Is sleep apnea and cpap history?

I asked the same question over in the Prime Forum. I was scheduled for a test with a private company my insurance pays for. I went in today, and they looked at my throat, took some measurements, and said under the latest study I no longer meet the guidelines, gave me a letter stating my measured UUV and throat do not meet the criteria, and I was medically cleared for a DOT Medical.
The new study is based on measurements at the back of your throat, and amount of obstruction. According to the Sleep Dr I went to, he said old, young, obese, blood pressure, does not matter. The new criteria is about the size of your throat, and obstructions around it, ie; the thing hanging down in the back, tongue, etc. He said they also try and correct it with surgery now instead of using a machine, they have found a machine is short term, not a long term solution. He said normally removing your tonsils and adenoids will give you enough room, but they can also remove portions of the tongue, bone and other tissue.

 

I've been wearing one of the #### things to sleep for nearly a year and a half now, even though I do not snore, and have not needed more than six hours sleep to stay awake a full day for the last 20 years.

Yes, I have a 23 inch neck and weigh @260, at 5'9" but I also have a very long torso (28" inseam) and shoulders wider than most men almost a foot taller than me. I have to make an effort and adjust my jaw to show a double chin. When I was 16 and in wrestling and football, I weighed 135, and had an 18 inch neck.

How did I find myself in a CPAP? Stevens Transport was bothering me about my weight. They wanted me to return every 30 days to the terminal to check my weight. I told them I'd voluntarily take a sleep study.

That was a mistake. The first sleep study was so atrociously impossible mathematically that I wrote up a full page critique of it (having been a technical support specialist in my prior job meant that I couldn't be fooled by obvious ########.) The doctor agreed to retest me, and the next test was mathematically correct.

However, I hadn't told them that I was recording video of my entire second sleep study on video, and the data they falsified didn't match the data on the video recording. The doctor wasn't pleased that I had proof that the second test was also falsified data, and simply told me that I either buy and wear the CPAP machine, or I would not be cleared to drive.

I advised the Stevens Safety department that the doctor or the sleep study clinic was falsifying data, and that I had proof of it. I made no threats, just advised them what had happened - I needed the job.

I bought the CPAP machine, and have been wearing it like a good boy even though I have no need of it. Hopefully soon, I can get retested and have the diagnosis reversed.

Three months after I advised Stevens of the CPAP scam that had been used on me, Doctor Quacktastic was gone. I don't know that my information was in any way related to Stevens getting rid of him, but I would not be surprised if it was.

 

great, now concentra will be doing false throat measurements along with false neck measurements in order to get the kickbacks from sleep study referals

 

I just had my new physical on monday. I am a bigger guy. I am also diabetic. I thought for sure the doc was going to send me to do a sleep study. Heck I even asked him about. He told me there are no federal guidelines that require him to do that. I just thought I got and awesome dr. Now I know the real reason. Awesome no more having to worry about dealing with all that.

 

Interesting you say concentra ...my former company quit using them for physicals because every driver needed a sleep test .

 

not to mention they falsely reports

 

Trump is getting rid of the sleep apnea thing

 

FMCSA removed the recommendation as there are new studies showing the criteria that was being utilized was inaccurate and based on flawed data. Companies can still require it, which is the issue, most are still using the old criteria.