Question
Let me start off with a little story, 21 months ago I was in Elk City OK waiting on a load when I woke up with the most intence hearburn I had ever experianced in my life. I took some tums and went back to sleep. The next morning when I got up I felt like I had the worse case of the flu I had ever had in my life and I couldnt hold my head up. I had to let a driver I was training get us back home and went to a doctor. He ran all kinds of tests to include ekg and everything was normal. He told me nothing was wrong with me and I was healthy as a horse. I said maybe so but this horse doesnt feel right so he sent me to have a treadmill test and an echo cardiogram. The next thing I know I am put in an ambulace and the next morning I wake up in ICU after having 5 by-pass surgery. After 1 year of not working I told my doctors I needed to get back to work and they needed to give me a letter with a clean bill of health. They refused stating I need to get another profession because they wouldnt feel comfortable opening themselves up to a lawsuit just in case something happened on the road and it was caused by a heart problem. These same doctors didnt have a problem giving me every test they could order so I could keep paying them for unecessary care. I called my previous employer and they told me that without a letter and tests I couldnt drive. So I looked for other jobs, anything, didnt care because I hadnt had a paycheck in a year, there was no workmans comp and you cant draw unemployment if you are not able to accept any job that is given to you. Most employers was affraid to hire me even as a convenience store clerk because I was barely 40 and had heart surgery. So I applied for Social security disability, They turned me down saying I can at least be a janitor. I got a lawyer to appeal and in the process I had to start over again with new doctors to contest the social security doctors findings. ( just for info purposes, I was in front of a social security doctor lest than 3 mins and he says I am healthy and there are no reason I can't go back to work) Now since all this began it has been 21 months since I have recieved a paycheck and my new cardiologists has run every test available and says my heart is fine and it doest even show signs of a heart attack let alone 5 bypass surgery. I told him that was great but I need it in writing. He asked me why I was even trying for social security disability. I explained this whole story to him. No employer would hire me because I am a high risk employee in their eyes and social security says I am qualified to be a janitor and they think I am scamming them. The monthly benefit from social security is less than a weekly paycheck driving a truck. No scam here. So seems this story has a happy ending because the doctor gave me my letter of clean health and even copies of treadmills, heart volume images, echo cardiograms. Trying to get a medical certificate is a different story. I take 2 medicines that are high blood preasure medicines but I dont have high blood pressure. They are used in place of lasix and potassiom. Apparently to make my heart and other organs to operate at a higher level of fitness to release water from my body and not deplete anything like lasix might do over extended periods. The 2 drugs are Atenolol 50mg at one a day and Altace 10mg at one a day. One of these is a beta blocker and the other is an ace inhibitor. Apparently I cant get a medical cirtificate with these drugs because they are high blood pressure medications and the underlying feeling is I have hypertention and or congestive heart failure because this is what these drugs are intended for and not as a healthier way to replace water pills. I guess I dont really have a question this is just a post to get this off my chest. when stuff happens it happens big time.
Answer
hello century,
I am an oral diabetec and take 1 pill for my diabetes and take lasix so i dont retain fluid and get swollen feet, i just recently had weight lose surgery and have lost over 60+ pounds in 9 weeks and went from stop driving due to having to take 3 shots of insulin every day to 1 pill by mouth now.
I recieved 2 letters from my reg dr & my surgeon stating im able to return to work with no work restrictions,
lasix doesnt mean you have chf conjestive heart failure it can mean you use this med for water retention etc.
when you have a company phyisical they might ask you what meds your taking and instead of filling the long and short form for 2 years until your next phyisical it might have a check mark and you might need to get another dot phyisical in 1 year due to the fact the meds your taking.
medications now can be used for many different things and might not keep you from driving.
I want you to e mail me if you need some help with questions , stay safe & healthy.
.....BL.....
Answer
Badlands,
Lasix isnt the problem, Its the 2 drugs they gave me in its place. Attenolol is a beta blocker used for high blood pressure and treatment of congenitive heart failure. I have neither but so far there is no medical cirtificate in my pocession. So far all my doctors letters and explantions havent helped. I've called around to several companies and the best I can tell even if I got a medical certificate, most companies would probably not consider me for employment.
Answer
Your medical history is very confidential and i will leave it at that.
Also you have rights as a patient , tell your dr. to give you a new med and as for a dot phyisical the company will give you thier own.
Stay safe & Healthy
.....BL.....
Answer
Trying contacting the DOT office in your state and initiating a resolution of conflict. You will find a listing of those offices in the links here at TruckNet.
Many companies may not hire you based on this history, they will most likely use some other excuse though to bypass violating ADA laws.
But I would think with medical info and explanations from your physician you can resolve this thru the DOT.
Keeping you safe, healthy and on the road.
Visit us at Visit us at