Sleep apnea test question

There was a thread on here about that, I think I saw that the guy was given a 2 year DOT Card, I don't have it but as long as you keep your records of the sleep charts up to date so if you get stopped this becomes part of the inspection on the driver, I would get it done, you are saving your life and everyone around you by getting the right amount of sleep. Good luck.

 

The new machines have recorders in them so you can prove you are really using them. Probably going to be mandatory soon if its not already.

 

No it's not, in fact it has gone the other way. A bill was passed by the house and senate and signed by the pres. DOT/FMCSA must go through the regular rule making process and can not push S/A requirements into effect as a guidance. Now a cost analysis and data gather must happen along with a comment period, then we will have the normal waiting period.
I am happy to see this because BMI and Neck size are not an indicator for S/A.

 

first, if you are diagnosed with apnea and show compliance , you get a 1 year card.

BMI and Neck size CAN be an indicator but I woul d goo to YOUR PCP and have them do a basic exam(asking you questions) , there are other more telling signs/symptoms than the size of your neck.

Do you have frequent headaches or wake up with one?
Are you sore all the time, I mean all over sore?
Ever feel more tired upon waking than when you went to sleep?

Do you snore, loudly and often?

Does your wife/girlfriend say you jerk your body alot while sleeping?

Also have a physical/visual indicator as well, an elongated uvula(little things that hangs in the back of your mouth) from excessive snoring.

These are what I experienced before I brought that info to my Doc and THAT was used as a determination to get a study done.

turns I do have it , and was being awaken every 2 minutes because I stopped breathing that often. I cannot remember when I slept as soundly as I do now, nor fell as rested when I wake up. Soreness from sleeping is gone and so are the headaches. All due to proper restorative sleep while on CPAP.

DOT/FMCSA reqiurements as off now to be compliant is 4 hours of CPAP/BiPAP use per night or 70% of the time.

As was stated above, there are newer recordable machines to dload the data to prove compliance.

My company contracted with a place that deals with compliance(data reading) any issues a driver may have with their machine and aso sends supplies to drivers house twice a year with the expendable items, tubing, masks and inserts, etc.

Apnea is no joke, can lead to heart trouble, High BP, stroke and other nasty med problems.

Unless your company has this as a requirement for employment, or your primary care doctor thinks its warranted , I wouldnt get a study done unless I had some or all the symptoms I described above.

 

I had 0 symptoms of sleep apnea other then they measured my neck. My neck was too big so I had to get a study done. 5 years later and I'm still using my machine even though I really don't notice any improvement or difference between when I do or don't use the machine. I use it 5 days a week when I'm in the truck. I don't use it when I'm home on the weekends.

 

If you take the study and fail, you MUST wear the device. It records if you do or not and if you don't your license can be suspended. Sleep Apnea tests are still NOT a requirement for DOT. Doctors keep making that crap up. I confronted one doctor with it and he got all bent out of shape over it, but passed me regardless because I had done my research and told him I knew the law and a Sleep Apnea test IS NOT required. Besides he owned the sleep study place. Lol.