Will These Medical Conditions Prevent Me From Being Able To Truck Drive? Can Any Compromise Be Made?
Topic 24836 | Page 1
Lots of drivers have sleep apnea and still drive. Common subject of discussion here. The second thing, I’m sorry, made me laugh at the visual that was in my head. If you go solo, you won’t wake anybody else up and you sure can’t run far in the cab before you have a rude awakening.
The third thing you would have to get medical and Company clearances for.But do this before spending any money for schooling or better yet look into company paid training because they will screen you up front before any time and money is wasted
Good luck to you
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.
Most companies will not allow the anti-seizure med period. Your best hope would be some company that requires just a DOT medical nothing else. A DOT examiner that isn't working for the company would likely accept a letter from your doctor stating something like the you don't have seizures and are fit to drive commercial vehicles. They where to go? Maybe local dump trucks, trash trucks, buses...that's a start.
Hello everybody! I've never driven a truck in my life but I have begun to fall in love with the idea of trucking and I want to give it a shot. However I have a few medical problems that I think will prevent me from doing trucking. So I need a weigh in on advice from you more experienced folks to help me determine if I can make it despite these issues.
Importantly what I would also like help determining is that, in the event that I cannot do trucking if there are other jobs involving driving large or uncommon vehicles that you guys think I could try instead. And I would really in that case love help in determining where to get schooling for these jobs and also like help in figuring out exactly what other jobs involving vehicles there are out there aside from trucking. Because I've tried searching quite a lot already but I can't find much outside of maybe construction vehicles.
So what is it that I have? Well three things that are of relevance.
1. Sleep apnea. Basically I need a sleep apnea machine and a mask to let me breathe well while I sleep
2. Some form of REM behavior disorder. What happens is that when I sleep it is possible that I might wake up, scream at the top of my lungs and then run as fast as I can away from my bed. Yikes! It happens a few times a month. I don't think I can do OTR with this.
3. I'm on an anti seizure medication. In the medical regulations I am reading something about this type of medication disqualifying somebody from being able to drive a truck. However the tricky part is that I do not actually have seizures myself. I am taking the seizure meds for a secondary issue that the seizure meds just so happen to treat really effectively as well. So since I do not actually have the seizures would this allow me to bypass this rule and drive despite taking them?
Thanks a bunch guys.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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.
Richard, I don’t know where you live but near me is a heavy equipment operators and training school. Maybe that would satisfy your lust for big moving objects.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
Hello everybody! I've never driven a truck in my life but I have begun to fall in love with the idea of trucking and I want to give it a shot. However I have a few medical problems that I think will prevent me from doing trucking. So I need a weigh in on advice from you more experienced folks to help me determine if I can make it despite these issues.
Importantly what I would also like help determining is that, in the event that I cannot do trucking if there are other jobs involving driving large or uncommon vehicles that you guys think I could try instead. And I would really in that case love help in determining where to get schooling for these jobs and also like help in figuring out exactly what other jobs involving vehicles there are out there aside from trucking. Because I've tried searching quite a lot already but I can't find much outside of maybe construction vehicles.
So what is it that I have? Well three things that are of relevance.
1. Sleep apnea. Basically I need a sleep apnea machine and a mask to let me breathe well while I sleep
2. Some form of REM behavior disorder. What happens is that when I sleep it is possible that I might wake up, scream at the top of my lungs and then run as fast as I can away from my bed. Yikes! It happens a few times a month. I don't think I can do OTR with this.
3. I'm on an anti seizure medication. In the medical regulations I am reading something about this type of medication disqualifying somebody from being able to drive a truck. However the tricky part is that I do not actually have seizures myself. I am taking the seizure meds for a secondary issue that the seizure meds just so happen to treat really effectively as well. So since I do not actually have the seizures would this allow me to bypass this rule and drive despite taking them?
Thanks a bunch guys.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
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.