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.

 

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.