antidepressants

happybob

Feeders
If you are a driver you need to find out if that medication is allowed under DOT. If it's not you are gambling with your future and the future of your family. Not telling the company will be grounds for termination if they find out. Why go there? Your doctor should know if the medication is allowed or not. If it's not allowed he can prescribe something else that isn't on the list. JMHO
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
I do think you must tell of all prescription drug use on your DOT, if not than you do risk issues if you have an accident involving injuries as they may or may not test you. I myself would not want to test positive for a narcotic prescribed or not that I didn't note on my DOT physical form.
 
I was on antidepressants years back. I tried many different ones. I noticed similar side effects in all which were major weight gain (about 30 lbs) and my pee pee didn't work. You want to talk depression? Take a dudes rooster away and pack on some fat. That was more depressing than anything. I later developed the ability to change my thought process. I posted this a while back. I hope it helps.

"I suffered from depression for a few years after I became employed with UPS. I saw many doctors, took many meds, talked it out. Nothing seemed to help. After about a year of that, I stopped everything. And I'm sorry to those that suffer from it, but I now feel that depression is all in the "perception" of how we view things. It is a processing of individual thought. Once you accept everything that's positive in your life and reject negative thought processes you will instantly start to feel better. We have 25,000 to 50,000 thoughts a day. You need to start to change a significant portion of those into positive thoughts. Use active reasoning. When your feeling depressed, dissect that thought. Once you identify the negative process you can then be aware of the "pattern". I used to think I was always working, no time for family, fun, things that I enjoyed. I was too focused on the negative. Once I started thinking of the things that UPS afforded me, a home, a boat, vacations, fancy restaurants, money, it all got better. UPS's work motivation model is surrounded by negative reinforcement but It's in our ability to change the perception of our minds in an instant. My close UPS buddy was depressed about not being able to see his daughter in plays, at ballet, gymnastics, all other activities during the week. We talked about it a bit, and once he started thinking that all this extra stuff cost a good amount of monthly tuitions and dues, he realized that if he wasn't working to make up the money, he still wouldn't see his daughter in the activities because he wouldn't afford it. Now who would suffer? The daughter! There is no other motivator in life than your own childen. Correct?
So in abbreviated terms, think of negativity as a bully that always tries to beat you up, put you down and stomp on you. You just need to wake up one day, kick his friend-cking :censored2: and he will never bother you again. Try it. Worked for me. I hope it helps."
Any of you posters that talks :censored2: about this guy are a joke.
 
P

pickup

Guest
Remember, under Obamacare, medical records will be electronic, so Doctor A(doing the DOT Physical) will be able to see what Doctor B prescribed for you , at some point.

Remember this also, the side effects of a Drug ARE the effects. If I remember correctly , Rogaine was initially used to treat high blood pressure and it turns out the side effect was hair growth. Now Rogaine is used to prevent hair loss and grow hair and the side effect is lowering of blood pressure. What's the difference? Marketing!

Side effects of Citalopram: http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-170...id=1701&drugname=Citalopram+Oral&pagenumber=6

No offense, but the common side effects of this drug seem enough to make one depressed if one had them.
 

scratch

Least Best Moderator
Staff member
Plus they get big money from drug companies for pushing them.

This right here. When you go see your doctor, you are lucky to have five minutes with him or her. They don't care personally about you, you are just a quota to meet that day. I have delivered lots of goodies that drug reps hand out to doctors, guess who they really care about? My wife used to work in a doctor's office, they got catered lunches all the time from drug reps. If you can do without a drug, don't take it. Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars and it takes many years to get a new drug on the market, they don't care about you.
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
This right here. When you go see your doctor, you are lucky to have five minutes with him or her. They don't care personally about you, you are just a quota to meet that day. I have delivered lots of goodies that drug reps hand out to doctors, guess who they really care about? My wife used to work in a doctor's office, they got catered lunches all the time from drug reps. If you can do without a drug, don't take it. Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars and it takes many years to get a new drug on the market, they don't care about you.


Don't forget the family vacations paid for by drug companies ... the doctor attends a couple of two hour presentations and the rest of the time is spent on the beach, golf course or tennis course.
​I let my doctor write the Rx and never fill them ... he gets credit.
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
Want to clarify something:

Telling the DOT examiner what you are dealing with and meds you are taking is NOT telling UPS that info. All the DOT tells UPS is, "Yes, they can drive a commercial vehicle", basically. And if you can show proof that any medical condition or medicine taken that might otherwise disqualify you is being monitored and treated by a doctor, and thus under control, the DOT examiner shouldn't give you a hard time. You may have to jump through a couple extra hoops; acquiring the from the doc stating your condition is under control, for instance. Also, you may have to have an exam annually, as opposed to bi-annually like it is for many drivers.
 

CFLBrown

Well-Known Member
Celexa isn't narcotic. It wont affect your ability to operate a vehicle.

It might just make you not want to drive that vehicle in to a tree. You aren't going to be drug tested for it. It's not in our contract as a taboo substance.

I'm in the camp of changing things to avoid taking anti-depressants. Getting to the root cause of the problem will almost certainly help you fix the anxiety/depression.

​Been there and done that.
 
A

anonymous6

Guest
Does anyone take antidepressants? My doc wants me to try citalopram and said its ok to take as long as he signs off on it. I checked with dot and they said as long as dr is ok with it then its ok. I'm not depressed just some anxiety due to some family matters. Just not sure if I want ups to know ill be taking them.

I wouldn't take them. the side effects are not worth it. the best thing to do for anxiety and/or depression is good ol fashioned exercise-sunshine- and plenty of sleep.
 

MassWineGuy

Well-Known Member
Yes, drug companies spend millions on doctors to promote their drugs. It's also true that millions of people have been helped by some of these drugs. I had my DOT exam the other day and listed everything I take, including Prozac and something to regulate blood pressure.

As for changing your life or using mind power to fix the issue, let me ask you something. If you were prone to massively painful migraine headaches where you couldn't stand up, saw flashes of light and were incredibly nauseous, would you lay there all sweaty and miserable telling yourself "I think I can overcome this on my own?" Or might you try one of the migraine medications that could clear up your headache quickly and let you get on with your life? I'm guessing the latter. Or if your cholesterol was astonomically high even after you reduced how much meat you consume? Doubtful.
 

BrownChoice

Well-Known Member
The only DRUG that will automatically DQ you is if you take methadone.
drivers are allowed to take controlled substances if legally prescribed and the driver is accustomed to the side effects. It is the illegal drugs that are to worry about, including marijuana whether its legal in your state or not.. ( washington and colorado i believe?)
read the master agreement people.
FYI, semi-synthetic OPIOIDS(hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc) will not show up on a drug test as opiates. Opiates are morphine, codeine, or heroin).one is naturally occuring and one is only partially natural while other part is synthetic. So if for some reason a worker was tested for getting hurt at work, accident, etc. there would be no positive result, unless prescribed morphine, codeine or was using Heroin.. And as long as taking as directed and not visually impaired, the Medical review officer would then report the results as NEGATIVE. This doesnt mean its perfectly safe to take opioids, but once you do take something on a daily continued basis, the side effects are almost non existent. Now if you got a tooth yanked and go hydrocodone from a dentist, i would defintely NOT reccommend delivering until you stopped taking them.
this is a very physical job and im willing to bet there are thousands of ups drivers taking some sort of narcotic for chronic pain.
i know all this because i had a long conversation with the doctor who did my DOT physical. Believe it or not, the doctor said that blood pressure meds were one of the worst drugs to take if you drive for as a career.
 

gingerkat

Well-Known Member
The only DRUG that will automatically DQ you is if you take methadone.
Incorrect. Firstly Methadone or Dolophine, is commonly prescribed for pain. It is also a fully synthetic opiate, therefore it would need to be looked for and tested separately. It would not show up on the DOT panel 5 test.

The only semi-synthetic opiate that would show up on this DOT test is Diacetylmorphine or Heroin, because it almost instantly breaks down into Morphine.

FYI, semi-synthetic OPIOIDS(hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc) will not show up on a drug test as opiates. Opiates are morphine, codeine, or heroin).one is naturally occuring and one is only partially natural while other part is synthetic. So if for some reason a worker was tested for getting hurt at work, accident, etc. there would be no positive result, unless prescribed morphine, codeine or was using Heroin.. And as long as taking as directed and not visually impaired, the Medical review officer would then report the results as NEGATIVE.

This doesnt mean its perfectly safe to take opioids, but once you do take something on a daily continued basis, the side effects are almost non existent. Now if you got a tooth yanked and go hydrocodone from a dentist, i would defintely NOT reccommend delivering until you stopped taking them.
Please tell me you're joking! Non existent, really? Maybe visually you look different or you think you feel different, but there is no denying that the effect on the brain is still there. I've been taking opiates for about 8 years now, with me being on this most recent one for about 1 year. I still get drowsy at times, still get dizzy at times, it's a guessing game.

When we take meds over time, we potentially build up a tolerance, therefore needing more. That is what makes opiates/narcotics so damn dangerous. I'm careful and aware of my pain levels and only take them when it's safe to do so. I often go hours in pain because I can't take them because my schedule won't allow it. I also only get a certain amount a day, so if I take too many, I'm screwed at the end of the month. I have no refills, can't get them called into the pharmacy and I have to pick up a physical prescription every month. That sucks!

this is a very physical job and im willing to bet there are thousands of ups drivers taking some sort of narcotic for chronic pain.
Yes, and even more reason to not take them for everyday aches and pains. These pills are serious business and should only be taken when you can't tolerate the pain any longer and other remedies don't work. These things are damn dangerous and they do so much damage to your body.

My suggestion to anyone needing ANY medication is to build a strong relationship with your doctor and discuss, discuss and discuss again. Know your facts and remember everyone's body is different.
 

MassWineGuy

Well-Known Member
Believe it or not, the doctor said that blood pressure meds were one of the worst drugs to take if you drive for as a career.

I don't believe it and think this doctor had it wrong. I can see if you take some very powerful medication that has the potential to abruptly lower your blood pressure. Not good to black out at the wheel. Having high blood pressure and doing nothing, now that's really taking a risk.

If you're in so much pain that you need to continuously take opiates, first see a good doctor who can help fix what's causing that pain, and second, get into a good rehab program. If I need to take anything stronger than ibuprofin, something is very seriously wrong. Of course, I might take four ibuprofin tablets at once, which my doctor recommends for strong back pain.
 

BrownArmy

Well-Known Member
I wouldn't take them. the side effects are not worth it. the best thing to do for anxiety and/or depression is good ol fashioned exercise-sunshine- and plenty of sleep.

Unless you have a (not uncommon) serious depressive condition, in which case something stronger might be advised.

Count your blessings that exercise, sunshine, and plenty of sleep work for you.
 
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