Very Concerned About CPAP
Topic 25373 | Page 1
I meant CPAP machine
Good! I thought you were worried about the Conservative Political Action Conference. Don't worry, Matt Schlapp has it under control!
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.
TM, we can always count on you to brighten the day in a trucker kind of way!
My dad had to get one to keep his CDL (which he has since surrendered) he still uses it, and says he sleeps better with it, but it took a few nights to get used to it.
Try not to get frustrated, give it some time.
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.
Bruce, yes of course it's treats the symptom and not the cause. The cause is generally a restricted airway from people being overweight, though that's not always the case. I would imagine if the cause is something other than obesity then some sort of corrective surgery would be needed to remedy the cause.
I'm not sure what options you have at this point beyond getting used to the mask while you try to remedy the cause. You say you were fine before this, but if you have sleep apnea then you weren't fine before this. You had simply gotten used to the fatigue and considered that your normal state. Countless people have attested to that over the years.
I train really hard for physical fitness 6 - 7 days a week. I live in a constant state of fatigue but I never notice it until I take a day off and suddenly I'm bouncing off the walls with energy and vibrancy. No matter how many times it happens it always surprises me how awesome I feel after a day off. I never notice the fatigue and never think about it otherwise, but I know that's my condition.
Honestly, if the mask is that unbearable then maybe you should take a break from trucking until you can get the situation resolved. But your first responsibility is to protect the people you share the highway with and if you really do have sleep apnea then you need to do something about it. If the mask is keeping you from sleeping and making the situation worse then you might have to show the ultimate responsibility to the people you share the highway with and step away for a while. Hopefully it won't come to that, but it's something you must consider.
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.
Brett, I agree with everything you pointed out. I’m going to talk to the sleep apnea people that Schneider uses. I’ll do that today and give it another shot tonight. And you can be assured that I will stop driving if I see that I’m a safety concern. Maybe I need to try another type of mask. I have looked at other comments about this, especially from Rainy about masks. Maybe i can get the company to install a hyperbaric chamber in the sleeper, lol.
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 got used to it after a while. You need to find a type of mask that will work for you. I went through 5 before I found one I could use reliably.
Keep using it, you'll get used to it. AND, you'll be amazed at how well you'll sleep. Along with the added advantage that it's literally saving you life.
I had a pretty terrible time starting out with mine, it was due to a bad mask. Once I got a mask that fit perfectly, I didn't have anymore problems besides water building up but I have since gotten that resolved. Make sure to talk to you sleep specialist, as they will be able to help you with getting a new mask, or adjusting the air pressure remotely if that's an issue as well.
Once I got used to mine, I've felt so much better. I didn't realize I was so fatigued all the time, as Brett said; you get used to it because it's an everyday thing. But I'm glad I started using it as it has been a tremendous help.
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Started with my CPAP machine tonight. I was worried about it from the get go because I have a phobia about anything on my head when I try to sleep. I should have been asleep 3 hours ago and would have been if not for this CRAP mask. I need to make 500 miles tomorrow and I’m going to ditch the mask so I can get some sleep.
I’m worried that my driving career is threatened by this issue. I love driving and I think I’m a very safe and alert driver. I’m already on a wellness program to eliminate the reasons for this machine. Doesn’t the CPAP policy just treat the symptom rather than the cause? But if using this mask is going to keep me from sleeping, I’d rather retire than drive tired. I’m just worried because I was doing fine before this development.
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.