Prime Sleep Apnea
Topic 21623 | Page 1
Hey all went well with the physical I have to take a sleep apnea test now lady at orientation said that they might just give me a 30 day card for the machine to get a history if that is the case do I redo the entire physical? Or will I get the 1 year med card
You still have to test even though you already have a machine? Won't they let you get info from your Dr and previous 30 day history from your machine?
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.
No I don't have a machine I have been told 2 different things at prime I have to get tested for sleep apnea cause of my BMI everything else was great BP and the rest of the physical since I have to do a sleep apnea test and find out that I have it do I only get a 30 day card so they can see if I'm compliant and if I do does that mean I have to redo the DOT physical again or do I get a 1 year card ?
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.
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.
No I don't have a machine I have been told 2 different things at prime I have to get tested for sleep apnea cause of my BMI everything else was great BP and the rest of the physical since I have to do a sleep apnea test and find out that I have it do I only get a 30 day card so they can see if I'm compliant and if I do does that mean I have to redo the DOT physical again or do I get a 1 year card ?
I have sleep apnea and I have a one year card. But, I had my physical done before going to my company sponsored program
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.
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.
You'll go through a new physical each time you get a new card.
You should be given a 60 day card to use with your permit. Once you test out and get yoir CDL you need to schedule the apnea test appt. They will give you a class for it when the time comes to explain everything. The sleep people are in Campis Inn.
if you test negative for apnea, they will give you a new DOT physical and give you a 2 year card. If you test positive for apnea, you will get a new physical and a 1 year card. Prime will advance you the money for the apnea test and machine, but they pay for the DOT physical for company drivers.
The 30 day card for a history is for those who already have a machine and need to present the past 30 days read outs.
feel free to ask any more quesrions
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I wonder if you get your physical somewhere other than the Springfield terminal if they are going to push the sleep apnea issue ad hard as they do in Springfield. I know it's my own fault, but still kinda worried about it....
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.
I wonder if you get your physical somewhere other than Springfield terminal if they are going to push the sleep apnea issue as hard
My guess is since this sleep apnea issue as you call it comes from a DOT mandate, that no matter where you go, if you have a cdl or want to get one and you fall within the screening parameters, you are going to have to get tested.
Honestly, I don’t get this whole line of thinking that there is some sort of conspiracy to push a bunch of truck drivers into using a cpap that wouldn’t otherwise need to. Either you have obstructive sleep apnea or you don’t. If you do, you really want to get it diagnosed and get started with therapy because there are a bunch of other problems that can and most likely will arise from untreated sleep apnea.
If you don’t have it, then all you are out is the time it took to do the sleep study. I know Rainy struggles with her cpap, but I know many more fellow “hose nose’s” that really do well with their cpap therapy. If I could change things, granted I would choose to not have sleep apnea, but since that isn’t possible, I choose to do the best I can with my cpap and for me, it works really well. I won’t even take a nap without wearing mine. It does add a little to the logistics when I travel, but it is like anything else, you figure it out and make it work.
From everything I have heard and read, the trucking industry more than any other is really quite supportive of drivers who have apnea. So I for one am grateful for that.
I wish you the best, and no matter what the outcome, know it isn’t the end of the world. Stay positive and make the best of whatever comes your way.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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.
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Its a DOT issue if you are diagnosed and most companies dont push you to get diagnosed. As a student you are not getting paid until you get your CDL which means 3 to 4 weeks without pay trying to pay your bills with the prospect of a $1100 bill hanging over your head. Add in costs of $120 for TWIC Card, $500 for chains/locks for reefer drivers or $2000+ for flatbed tarps/straps, plus any food advance money which could be $800+ dollars and god forbid the $1000 pet fee---all while making half of what you will once you gain experience....well its overwhelming. Thank god prime doesnt charge payments for schooling like Swift or you wouldnt make anything in the beginning.
Now add in the hassle of cleaning the machine. apnea or not, machine or not, showers are not always a daily luxury. Personal time is a precious commodity, 10 hours might sound like a long time, but when you consider "normal people" get 5pm to maybe 7am to relax and unwind in non working hours, we get 4 hours less. so on a 10 hour break you need to shower (which waiting in line could take an hour), eat, do laundry, sleep, and shop....plus get my required time on the machine and take time to clean it is stressful. Not one driver i asked has abided by the "proper machine cleaning rules" we were given. That is more dangerous to cause infections. I know drivers who stay out 2 to 3 months and only clean the machine on home time. Im lazy and paid $300 for the SoClean machine to do it for me.
So now you have new drivers who are trying to adjust to driving 500+ miles per day through bad weather, hills, at night....guess what...apnea or not you are exhausted. you dont get much sleep. But OMG wait... i didnt get my full hours on the machine and now the $2 per week for monitoring I pay is biting me in the butt because im being told Im not DOT compliant.
There were nights as a newbie when i parked and fell asleep in the drivers seat or crawled into the sleeper without going to the restroom or eating. And that was after i tested negative for apnea. So there is no way i would have remembered to put on a mask. Now consider there is an "acceptable adjustment period" of getting used to the machine. so i slept fine and felt fine before, but now it is acceptable to make me me exhausted while keeping my top performance and paying $1100-$1400.
Oh and wait...the filters, mask replacements, hoses etc. even though truck stops sell some of these, not all do and not all are interchangable. this means special trips to the terminal or home. this means more down time, less money. In October it took me almost a week in the terminal to get my DOT physical to get me the script for the sleep study, get the consultation, the test, the results, a new DOT phsycial and then mail the card to the NJ DMV who refused to take a fax. so a week of no pay plus a bunch of aggravation. then they tell you "you may need to exchange the mask a couple times, you get a 30 day exchange period". yeah, like i want to come back or can afford it. and as a company driver, prime paid the two DOT physicals in two days. A lease op would have paid $100 for the physicals.
The most infuriating thing for me was when they said if you are a stomach sleeper which i am, you cannot physically have apnea...then they tested me on my side not my stomach because of the wires.
its a hassle and we need to pay a lot of money and personal time for a hassle. its annoying as hell for something they are not doing to everyone but singling out a group of people while stating that anyone can have genetic apnea. with the BMI perameters, even the top athletes in the world and hottest movie stars would need the test due to muscle mass.
Im not a small woman, but even when i was a size 8 which is two sizes smaller than the national average for american women, i still would have been "obese" due to my muscle mass increasing my BMI.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
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.
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.
Dm:
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.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
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.
How much do they take out each check for the CPAP?
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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Hey all went well with the physical I have to take a sleep apnea test now lady at orientation said that they might just give me a 30 day card for the machine to get a history if that is the case do I redo the entire physical? Or will I get the 1 year med card
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.