Sleep apnea, is this being abused?

FWIW, I havnt been retested since summer 2007! andthat was only b/c Schnieder insisted that I get tested again. My sleep doctor knows that I know how to adjust the pressure on my machine and that I know when it is too high or too low. We meet every 6 months and all he wants to know is are my symptoms under control and what the current pressure is. I have been dropping it over the last few visits as I keep losing weight!
I suffer from both types of sleep apnea, obstructive and central. Even while I am awake, my brain will forget to inhale once in a while! I didnt think that was possible, but it is!
I'm sure that sleep apnea will eventually force me to hang up the keys if nothing else gets me 1st!

 

i've probably had osa for 20 years and didn't know it don't get me wrong i wish i found out sooner

most i have talked to that have osa are glad they found out about it and really dont need to be monitored for usage as i and everybody i know that has it don't even think about going to sleep without cpap

but osa is the hot moneymaker now for the doctors, hospitals, and manufacturers ................. untill they find something else

now you even need a prescription to buy a new mask but i found 1 online supplier that sells them as a "kit" without a prescription as a way around that

the regulations are gonna get us all eventually

 

Check -

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/TOPICS/mep/report/Sleep-MEP-Panel-Recommendations-508.pdf

It's the actual FMCSA guidelines for sleep apnea.

1) It's not the ATA that is pushing sleep apnea testing. It's a group called the National Sleep Foundation. It's basically a trade association for sleep labs and sleep doctors.

Dr. Barbara Phillips the sleep apnea expert on the FMCSA-MRB is a director of the NSF... BTW.. NSF is part of the Drowsy Driving Roundtable along with PATT, CRASH and Public Citizen... get the drift...

2) About retesting annually for your DOT physical. A new full in-lab sleep study is NOT required by the FMCSA guidlines.. check the link and read them yourself. I would STRONGLY suggest any driver with sleep apnea print a copy of them and bring them to their next DOT physical as they are new and the DOT medical examiners don't know what's going on.

What you need is to see your sleep doctor BEFORE the DOT physical. Have your sleep doc download the data from your CPAP (if you don't have a data-capable CPAP thats another whole topic).. and do a letter to the effect that you have been compliant on your OSA treatment from this date until this date as evidenced by having at least 4 hours "on pressure" at least 70 % of the nights. The sleep doctor should attach a copy of the CPAP data dowload.

FYI - If your CPAP data does not show you compliant the guidelines are to disqualify you FOREVER... so be careful... read the guidelines for yourself..

 

Sadly sleep apnea is going to take more drivers out of the truck, you know the government's going to mandate this! Most of it can be controlled by getting your weight down. Try this little trick, keep a journal and write down everything you eat in one day, you will be amazed. I did this and found that I was eating over 3600 calories per day. I lost over 56 pounds and 16 weeks and got off all medications. You can do it too!

 

weight loss will help many people however 40% diagnosed with osa are not overweight and if you are diagnosed as long as you are using a cpap machine as prescribed you will not be disqualified ...

they are not just targeting truck drivers but airline pilots and the railroad industry as well and yes it will become mandatory if your neck is 17 inches or more or have a bmi over 35 or you admit to snoring

finding out and treating your osa is a good thing as it causes things such as heart failure , hypertension, and contributes to diabetes and hyperthyroidism (besides you will feel much better)

losing weight is a good thing osa or not

a good free site to count calories and keep track of what you eat is the daily plate (google it)

one of them deals i wish i found out i had it 10 years ago...........

 

www.fitday.com

best way to track what you stuff in your pie hole