DOT Physical and Sleep Apnea

Mongoose- I was one of the lucky ones. I have a larger size neck and snore plus the blood pressure deal and found out after testing I did not have it- not even anywhere close to it.
I took one of the home tests from a major hospitial and they told me I was a severe case, the physican doing the overnite test went off on those home tests ( which are not D.O.T. legal and will tell anyone they are a severe case) so until you get tested you will not know. my Dot doctor last year was certain I had it.

 

My test is tonight (Thursday night). I guess I'll be having air forced fed to me soon. I'm having something called a split night test. If it shows up early then they use the rest of the night to get the settings correct for the cpap machine I'll have to use. If not then they say it sometimes shows up just before dawn. If it happens then I have to go back another night to get the settings.

I have an older brother who has it. He loves his cpap machine. He claims he doesn't remember sleeping so well.

 

Did the test. I have it. No big surprise. So many wires. I had a hard time getting to sleep. Since I fell asleep late I have to go back and use the cpap while being wired again. That is so they can get my settings. I am not looking forward to it.

 

gotta love trying to sleep with all those wires

she kept coming in a nd turning off the tv

LEAVE IT ON!! its how i fall asleep!!!

 

I have never had a sleep test but my wife has had several. The funny thing, about 3 years ago they tested her and said she had sleep apnea, so jumped through all the hoops got the CPAP and all that. She could not sleep with it on, they tried several different hose and mask configurations, but no luck, so she just gave up. Fast forward to present day, same outfit tested her again, first night, said she did not get into a deep enough sleep, come back in a couple of weeks and try again. She goes back two weeks later, repeats the test, no problem, no apnea. They said there must be something wrong with the equipment, come back in a couple of weeks and we will try again. Two weeks later, back again, all the equipment has been checked and recalibrated, should be good to go. They run the test for the third time, no apnea. We have purchased a CPAP and masks and filters and hoses for what??? I think this is another money grab on the part of hospitals and DME companies. I have read studies that state that you can have a test done once a week each at different labs and all get different results. I thought medicine was a science, and that for something to be proven it had to be repeatable, the same time after time. I think sleep apnea ranks right up there with Global warming... You decide.

 

Pa
It isn't a perfect science. Lol. Just think about it in regards to how many different configurations of people there are. For example lipitor is the cats meow on the lowering of cholesterol. Why when I was placed on it it nearly killed me. Began making my muscles and joints basically attack themselves. But using zochor did nothing. Its scientific alright test test test and test some more till something works. Lol. When medical science is perfect we will no longer be around. But those who are sure will live longer then intended.
kinda scary if you ask me.
Mongoose good luck with the machine. Hope it helps. The last time I was in the hospital they thought I could have it and suggested a sleep study. I never did it because I never sleep well in that place with the horrible beds the nurses poking me in the middle of the night and machine noises. Yuck! No wonder I sleep horribly! Lol

 

I don't have a choice. At this point Roehl won't hire me without the machine.

I do know a lot of people that swear that the machine was good for their sleep. Maybe that will be me. Except for the money (which I don't have a lot of) it shouldn't hurt to find out.

 

Mongoose good luck, and I hope it does help. I do know people that swear by their CPAP machines, they wouldn't try to sleep without it. My dad has had one for several years and it has helped him alot too. I know Roehl will probably tell me I have to have the test also, they will be looking for any reason under the sun to not bring me back... I figure it will be that or the prework screening, one will trip me up I'm sure.

 

While there are abuses in everything, particularly regarding anthropic global warming and finding ways to screw drivers and extract money from everyone, sleep apnea is nothing to screw around with. I can't speak as to your wife's experience, but I'm convinced that sleep apnea kills in several ways. Nobody should dismiss a sleep apnea diagnosis as bullcrap in the same catagory as the load of crap that is global warming.

Just sayin'.

Going back to my corner now.

 

I am just perplexed as to how the same sleep lab can get a different result on three seperate occasions. I know that it is a real disease, and I know that it does kill people. I just do not understand how a trucking company can make it a condition of employment just because your BMI is above a certain number or your neck is over a certain size... They are flirting with disaster, someone will file suit at some point based on the ADA laws, and they will win, then what? I agree that drivers should not be running around tired. I also agree that the current HOS rules make us do that, whether we have sleep apnea or not. Companies should step up and have a voluntary program to screen for sleep apnea, and if it is found to be a problem then address it. There are alot of other reasons for drivers being tired, lot lizzards, CB rambo's, games in the truck stops, bars near truck stops, the list goes on and on. If I am a resposnsible driver and know enough to go to bed at night then leave me alone and let me do my job, if I think I have a problem, I will call my doctor.