NO MORE SLEEP APNEA SCREENING BUT THE DOT CLINICS REFUSE TO COMPLY

I have Severe Sleep Apnea. I had this long before I was fat even in the service everyone told me I quit breathing at night. I hate the C Pap Machine.Now I can not fall sleep if I am not wearing it. A good friend of mine died in the middle of the night for not wearing his. Some day they might say I can't drive because of having Sleep Apnea. Then it is time to battle this issue. Until then deal with the stupid little things no need to prove or make a point. No one cares after awhile.

 

There basically a belief that if you have sleep apnea that’s it’s only because a person is fat. My dad is normal weight and snores loud enough to scare the bejesus out of cars passing by the house. I was really never aware of my own snoring until my partner finally admitted that fact to me when we were discussing my back-then impending apnea test along with her own worries about my health.

My weight was never that much of a problem until many years after I started driving. I always had a thick neck since childhood (maybe it’s my German/Polish heritage?), never had tonsils out, and was found to also have severe sleep apnea. My oral surgeon as well as the sleep medicine ENT doctors also perform surgery to correct it, and although the high cost and my phobia of hospitals deters me, I’m not ruling it out as an option. My main opposition to the FMCSA’s handling of the issue was the way they had jumped on it like it was the holy grail of combatting fatigued driving when there are so many other factors that affect it: the driver’s overall physical condition, circadian rythm(the 14:00 sandman strikes!!), the schedules a driver has to run, along with everything else a driver goes through during the day. The industry went so long with that “just by another logbook and keep the pedal down, real truckers don’t need no sleep” attitude it’s come back to bite us all. Lawyers are seeing the money in suing companies over fatigue related crashes, and it was only a matter of time before the wheels of bereaucracy started turning in response. Just hoping that some “renegade” politician would save the day by eliminating all rules & regulations is stupid.

 

I've worn glasses for 38 years. Its heavy on your nasal passages. So at night I snore some. Not loud but enough for my Doc to hear me through the door while I was waiting to see him. I'm 6' and weight 230. I've recently lost 18 pounds. Am muscular from being a brick mason for 25 years. Now am driving for 10 years and doc makes a fool of himself by telling me I need a sleep study. Not once have my company docs said I needed it. I believe I'm going to dump this doc for my sanity. He's a waste of time if I get to sleep while I'm waiting for him. I told him I just got home from driving 10,000 in 25 days. He just looked at me and had no comment. Maybe he thought I was lying? I said I should be tired, what do you think? I got no comment. It's only about the money. God save us.

 

So is this still in effect? Was just having s conversation about it with a coworker.

 

Even if FMCSA completely scraps the sleep apnea test "suggestion", the company you want to work for can still make it a company requirement.

And since some of the mega trucking companies supposedly (I've heard this but have no personal confirmation) have their own sleep apnea test clinics, and supply drivers who they determine need a CPAP with a machine through " fast easy financing", the megas involved in this are unlikely to do away with the testing requirement.

The only way I see to stop this, is that Congress would have to pass a law SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITING companies from making sleep apnea testing a requirement for employment.

Given the extent of insurance industry involvement in politics and the trucking industry, I feel the passing of such a law would be unlikely.

Full disclosure, I've always been a big-necked SOB, even at my lean, mean, military weight. I got forced into CPAP testing while in the public transit industry.

Turns out I have severe sleep apnea. Without my machine my blood oxygen falls to "dangerously low levels". This causes a bunch of other medical problems. So in my case, the forced sleep test was a life saver.

At the same time, I had other symptoms of OSA. A big neck is merely a risk factor.

So, while it works for me, I still strongly oppose the trucking industry's " big neck? You need a machine" approach, that is aided and abetted by the government and the insurance industry.

Thank you, gentlemen and ladies. The soapbox is now vacant.

 

Well my friend, if you are in the criminal justice field, then you should know your next step is to call a lawyer.

 

I had Stevens Transport use their “policy” on me. Miraculously after one night of use I went from a 35 to a 0, which their doctor said was very strange. I was like “it’s probably because I don’t have it”.

I haven’t been officially tested for it but my personal physician said my weight is the only reason she would even think of recommending a study. Even then, she said I simply don’t have the symptoms to back up such a recommendation beyond just being fat lol.

 

Engaging a lawyer would be the first step

 

I had a dot doc tell me to get sleep apnea testing., my simple question got her to recind her request....

Doc ***because of your weight, neck size height and BMI, you need to be tested for sleep apnea***

Me ***what fmcsa rule specifically states that I need to be tested for sleep apnea***

Doc *** no response ***

Me *** so why do I have to be tested for sleep apnea when it's not required to drive a truck ***

Doc ***no response***

Me ***ok., I will get tested., but you are require me to undergone unnecessary testing that's not required or covered by insurance, I'm going to need you to pay for it.***

Doc ***ok, never mind on apnea testing***