the Colorado port of entry and asked them. The lady wouldn't give me a straight answer because she didn't want to get in trouble if she was wrong, but she basically said I was ok to drive as long as I wait until it isn't affecting me anymore. Vicodin lasts something like 8-10 hours. She said if I did get random tested, I can tell them about the prescription and I should be fine because they can see how many I have left in the bottle and do the math. Not the perfectly clear answer I want, but it sounds like I should be fine as long as I don't take any tomorrow. My safest bet would be to wait 3-5 days but I'm not that paranoid.

Vicodin is an opioid narcotic as well as a controlled substance level 1 or 2 (don't remember which) and is highly addictive.

Go to drugs.com (or similar) to get info on side effects and how long it remains etc etc...

OS has a good point regarding matching bottle prescription for any case CYA... Example: your tooth hurts, your spouse gives you a couple pills from her past surgery or whatever, the authorities (of any kind) get deep in your business and they find wife's pills in your regular Tylenol bottle and its big trouble!!.....weather you have ingested or not.

I would have wanted it from dispatch or safety in writing.

I believe using pain killers stronger than Tylenol and friends should be an as-needed basis. It all depends on the alignment of dentist, dental procedure and your own pain threshold.

In other words, avoid the big stuff unless you figure you'd be better off. I recently had a root canal and crown. Dr Painless got me a Vicodin scrip. I scored the Vikes, but never felt the need for using them.

Yes, others recommend carrying the pharmacy bottle with you, full or empty, for a week or so after you take your last pill.

I would have wanted it from dispatch or safety in writing.

For sure. I have a follow-up appointment with the dentist in the morning. I'm going to see if he can write down a statement that I'm ok to drive as long as x number of hours has passed since I took a Vicodin. That's what DOT lady suggested.

I believe using pain killers stronger than Tylenol and friends should be an as-needed basis. It all depends on the alignment of dentist, dental procedure and your own pain threshold.

In other words, avoid the big stuff unless you figure you'd be better off. I recently had a root canal and crown. Dr Painless got me a Vicodin scrip. I scored the Vikes, but never felt the need for using them.

Yes, others recommend carrying the pharmacy bottle with you, full or empty, for a week or so after you take your last pill.

I agree. I probably coulda gotten away with just taking Ibuprofen. Damn thing doesn't hurt at all right now. Kinda funny, after I got it pulled I almost went mountain biking. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that all that bumping around on a bike might cause some extra bleeding that soon after the extraction. I had to wait til this evening before I took the bike out for a spin!

Oh and apparently I'm practically immune to Vicodin's side effects. I took two this morning a full two hours after eating and hardly felt a thing.