Celadon and sleep apnea question...

get on cpap.com and by a new machine. Once they get your prescription, they will over night ship it to you. There is no reason to wait months for a new machine.

 

Wow that sucks. I just bought a new machine last week, my previous one lasted 7 years. There is no reason for a new sleep study if the machine's data shows that it has been working for you. I haven't had a sleep study since the first one done 12 years ago. Im on my third machine. Any reputable doctor will not make you get another study when you have proof that your machine has been working for you. He's seeking money with no regard for your predicament.

 

Get on craigslist and buy one. That's what I did when mine went kaput...it will at least hold you over till you get your sleep study done

 

youtube and apneaboard.com have videos on how to get into the clinical menu to set it up if you get one from craigslist or some where else. its really easy to do .

 

secondwindcpap.com sells used machines. They are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.

My old CPAP had no recording capability for compliance monitoring (it was 15 years old), so I picked up a Respironics DS560 for a third of the cost of a new one. It had a whopping 28 hours on it. (It now has 3000 hours. My old one had over 30,000 hours.)

 

Have you already passed a DOT physical with Celadon yet? If not, the problem you have now can get bigger real fast. The DOT physical long form asks if you have any sleep disorders. By answering yes, the medical examiner will need to see recent compliance data from the CPAP machine to show usage of at least 4 hours per day for 70% of each week (5 out of 7 days). Without this compliance data, the medical examiner will near certainly not certify you to drive. This would prevent you from driving a truck at the school. If you were to not disclose your existing sleep apnea on a DOT physical, depending on your size/weight/general health, the medical examiner could still refer you to a sleep study before you will be certified and/or only give you a 3 month medical certification.

The problem with having sleep apnea and working in the transportation industry, especially as a truck driver, is that once you are diagnosed with it, it is like a "scarlet letter" on your forehead that will never go away until a sleep study proves you no longer have sleep apnea to a level that requires CPAP therapy. Unfortunately, this is not a problem you can kick down the road a few months at a time you are entering the transportation industry. I can relate to your situation as I am in the same boat as you and have to use a CPAP machine as well.

 

If it were me, I would call my recruiter and ask.