Will Get 3 Month Medical Card...what Now?
Topic 11799 | Page 1
I went through the exact same thing with my CPAP. Take some melatonin it should help you sleep. I have finally gotten use to the darn thing
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.
Well, she said there's a LOT of truckers who suffer from sleep apnea. She said this shouldn't keep me from going into this field. But I worry that some companies will not hire me as a new driver for them who is already diagnosed with it....
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.
Well, she said there's a LOT of truckers who suffer from sleep apnea. She said this shouldn't keep me from going into this field. But I worry that some companies will not hire me as a new driver for them who is already diagnosed with it....
While that is a true statement, this usually isn't a factor. The company will have you meet with their approved Medical Professional, anyway, as part of your orientation. You probably already have your preferred companies that you want to drive for. Best thing to do, is ask their recruiter. Even if company A will not hire you, company B, C, D, E, and F, will. So who cares about company A. It is their loss that they won't have you as one of their drivers. 
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.
Biggest thing about having a CPAP machine is that the company that hires you will have to install a power inverter if they don't already have one installed.
So it would be something to be on the look out for when you are deciding what companies to apply at. If they provide APU's , it's a good chance you will not have anything to be concerned with, it will already have an inverter installed more than likely.
Ernie
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.
APU's:
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.
I recently went thru all the medical preparations to make sure I will be able to pass the DOT physical. In the process I found out I have sleep apnea... I wasn't shocked at all. Actually, I kind of expected I had it. I've had my CPAP for about 2 weeks now, and I love it. I feel great in the mornings now. The biggest change for me is that I actually dream now when I sleep. I never got into deep enough sleep to start dreaming. The machine I have has a cell phone built in, so I can set it up to transmit log info without having to deal with the smart card transfer.
I'm gravitating toward Roehl. The have APU's in all their trucks now, so I don't have to worry about idling. Schneider says they don't have APU's.
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.
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.
APU's:
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.
That stinks....the school I'm going to attend, Schneider apparently hires a lot from them. :(
Some of the cpap machines have a little cigarette lighter plugin. I think the guy in my orientation said his was a airsense.
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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Ok, so I received a phone call from the nurse practitioner who performed my DOT physical. After going for the ultrasound, they said the results showed my bladder and kidneys as "stable". She had sent me because during the physical, they tested me twice with protein and blood in my urine. So I guess that's clear.
She also found in previous medical records that the massive blood clot in my brain only showed residual clotting afterwards and that it was deemed stable, as well. That's clear.
Now I'm going for another sleep study, after she found out I previously had sleep apnea a few years back and I returned the machine after nearly destroying it myself with a sledge hammer. She said if I have sleep apnea still, I will need to find a way to deal with the darn thing, or no CDL for me. I'm going on Tuesday night for that.
She said that since I need to be monitored for 30 days in the machine, that she will give me a medical card good 3 months, so I can start private school as planned on December 26th.
I'm really nervous because I'm borrowing the money from someone to go ($5000) and once I start school, there is no going back. I HAVE TO get my CDL and then get a job in the field, because no matter what, I'll have to pay back that money!!! Ugh.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.
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.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated