ADD / ADHD drugs - will they disqualify you ??

[LA to Cleveland]

Will ADHD drugs keep you from renewing a DOT Medical Card or keep you from getting a job even with a small company? Not taking anything but BP Meds, just curious to see what's allowed and what's not. Anyone have a link to that DOT forbidden prescription drugs list ?

[Chasing Daylight]

To my knowledge, none of the ADHD meds are on the forbidden list, but they may well be forbidden by your employer. The important thing to keep in mind is that many of the ADHD meds are amphetamines, they will show up on a drug screen. Of course, with a prescription for them you would be legal... but not necessarily within the company's rules and regs.

[ben45750]

Chasing Daylight- sent you a PM, can you get the pm's yet?

[Uturn2001]

Anyone have a link to that DOT forbidden prescription drugs list ?

No one will have a link to the "DOT" forbidden prescription drug list because it does there is not a list.

The lists you see circulating the net are from companies such as Schneider and USXpress.

The regs state that you can take any medication so long as:

It is prescribed to you and you are taking it in the prescribed manner and,

The medication does not pose a safety risk to you or others while you are taking it. This amount of risk that any medication may pose is decided by both the prescribing doctor and the medical professional who performs the actual physical.

Beyond that the company a driver works for may have a policy in place that will automatically disqualify a driver for driving for them while taking a specific drug.

[Coach]

Also, sometimes it is the condition for which the med is prescribed that is the disqualifier.

[BeauteousRot]

I'll say a friend of a friend went to the dot physical with a prescription for strattera (normally prescribed for adult adhd) and a note from primary physician saying "patient is being treated with strattera for memory loss due to lack of concentration". DOT doc got all bent out of shape and only gave a 3 month card. He would not accept that the patient was being treated for memory loss, because memory loss is a symptom, not a diagnosis. Patient was instructed to get a letter from primary physician stating it was safe to drive while on this medication. Patient chose to discontinue medication. There was no question as to why, or if their concentration was affected. A 1 year card was issued.

So, was the problem with the medicine? Being On it, or being OFF it? or the diagnosis? OR the ability of the driver to drive safetly while on it. Well if the driver was safe while ON it, wouldn't it stand to reason the driver was LESS safe OFF of it?

My answer is that in this business, youre best bet is to suffer silently until it is so bad your best choice is to get off the road. (at which time you lose your insurance and your ability to pay for treatment) ENJOY!