Just letting you know how the Medical Review Boards meeting on drivers with seizure conditions went. My friend that attended the meeting tells me that it did not go well. The expert panel gave new updated data on drivers that have controlled seizures and drivers that have sleep issues. The panel discussed how it can be safe and what the modern treatments are. The board did not debate the data and chose to make the restrictions stiffer. The board even asked the panel to repeat part of the data. "Drivers/people that have had controlled seizures for ten+ years and on medication have a lower chance of a seizure than anyone in the general population that has not had one." Sorry, but any driver that has the surgery will not qualify. Total BS!!!
The MRB voted that all drivers that are over weight, 33bmi (60-75% are) must have a sleep apnea test every DOT physical. All of this is at the drivers expense. Drivers that now have sleep apnea or sleep issues will no longer be qualified. Even the drivers that use c-pap in the trucks now and are treated will have to park. Now, all of this is just proposed and has to be made law by the FMCSA.
We all need to attend these meetings, and speak. You can attend even over the phone, and speak. The goal of the MRB is to make higher standards on us all.
All of this will be on the MRB/FMCSA web sight soon.

 

I'd love to see some data to support that.

 

Doesn't Schneider have a whole ton of guys that have sleep apnea?

If I recall correctly, they were the ones that pushed the condition to the front stage.

I remember hearing on the radio it costs 4-5k to test for sleep apnea, and big orange was footing the bill.

 

Here we go again with more Disrepecting Newbie Pukes. :roll:

 

There is an ALL PRO Player in the NFL Alen Faneca 1st rounder no less he has had it since he was born. Does it prevent him from protect Big Ben. Also the Surgerythey are banning has a 98% success rate from stopping any and all seziures from ever happening again. The MRB needs to go after Obesity instead since that leads to Heart Problems diabetes HBP Strokes and others things that are far worse than Seizures. Know of multiple people that have Epilepsy and they do lead productive lives controlled my problem is I have what is called intractable Epilepsy that refuses to be controlled at all. Been on all meds but one and that one I can finally start on about October of this year.

Rev Big Diesel you try having a brain that at ANYTIME CAN DECIDE TO HAVE AN ELECTRICAL STORM THAT CAUSES YOUR WHOLE BODY TO SPASM. Then you loose control of your bladder bowels and bite your tongue then forget who you and your loved ones are and also can if someone holds you down kick punch or throw them with otu knwoing what you are doing. That is what I LIVE WITH EVERYDAY.

 

My wife just had the sleep apnea test done. It cost right at $1000.00. She found out through the study that she does suffer from sleep apnea. She is not overweight and does not drink and still suffers from this. So who is to say what really causes this. It does seem like more overweight people suffer from this than not though.

 

Sounds like whoever "forced" you off the road deserves a medal.

 

I am not trying to start anything up among the drivers. Schneider had a representative speak on both issues. She did report on the equipment that they have put into trucks for this. She did not get into any $ amount. She did report how it was hard to enforce the usage of it.
The "expert panel" did say that they did not have enough data on controlled seizures and truck drivers. One driver from NY that has an intrastate waiver for seizures did ask the MRB if they had data on drivers with intrastate waivers driving safely. They responded yes and moved on. You will have to ask the panel were the data came from on people with controlled seizures. They recommended 5-8 years seizure free wile taking medication. Only one board member voted for changes. She was concerned about drivers that are in hiding. Go to the MRB sight and read about the medical conditions they are discussing. It is ridiculous that all drivers over weight will have to have the test. If you guys are not concerned about all of these proposed regulations. Don't complain if you can't pass your dot physical or have to start dishing out big bucks for new tests.

 

My son has epilepsy... he has simple seizures and simple partial seizures. If you don't know what you're looking at you would never know he was having a seizure. He twitches in his leg and stares into space. Most people think he is daydreaming. He will never drive a car most likely. The thought of him in a big truck is scary.... and you have tonic-clonic seizures and you want to drive a big truck? You're insane!