Sleep Apnea And Your CDL

It was the conversation we had that is the most laughable.

Dr. " So why would you fall asleep in front of the TV?"

Me." Probably because I didn't sleep well the night before?"

Dr. "Why is that? "

Me. " Stress."

Dr. " Stress from what?"

Me. " Well let's see". "I've been unemployed since March of last year and I have incurred about 9K in school debts and on top of that the Congress did not pass the benefits bill renewal so I am not getting unemployment."

That's when she dropped the sleep study bomb on me. The cost is about 800 dollars and its all out of pocket. She ends the conversation with.

" I am not being mean, I am just doing my job."

I figure that's that and make other arrangements. I get a call from the clinic a day later telling me that they need further answers on the chest surgery I had two years ago. I snarl into the phone that the Doctor needs a hearing tests. I said I had that surgery when I was 2 YEARS OLD.

 

It looks as though this doctor wants to diagnose you with sleep apnea and have you get the C-PAP machine, whether you want it or not.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

If he's deemed needing it it's her responsibility as a medical professional to diagnose and treat him accordingly. Why go to a doctor if your not gonna do what they say?

 

Yeah, it kind of looks that way doesn't it.

 

I went to this Doctor because the company told me too. If I sensed a problem I would find the money I needed to attend the sleep program as putting myself and the driving public at risk is not in my nature. I do not have a problem. I sleep like a log and according to my wife a rarely snore.

 

That doesn't mean you don't have sleep apnea.
This is the problem-you think you know more than a doctor who went to school for 7 years and many more practicing what she's learned.
Do you argue with mechanics when they tell you your cars broke too?
If we were as smart as doctors we wouldn't need doctors would we? We could diagnose and treat ourselves. Until them why not do what the professionals tell us.

 

I was like you I had 0 symptoms of sleep apnea. Never tired, slept good (or so I thought)etc. did a sleep study and I had sever apnea. Like 25 times a minute I'd stop breathing. Since being put on cpap 5 years ago I feel a lot better.

 

Me too... I would.stop.breathing 27.times.a.minute

 

There is a name for everything, everyone has something,,,,bla bla bla.. Before you, anyone, found out you, anyone, had sleep apnea, did you feel like you had a problem while driving? If I was in the Dr's office and they asked me about falling asleep in front of a tv, and that was their prompt to send me for a sleep study, than I would say they need more people study, in their classes. A lot of people fall asleep in front of the TV. If I drink too much, or stay up too late, guess what? I fall asleep while watching TV,,,,ah oh,,,may need a sleep study test,,,NOT!

 

I was an emt for 7 years. I saw many doctors give the wrong diagnoses many times. They are human. Prone to mistakes or human error. Especially ER docs and other docs, DOT, that have little to zero history with the patients. Thats why with any diagnosis of life changing illness you always seek a second or even third opinion. ER docs always te you to follow up with your persobal physician as soon as possible. It covers everyones rear end.

Until the FMCSA goes thru the proper channels and fact finding to make this a rule I will not comply with ONE persons opinion on this. Especially using faulty guide lines that only points to those over weight. I know plenty of thin people with sleep apnea. But I dont see them on here saying they were sent to an expensive sleep study by a doctor who did a 5 minute exam. Demanding you go to only the sleep center they say and only by the cpap thru them. Its a money racket. Even congress agreed when they jumped all over the FMCSA in a congressional hearing a few months ago. Told FMCSA to pull the recommendations until proper field studies were done following the proper guide lines.