Sleep Apnea
Topic 17597 | Page 1
Having a CPAP and being a driver isn't a problem. You need a machine that can transfer info to whatever company you decide on, and before you go to school, most will ask you for your last 30 days worth of use to prove you are compliant with therapy. Basically, the law says you have to use your machine for a minimum of 4 hours a night at least 70% of the time. That amounts to 5 out of 7 days on a rolling basis.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
It can take a little getting used to. What exactly are your issues and what type of mask are you using. Also, what machine do you have and does it have a humidifier? Is the humidifier heated?
JJ
I was diagnosed with sleep apnea after being tagged for a sleep study during my DOT physical. I have a mask that just covers my nose because I can't deal with my mouth AND nose being covered...and yes, it takes a while to get used to. I do sleep better though. My blood pressure has stabilized, and I don't wake up every morning with a splitting headache like I used to.
I am using the Phillips Respironics Dream Station with the humidifier, and it is heated. My advice to you if you are having a tough time is to maybe try another mask style. It took me going through a couple to find one that works for me. Most places will let you exchange within a 30 day period, and you can change multiple times until you find one you like.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
Hello all,
Quick question in regards to apnea, I have been diagnosed with it and I really wanted to get into trucking. I have the cpap machine and it's so hard to keep it on nightly. But is it pointless to even consider moving forward with going to school? I don't want to waste my time and money if it isn't going to work. Thanks all for reading
CPAP machines are no problem, as long as you wear them regularly. You will be required to use a machine that records your usage, so usage can be verified periodically. Different companies may require you to use specific name brands and models, so they can read the data from a chip, or download it from the internet. No company should turn you down because you need a CPAP, though they will (eventually) release you if you do not comply with usage requirements.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
I have a mask that just covers my nose because I can't deal with my mouth AND nose being covered...and yes, it takes a while to get used to. I do sleep better though. My blood pressure has stabilized, and I don't wake up every morning with a splitting headache like I used to.
Same here. I was initially given a full face mask and kept throwing it on the floor in the middle of the night. I talked to the sleep study center and they told me to try a mask like Kat mentioned. That was 4 years ago and I love it. I tried the nasal pillow masks that have soft rubber nasal tips that fit just inside your nostrils. I couldn't get it to stop leaking air so I'm back to the over-the-nose mask. Once you get used to it and feel the benefits of getting good sleep, you'll never think twice about using it every time you sleep.
My CPAP is a few years old and doesn't have the built-in wifi capability that the newer models have. They'll actually transmit your CPAP usage data automatically no matter where you are. Mine has a SD card where all my usage data is stored. I spoke with Heather at the company that handles all the CPAP machines & supplies for Prime. She told me I'd have a couple options with my machine. 1) I could stop by the terminal once every 30 days and have my SD card read or 2) She could attach an external wifi device to my CPAP machine for $60. Pretty sure I'm going to go with option 2. lol
Don't let sleep apnea deter you from becoming a truck driver. Find a comfortable mask, use it every time you lay down to sleep and give it a week or 2. You'll be glad you did! That last sentence sounded like one of those, "Call us to get a great life insurance quote" commercials. lol
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Here's a ton of information we have on sleep apnea , including symptoms, treatment options, a BMI calculator, and the FMCSA's take on it:
Sleep Apnea: Symptons, Treatment Options, and The FMCSA
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
- Commercial Drivers' Licenses
- Data and Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Research and Technology
- Safety Assistance
- Support and Information Sharing
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
I'm 6'0" 170lbs not your traditional apnea person im perfectly healthy with everything except this burden. I have the resmed air sense 10. Full face cause I'm a mouth breather when sleeping. My issue is the ramp. Im fine falling asleep then once that kicks on I get blasted with air and it wakes me up causing leaks and most of the time I just yank it off in the Middle of the night I have it connected to SD card and my drs can view it if they want longests I've worn it in 2 months was 3 hrs . I've given up. But may just try it again cause I'm tired of being constantly tired and moody
I'm 6'0" 170lbs not your traditional apnea person im perfectly healthy with everything except this burden. I have the resmed air sense 10. Full face cause I'm a mouth breather when sleeping. My issue is the ramp. Im fine falling asleep then once that kicks on I get blasted with air and it wakes me up causing leaks and most of the time I just yank it off in the Middle of the night I have it connected to SD card and my drs can view it if they want longests I've worn it in 2 months was 3 hrs . I've given up. But may just try it again cause I'm tired of being constantly tired and moody
If the pressure change in the middle of the night bothers you, then have the default pressure raised so the machine doesn't need to raise pressure when you are asleep.
That's assuming that I understand your problem correctly.
I have the same machine and I didn't care for the ramp feature either. My issue was I basically couldn't breathe while waiting for the machine to ramp up. You can easily turn off the ramp feature yourself using settings. That way the machine will start out pretty much right where you need it to be.
You shouldn't need to have the machine recalibrated, these are auto cpap machines and self adjust themselves to the user.
Jj
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.
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Hello all,
Quick question in regards to apnea, I have been diagnosed with it and I really wanted to get into trucking. I have the cpap machine and it's so hard to keep it on nightly. But is it pointless to even consider moving forward with going to school? I don't want to waste my time and money if it isn't going to work. Thanks all for reading
CPAP:
Constant Positive Airway Pressure
CPAP is a breathing assist device which is worn over the mouth or nose. It provides nighttime relief for individuals who suffer from Sleep Apnea.