Sleep Apnea Confusion...

Call me old fashioned. Discriminatory even. I'll be darned if I let a machine auto anything on my breathing. I require a certain amount and no more than that and breathe a certain way because I have very specific chest wall issues in the entire ribcage, sternum abd spinal connections to same. If a cpap machine or something else was to force more air than I want at that moment it's going to what I call over extend that rib cage and other things creating even more problems than it's worth.

One night they had me intubated for a short time after paralyzing me and adminstering two other drugs that were specifically designed to fight a job related ER issue. I spent 5 hours on that tube first with a nurse on the bag then with a small machine being told it's temporary. They had a sign language person in there with me so communciations was not a problem once I came back up after the paralytic and two other drugs wore off.

First thing I did was fight the machine. It went crazy. The more I fought it the easier tired I got. Then it took over and force fed air.

It's almost like overloading a giant ladle spoon with oatmeal and shoving it down the teeth and mouth of a 3 year old who does not want any of it.

I am a little bit scarred by that experience. I do appreciate the clarity of 100% oxygen and other goodies for that night and the help they gave me. But I'll be darned if I touch a CPAP or anything that forces me to... play or dance to a tune that is too fast for my liking.

 

This guy has some good video on sleep apnea he can even do a real home sleep test as good as the sleep lab. Someone might be able to prove they don't have sleep apnea with his home test.

 

Yes they are.

What is his remedy now. Going to another doctor? That is doctor shopping unless he fully disclosed all previous physicals. Good luck getting a new doctor to sign off.

Since they have manipulated the physical, and falsely diagnosed him as needing treatment he has no choice but to seek remedy through the courts to have the false diagnosis vacated. No Doctor is going to issue a two year card if he has been diagnosed, no physical means downgraded CDL.

A company can require whatever they wish. But should not include it in any DOT physical. It is going to take someone dragging these thieves into court to put an end to this crap.

 

Here is a idea.

Simply stop. As in fail to participate in the processes related to medical stuff for a while. It might mean you are not driving and have to swear a tier two without a medical card. But when enough time passes you can go ahead and try again with a fresh DOT doctor. ANY challenge from that doctor is answered with I don't recall.

There are about three procedures the doctors want to do with me, the collective costs on those is about 70,000 dollars retail. And recovery will take 6 months.

I told the doctor that unless something broke, we will hold off on that kind of preventable care. There is no point in spinning money and burning time in the waiting room far from home trying to participate in medical stuff. Particularly things the doctor would like to do.

 

In other words, you went to a Doctor because something was wrong but when they told you how to fix it you argued with them and disregarded their advice?
Sheeesh...no wonder Doctors and most other health care providers are grumpy.

 

I've gone through hell, between the sleep apnea and the diabetes and other issues I have, it was easier to make my decision to retire when I had my accident. The last physical I had was with a nurse practitioner and she came out and said "I am not going to bullsh**** you or pass you if I think there are issues so you can leave now and not waste my time or you can get one of the best exams you will ever have" and it was. Thorough, accurate and actually enjoyed it. She knew both my PCP and my Sleep doc and was on the phone with them before I left the office and I had my physical done for $45.

BUT before that, crap I was being sent to Concentra with a PA who thought he was a doctor. He argued with both my PCP and my sleep doc about their treatment plans. Got this guy three years in a row, the doc before him was great, go there, he would tell me I have to do a sleep test to update my sleep treatment and tell me to return. If I didn't get him on the return visit which I didn't four times in a row, I would get this b***ch of a doctor who thought she knew it all. She would hand me a 30 day and tell me I have to go see my PCP, etc ...

God if I told these idiots I had superior semicircular canal dehiscence (hearing issue), they would never give me a card and make me go through tests. I have pitch perfect hearing and can hear things others can't but they still would put me through hell.

Retirement is nice, no hassles any more.

Look I am not going to argue with you on this, no one has yet sued for this reason and it is very doubtful anyone will. The courts will toss it because of the other avenues available to the driver.

 

My spouse had one doctor in the VA during our Cancer fight in Little Rock. We had him for 6 months. Due to his last name being very difficult for me in english voice, I called him Dr. Pookie with his knowledge and permission in his office. I think he liked that nickname.

Just when he did very well as a warrior in the lab results and piles of blood tests with data that covers a dozen computer screens etc fighting the cancer battle with spouse and actually winning, the VA system sent him to Cleveland.

We asked him WHY? He's #### good and a warrior for us and should not have to go anywhere hes told to. He said that is how the VA does sometimes pretty common and the next doctor we got was much more difficult. When we asked to see the blood draw results, he really did not want to get into all that. Brushed us off.

It's unfortunate. The Nurses in that department came to our rescue and probably saw that we were not exactly properly informed and they gave us much more detail and understanding of what's happening with what drugs and why.

I don't mind doctors too much. There are some good ones. But I cannot stand any who has been a doctor too long and cannot be bothered to spend 15 #### minutes to share a simple blood test result into a language we can understand and make very important decisions on. They should retire those.

 

I know we were exempt from hipaa laws as it relates to collecting samples during inspections and accidents and such, but we are still protected from having our medical records shared. I was given a hipaa form to sign to release the info from the sleep study to my employer and my employer's Dr and I did not sign it. My understanding is that study place shared my info anyway with a company Dr and that Dr actually wrote the prescription and sent it back to the sleep study place. Honestly, it's not the first unethical thing they've done and our company is no longer requiring employees get tested because some employees are getting lawyers involved.

Honestly, I just want a diagnosis I can trust and a local Dr I can talk to about my treatment needs. This has been a nightmare.

 

Most of these "transportation focused" sleep centers are crooked as a pigs #####. It is going to take big lawsuit losses for them and the companies that use them to make it go away.

Pretty sure the malpractice tort reform does not apply to them as far as destroying a drivers career. Might get the sharks like BartDurham, and Morgan and Morgan interested in gutting some of them.

 

A simple test is recorded yourself sleeping for 1 hour and see if you stop breathing or gasping for air. Their are other signs of sleep apnea. Do you have bad dreams ? You wake up sweating some ? Do you sleep better on your side vs your back. Do people wake up tired or feeling nausea ?