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+--- Thread: Forced to sleeplessness (/Thread-Forced-to-sleeplessness)
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Forced to sleeplessness - Sleptgoodb4 - 09-19-2015
I'm an over the road driver and as such was forced into this nightmare by our fine government. My wife will tell you I only snore when I'm sick or on those 2 or 3 times a year when i get drunk. But because a our govenrment loves taking our money anyway thy can I had to submit to testing or my family suffers.
I was tested and oh the shock of my life (sarcasm) was told I have sleep apnea. I returned for them to run the tests for the cpap machine and i found it odd that the results with the machine were worse than the results without it. Also after waking from the original test at 0430 I was told how refreshed I looked and acted. After the second night I had a splitter headache, seriously snotty nose, and was exhausted. I found his a bit odd.
I've been using this overpriced humidifier with a fan on it for a little over a month now. I find myself looking for an energy drink right after I brush my teeth. I usually wake with a headache and same snotty nose, oh and now my lungs hurt all day. But hey here is a brigt side. My sleep score is usually in th 90s. I usually register 0.1 events per hr and the only drops in score comes from not sleeping more than 7 hrs or leaking mask. Again i find this a bit odd. I would have thouht someone with moderate to severe apnea would have a much lower score and/or feel alot better.
I felt better before I was forced into treatment for something I never complained about. So i guess my question for those of you that have been in this (lets not call it a scam just yet) sleep thingy for a while now is is my situation normal or should i go see a real dr?
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - AlanE - 09-19-2015
Former OTR here. I know what it's like sleeping in a truck. Couldn't image having to sleep with a xPAP machine to boot.
It takes a while to get used to the machine. If you really have apnea and have had it for a while you will need time to get adjusted. It took me a couple of months. Everyone is different though. Some feel better right away, some take a lot longer than me. Your profile suggests you are in CPAP mode. 12 is a heavy pressure to get used to. Did you get your test at a sleep clinic? Do you have the results of your sleep study? If not, I would try to get them.
With your machine, you can switch it to APAP mode and set a range of air pressure. It's difficult to say what to set it to without reading the titration results.
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - Sleptgoodb4 - 09-19-2015
Got both, orginal test and pap titration results. Kinda greek to me. All i know is i never had a problem with sleeping or breathing while sleeping. Now because of this i do
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - zonk - 09-19-2015
First of all, welcome to Apnea Board
Please be patient, things take time
The more time you invest in understanding how the machine works, the less time would take in getting used to it
There are some good advice for newbies in this wiki (please read it)
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Tips_for_new_CPAP_users
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - trish6hundred - 09-19-2015
Hi Sleptgoodb4,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - Sleptgoodb4 - 09-20-2015
Alan on my machine all it will allow me to adjust is ramp time and tube temp. If i remember correctly the lady that sold me the thing said the pressure is preset
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - PaytonA - 09-20-2015
At the top of the page if you click on setup manuals you can get the correct clinician's manual for your machine. It will tell you haw to get into the"secret" menus where you can set the mode and the pressure.
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - Sleptgoodb4 - 09-20-2015
Thx I'll check into that. 1 little concern tho, I have to present my chip when I get my DOT physical, if I change pressure setting will that cause me to fail my physical? No med card, no worky, wife very mad
I hate the government btw
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - justMongo - 09-20-2015
Sleptgoodb4: I've been reading about DOT compliance at the American Trucking Association.
They claim examiners are operating under misconceptions regarding what are regulatory standards and what are guidelines.
On what basis were you sent for a sleep apnea test? Body Mass Index (BMI) and neck circumference are sometimes used; but there is no clear guideline for examiners to follow.
Quoted:
Misconceptions:
Many certified medical examiners are operating under the false pretense that drivers who exhibit specific risk factors (e.g. BMI >35kg/m2 or large neck circumference) must undergo a sleep study for OSA before they can be certified. While BMI and neck size may be indicators, there are many factors that may put a driver at risk for OSA and they should be viewed collectively.
There are several organizations misleading medical examiners by contending that sleep testing of all drivers is a regulatory requirement. The American Trucking Associations has fielded many inquiries from concerned individuals and organizations seeking clarification about what they understand to be new Department of Transportation regulations. To be clear, no such regulations or even advisory criteria specifically on OSA exist.
It is the responsibility of the certified medical examiner to use his or her best judgment to certify that a driver is medical qualified to perform the functions of a professional truck driver. An examiner may be, at times, justified in requiring additional testing to rule out sleep disorders. It is not however, a regulatory requirement to test every driver who exhibits a single risk fact (e.g. high BMI).
RE: Forced to sleeplessness - Sleptgoodb4 - 09-20-2015
BMI is why they sent me to the witch dr, err, sleep study. Now that I'm in the system it will take an act of God to get me out of this. I'm really getting tired of feeling like crap because of this treatment