Question About Medical Cpap Machine For Sleep Apnea

Hi and welcome! i also have a CPAP.

Rainy, I thought you posted that you had tested a couple months ago but had no sleep apnea?

when i started 2 yrs ago i tested negative. but sucky for me, they tested me again for my DOT renewal in October and now i have the CPAP. they give you a 2 month card so you can wear it to show compliance. then you get yet another physical to get a 1 year card. a couole weeks ago i got tbe 1 year card.

i honestly hate it and have never felt so drained and tired in my life. it makes my throat sore and i never go into a truly deep restful sleep. i never dream with it. my friend says i always sound so tired she is going to lose weight before her renewal so she doesnt have to take the test and get the CPAP lol

Sheesh, I didn’t know that if you passed once you had to keep retaking the sleep test. What a racket. Unfortunately, I don’t see this going away anytime soon.

Rainy, I am sorry you are having so much trouble. As I am sure you know, there are many mask types. Maybe a different type would help you. I had to try a few before I hit on the right type for me.

You mention that it makes your throat hurt. If you do not already have a humidifier on your unit, I highly suggest that you get one. The humidifier solved my sore throat issues, and I feel much better using the machine than I did before...

Hi and welcome! i also have a CPAP.

Rainy, I thought you posted that you had tested a couple months ago but had no sleep apnea?

when i started 2 yrs ago i tested negative. but sucky for me, they tested me again for my DOT renewal in October and now i have the CPAP. they give you a 2 month card so you can wear it to show compliance. then you get yet another physical to get a 1 year card. a couole weeks ago i got tbe 1 year card.

i honestly hate it and have never felt so drained and tired in my life. it makes my throat sore and i never go into a truly deep restful sleep. i never dream with it. my friend says i always sound so tired she is going to lose weight before her renewal so she doesnt have to take the test and get the CPAP lol

You normally do not need to repeat the sleep test unless you have made improvements and think you could discontinue the machine.

What apparently happened with Rainy is the same thing that happens with zillions of drivers. They present for their physical with a combination of neck measurement and BMI that is at a threshold requiring testing, if they are not already a documented CPAP user. They are then issued the temporary DOT card Rainy mentioned, giving them time to go have a sleep study, then come back for a review after they either have a sleep study that says they do not need to use a CPAP, or a month of data documenting CPAP use.

I have had a DOT medical card for over 15 years. I have been using a CPAP machine for over 10 years. I have had a sleep study once.

When I started sleeping in a semi, I initially had problems using my machine in the truck with either a 12v adaptor or an inverter. My truck lacks an APU...the CPAP would shut off each time the truck started when battery voltage dropped. As I previously mentioned, I solved the problem with a simple UPS, which came in handy for the TV too.

Sheesh, I didn’t know that if you passed once you had to keep retaking the sleep test. What a racket. Unfortunately, I don’t see this going away anytime soon.

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.

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.

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.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

You will not need both a 12v adapter AND the inverter/UPS combo, just one or the other. But the 12v adapter may not work in your truck...it didn't for me. The inverter/UPS combo will work in any truck, but a $20 inverter is not going to cut it....you will need something better. I agree with Brett...find a way to come up with the dough for the equipment you need....it is essential.

Also, when you go in for your physical, be sure to take a print out with recent 30 days CPAP data....that is the key to getting your medical card issued for a year or two without delay. You will not have to furnish data again until you go for the next medical card with most companies, although some companies require it more often, and some companies even monitor your usage nightly.

So, after reading your replies I emailed my company, and the safety director (whom is the person I emailed directly) called me back on the phone with in a minute or two of sending the email. She said I am "stressing over something that isn't a big deal, and stay out of the forums." She added that alot of their drivers use cpaps and I can go buy an adapter or an inverter for the truck. This is hard for me to do. I currently have $750 coming in monthly and split $1200 rent with 3 other people. Which leaves my wife and I with barely any gas money for the month. I go out with this company in about 3 weeks, and next month our $750 income is cut down because my account is already in the hole over $150 and I need to go buy an inverter, and a UPS or an adapter? Inverters are $20 or more, and UPS are over $50. The adapter for my specific machine is over $180 minimum..... What do I do? Do I tell the only company that wants me (due to my background) to stuff it? I have literally applied to over 30 companies and been declined by everyone including the major carriers who hire anyone.

Sheesh, I didn’t know that if you passed once you had to keep retaking the sleep test. What a racket. Unfortunately, I don’t see this going away anytime soon.

when i went for my DOT physical, i had gained 4 pounds since the previous one 2 yrs prior. therefore i was required to re test. Now, if i want to get off the machine, i need to lose weight and re test, hoping it will be better. they did state since I tested negative once that i dont have genetic apnea the humidifier set on the highest setting didnt help. the only thing that did is putting a jar of Vicks vapor rub next to the air intake filters.

if it helped or made me sleep better i would be all for it. but they gave me the "when we get older or gain weight apnea worsens which can cause death during sleep, heart disease, or other serious illnesses" crap.

my response: "so you are calling me old and fat. im at a point in my life where im happy, but now you are telling me that im fat and a mutant. Thanks. Now i need to go on antidepressents which will then invalidate my DOT eligibility. whats wrong with dying in my sleep anyway? i have to die at some point, so sleeping sounds like a great way to go. However, my family history states i will die at 95 years old with dementia. ive already reconciled with that. No fallible test will override my family history. sorry to disappont you."

yes, im a witch.

Wow. So of they don’t get you the first time they’re going to keep trying until they do. Unbelievable.

I sleep very well (I’ve had 49 years of practice) but with a neck size of 17.5” I guess that would mandate testing for me even though my BMI is only 30. And I have yet to hear of anyone passing the test and not being recommended a CPAP machine. I guess that closes the door to driving for me; I couldn’t sleep on my back with any mask on and wake up well rested.

Wow. So of they don’t get you the first time they’re going to keep trying until they do. Unbelievable.

I sleep very well (I’ve had 49 years of practice) but with a neck size of 17.5” I guess that would mandate testing for me even though my BMI is only 30. And I have yet to hear of anyone passing the test and not being recommended a CPAP machine. I guess that closes the door to driving for me; I couldn’t sleep on my back with any mask on and wake up well rested.

Hey, don't hit the panic button before you have anything to panic about. Geesh.

Sleep apnea can be a very serious thing. I've heard from a lot of people who were diagnosed with sleep apnea that being treated for it was life-changing for them in a big way. They had all kinds of symptoms in their daily lives that they couldn't understand. They were really tired a lot, had terrible headaches, couldn't think straight, fatigued quickly, were over-emotional, and all kinds of stuff. Anyone who has experienced sleep deprivation knows how tough it is to function when you're exhausted. This is true for many people who have sleep apnea.

So there are a few takeaway from this

• It's nothing to fear. You can still have an awesome career in trucking with sleep apnea.
• If you do have sleep apnea you're going to see a noticeable improvement in your life once you're being treated properly. As you can see, Rainy is going through a tough spell trying to get sorted out with some common issues early in the process. Once she gets the mask sorted out she'll sleep much better and feel a lot better in her daily life.
• Many people who have sleep apnea will no longer have it once they lose the weight. So it's not a life sentence.
• Not everyone who is overweight or has a large neck diameter has sleep apnea. There are skinny people who have it also. It just seems to be more prevalent in people who are overweight or have large necks so they normally test people who fall into that category.

No one should freak out about this. There's a lot you can do to prevent it and it's definitely nothing you would want to leave untreated.

Hey Polar Bear, I just heard from a company that saw this conversation. They wanted me to let you know they offer financing for CPAP supplies. Check this out:

Cheap CPAP Supplies Financing

Thanks everyone, and thank you especially Brett for passing that on. Im looking into it and it may help others too