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Old 01-18-2015, 05:22 PM
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Default Fail DOT Physical at first place, then pass it at second place. Kosher?

Hi,

I went to get my DOT physical at some medical center in August 2014. Failed due to blood pressure too high. I didn't like the staff there (really rude, not good for bp) so I went to a different place a week later. Passed with flying colors. But I was under the impression that under the new FMCSA, you aren't allowed to "shop" medical examiners, in other words, I should have gone back to the first rude place I went to. Ugh... By the way, at the second place, I asked them if I could go somewhere else to retake the exam if I failed, and they said yes, you can, but we keep your money. So what's the deal? Am I in trouble with big brother since I went to 2 different places? I have my new DOT card, called up DOT to verify they have me on file as passing, and everything is great in that regard.

After reading the FMCSA website I was sort of expecting the second place to say "Oh no, it says on the computer system that you just took the physical somewhere else last week so we can't help you"

What's the deal? Maybe I'm just paranoid?


Thanks
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Old 05-31-2015, 08:08 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zombie Woof View Post
Hi,

I went to get my DOT physical at some medical center in August 2014. Failed due to blood pressure too high. I didn't like the staff there (really rude, not good for bp) so I went to a different place a week later. Passed with flying colors. But I was under the impression that under the new FMCSA, you aren't allowed to "shop" medical examiners, in other words, I should have gone back to the first rude place I went to. Ugh... By the way, at the second place, I asked them if I could go somewhere else to retake the exam if I failed, and they said yes, you can, but we keep your money. So what's the deal? Am I in trouble with big brother since I went to 2 different places? I have my new DOT card, called up DOT to verify they have me on file as passing, and everything is great in that regard.

After reading the FMCSA website I was sort of expecting the second place to say "Oh no, it says on the computer system that you just took the physical somewhere else last week so we can't help you"

What's the deal? Maybe I'm just paranoid?


Thanks
I wouldn't worry about it. I''ve done that without issue. You weren't "shopping", when you had time for the re-cert you just happened to be closer to the new place LOL!
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Old 05-31-2015, 11:47 PM
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Well now you have some extra time to get that BP under control. I would take advantage of this and be prepared for your next DOT.
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Old 06-18-2016, 01:30 AM
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Zombie,

I don't actually feel that you were in the wrong for conducting the second physical elsewhere. You got a second opinion essentially with a professional twist. I have had the opposite happen where the clinic the company sent me too actually became so difficult (the MD was wanting me to get a new sleep study for recert which seems like overkill). The company caught on and sent me to another clinic which passed me fairly easily.

I will say that you questioning the ethics of your situation makes you the better person than many in this situation. I have had physicals where the doctor waved a pen in my face ("follow this pen" exercise....okay.....wait.....THAT WAS IT?!?) and then signed off on the medical. I can still remember which company this was for but not the clinic but I left that physical looking at that doctor like he was violating the Hippocratic Oath.
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Old 08-06-2016, 12:46 AM
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Default DOT Physicals not always submitted electronically - Aug, 2016

It's August 2016, and I JUST got my DOT physical done at a Chiropractor's office in Longview, TX. It was not submitted electronically to the Texas DOT. I had to email a PDF of my paperwork. I could have snail mailed or faxed it in.
I prefer Chiropractors. They have more knowledge about White Coat Hypertension than most Nurse Practitioners, They also tend to take the time for your BP to level out, where a PhD has more incentive to put you on medication, than to pass you, and nurse practitioners at clinics don't tend to understand or care about the impact of a bad BP test.
I suggest finding a Chiropractor @ nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov when you need your recertification. You can ask if they submit electronically for you.
If you happen to be on I-80, one of the most convenient DOT registered chiropractors is on the second floor of the Bosselman Travel Center (Pilot Truck Stop) near Grand Island, NE (North, off exit 312. Mon - Sat 8:30am - 7pm). He DOES submit electronically. I got my previous exam there. Tell Cody that Rich says Hi. lol I had helped him with his Google Maps listing.

Other useful facts:
Don't eat before a physical, ESPECIALLY SALT, and NO CAFFEINE. Digestion increases blood pressure and blood sugar. Taking water pills (Walmart - Sundown Naturals Caffeine Free Water Pills - $2.97) and being a bit dehydrated lowers blood pressure a little) Slow deep breaths, in the nose, out the mouth, also helps. I can drop my BP and pulse as much as 20 points with calm meditation. White Coat Hypertension is a real thing!! At home, my BP is 125/75. pulse 60. In a clinic, with a nurse practitioner, it can jump to 155/95 pulse 85, and drop back down to normal in a couple of minutes. Chiropractors at truck stops understand this!
For long term health though, you really need to walk a mile, 5 times a week at least (you can do this in the time it takes to get loaded / unloaded), preferably every day. Eat only when you're hungry, not when you're bored. A sustenance meal is the size of a saucer, not a dinner plate, but until your stomach shrinks, you won't realize just how little it can take to fill you up. It takes about a week of sensible sized meals for your stomach to shrink to normal size.

Good, inexpensive snacks that don't require refrigeration:
apples (They can last for many weeks. Eat one 1/2 hour before a meal to crave a whole lot less!)
pears (should last a week or more)
bananas (slightly green = 3 or 4 day life span)
unsalted popcorn (find a seasoning you like to put on it, e.g. cinnamon or Parmesan cheese if you have a refrigerator),
unsalted sunflower seeds (read the nutrition list!),
peeled carrots
corn on the cob (can be cooked, 3 minutes in a microwave, but shucking in a truck is a pain!)
potatoes (can also be cooked in a microwave in 10 minutes, season with 1 pat of butter & pepper, NO SALT)
nuts and avocados (but the calories can add up)
Don't skip breakfast! Your body stores food when it starts out empty! Having a refrigerator for milk, a coffee cup (instead of a bowl) of high fiber granola cereal or Grape Nuts & a tsp of honey, keeps me satisfied a lot longer than most other breakfast stuff.
If you gotta be "bad", go with a couple graham crackers, or something sweetened with a little honey, but stay away from the sugar and processed foods!
When you're hungry, drink a lot of water, or green tea, etc. Diet sodas, even without calories, still have a bad effect on metabolism. Find CHEAP alternatives in the POWDERED juice isle (lower calories).
It's good to be bad, and have ONE meal ONCE a week of whatever you want! But ONLY if you've been good all week. It's your reward, and with walking a mile once a day (download a phone app! like CHARITY MILES. Pokemon Go might actually lessen the distance you walk!), you'll find that you need less sleep (I dropped 2 hours per night after 2 weeks of daily exercise! So the "I don't have time" excuse is B.S.!!). You'll have more energy, get full faster. Walk a mile AFTER you eat a sensible meal. The effects after the first consistent week are pretty awesome!

If you can get another driver to walk with you, and you guys can share interesting road stories, the time will go a lot faster!

If you're a smoker, then you know that cold turkey can be painful, and patches and gum are expensive. You might want to look into General Swedish Snus. It's not manufactured by an american tobacco company, so they don't add all the really addictive crap, but it does have enough nicotine to help ween you, but first you gotta quit smoking out of habit, or as a pacifier. Smoke only when you get tense until you're down to a 1/2 pack a day, then get some snus, and don't buy any more cigs, EVER!

I hope that this has been useful and helpful to my fellow road warriors. The healthier you are, the less stressed you are, and the better you feel. I promise!
Formerly 250 lbs., drained and lazy.
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Old 08-21-2016, 08:34 AM
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Default Nothing wrong.........

You took the situation and controlled it on your terms.

Nothing wrong with a second opinion.

Get to a Doc soon and get the blood pressure under control! Blood pressure medicine is available nationwide at $4.00 generics. So no problem with money! BP meds are not a disqualifier.

Godspeed on your driving career! Always stay one step ahead of "THE MAN.' Cause he's always looking at you.......................in trucki

Oh......and yes. Many of the certiified FMCSA physicians will enter you in to the system as a "fail." Did not happen to you. Drive on!

With BP meds if needed.

Regards
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Fuel for free. Pre/Post trip for free. Sit at shipper/receiver for free. "Work 80-100, log 70, get paid for 40." Welcome to OTR coolie carrier truck driving!


Last edited by belpre122; 08-21-2016 at 08:48 AM.
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Old 08-21-2016, 03:22 PM
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Default Back in the Day

There was a day, when tearing up your 2nd log book into tiny pieces and dumping it in more than one trash bin, was considered being a bit paranoid.


...but now days, you can do that with Classified documents, which jeopardize National Security.
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Old 04-07-2018, 06:47 AM
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Nothing wrong here, did it myself this week.
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