TOC Medical

[Bun]

Hi folks

Need some opinions on the Train Driver Medical.
I'm just about there with a TOC and should have a medical soon.
Although I'm reasonably healthy now 7 years ago i had pancreatic cancer which I fully recovered from and I'm currently on statins to keep my cholestrol down.
Does anyone think the above would get me a fail at the medical?
I'm contemplating keeping the statins quiet as they may see me as having an increased risk of heart disease.
Do they check with your GP?

thanks

Pugdriver

 

[TDK]

Hi folks

Need some opinions on the Train Driver Medical.
I'm just about there with a TOC and should have a medical soon.
Although I'm reasonably healthy now 7 years ago i had pancreatic cancer which I fully recovered from and I'm currently on statins to keep my cholestrol down.
Does anyone think the above would get me a fail at the medical?
I'm contemplating keeping the statins quiet as they may see me as having an increased risk of heart disease.
Do they check with your GP?

thanks

Pugdriver

If you keep anything quiet including off the shelf drugs you will fail the medical. You need to find out if statins affect your ability and the only way of doing this is to call BUPA or another company that can tell. Many drugs prescribed and off the shelf will mean a driver has to come off track. You will certainly need to come clean at the medical as the Statins will show up in the tests.

I am at a loss why you have not looked into this before you even applied for the job. If you explain at the medical what the Statins are for. A high cholestrol level is also not a good thing however they do not check your Cholestorol levels at a train driver medical.

So the best thing to do is find out whether statins are a no no for train driving, if they are I am sorry but unless there is any alternative you won't get the job.

 

[Withnailandi]

I don't think you'll have a problem. Declare the Statins. And well done on beating the disease. Good luck.

 

[GB]

Never ever keep medication to yourself. Even if you pass the medical if your employer finds out at a later date that could be grounds for dismissal.

 

[Bun]

Thanks for getting back to me guys and of course I have decided to declare everything.

In fact when i think about it the fact I'm on a statin means I've got lower cholestrol and actually LESS chance of heart problems than if I wasn't on them. How many of us are going around blissfully unaware?

I am taking them because my GP recommended them as my Dad had heart problems in his early 50's. My cholestrol was only slightly above normal but it is now much lower due to the drug.
So its really a preventative measure and also I have no side effects such as drowsiness which may affect driving.

TDK when you were 1 of 1000's filling out the application form, going for a couple of jobs were you thinking about the medical?? The odds of being successful are so poor that it never entered my mind that i would get to this stage and I keep pinching myself that this is really happening.

Withnailandi thanks for your kind words.

 

[TDK]

TDK when you were 1 of 1000's filling out the application form, going for a couple of jobs were you thinking about the medical?? The odds of being successful are so poor that it never entered my mind that i would get to this stage and I keep pinching myself that this is really happening.

Withnailandi thanks for your kind words.

To be fair I would have applied on an off chance too and in retrospect you have done the right thing, when you completed the application form was there a section you had to complete regarding any time spent in hospital? I had to complete this recently with a Qualified driveres position, if you did have to complete this section and completed it correctly you should be OK. I would still try to find out if Statins are on the banned list of drugs for train driving though!

You could email BUPA and ask them!

Good luck

 

[High Dyke]

As others have stated...be open and tell the medical staff; better to be honest now than be dismissed later on for false declaration. Also take the medication with you for the medical staff to see.

 

[spencer2]

i have just taken and passed a train driver medical whilst taking statins(which i declared). passed drug screening no problem, better to declare than have something strange possibly turn up in your urine. i know a driver who has had a triple heart bypass and is still driving so dont worry about your medical history, good luck.

 

[TheEdge]

Declare any and everything for the best results. I was so paranoid I even declared wearing blister plasters with some 'active ingredient' according to the box blurb!

 

[Bun]

You're all right,I don't know what i was thinking in original post with regards to keeping the statins quiet.

I just don't want to fail at this stage after the demanding time consuming recruitment process that I've just been through.

I put in masses of research and practise over the last few months and unbelievably I'm the one out of 1000s, so to deceive at the medical would be mental.

TDK there were no medical questions at application stage. I don't think I will email BUPA because I'm going to the medical no matter what.

So if they said no over the phone I would still like to be told face to face officially, but I think I'm going to be ok after seeing Spencer's post.

Spencer well done on passing your medical and to see you were on statins and declared them and PASSED will help me sleep better tonight..thanks for letting me know mate!!

 

[TDK]

i have just taken and passed a train driver medical whilst taking statins(which i declared). passed drug screening no problem, better to declare than have something strange possibly turn up in your urine. i know a driver who has had a triple heart bypass and is still driving so dont worry about your medical history, good luck.

That may be so but I would say he was already a driver when he had the op!

 

[Bun]

I'm referring to the part where spencer said he passed a trainee train driver medical on statins which is my worry.
NOT the triple by-pass of the existing driver which would definately rule out a new start.