medically disqualified
 

Say you became medically disqualified to be a driver. All of your doctors say you are now safe to go back to driving. The DOT law is very old and does not take into consideration the current treatments that are proven effective. The Dot will not grant a waiver dew to the law. You still have a truck payment to make and you love your job. It is easy to go to a new doctor and get a health card by not telling him. Would you do this to remain a driver? Would you do this just until the truck was paid off?

first off, what was the medical problem?

Well their are several medical conditions you can develop and treat but the DOT will not let you drive. If you loose hearing and say you are a decibel or two lower than the standard. Arthritis, you have it but it is treated. You had a seizure but you are on medication that prevents them. Your blood pressure was higher than the maximum aloud but you take medication and it is just a point or two higher than what is aloud. All of your doctors, your family Dr., your specialist, say you are successively treated and are now safe.

I'm not asking about other things, I'm asking about what your medical problem is. If we know what it is, then someone here might be able to offer some help. With out the info we cant do nothing.

Ask yourself this.......would you want YOUR family out on the road with someone who "might" have a seizure?

I wouldn't, the DOT has rules for a reason, just keep in mind whatever YOU decide, be ready to live with the consequences, you could kill or seriously injure yourself or an innocent bystander.

Think of how you would feel if the shoe was on the other foot.

And one more thing.........if it was a family member of MINE, there would be NO PLACE for the guilty party to hide.

I don't think it's as simple as just going to a different doctor as if you'd never had a problem in the first place. There should be a record with the DOT if you were medically disqualified.

Take it from someone WITH EPILEPSY AND ON THE BEST MEDS THERE ARE. I still have a seizure at least one time every six months and there is no way I would drive a CLASS 8 RIG RIGHT now until I meet the current regs. So do what I am doing find a good nureologist have the surgey that removes the spot causing the seizures get off the meds wait the proper time and then and ONLY THEN get back on the road.

say you go to a new doctor and don't disclose the medical problem and are cleared to drive, and one day your heading down the road happy as can be because you are back doing the job you love, and all of a sudden the medical problem you thought was under control, isn't anymore and you run over someone and take the life of a mother, father, husband, wife, or God forbid an entire family. now not only do you have to live with that for the rest of your life you will also be sued for everything you own now and in the future. so you tell me if its worth lying to a doctor about. :roll:

I just for kicks called the DOT to see what my SS shows in the system for my Medical Status. Right now it shows a PEREMENT HOLD until all DOT regs are met. With modern computers and state linked up it is not worth it even risking it.

Re: medically disqualified
 

No and NO. I am sorry to hear of your condition, but the right thing to do is the right thing to do. No matter what the loan balance is.

Heck I was hoping it was something simple like blood or protein in the urine. That's an easy thing to take care of... Even if your BP is a little high, they can put you on meds and with a good diet you can get cleared for that... But SEIZURES.. Heck if you do lie and get cleared.. Make a web site and update it daily so I know what state to stay out of.. I have a wife and kids at home that I want to SAFELY return home to each weekend.. It's sad to say, but we have enough dangerous drivers out here on the road talking on the cell phones, reading a map, playing with the radio, ect.. We don't need the risks of someone have a seizure driving a 80k pound vehicle coming down the road at us also..

I am glad you say you would do the right thing. What if it really happened to you, then things somehow tend to change. When something actual happens to you, you look at it differently. Yes you would see it differently! It is sad to report that drivers are driving of false medical reports. I have asked as if I had different medical problems and what should I do? I have heard from, "keep off the road you **** " to " I have the same problem, I have been driving safely for X number of years and don't report it."
These drivers may drive forever without a single problem, or something terrible may happen at any time.
What if the DOT were to grant a waiver for the medical problem? (only if the problem is controlled safely) These drivers would be able to come out of hiding. They would be monitored more closely by being forced to have more medical evaluation. Say once a year, twice, or quarterly depends on the condition.
A driver can drive down the road with nitroglycerin tablets in his/her pocket and have a medical card. He only has to get a health card every two years.
Now drivers that are diabetic that use insulin to keep it under control are safe and are able to drive. Before this change happened their were even more drivers driving on false medical cards. Many needed to be on insulin for save control but feared loosing their CDL. So they took unsafe amounts of oral medication to try to control it.
Like ironeagle2006 said, he is on the best medication for epilepsy but still has a seizure twice a year. So his condition is not under control yet. If he has the surgery and hopefully it is successful he still can not drive for over ten years under the current law. If after the surgery he still has seizures but if he takes antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs and it stops the seizures, he still can not drive (CDL) for the rest of his life. This is not fair and is why drivers lie. If ironeagle2006 had the seizures under control and the doctors said he is now safe would you still fear being on the road with him? I think ten years is to long to say he is safe. That law was made in the 70's and that surgery wasn't available then.

If I'm not mistaken your doctor MUST report it to the DMV that you are taking anti-seizure meds, at least in some states they do.

I rechecked and UNDER THE CURRENT DOT REGS if you take any kind of anti seizure medication regardless of what you take it for and some of them are used for bipolar and other types of syndromes the doctor MUST REPORT YOU IMMEDIATELY to the State and Federal FMCSA AND DOT and REVOKE YOUR MEDICAL CARD. When I had my first seizure in September of 2000 before I got out of the Hospital even I had a letter from the State of IL stating my Commerical Driving Privliges at this time were no longer effective and all states were notified. I then had to go before the IL Medical review board to just get my Regular Drivers license back and that took 2 years.

I still only drive if someone is with me or in town local for groceries or to take myself to Doctors. Long trips someone is with me and awake. Yet I do 95% of all the driving for my family figure it out. My Class d License is also only good for 2 years instead of 4 at a time and I must also have my doctor sign off that I am fit to drive still. Getting my CDL back is my dream if it happens YES if not oh well I least I was out there and did myself and my father proud. Considering I started hauling grain at 18 then was OTR at 21 and off the road at 25 not to bad and made 1Millon miles in that time. What caused my conditon was some Head injuries I suffered in Personal Vechile Accidents and concussions I had playing Football in HS as a Lineman.

that aint not very good english rat thar

Yew otta no....Joja boee.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

as my neighbors frequently remind me.. I aint from here :?

Only six states require the medical provider to report epilepsy or a seizure or the use of anti-seizure medication. It is up to the driver to contact federal DOT and state DOT in the states that do not require the doctor to make the report. It is at the doctors discretion in the states that do not require it. That is one of the reasons these drivers can get away with falsifying medical reports for seizure disorders. Any driver that has had a seizure is not supposed to drive, but if the driver licence was not revoked or punched by the doctor he/she is "legal" to drive. The regulations say if you have had a seizure or on medication your health card is void. Until it has been reported, it has not been revoked but you are not supposed to drive. If the driver has an accident for any reason and it is found out that the driver did not report the seizure condition to DMV, It is at the insurance co. discretion to cover the driver or not. You can hold a CDL / health card wile taking anti-seizure medication, if it is for other than seizure or mental. Anti-seizure (antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs) are used for other treatments such as, occipital neuralga, social anxiety disorder, migraines, multiple sclerosis and trigeminal neuralgia to list only a few. When a CDL holder has a seizure they do not lose their licence until diagnosed epileptic or put on anti-medication permanently. If a driver has a single unprovoked seizure he must remain seizure free for six months and off anti-seizure medication. Then that driver must under go a complete neurological exam to be able to drive a cmv. Unless the seizure was caused by high fever, drug interaction, etc. If the driver has a current diagnoses of epilepsy he/she must be seizure free for ten years off medication. A driver may apply for a exemption from any of the standards 49 CFR 381.300. A small amount of states have exemptions or intrastate waivers for drivers with controlled seizures on anti-seizure medication. Laws very from state to state. The FDOT urges states to follow federal regulations, but it up to the state. In some states, a person can have a seizure and drive his/her self home from the hospital. In some states you must be seizure free for three months to two years. Some states all that is needed is a letter from your doctor. Other states it can take years for the DMV to reinstate a driver licence.

True. The longer a person goes without having a seizure the grater the chance of a seizure not reoccurring. Medical knowledge and treatment of epilepsy has made great strides in the last twenty years, and there are many people with a history of seizures who are no more likely to have a seizure while on medication than anyone in the general population. Indeed, DOT, in its 1988 Task Force recommendations, conceded that persons on medication with demonstrated long-term seizure control may be at a minimal risk of future seizures, possibly at or even below baseline rates for seizures in the general population

The United States Supreme Court, found to the fact that an individualized assessment is mandated under various sections of the ADA, and therefore, a blanket exclusion policy is unlawful.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was forced to establish the Medical Review Board (MRB). The MRB is composed of seven of our Nation's most distinguished and scholarly practicing physicians.The MRB listened to findings about seizure disorders and driving. A representative from the Seizure Disorders Medical Expert Panel (MEP) presented the current findings of the panel, but the panel’s final recommendations for seizure disorders are still in progress. The MRB will await a final report from the MEP before making a recommendation on seizure disorders and driving. The final decisions will be made in January 2008.

No I did not lose my CDL! No I did not lose or falsify my medical card! I had an unprovoked seizure from two possible causes. I am not diagnosed with epilepsy. All neurological tests are normal. I spent my forced time off trying to figure out the safety risks of drivers on anti-seizure medications and drivers that are getting false medical cards. I have just been trying to help keep the roads safer for us all. I with others, have been trying to help drivers get back on the road that are proven safe on anti-seizure medication. I will not get into all of the different seizure disorders. It is not fair to compare someone that has uncontrolled seizures to someone who had seizures that were just goose bumps that run down one side of the body and is controlled by anti-seizure medication.

Epilepsy
 

The self righteousness of so many who post to these forums is pathetic. As if they were stopped at a red light and it did not change (must be stuck) they would sit there all night..."well, its the right thing to do." As if the laws we know are/were legitimately from GOD. Excuse me, but anyone who knows much about trucking knows that the HOS rules were/are influenced by politicians, lawyers, and "Safety Advocates", not truckers. Remember the 55 MPH speed limits? Oops, that one was not such a good plan. Just change a few laws when it becomes popular and financially beneficial. Anyone who has been driving long enough knows that millions of SAFE truckers have some sort of medical condition and the only way they can put food on the table is to 'fudge' private details of the physical. A LOT of employers will not allow guys to drive unless they run illegal. (Watch for the posts that say to change companies. It's easier said than done.)

I encourage those with debatable medical conditions, those with proven control (say, epilepsy), to wait things out. In time the laws will change because the evidence to prohibit a CDL for certain medical conditions is just not there, not even supported by many in the medical community. Epilepsy, for some, it a debilitating condition. For others, it is just a 'tag' somewhere in the past, akin to having a few brushes with the law when you were younger. Yeah, its still there but refered to rarely. As for those who will respond with statements that imply you would be putting others lives at risk, you must understand that they obviously care little about details, they just love to sling mud. Truckers are notorious for this.

That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard.

Just wondering here.

How many seconds would a safe seizure be, while at the controls of a truck that weighs 78,000#'s?

How safe is a seizure of say...13 seconds, if that truck weighing 78,000#s is traveling at 65 mph, with the cruise control set?

How safe is a seizure of say...3 seconds, in the same truck, under the same speed contsraints?

While I have never had any type of seizure, I can tell you first hand, that watching an individual undergo a seizure of 13 seconds is very very hard. Your personal panic set's in at about 4 seconds, and by the 10th second...you are sweating profusely, and have dialated eyes, while your voice and hands are trembling, as you attempt to comfort the person experiencing the seizure. A grandmaul seizure, which lasts considerably longer than a minor seziure, is even harder to remain composed with.

Now, I know what I described above, because my nephew Creighton, had more than a few siezures between the ages of 9 and 15. Several times he was with me, when seizures occured. He has Cereberal Palsy, and epileptic seizures were a side symptom to the palsy, during those years. He was on "Dylantum"(sp) for most of those years. Perhaps his worst seizure, was at age 12. We (myself, Creighton, his brother, and a friend of their's) were in the Kingdome, for a game between the Mariners and the A's, when Creighton went into a grandmaul. Those were the worst 25 minutes of my life, because I could do nothing for him, nor could King County Paramedics...some of the best Paramedics in this country! Surprisingly enough, flight attendants are perhaps some of the best, at comforting a victim of a seizure, during and after the episode. yes...Creighton had a seizure while flying cross country.

DOT regulations prohibit individual's with a history of seizures from driving a commercial vehicle on the roads of this country, from flying an aircraft of any type through the skies of this country, and also prohibit those individuals from operating railroad equipment, for the simple reason, that once a seizure begins, there is no way to stop or control it.

3 seconds is to long for a seziure to last, and say you are capable of controling your vehicle safely!!! I, for one, do not want you sharing the road with me, with my nephew, or with my neighbors, if you drive truck for a living and have a history of siezure's, minor or not!

Yup, I have to agree with StevenD, well said.

Controlled seizure = no seizures uncontrolled seizures = seizure for 1 second, 2 or 30 seconds. We are not talking about drivers that black out once a year or once every 5 or more.
If a drivers seizure was goose bumps and it in now controlled he does not lose any motor skills. You lose more than that when you sneeze.
Have you had a CT, MRI, MRA, EEG, SDEEG? If no, you are more unsafe than the one who did and all is normal.

1jcc I have to DISAGREE with you there. I have been seen by lets see here the Mayo Clinic the Mincep Clinic and right now am under the care of Rush Presb hospital Epilepsy clinic my doc there went to school at Havard then interned and took residency at JOhns HOpkins and EVERYONE OF MY MRI'S CT'S AND PET AND EEGS AND VEEG'S HAVE BEEN 100% FREAKING NORMAL. My avarge seizure lasts 3 Minutes my first one September 20 2000 happened in NV just east of Wendover NV at the 300 yard line and I almost put my truck over the cliff there. If not for my now EX wife I would be dead she fought me for control and stopped the truck and called for help.

I also have no aura's and no clue when the next one is coming on. Just because right now you are not having them does not mean you will not have them in the future. If you do not come off the road I will report you personally to the FMCSA via this board and they can trace you down and they will pull you off the road those REGS ARE THERE FOR A FREAKING REASON YOU IDOIT. I could have done what you are proposing but did not for the simple reason no life is worth my GREED YES LOSING YOUR TRUCK WILL HURT BUT THINK OF YOUR WIFE AND KIDS WOULD THEY RATHER HAVE YOU AROUND OR JUST MEMORIES.

As a matter of fact, I have had CT scan, MRI scans, and EEG's. Not to find out about a source of seizures, but rather to find the source of a continueous headache. They discovered I had a beinien(sp) tumor in my right sinus cavity. After surgery and recovery, I had to pass 3 separate physicals, before regaining my medical card. 45 minutes doing a stress test, to determine vulorability to seizures is a tough test.

As for my nephew, he has more CT and MRI's than you and I have had or will have in our life I am sure, especially since, he has 2 per year, every year. He is 25 now.

Self Righteous IDIOT (correct spelling)
 

Iron Eagle, you display exactly what I warn 1jcc about; fellow truckers who think they know how you should live your life. Ignore them, especially the idoit (excuse me, correct spelling is IDIOT) who says he is going to turn you in. Let him hyperventilate.

Incidently, you, me, nor anyone, can determine when they are going to have a siezure. Just check out the statistics and web information about how many people have sudden, unexplained siezures. Its phenominal. In addition, there are a LOT of people who once on an AED (anti-epileptic drug) have no other siezures the remainder of their life. This also, is medical evidence ignored by those making our traffic laws.

Ironeagle, you need to research your condition more and not target others who are struggling to adjust to life with it.

StevenD

Well it's very simple, nobody here is a doctor. NO ONE here is qualified to say this driver is safe, and this driver is unsafe.

HOWEVER, attempting to go around LEGITIMATE laws that were put in place for a reason can land you in the slammer! Imagine if you get into an accident, doesn't even have to be your fault, you could go to jail for YEARS!

StevenD as someone that has Epilepsy and devolped it at almost 25 years of age I feel like I have something to offer here. When I had my first one I felt like why me and I could go right back to driving OTR and would hide it yet the DOT and my state would not let me. Now 7 years later I see THEIR WISDOM IN NOT LETTING ME DOING SO. Yes I have never had another seizure while driving YET however I had just finished driving my wife and kids to my father-in-laws in Chicago from my house and had a Grand mal seizure with no warning. I am also on the strongest meds out there to control them.

1jcc needs to realize his OTR driving career is OVER hiding it will make it worse when he does have a sezure while driving just because he has not yet does not mean he will not and when he does more than likely he will have a very serve accident. Once he does and it comes out he was hiding his conditon the local DA will throw the BOOK at him. I asked my moblie home park owner who BTW is a major Law Firm owner in Chicago specializing in Personal Injury what would happen if an Epileptic who was hiding his condition was driving a Semi OTR and had a Fatal accident. He told me flat out his client would OWN THE Company he was leased to if an O/O or driving for by the time he was done with them. It is not worth risking your life over it or anyone elses life.

Road Safety
 

Who more than the driver should be concerned about safety? You can assume all you want, based upon years of experience or just plain opinion, whether your condition applies to every driver out there. I, for one, would not dare such an illusion of my own opinion. I know, as you should, that one guy will turn to the left, one to the right, and who knew that the one who turned to the right was going to crash? You also assume far too much that his chances of crashing are increased because of his having a seizure in the past. Look up just hope many people have seizures for no apparent reason. Another point is, just who is the greatest danger on the road? Your situation has given you a particular view, even qualified, but does not apply to everyone who has had a seizure. Not even close.

Back to the main point: If as a driver, one feels his medical condition endangers himself or others then as a matter of conscience he should find another line of work. This I recognize as my opinion. To state that a person should not be driving if he has similar symptoms that keep you off the road, is again, assuming your principals should apply to every situation. This just doesn't work in the real world. Just look at all the overwieght drivers we have, how are they passing a medical?

For everyone, don't jump to conclusions and responses that make 'one of our own' feel as if he is an outcast. There is hope, and if he truly loves to drive then he can look into options. To me, it seems as if 1jcc has done a good amount of research and is trying to work through a difficult choice.

StevenD

StevenD when I devolped my Epilepsy my company at the time did everything they could to keep me working for them but they found out their hands were tied by 3 things. 1 their INSURANCE company 2 the FMCSA REGS and the DOT and 3 the fact my CDL AND MEDICAL CARD WERE BOTH INVALID. They then tried to get me a office postion but none were open in the company at the time. The Regulations are there for a reason we do not have to like them we have to OBEY THEM. I hated the fact I lost my career at the prime of my life but I dealt with it. If 1jcc's companies insurance carrier finds out about his seizures he will be gone faster than you can blink we are not talking about Diabates here. Both my parents have it and it is a totally differnent problem here the issues with High blood sugar are different and if it is high the fact is you do not pass out from it.

Look I know I am coming off heavy handed but I am looking out for his saftey and all of the motoring public. The Feds have not just our saftey but the all 300 million of us in the USA to look out for.

What Shall we Make of (some) Laws?
 

Points taken. How do you take this, 1jcc?

Other issues: Law

From your replies, I assume that you have been around a while. Are you saying we should abide by every law on the books, like it or not? Just a conversational topic here, yes, with a biased opinion.

I say you cannot. Especially since the laws vary from state to state. There are laws on the books that are simply ridiculous and not even enforced (easy enough to look them up, just search for ridiculous laws.)
I don't like the implications of situational ethics, but in my opinion, we must apply them in todays world. There are too numerous ones to list but if desired, we can continue this in other posts.

As applies to trucking, you drive a truck that has a cracked windshield and you work for a smaller company. You have reported it, yet it is not repaired the next time you punch in. Do you take the load or sit there, refuse to drive (and get fired.) Same applies for tires or anything else you deem as a safety hazard. Do you know how many drivers this would put out of work? This kind of situational ethic applies to so many situations in trucking. Did you know that for a number of years, Volvo had trucks coming off the assembly line that were already 300 pounds over on the front axle? What about laws then?

What about current HOS? They cannot even decide how to create laws that are safe regarding sleep time. They are currently under review again. You cannot side with the Fed's when they cannot analyze the research and data to create sound law. So the position that "the government knows best" falls on deaf ears.

Many who read this will assume then I endorse an 'anything goes' mindset and this is pure nonsense. Yet there are thousands of bills brought before our 'lawmakers' every year that are not in the interest of safety and benefit of society, although they will trumpet it as such. So what do you do? Comply with these or comprehend them? If you understand that certain laws were pushed through by a congressman who now sits in prison for corruption charges, do you look at the law or consider that it will be changed again?

As applies to 1jcc and medical waivers, judge yourself whether you are a safety hazard, not based upon the opinions of a few who cannot, will not, walk in your shoes.

StevenD

OK guys, I see it is pointless in here to try to help. Report me. I have not broken any laws! I reported myself to state and fed DOT like WE ALL ARE SUPOSED TO DO IF IT HAPPENS. I went past the time that LAW required me to be seizure free. The state and Fed DOT did not pull my CDL just my current health card at the time. Everything tested normal at and on all tests. I had a reaction to a new prescription that caused my levels to get out of whack, so that caused a seizure. All doctors cleared me, so did the DOT. I was scared Sh**less to drive even when all said I was safe. That is why I went almost a year longer than required. My insurance co. is fully aware and even gave me a small discount because of my high safety rating and for returning to them. Ironeagle2006, if all of your tests are normal how do they know were the cause of your seizures are to operate? If they see the spot that is causing your seizure than not all tests are normal. Your big doctors are scaring me. I am sorry your seizures are not controllable. I do hope you and all can get a cure or get them controlled. You sound like you are just jealous of those who have controlled seizures. You should not be driving your car since yours are not controlled yet. It sounds like you are the one breaking some laws.
The way that some of you are speaking about people with seizure disorders is why they made the American Disability Act. I understand that safty is #1. That is why we need some changes in laws. The fact is we are driving on the road with drivers that should not be driving. Ones that have false health cards, ones that do not have controlled seizures but do 95% of the family driving.
Some here say we should not change the current law and not let anyone that ever had a seizure drive. You need to read a little more about how your brain works and how seizures happen. Read what the different seizures are. The current DOT regulations puts a blanket on the word seizure. Anything with a brain stands a chance of having a seizure. So if you stand a chance, you should not drive, right?
If you are saying look at the numbers. Then all white male drivers over the age of 45 need to be taken out of CMV's. The numbers do not look good. You stand a higher chance of having a myocardial infarction (heart attack).

1jcc what you are saying is you are STILL taking meds to control them and DRIVING a truck. The current reg is 5 years no meds and no SEIZURES OF ANY KIND WHAT SO EVER be it a Partial COmplex Parital or Full Blown Generalized Tonic Clonic or old Grand Mal Seizure. If you are driving a OTR truck YOU are the one in Voilation of the Regulations. Trust me I know the freaking Regs suck the big one. Mine was caused from a combo of Nutra Sweet and Closed Head Injures from car accidents I was rear ended 3 weeks before my first one and that was the trigger they know.

1jcc here is how dangerous Epilepsy can be in 2001 I was swimming and had a GTC in a swimming pool they got me out and could not get that one stopped I ended up with a Stroke that destroyed 10% of my brain. I had to relearn how to walk talk eat and go to the bathroom AGAIN. I am scheduled to have an INTERANAL VEEG were they put 200-400 wires directly onto my brain soon to see if they can find the focal point of my seizures if they do find it I will be very happy camper. By the way 98% of all EEG's and SDEEG's show normal unless you are having a seizure at the time.

I could have told you this is a dead end place to get any advise or compassion.

This forum is filled with doctors, lawyers, DOT officials, accountants, and you name it. They just happen to drive trucks also ya know.

You sound like a smart guy and I'm sure you'll figure it out.

Good luck!!!

Ironeagle2006. It is 10 years off anti-seizure medication to be otr if you are epileptic. If it was a single unprovoked seizure, (they don't know why) and NO MEDICATION than it is 5 years. If you are on anti-seizure medication for seizure controlled you still can not drive CMV's. Some states grant intrastate waivers. Intrastate means you can not leave that state in a CMV. Canada is 5 years on medication. I did not say I was on medication for seizure control. The DOT gave me the green light to drive so I hope they know the laws they made.
This was me.
"In those individual cases where a driver had a seizure or an episode of loss of consciousness that resulted from a known medical condition (e.g., drug reaction, high temperature, acute infectious disease, dehydration, or acute metabolic disturbance), certification should be deferred until the driver has fully recovered from that condition, has no existing residual complications, and is not taking antiseizure medication."
If you want to know what happened here Mr. Know how it all works. I worked for my state and Fed Dot. I spent day after day going to different doctors to turn and cough. I was supposed to report the doctors that did not follow Federal regulations. I had to say and do different medical conditions. Some I had to check no on the seizure box but put down I was taking seizure medication and see if they asked if it was for seizure or something else. Some I had to check yes I had seizures. Yes some of the doctors are dumb a**s and granted me a health card. I had to go to the hearing for those doctors that did not do it right. They only received a warning because I did not actually have the conditions I was faking. I had to see if I could find doctors that would take a little cash to pass me if they told me no. Think goodness none did that one on me.
The fact is, the law is going to change like it or not. You should like it. If your procedure is successful you will be one of those who will benefit. I had a seizure, yes a Grand Mal. I did have an aura before it but I did not know what it was. In the hospital I did have partials and they put me on medication wile I was admitted. The seizure was quite scary for me. So I started doing research on truck drivers and seizures. I contacted different organizations about this and received all kinds of info. I have spoken to drivers driving both leally and illegally.
Don't they say you should not swim, take a bath, I know, unsupervised. You are the one that should not be driving. You don't even have auras to warn you. You are not being very smart here if you still do the driving. If you think just because it is not 80,000 lbs it cannot kill someone. Don't base the fact that you are not lucky enough to have your seizures controlled that no one can. Some people have controlled seizures, sorry you can't grasp that.

I have been reading in here for a wile now and not posted anything. I felt like I should say something on this one. I am a driver and have been for over thirty years now. I have been diagnosed with epilepsy. I have been seizure free for 15 years this Feb. I take medication twice a day to insure this. When I had my first seizure I was pumping fuel at an old truck stop in GA. I woke up in route to the hospital. They did not take my licence from me because no one reported me. I did at first ponder the thought of just going on like nothing happened. After it happened I put a driver in the truck but it did not turn enough to support both him and myself. I was able to get a waiver just to drive in my state. That did require me to move here. We had to sell the house and move the kids away from friends and family. I suppose I could have just tried to get a different job, but what, this is all I know and have ever done. I don't tell other drivers very often that I have epilepsy because of the stigma. People really do not understand epilepsy. All they know is what they see on TV. People always fear I am going to start flopping around on the floor like a fish out of water. About 70% of people with epilepsy can be treated, were seizures stop with medication. My doctor has suggested trying to take me off medication to see if it has stopped. Well, I can, but I will not be allowed to drive my truck for 10 years. So if I take my pills, I can stay inside my state lines. The DOT fears I could have a seizure if I were to cross the state line. I have been safe and I do everything I can to insure that. I see my Dr. on a regular basses. I take my pills at the same time every day, and don't skip a dose. I stopped drinking beer because it can interfere with the medication. I watch the amount of caffeine and Aspartame I consume. I am aware of drivers that lie to get a health card. I am not saying I approve of this but I understand why they do this. I don't think I enjoy DOT physicals enough to try to catch the bad doctors. The DOT needs to see that not all people with epilepsy are untreatable. It is so very hard now to make it because I can't leave the state. Not trying to sound raciest but the Mexican drivers have moved in this area and taken all the intrastate loads for less than I can haul it for. I had to start parking my truck in a secure lot. I was parking it at one of my customers yards till my fuel started disappearing. Then my batteries left one night. When my drive tires got stolen I had enough. I don't understand because the plant works all night. The plant employees are almost all Mexicans now and I wonder if that is why they did not see or say a thing. I just pray the law is changed were I can stand a chance for other loads out of the state.

No, I did not get any enjoyment from doing the physicals. :roll: When I asked my state DOT what I needed to do to be able to drive after my seizure. They told me the laws then I was told that they needed help finding the doctors that were not in compliance. Well, cash was tight so it was a way of paying the bills.

Yes, many people do not understand epilepsy. Almost 3 million in the US have epilepsy. I have read like 60-70% of people are treated with anti-seizure drugs and it stops the seizures if they take it as prescribed.

It will probably take the DOT a year or two to finish the changes. So hopefully you can hold on that long. This is what they have done so far.

The panel agreed that an individual whose seizure disorder is under control, evidenced by a seizure-free period of time, should be allowed to drive commercial vehicles if certified by a physician annually or biennially. The panel would develop specific recommendations on the period of time and other details and present these in a final report. Dr. Krumholz said he thought the number of crashes directly related to a seizure is very small, lower than many other health-related crashes.

Report on “Seizure Disorders and Commercial Driving.” Literature search was aimed at studies that would develop answers to six key research questions. Highlights of the report’s findings:

Overall risk of crash among individuals with seizure disorder: limited data indicates an increased risk of 1.13 to 2.16 times more likely to experience a motor vehicle crash than those who do not have the disorder. The limited data were provided from several low-quality studies. Additional data suggest a significant reduction in risk if a driver has a reliable aura (warning of seizure) before onset of a seizure.
Likelihood of seizures among those on anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs): no valid studies available, but data suggest that risk of seizure is significantly reduced after eight seizure-free years (to about 2 percent).
Risk of seizure following epilepsy surgery: limited data indicate a steady decline in incidence of seizures. The data suggest that the longer a patient is seizure free, the less likelihood of a future seizure. The risk of seizures was similar to those on AEDs, about 2 percent after eight years.
Risk of additional seizures among drivers who have had only one lifetime seizure: very limited data suggest that, although there is a high rate of additional seizures in the second year, the seizures significantly decline so that by the fifth year, the risk of seizure is about 2 percent.
Seizure risk and AED therapy compliance: of five studies, one showed no significant increase in crash rate regardless of whether a driver was consistent in taking AEDs. The other four studies showed conflicting or inconsistent results. No evidence-based conclusion could be drawn.
The long-term effects of AED therapy: two small studies suggested a negative effect on driving skills, but the data were limited and neither relied on driving simulators to quantify results. No evidence-based conclusion could be drawn.

So what ever came of all that. Were those recommendations considered and denied.

I find this thread amazing (in a distressing way), and I still can't believe what I read. You can be rated as disabled by AMA guidelines with CERTAIN INJURIES, but still pass a DOT physical, which is the "minimum" to drive a truck. That doesn't mean you are in perfect condition, but that you should be able to operate a CMV safely. The questions on the physical are what are most important, as to whether you've had this or that serious illness or impairment. Many of those things cannot be detected by the doc in a box. The doctor is more concerned about your sugar level, and your hearing to be honest, after you checked NO to the serious stuff on the questionnaire. A lot of drivers can't touch their toes and such like anyway, but that's far different than some kind of brain disorder. To lie on the questionnaire is outrageous, illegal, and will get you put in prison if you have a wreck. I've run into a lot of older drivers that I believe could be declared disabled by AMA guidelines, but are still gutting it out every day. They meet the minimum DOT requirements. I even saw a one armed driver in Colorado with a hook (didn't know was legal?) picking up a load of beer, and it was interesting watching him shift, but to drive after having a seizure? Really? That's in a whole other category which is on the questionnaire that would be an immediate disqualification. I do believe there probably are more stats that will show heart attack, aneurism, or cell phone call that caused accidents, but that is partly because seizures are already ruled out. To say that there are no stats showing seizures as a problem is not really fair. It's like saying there are no stats for double amputees involved in wrecks, when they've never been allowed to drive in the first place. Don't get me wrong, I feel for anyone that has lost a career they love over something like this, but I'm going with the DOT on this one because I expect everyone that commands a CMV of whatever kind should be held to a higher standard of safety. If that rules me or anyone else out, so be it.