FedEx Freight | I think i'm done as a driver

Wigglez

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Hey everyone,

Haven't been on in awhile. I had a seizure not too long ago, and cant drive trucks for the 6 months after.

Well... I had an appointment today with the doctor today, and she said my eeg was neither normal or abnormal, but said i need to go on seizure meds. She doesnt understand DOT law at all. I told her that means i cant drive trucks at all on seizure meds anyway, for a lot longer than 6 months.

She didnt believe me. Its like she didnt think such a law could exist.

Anyway I haven't gotten them yet. I cant drive my personal vehicle yet anyway.

I don't have epilepsy, at least yet. You have to have a second seizure for it to be epilepsy. So the final nail in the coffin for my driving career would be if i take the seizure meds.

Im wondering if you guys have any ideas or thoughts?

If i really shouldn't be on the road then I can understand that. This preventative thing without knowing 100% is what bugs me. My livelihood is hanging by a thread.

They have me scheduled for a MRI also to check for a tumor
 
man good luck to you you can go to the fmcr and see what drugs are on there if you have a personal doc ask him or cal harrison saftey they can tell you also God go with you
 
I'm not 100% sure here, but I think you can go on company Long Term Disability. The upside is that you will have an income. The downside is that you can't do anything at all....... read, if you want to spend the rest of your life sitting on your tail, this is for you. I had a friend that couldn't pass his physical because of his eyesight. They offered him LTD or dock work and he took the dock work because he couldn't imagine a life doing nothing at all.

It all depends on you and your lifestyle. Either way, good luck and God bless. Keep your chin up and do your best to see the miracles around you (your family and friends).
 
maybe it's God's way of telling you it's time to move on to the next chapter in your life. May you have favorable winds and a following sea.
 
maybe it's God's way of telling you it's time to move on to the next chapter in your life. May you have favorable winds and a following sea.


I believe it could be a good thing if you look at it. Like the post before, it'll make a new chapter in your life. There are other things to do besides driving a truck and unloading it! Many things! If it were me, I'd do whatever the doctors and the dot suggested. I would not want to hurt anyone if I could avoid it! I wish you well and hey you might actually like the new chapter better than the last! Good luck! and safe travels!
 
I'm not 100% sure here, but I think you can go on company Long Term Disability. The upside is that you will have an income. The downside is that you can't do anything at all....... read, if you want to spend the rest of your life sitting on your tail, this is for you. I had a friend that couldn't pass his physical because of his eyesight. They offered him LTD or dock work and he took the dock work because he couldn't imagine a life doing nothing at all.

It all depends on you and your lifestyle. Either way, good luck and God bless. Keep your chin up and do your best to see the miracles around you (your family and friends).
When you say you can't do anything at all I would guess you mean working a job. I'm retired and haven't "worked" a day in over two years. It was a little hard to get use to at first but I sure do like it now. Wigglez if you can live on a LTD it might be something to consider. Good luck.
 
I cant speak for Wigglez, but if my health forced me off the road as a driver, I wouldn't have a clue what I would do to make a living. I have been driving a truck for over 30 years, it's all Ive ever done, so for some people it might be a little scary wondering how they were going to make a living?
 
Hey everyone,

Haven't been on in awhile. I had a seizure not too long ago, and cant drive trucks for the 6 months after.

Well... I had an appointment today with the doctor today, and she said my eeg was neither normal or abnormal, but said i need to go on seizure meds. She doesnt understand DOT law at all. I told her that means i cant drive trucks at all on seizure meds anyway, for a lot longer than 6 months.

She didnt believe me. Its like she didnt think such a law could exist.

Anyway I haven't gotten them yet. I cant drive my personal vehicle yet anyway.

I don't have epilepsy, at least yet. You have to have a second seizure for it to be epilepsy. So the final nail in the coffin for my driving career would be if i take the seizure meds.

Im wondering if you guys have any ideas or thoughts?

If i really shouldn't be on the road then I can understand that. This preventative thing without knowing 100% is what bugs me. My livelihood is hanging by a thread.

They have me scheduled for a MRI also to check for a tumor

Sorry to hear that Wigglez...Good luck to ya man...Maybe it something telling you, you need to concentrate on other things...Again, good luck to you and I hope you get better with the meds...
 
I cant speak for Wigglez, but if my health forced me off the road as a driver, I wouldn't have a clue what I would do to make a living. I have been driving a truck for over 30 years, it's all Ive ever done, so for some people it might be a little scary wondering how they were going to make a living?


Reach down deep and grab another gear rodedog...There are other things besides driving...I've been in this business since '78..It's getting to where it's unbareable at times..
 
Reach down deep and grab another gear rodedog...There are other things besides driving...I've been in this business since '78..It's getting to where it's unbareable at times..

I hear ya, it's getting old.

Im in the same boat. Im ready to do something else, but matching what I make or getting close to it is the problem, so I'll just hope I can hold on another 10 years and join Twice pipes.:couch::1036316054:
 
I hear ya, it's getting old.

Im in the same boat. Im ready to do something else, but matching what I make or getting close to it is the problem, so I'll just hope I can hold on another 10 years and join Twice pipes.:couch::1036316054:

Well, if I wouldn't have taken charge of my finances years ago,I wouldn't think the way I do...But Jeff and I have been trying to educate people here on TB about cleaning house with your bills..
 
Good luck with everything and we are praying for ya.
got a friend who was on blood thinners for about a few months , dr. released him and he still couldn't drive for 6 months after that.
 
I cant speak for Wigglez, but if my health forced me off the road as a driver, I wouldn't have a clue what I would do to make a living. I have been driving a
truck for over 30 years, it's all Ive ever done, so for some people it might be a little scary wondering how they were going to make a living?

Those have been my exact thoughts lately---let me tell ya, this house husband stuff is getting old quick!!!
 
Hey wigglez, I suggest you get away from the wheel. Not only does it put others at risk, but it would spell an almost death sentence for you if it were to happen while driving. If you didn't want long term disability, there is always the option of working at a supervisor or dock worker. This may involve doing some relocation, but at fedex freight we are always hiring for supervisors somewhere. If you wanted to take that route, there are others on this forum better able to help you take the steps to make that happen.
 
I've been looking for other opportunities about a month after this happened. Was hoping someone was familiar with DOT here. I can't even drive my personal vehicle.

Thing is, i've only had one, which doesn't necessarily mean I have epilepsy. We don't even know if it was un-provoked. It could have been due to sleep deprivation. Im no doctor, but I really think that could be something. I've been doing the same early morning route for 2 maybe 3 years.

This is what I've been prescribed with, and it is expensive.
Lamictal XR Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing - WebMD

Edit: Something strange I forgot to mention. Even on medication you can still have seizures...
 
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Indeed

This is what I had found earliers with the Regs. Seizure meds are immediate death of driving career.


391.41(b)(8)

A person is physically qualified to drive a commercial motor vehicle if that person:

Has no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of epilepsy;

or

Any other condition which is likely to cause the loss of consciousness, or any loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle.

Epilepsy is a chronic functional disease characterized by seizures or episodes that occur without warning, resulting in loss of voluntary control which may lead to loss of consciousness and/or seizures. Therefore, the following drivers cannot be qualified:

(1) a driver who has a medical history of epilepsy;
(2) a driver who has a current clinical diagnosis of epilepsy; or
(3) a driver who is taking antiseizure medication.

If an individual has had a sudden episode of a nonepileptic seizure or loss of consciousness of unknown cause which did not require antiseizure medication, the decision as to whether that person's condition will likely cause the loss of consciousness or loss of ability to control a commercial motor vehicle is made on an individual basis by the medical examiner in consultation with the treating physician. Before certification is considered, it is suggested that a 6-month waiting period elapse from the time of the episode. Following the waiting period, it is suggested that the individual have a complete neurological examination. If the results of the examination are negative and antiseizure medication is not required, then the driver may be qualified.

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.

Drivers with a history of epilepsy/seizures off antiseizure medication and seizure-free for 10 years may be qualified to operate a CMV in interstate commerce. Interstate drivers with a history of a single unprovoked seizure may be qualified to drive a CMV in interstate commerce if seizure-free and off antiseizure medication for a 5-year period or more.

See Conference on Neurological Disorders and Commercial Drivers at: Rules & Regulations - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
 
Plant a garden, take long naps, walk the hOOd, buy a dOg, feed the fish, take another nap.....stick it to the mAn
 
You said your EEG was neither normal nor abnormal. And you only had one episode. Maybe you aren't "normal". I mean no disrespect. When I had an EKG (heart) test done on me before I went in surgery two years ago, the results showed I was having a heart attack right then and there. Obviously I didn't. And my cardiologist ( yeah..sucks to get old) says electrical impulses travel differently through some people. That could explain your strange EEG reading. Did you truly lose consciousness when you had your seizure or did you know it was happening? I remember doing some rough yard work and later that day, I was so tired, that I got the shakes but nothing like a true seizure. Unfortunately it looks like you fall into that 5 year period
Good luck to you
 
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