Passing the DOT physical - BMI is too high

loosing weight can only help you. but do not just diet, get some exercise as well. best to delay if you can. but frankly, was not aware that just for driving school you'd have to take a sleep apnea test. that is news to me.

and sleep apnea is only recommended, not a mandate. i think you have to have a history or clinical diagnosis of sleep apnea for the testing to be ordered.? and i was under the impression your primary care doctor diagnosis you of that, not some cookie cutter clinic.

others will chime in with what is going on.

 

Just to be on the safe side, delay truck driving school until you have lost the weight, reduced your waistline, flattened out your stomach as much as possible, and gotten rid of excess fat and flab on the sides, (known as love handles).

Do some serious weight training, cardiovascular training, along with other types of physical fitness training. An athletic coach can help you out on all this.

Nutritionally speaking, cut out all the cakes, pastries, ice creams, candies, chocolates, sodas, fruit drinks, along with a lot of the sugars and salts.

Consume a lot of healthy vegetables, a moderate amount of fruits, and LEAN protein with as much fat removed as possible.

You almost have to treat the health and fitness part of all this as if you were getting ready for boot camp in the military.

Good luck to you. God bless you and your entire family!

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

I believe it's a myth. I found only proposed rules on FMCSA. In fact I found this...>>>>>

"Myth 2: Currently, FMCSA requires CMV drivers with a neck circumference of 17 or above and/or a BMI of 35 or above to have a sleep study.

Fact: The neck circumference and BMI numbers are recommendations from MCSAC/MRB, but FMCSA has not taken action on their recommendations. The confusion on this point likely stems in part because the MRB/MCSAC recommendations are published on the FMCSA’s webpage to ensure transparency. But until and unless the FMCSA formally adopts the recommendations, which would be indicated by their publication in the Federal Register, they are NOT requirements or even “FMCSA guidance.”

http://www.sleepreviewmag.com/2016/04/8-fmcsa-rulemaking-myths-debunked/

I'd imagine it's up to the examining physician as they are the ones who will ultimately be held liable. A BMI of 35+ is considered severely obese and to be quite honest If it were me I'd be worrying about Diabetes and other health issues..

 

There are plenty of truckers on youtube that are really obese and had no trouble getting a cdl and no apnea test. This one guy is close to 400 pounds.

 

Long gone are the days where truckers were aloud to be overweight and unhealthy...you actually have to be physically fit nowadays to drive a truck.

Losing weight can only help. BMI to me is BS in my opinion, because not everybody is built the same. Some people are just "big boned" sortta say, or are athletes who have more muscle on them, than fat. And muscle weighs more than fat. Having universal measurements in a nonuniversal population shouldn't be the standard, individual measurements should be.

Neck measurements over 17 inches doesn't necessarily mean you need a sleep study. If you're over 6' 5" tall, of course your measurements are gonna be higher than someone 5' 7". And make you answer "NO" on the questionnaire about do you snore, or it's automatic sleep study you will go.

I recently went to my primary physician and found out he was DOT certified to give out med cards, which I never new. Just had a casual conversation where I brought up that I get nervous whenever I go to Concentra for my med cards and my BP is always higher at the exams than when I am at home. He mentioned that I do not have high BP, and recommended using a home BP monitor to record BP readings in case it was at boderline high readings at Concentra. So I bought one at Amazon that had 5 star ratings and medically certified and tested it's accuracy with my doctors readings and it was right on the money. My readings at home are around 107/82-118/88, and my readings at Concentra would be around 128-132, which is still passable, since it has to be under 140/90. I mentioned I probably have "white coat syndrome" lol, and he got a laugh at it as well. He mentioned that he would of givin me a doctors note stating I do not have high BP, with all the readings and EKG as proof and to use the monitors readings as well.

So ask your provider if they are DOT certified to hand out med cards, since you're primary doctor knows you better than Concentra would. Unfortunately my company is contracted with Concentra for med cards, so I can't get it from my own doctor, but it may help out others who aren't.

 

https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/NRPublicUI/home.seam

 

Carbs are the enemy