Ultram and flexeril..DOT approved?

In order to take some of the heat off themselves, the DOT will often not say that a med is or isn't prohibited. Instead they will leave it up to your "testing" Dr as to whether a medication, that is labeled as possibly causing drowsiness, is allowable. Then they'll simply go with his/her recommendation on the matter. Pretty crafty, huh? So you might actually be better off contacting the Dr/lab that does the drug testing for your particular area and asking them. A pain in the behind for sure, but at least you'll get some definitive answers. Just my thoughts.
Lisa

I honestly think it is not right for a company to say someone can or cant use a medication prescribed for them by their Dr. I can understand them not wanting truckers to drive under the influence but a drug test cant tell if they are taking it while driving or on their own "off" time. I know my husbands quality of life has gone down since he stopped being able to take pain medications and it has certainly affected his mood because he can really be a bear when he hurts. He didnt take his medication while on the job, usually just when he got home but if he tests positive it can affect his job so he quit taking pain meds altogether since tramadol didnt help his pain. It just doesnt seem right to me that they can do this. Sometimes even drugs like antihistamines can be banned so Lisa has a good idea to find out what is acceptable from the tester.

It should not be the drug but you're reaction to it. I wouldn't date drive taking lyrica but i very it would be ok with them.

I agree with you. There are many, many drugs with the side effect of "may cause drowsiness" included. Some people will suffer from it, some won't. I happen to be one of those people who rarely, if ever, have that side effect. I understand they're wanting to keep people on the roads safe, but is someone suffering from extreme chronic pain and muscle spasms any safer a driver? It seems to be a real catch 22. Hopefully, you'll find the Dr in your area to be one that is able to reasonably listen and judge some of these cases on an individual basis instead of putting everyone under the same blanket. Best of luck to you!
Lisa

I know a policeman that takes 60mg oxycontin 3 times daily due to a back injury from a mcycle accident when he was a teenager. He was an EMT many years prior to that. It seems that it possibly may have a lot to do with how the meds effect you and how long the meds have been prescribed. Of course, having CDLs and DOT rules and regulations do not apply to him, however, he was still in an environment where safety is a must in all aspects of the job(s). I truly believe DOT standards should be based on how the medication is tolerated on a case by case basis, as some people function completely normally on a med that would severely alter another person... just my two cents.