Crete and sleep apnea

I've gone on record at least a dozen times here on TTR condemning Crete's CPAP purchase policy. It's a sham, no question. Fortunately, I brought my machine with me at hire and didn't have to go through their bogus program.

If that ever changes, and they decide not to honor my machines read outs at annual physical time, I'm gone. Period.

 

Some things I DO know, First I will tell you from working for over 20 years with an oxygen company and sub-acute nursing out of Ma.I have seen the CPAP work both ways, NOT every sleep disorder is solved with a CPAP machine. I also know that EVERYONE regardless of size has some form/degree of sleep apnea at different points of sleep, YES EVERYONE!!! Most of the sleep/oxygen facilities get these machines for less than $300.00 each and turn around to sell them for well over 2K in some cases. IT IS A MONEY MAKER!!! I was told by one driver who expressed that he would not be able to fall asleep and they gave him a sedative!!! REALLY WTH! If you are so blessed with the responsibility of having to undergo a sleep study be sure it is done in your current work schedule. Many drivers drive at night. The biggest problem I have recently learned is that many of the sleep studies are invalid due to the timing of the study. Done while the driver is home trying to readjust to a wake during the day and sleep at night.
( It's term is called shift workers disease.) Often confused with apnea. (On another note there are multiple sleep disorders in which a C Pap machine has no effect. It can even make symptoms worse.) If you do have an in home study you may be better off just staying awake and quiet. I also discovered there is no set standard, it is based on a company basis, the alignment of the stars, color of the moon...your guess is as good as mine! His company threshold is 15 episodes per hour he came in at 20. I watched him sleep during his in home study that evaluation is totally wrong, and unfair, 20 episodes an hour for over 8+ hours (what they said) is bogus! At best it happened for LESS than 2 hours of his 8+ hours of sleep. In short they took the highest number and equated that for the WHOLE sleep time. I discovered that seems to be the general standard for all sleep studies. I only wish I had taken a video of his in home study because I was awake and watched him during. Now since he has been forced to wear this crazy contraption! He is experiencing, (all of which are negative side effects) greater depression, lethargy, stomach bloating (due to air being forced into his stomach and is quite painful) nose bleeds, sore throat. Never mind the effect on our relationship. Me not being able to sleep with the constant sound of running water from the air going through the mask, or either nose masks. Before it would take him less than a half hour to fall asleep now it is a 2+ hour odyssey of what I can only equate as a war of him thrashing coughing and choking, I will put it into his words... "It is like sleeping with a bag over your head while someone is blowing in your face!" Yes! as figured his sleep is WORSE! When he wakes he experiences what I heard called Brain Fog. When the suits who implemented this mandate discover that this blanket reform does more harm (or are forced themselves to comply to keep their jobs / drivers licenses) than good, will things change. Unless a majority of truck drivers are all together forced off the road because of this, then it will take less than 1 week for the whole thing to be tanked. Because, well...we all know this country runs on those deliveries you guys make. For those of you who are looking for further info... see the link.

http://www.landlinemag.com/Magazine/2014/May/News/sleep-apnea-testing.aspx

 

Wow, thanks a lot for some information from someone who knows what they're talking about, lol!

Having calmed down and thought about it more, I realize that unfortunately these sleep companies aren't doing anything illegal. The problem is that they're taking advantage of the fact that there is currently no legislation on what counts as a sleep disorder, acceptable alternatives to CPAP, standards of a sleep study, levels of severity, etc. Are there currently any standards for what counts as Sleep Apnea in these tests? Can the machine trigger off a cough and it's decided you have sleep apnea? I laugh when I think about this comparison: you only need to read line 4 on a DMV eye chart to drive without glasses. Anyone recall how large line 4 is? You can be well within the means of needing glasses and still pass the DMV eye test. I think that's more dangerous than a guy who snores not having a mask on his face at night.

For the record, it's been over a week with this thing on my face at night. It actually gets more uncomfortable on my face every night... It's just making me get less sleep now.
It's pretty ridiculous the things that get passed as law against drivers with no forethought or research. We definitely need to stand up for ourselves, no one else is gonna do it.

 

I want to make clear that I am no Dr. or respiratory therapist. I know I don't need a PHD, to believe what I see. Honestly I never gave it much consideration or sympathy. I would hear complaints from people and thought nothing of it. My transformation of thinking on this was a slow boat to China (so to speak) In the sub acute facility we had this tiny 96lb. woman who could snore the paint of the walls. The Dr. had her tested and determined she should use a CPAP. After 2 months we were sure it was the wrong diagnosis. For one she was not sleeping at night anymore and would fall asleep at different points all during the day. She also went through a personality change due to that lack of sleep. Turns out all we needed to do was change her position while she slept, within 1 week she was back to her normal self. That is one example of many I personally witnessed.

You mentioned about the eye chart only needing to read line 4 and I find that a point well made. I was pondering other conditions as well. Diabetes for example. Why are they leaving that uncensored. Why are they not monitoring when a driver tests his/her sugar level, intake of insulin. Surely a significant drop or increase in that could have consequences equal to the drivers lack of sleep.

Right now my better half is miserable, I'm miserable for him, over 2 months into this. We are looking into other options. Though it seems it's a trap, once your snared you're stuck for life if you want to keep your job in this business. Even weight loss, (though he was never considered obese just over weight.) Surgery puts him off the road for 3+ months. (who can afford that) So at this point we are looking to have another sleep study. Going on what I have observed during his in home study, and the complications he has experienced since.

I find this whole thing a witch hunt and targets the truck driver unfairly. When surely every single person out there that gets behind the wheel of anything should be considered for this infernal machine. I see far more sleep deprived people driving on 4 wheels than 18. The best I can figure is there is no set legislation on this as law. It is clearly a company and DOT certified Dr. not wanting any liability.

 

Here's how new FMCSA rules and DOT laws are added:

"OMG, TRUCKS ARE DANGEROUS"
"ZOMG, YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT!!!"
"I propose we add these rules that will effect driver's every day lives and/or incomes"
"Do you have any data or research to support this having any positive effect, or that it won't actually have the opposite effect?"
"Nope, just thought about it on the can today"
"PASSED"


It's kinda scary now, I'm waking up feeling worse every day now. I'm still gonna be stuck with this ###### mask.

 

If a driver quits Crete and goes to a different company....how will the new employer know the driver has a cpap machine ? All Crete does is verify the driver worked there. New company gives driver a new medical card and hopefully does not require a sleep study. Then the driver can set the cpap machine on fire and toss it into Sleep Pointes window.

 

LOL!! Branson I think you have it just about right! However from what I understand all the FMCSA had to do was merely mention the possibility of this and back off...Smile...and let the circus begin. And so it has. The idea that any large company or DOT certified Dr. could hold liability and be sued or fined was reason enough to implement this half baked idea. By half baked I mean there is no set standard. All the information at hand is only a recommendation from a variety of medical professionals with no concrete studies to back them up. Either for the good or bad, The numbers just don't seem to exist (that I can find & I've been on this hunt for months) So in the end each company sets their own standard based on their...well I really don't know??? I guess I go back to the alignment of the stars, color of the moon or possibly the decision makers are so constipated the **** has backed up in their brains???

The link is one I found that will actually talked about sleep studies. I made a post looking for some feed back but have not heard anything back as of yet.

http://doctorstevenpark.com/sleep-apnea-cpap-compliance-craziness

 

I have an update on my better half truck driver. Last week he went back to the Dr. at the sleep lab (follow up) and the Dr. has decided/diagnosed that he is CPAP intolerant. Likely due to his borderline condition. He also has just about every negative side effect as a result of being forced to comply with it's use. They have decided to fit him with a MAD (mandibular advancement device) and redo the sleep study.
I will say this I am very happy this is happening. I have watched this poor man deteriorate over the last 2 months due to lack of sleep. It's a very hard thing to watch someone you love go through this, even harder for the individual being forced to endure in order to keep his/her job. Sleep study is scheduled for this week. I will post the results.

 

Please keep is updated. Good luck !

 

Will do. This whole thing has been a mess since it started.