Diabetes

grog111

Seasoned Expediter
A friend of mine asked me, " what is the DOT policy on Diabetes?". Well, i don't know. I remember hearing that once you have to start on injections your CDL is revoked. I'm not sure about that, but that's what i was told buy a fellow driver who was trying desperately to keep from having to go on injections. My friend then asked " how would or maybe who would know that you're on injections and who/how alerts...whoever they alert to get your CDL revoked?". I imagine it comes up when you get your DOT physical, but beyond that, i don't know.
 

buckeyewildman

Seasoned Expediter
as long as you can keep your sugar level under control without going on insulin injection you have really nothing to worry about i have went the last 2 years with diadetes but able to control it with diet and pills the only thing i had to differently was get DOT phys. every year instead of every 2 years
 

nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
ive been diabetic since 1997,controlled by diet and pills.i do physicals yearly.but its for blood pressure,not being diabetic.
i do follow ups in my Drs office every 3 months,and get blood tests twice a year.
There are many dibetics in this world that arent aware that they have it.i was in a 4 day coma before i knew I had it.
 

randb

Expert Expediter
You can drive if you are taking insulin injections, but you need a waiver from the dot. It is a lengthy, complicated and time consuming process, not to mention expensive. It involves getting your waiver application filled out by an endocronoligist, not a g.p., who has to approve you fit for driving. Then your waiver is submitted to the dot where it is scrutinized and then posted on the web for any comments, for about 6 months if I remember. The usdot and/or fmcsa on the web is your best bet to get started. Good luck.
 

arkjarhead

Veteran Expediter
I have a cousin with type 1 diabetes, which is juvinele diabetes. He has an insulin pump and he got his waiver only after he had the pump installed.
 

rmctt2

Seasoned Expediter
Grogg..
If you have any questions on this issue of Insulin Dependant Diebeties and CDL , you can e-mail me or PM me.
I am a newbie to Trucking.
I was just approved for my Diebetic Waiver from FMCSA .
Yes.. It is a long process..11 months to be exact !!!
FMCSA does pull your CDL , it is a manditory requirement for your DR to report to FMCSA as soon as your diagnosed !
I am on an Insulin Pump ( Best Thing in the world for any Insulin Diebetic)
One has to be free of any Hypoglycemic reactions for 1 yr!
My DOT Physician that I went to here in Hendersonville, NC for my Medical Card is a Diebetic himself and he said most CDL drivers are to afraid to go through the FMCSA waiver process so they give up their life long career of driving !
He told me to was very glad that I did this and faught FMCSA on it !
It is a long process but very attainable..
My DOT medical card is good for 2 ys.
I have to see my Endo Dr every 3 months and send in paperwork to FMCSA that I am ok and have no hypo attacks and my sugars are stable ( between 100-400)!
Have to carry waiver exceptance letter with me at all times.

If you want to go to..
http://dmses.dot.gov
click on open dockets..
this will show any vision and diebetic waiver application..
This site is the final process of waiver exceptance...

As I said..
I just went through this
PM me or e-mail me if you want
Richard Carey
[email protected]
Thanks...Good luck
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
That is some excellent information - thanks for putting it out there.
I would equate the process of obtaining a waiver to that of going to school for a year - yes, it's a year of aggravation, in many respects, but it's well worth it. And besides, what else are you going to do with that year, that has better rewards, huh?
An ironic note here: I was surprised to discover, while working as a nurse, that I have hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Checking my patients' blood sugar was part of my job, and just out of curiosity, I checked my own, too, and always found it quite low. (On one occasion, it was just 52, a number that would oblige me to inform the Dr, if I were the patient, but as the nurse, I just kept on doing what I was doing, lol. I rarely have any symptoms of hypoglycemia, and know how to recognize and react, when I do.)
I am not, however, required to monitor my blood sugar, or get any sort of waiver, as I would if I were diabetic - just another example of how far from reality the regulations often are. We still have to follow them, regardless, so getting the waiver is what I would do.
 

grog111

Seasoned Expediter
Thanks Richard, that was exactly the information i was looking for!

Cherri, you are so right. But its funny, isn't it, even when we know somethings not quite right, we just keep going along, seemingly powerless to do anything about it.

Nightcreacher....whoa dude! A four day coma! Geez, i hope your ok. NO lingering side effects, i mean ?

Buck, Ark, I appreciate your input too! Thanks!

And many thanks to R and B! Good stuff! Thanks folks!
 
Top