Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is the biggest scam. It's funny how all of the sudden 90% of drivers have sleep apnea??? How did the trucking industry ever survive prior to this big discovery?! Sleep tests 5 grand, cpap machines 3-5 grand. It's a real money maker for all involved.

Find some doctor that won't make you go get a sleep test. The whole thing is total bs.

 

There has been plenty posted on here about sleep apnea. Only the uninformed think it is a scam.

My exam only cost $385 and you can rent cpap machines if you need one.

You can read my posts on this issue on other threads but please examine competent information.

 

Who's requiring you to go to the specific clinic? Or to that doctor, for that matter? Before I started working, I was able to get my physical (I had a Class B) done through my local "free clinic".

$5K for a sleep study? For half that, I could buy the equipment needed to do my own, and even that leaves enough to pay a licensed doctor to certify my results.

 

It is discriminative to single larger people out and force them to participate in a sleep study. They are now doing this at schneider national, if you do not schedule the appointment for the sleep study withing a certain time they will shut you down. If you refuse you are fired. Smoking is apparently linked to sleep apnea, why aren't all smokers forced to shut down for two days with no pay and participate in a sleep study? If your going to force truck drivers to go through this b.s. Than the companies need to cover the cost of the study and and the days these drivers are shut down for. And while your at it more work out facilities and healthier food at the truck stops wouldn't be a bad idea either. I'm thankful I wasn't chosen but my team partner was not so lucky, so thanks schneider because of this ridiculous new rule I'm out money because my slightly over weight team mate was chosen.

 

On the positive side of sleep apnea. if you have it and use a Cpap you get to idle while you sleep.. so warm heat in the winter and cool AC in the summer...

The main concern is one of the symptoms of sleep apena is SLEEPING WHILE DRIVING... wnich is an undesirable trait for a truck driver...

One of my trainers had it and used the Cpap... he use to not sleep well.. he had to go in for the sleep test and was diagnosed with sleep apena and started using.. said at first he was pissed off.. but, then realized he was actually sleeping better..

 

Concentra pushes sleep apnea testing because it makes them money! They push the sleep apnea on their own website, yet they are not even set up to conduct sleep studies themselves!

http://www.concentra.com/patients/health-library/obstructive-sleep-apnea/

Find a DOT Certified Medical Examiner in your area and have the physical done by a doctor without a hidden agenda. As of May 21, 2014, only medical examiners who are listed in the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners can perform a DOT physical on a driver. The below link will help you find a medical examiner in your area.

https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/NRPublicUI/home.seam

I have been down the sleep apnea road. The costs for testing are far less than many suggest, and even the best CPAP machines can be purchased for less than $1000. Start by seeing a different doctor as suggested and take it from there. If you do show signs of sleep apnea, get it treated for your own good.

 

I was the same at first myself. I did not even show signs of sleep apnea. The sleep study showed it to be severe. I was very rebellious against using the CPAP for the first few weeks. I began feeling better overall and began losing weight. It was then I began accepting the CPAP. I still have a goal of being free of the CPAP forever, but for now I use it in order to reach that goal!

 

This is one time when I have to agree that it is the $$$ driving this issue.

If so many drivers suffered from this (I've read 30-40%), and it is SOOOO!!! dangerous, then why haven't there been more accidents and fatalities attributed to this?
Because this is not something that has just popped up in the last couple years. If it is happening now, it must have been happening 20 and 30 years ago.
If so many drivers have had this problem all along, and there is no real evidence to suggest otherwise, why are not drivers falling asleep at the wheel or dropping dead every day?
Even one a day would only be a very small fraction of 1% - and it doesn't happen!

There are millions of us drivers, but what is the actual percentage of deaths caused by this apnea thing?
And I'm not just talking about personally, but also related deaths caused by unsafe driving caused by apnea.