Got To Get A Sleep Study Done
Topic 24066 | Page 6
There are different machines depending on what you need. Our machines have modems and get monitored. As soon as we are not DOT compliant we can be put out of service. Also, it is much easier for the sleep monitoring company to send the compliance records for the next DOT physical... which you will need every year.
I sleep side and stomach and you can switch masks. They are expensive... $140ish.... but you usually get a 30 day exchange policy. it can take several mask changes to get the right one.
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.
Rainy makes a good point in that there are many different mask and hose combinations to try until you get the one that’s going to work best for your needs.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
It's something you'll get used to, like sleeping in the bunk in back. As for the hose, it usually doesn't cause a problem, like Rainy says. At home, I have a "bookcase" headboard, and put my machine on the top. Then the hose drops down onto my pillow. I'll tell you, coming in from above, I never roll onto it or otherwise get "tangled" up!
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Mine quit working twice the other night. Woke up suffocating, with an alarm sounding. The lady told me today that means it was off..
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.
I had my sleep test last night and of course I was told it was positive. I’m supposed to go out on the road tomorrow morning but I had to agree to buy their $1400 CPAP machine before I’d be allowed to drive.
Is that a reasonable cost for a machine? Or is this a racket ? And how does a driver get approved to stop using the machine if he gets his BMI down, etc.?
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.
I had my sleep test last night and of course I was told it was positive. I’m supposed to go out on the road tomorrow morning but I had to agree to buy their $1400 CPAP machine before I’d be allowed to drive.
Is that a reasonable cost for a machine? Or is this a racket ? And how does a driver get approved to stop using the machine if he gets his BMI down, etc.?
Once you are on a CPAP, your med card goes down to a 1 year, and you will need to prove compliance.
Since BMI is one of the indicators for OSA, reducing your weight is certainly a healthy choice. But in order to get OFF the CPAP/compliance, you will obviously have to be RE-TESTED AND CLEARED.
$1,400 is not "un-reasonable" for a compliant CPAP, and the whole "sleep apnea scam" has many differing opinions, most folks who have been diagnosed and use a CPAP report health benefits from it's use.
Rick
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.
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.
Thanks, Rick for the info. I’m not upset with this new development, but I would like to work on “disqualifying” myself from it’s use.
Has anybody on the forum been able to stop using the machine after re-testing?
I don't know about all this crap selling machines. I've always been a big guy just my bone structure. I have always had a 16" neck even when I weighed a scant 165 pounds when younger. Yeah I am a bit overweight due to living off sandwiches n quick junk with my broken leg.I couldn't stand a the stove and cook on crutches in a full cast! So I ate quicky stuff, and napped alot from boredom, stuck home 24/7.
Am never sick, rarely get so much as a cold every few years. Yeah I smoke and drink lots of coffee, so I wake up a couple times in the night to release the liquids lol. But go right back to sleep, and any dreams I might be having( sometimes, I wake myself "talking/cussing" in some dreams LOL....So the other day I measured my neck, it's at 18", I prolly weigh 260 give or take a few. My "Ideal" weight is 215-220 any less I look like I'm anorexic, period! Yet the BMI test says even 185 or less is where I should be HAHAHA ,,yeah and be like Skeletor....
My B.P. I test a few times a day, usually its "normal" I just have a high pulse rate 90+ depending what I'm doing actively......So now, I probably will have this added thing to look forward to, when I get to school in next week or so? sheeesh.....How many of those "DR's" happen to be somehow affiliated with the CPAP companies/reps?? kinda wonder.......Time will tell I guess, still got to have a positive attitude whatever comes down the pike
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.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.DWI:
Driving While Intoxicated
Not sure how tall you are but 260 and a 18 inch neck and you can almost guarantee a sleep study. I am getting one done in the next couple of weeks, because I wake up and feel sleepy, like I never feel rested. I fall asleep almost always in 5 minutes or less.... I am a bit round, 5”10 195lbs and feel like it’s a good idea, mainly for the daily fatigue, wake up with headaches. I don’t do caffeine after noon and eat mostly healthy, so it will be what is is, but I would like feeling rested after 8 hrs of “sleep”
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.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
This topic has the following tags:
DOT Physical DOT Physical Exemptions Health Concerns Life On The Road Sleep Apnea
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
I wanted to bump this thread up in order to ask some questions.
I've been told that after my sleep test if I need a CPAP machine (and I've been told that everyone gets one, no matter what), the test provider will dispense one on the spot. Does the driver get a choice as to what brand and model he gets? I was told flat out that mine will cost $1,400 and the cost is then taken gradually out of my paycheck. Also, how does being a "side sleeper" influence the use of the mask? I absolutely can't sleep flat on my back, so I've never been able to use headphones in bed, for instance.
I never even heard about sleep apnea and CPAP machines before getting into trucking, but now I see what a big issue it is.
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.