NHRA competition license physical?
 

What is the upper limit for blood pressure on the NHRA physical?
Thank you,
Larry

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

The doctor isn't going to sign your physical if your BP is not under control. They would have liability if they sent you into competition with high BP and you had a black out, stroke, etc it would be their issue. As an old medic I'd say anything over 150/100 is definitely NOT under control. All that said it would be interesting to see if others got signed off by their doctor and denied by NHRA.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

It depends on your Dr. and his comments.
I was held up by my Dr. some years ago until I took medication to control my blood pressure.
I took meds for a couple of weeks and kept a log on the blood pressure both morning and night. The blood pressure came down some and then the Dr. signed and recommended the license.
It also depends on your age.
NHRA has never questioned the blood pressure but my Dr. did when it was 148/88 and I was about 50 years old at the time.
I just renewed my license this month and received it back from NHRA no questions asked.
My blood pressure this physical and sent to NHRA was 134/78 and I have been on meds for the blood pressure since that time when the Dr. would not sign for approval. I will always think had I not been at the Dr. for a physical for the racing license I might have had a bad experience with my health as I had no idea what my blood pressure was until that physical appointment. I now take a complete physical every year in January.
Racing might have saved my life or that is what I tell the wife all the time anyway....
Just My Experience
Rick Cates

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I was told 160/100 was the max on BP. Of Course if yours is higher than that you need to have medication to bring it down. The meds dont always bring it down real fast so start as soon as possible. I had the same problem several years ago. Mine was 160/110. I had to get the bottom number under 100 to get my license.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I had to goto a new doctor to get my DOT and NHRA physical renewed at the first of this year because my old doctor who I had been going to for years retired. She failed me because I have a little white coat syndrome going on and my BP was a little high (14?/9?) when the nurse was checking me in and taking my vitals. A few min later she came in and checked it and it was fine (118/76) and then checked it a couple more times during the exam and it was fine. Even though every time she checked it was fine she still made me have a EKG or she would not sign off on either one.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Can you expand on the hottie nurse in the little white coat that jacked up your blood pressure? :)

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Larry

Stop procrastenating and get your blood pressure under control before you have a stroke and can't walk or talk or ever race again.
Go to Doctor, listen to him and follow his advice but don't ignore or minimze the risk to your health!

man up and get it fixed before it's too late.:mad:

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Bill,
Thank you for the advice, sincerly. My blood pressure at home is 128 over 78 but in the doctors office it is ussually 140 over 90. My doctor and I have been monitoring it for 9 months now and I tried a BP med but was saverly allergic to it. My doc is not concerned with my current readings, but he does see me every 3 months for a check up. He does not do the nhra physical and I am concerned that white coat syndrom my cause me to fail.
Larry

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I feel your pain Larry. Trips to the doctor are always stressful when you need a sign off.
Along with the other posters, keep yourself safe! Don't think you need it for stock and superstock up to J I believe. I got the physical and when I started playing with the DP, every two years, just like the #$#@$@$@# Belts!

Eric

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Larry,

If you have "white coat", ask your doctor to copy or record your readings. Take them to the physical and if you have a monitor you use at home bring it also. Hopefully the doctor will be understanding in your collection of information.
I agree with all of this because I thought I was OK until I had 220/120. I had NO symptoms and my doc slammed me in intensive care. Meds and now I am 120/80 all the time, even when they check in the docs office. You will feel better, I didn't know I felt bad.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Remember if you're over 55 ya gotta have a EKG!!!!--- MY BP is usually kinda low also my pulse at rest is lower than most under 68-70--- my BP is around 120/80- but when I go to the Doc it goes up--- several causes for that in the afternoon it can be higher most people are---- after schlepping up 2 flites of stairs it is higher but goes back down after 2-3 min----the anxiety of sitting in the Drs. office excites some people so it goes up--- sitting in the DRs office butt naked and its 68* I'm cold so it goes up----certain foods can elevate it Coke Coffee Chocolate stuff with Caffiene, other meds, BOOZE, lotsa things but it IS NOT beneficial in the long term to generally have high BP--I'm NO DR OR MED person just my experience on what is going on---My EKG if ya overlay them ya cannot tell one from the other over 10 years---my stress test put me in the 93-95% range--- I take one med for hereditary high cholesteral and eye drops to lower my eye pressure that's it----Get healthy and get checked out your health is much more important than racing---If your NOT AROUND (dead) cuz ya did not take the time to get/be healthy no racing is gonna matter at that point----GET YOUR PROSTATE CHECKED OUT TOO- i DID ON A NORMAL RACING PHYSICAL AND I FOUND OUT I HAD CANCER--i'M OK NOW HAD IT REMOVED 3 YEARS AGO BUT i NEVER EVER EXPECTED IT!!! aS IT ENDS UP both OF MY BROTHERS HAD PROSTATE CANCER AFTER i TOLD THEM TO GET TESTED---NEITHER ONE KNOW THEY HAD IT EITHER--- FED387

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I have to have an EKG, and have a Right Bundle Branch Block. Not a heart problem, but the EKG doesn't read correctly, so will probably mean a tread mill test. Did one a few months ago, no problem other than time and expense.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I realize you can develop a long term relationship with a doctor and feel comfortable with them but if they won't do a NHRA Physical form then you might want to shop for a different doctor. Fortunately, my insurance pays for yearly physicals and I've never had any problems getting two different doctors to take the extra few minutes to complete the physical form; consequently the EKG and Physical cost me nothing extra. I might suggest you tell your doctor that you want to get your records transferred to another doctor and why you're doing it, you are the customer; not them.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

no need to get huffy with your Doc---most of the questions contained on a NHRA physical are within the realm of a routine physical nothing special there the only thing extra might be having the equiptment to do an EKG ---so ya might just show him the physical form questionairre and see what his response is---if he doenot wanna do it find someplace that does SPORTS physical they should be able to take care of it---comp

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I didn't know that I had high BP till I had to get the NHRA physical for my competition license... It wasn't that high but higher than I wanted it.. this was 7 or 8 years ago... Still on the meds but BP is where the Doc wants it and I'm happy about it also.... On another note just wait till you have to have the EKG with your physical... First one on me the Doc sees a little "tic" and the longer he looks at it the more he wonders about it... a nuclear stress test and $13,000 later( thank God for insurance) , I get signed off on the license.. But, he still refers back to the stress test and attaches it to the current EKG on my license app..... So its still there but nothing to worry about.....

So, Larry, get the BP in check... You will live longer for sure!!!!

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Just did mine yesterday for the 2nd time, the Dr did the paperwork for NHRA , no extra charge, sounded like they do it all the time, it is almost identical to the dot physical. and yes they did the ekg also.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Larry

I apologize for being so blunt but my experience is the same as Mr. Cates I too thought that I might have “white coat syndrome” but I was just kidding my self after changes in my diet (cut out caffeine and cut back on salt) and starting BP meds and losing 30 lbs. my BP runs around 115/69.
I also had the experience of seeing both my grandfather and father crippled by and eventually die from strokes.


You might try using deep breathing techniques to relax yourself before they take your blood pressure you might also consider some meditation techniques as these too can help to lower your blood pressure. You might also talk to your Dr. about alternative ways to lower your blood pressure.
Again I apologize for being so blunt.

Sincerely

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

If someone does not mind telling me. What are you paying for a EKG? I dont have Health insurance for myself because I am self employeed and only have 1 kidney. Nobody will even think about insureing me or if they will its 3K a month with tons of restrictions that make it worthless. So I am stuck with the bill that just came. Does 1400 sound right? I can tell you one thing if its not a mistake in a couple of years I am going to have to think about going faster than 10.00. 1400 to lay on a table with some sensors on me for a few min is crazy. And they say us mechanics are crooks.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Cost depends on several things.. Big city, lower cost. Doctor's office has an EKG and doesnt farm it out, lower cost. Doctor the reads EKG themselves, lower cost.

And every once in a while, I see newpaper ads that offer a community service health screen, and EKG for $150. When I got my EKG, I didn't even have a primary physician. So, I was definitely thinking about this option.

But be sure to tell them that you dont have insurance, and would appreciate any consideration they could offer.

And dont be afraid to shop around.

For a time, I was self employed (or unemployed, depending on who you talk to....) , and my last wife had no insurance, and would get things done for pennies on the dollar.

But if you can find a Doctor with whom you have something in common, and can create a bit of friendship, or at least mutual respect, it can also help.

David
The New Hemi Guy

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

I know I screwed up by not asking price first (My wife has remind me several times tonite of this little fact) I went to her because everybody from my old doctors office went to work for her when she opened up in town. She kind of took over my old doctors practice only in a different location. I figured knowing a bunch of the people and my records from before would help. She never even said a word about the price of the EKG(and she knows about the insurance deal because I told her). Just said I had to have it or she would not sign off on the NHRA or the DOT. Since I am helping haul corn to the river this month I had no choice because I needed my DOT card. At the time I figured it could not be that expensive. Very expensive lesson learned.

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

My last EKG as a part of my NHRA drivers license physical exam in Dec 2010 was $95--- not sure what you got or paid for but since turning 55 I have had the MANDATORY NHRA EKG done as a part of that exam. I also get it done "just because" it's part of my every other year general health physical exam---Get your PROSTATE and a PSA test checked when you are at the Doc or if you're having a blood test every so often!!!! I did ended up with Prostrate Cancer never would have found it if not for THAT EXAM--I can honestly say THANK YOU NHRA for that!!!!!
Any way I digress $95.00 was my cost---FED387

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

Rob, you need to move to Texas.
My physical on January 3 of this year with the EKG, chest x-ray, blood test, PSA and all the other good stuff like bed over was under $1000.
We do not live in a big city either, just a small college town outside Amarillo TX.
All the best with your health and just remember a physical at our age is a GOOD IDEA...
Rick Cates

Re: NHRA competition license physical?
 

If you needed it for your DOT you should be able to write off the cost on you taxes