Sleep Apnea Test

If you can get a DOT card from a different doctor I'm pretty sure that will become your official card. So maybe use the card you have now for the three months and get a physical from a different doctor when the time comes. If they give you a two year card then you're all set.

Hello all, new member & first time poster here. Been lurking for a few days.

I'm thinking about getting my CDL for a career change. Anyhow, I thought I'd chime in here with some recent experiences I've had with my asleep apnea. I hope this thread is the most recent apnea thread. If not I apologize for digging it up.

I was required by my employer to get a Med Card because we use straight trucks a lot. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea earlier in the year and use a CPAP machine. I disclosed this information at the clinic and was told I needed to go get a readout of my usage results. So after a few days of figuring out how to get it done I returned with 3 months of 99% good usage. The doc said he'll only give me a 3 months card. After 3 months I'd need to return with a year of results then he'd clear me for a year. My employer later decided we didn't need the card so I didn't renew it. (Kinda wish I would have now. They were paying for it).

Now 6 months later I talked to a Truck Driving School about enrollment and they told me "not" to disclose it on my app since it's controlled by a machine. I thought that's cool and should make it easy. Now I'm glad I've been reading here that companies are requiring it. I could see my not disclosing it and getting busted. That would suck. Not sure what I think of this company now

That's it for my little story. I hope this help someone getting ready to head to the clinic with a diagnosis already.

Thanks for the site! I look forward to perusing around.

Take care and be safe! Yancy

I would not recommend hiding the sleep apnea on an application, although I don't recall any of the ones I filled out specifically asking about it or medical conditions in general. The only medical questions on company applications I remember were regarding drug use, and nervous/psychiatric disorders. However, you will have to disclose your condition on your DOT long form. Failure to do so renders the medical certificate invalid, and will lead to serious problems should you be involved in any kind of accident (not to mention there is a civil penalty of up to $10,000 should you be found out). Additionally, if you gain employment with a company who doesn't allow inverters on trucks (Swift is a great example, they only allow an inverter if you need to run a CPAP machine as far as I know), you won't have a way to power your CPAP and your sleep will suffer, again leading to serious consequences if you are involved in an accident.

I ran into the same problem...my fiance has sleep apnea treated with a CPAP. We too visited a school where the owner told him to lie on the physical and not disclose the condition. Unfortunately for the owner, hearing that put his school straight onto the "NO" list. We didn't want to be trained by someone with such a disregard for safety and the law, not to mention the well-being of his students.

My fiance got his physical done, disclosed his sleep apnea, and had no problem getting certified. His medical certificate is good for one year as opposed to the regular two years. He told our recruiter at Swift about the apnea and CPAP as well, in order to make them aware of his need for a trainer with an inverter. So far, so good. Good luck Yancy!

Just had my physical for school. Have used CPAP since 08 with much success. DOT doc said he needed a printout but my older machine does not have that feature so he said a letter from my doc would work and be good for a year. Went to my doc and explained the situation and he set me up with a new Airsense 10 which not only records but can transmit. Of course my situation is different than a lot of folks who may not have insurance. Either way, a letter from your doc could go a long way.

I have been using a CPAP machine for a number of years. I have lost weight as well but still have enough of a problem to warrant the CPAP. I use it religiously and it works. I am applying for school this month and will be going for my physical soon. Should I be concerned if I'm under a doctor's care for this (and it is working)?

No, you should have nothing to worry about. You will need a modern unit with remote monitoring so your company knows you're using it. So you might need a new machine. Otherwise there are a ton of drivers out there using CPAP machines and doing great.

If this is the case, as I personally have a CPAP machine that I have had for years, so its obviously an older model and doesn't even have the smart card, just compliance data on a screen on the machine itself, will most companies (specifically Swift, where I start their school on the 29th) assist with paying for the new machine?

I have had sleep apnea for years, and like any other issue it's something you get use to and learn to live with. I sleep 6 hours and wake well rested and never fall a sleep during the day. There is no reason to assume a driver with sleep apnea is any more at risk than one who is not. If you know your limitations and plan for adaquit sleep time you are just as safe as the next guy.

The studies conducted by the dot were horribly flawed and should not be accepted as the truth. The crashes cited were due to distraction in most cases, not falling asleep at the wheel.

If you go to a clinic and answer the questions honestly good on you, but I refuse to be singled out due to a condition that has not been scentificaly linked to increased risk and possibly be taken off the road. For those who wonder I do hold a bachelors in nursing, and did 11 years in the army with sleep apnea working in the worst situations while sleep deprived. I never ever fell asleep on the job. This might not be the case with everyone with the condition but only you the individual knows your limitations.

Take breaks as needed and sleep as needed, if you can't stay awake park the truck. Rule applies to anyone, but read the studies and be informed

If you can get a DOT card from a different doctor I'm pretty sure that will become your official card. So maybe use the card you have now for the three months and get a physical from a different doctor when the time comes. If they give you a two year card then you're all set.

I did just this, had a three month card due to being sick at the time of my first physical and meds caused high bp. Went in to a different more professional clinic a month later and got a two year card. Some doctors and clinics are stricter than others and looking to throw you under the bus. Ask around at school for a good clinic. If in Colorado springs avoid emergicare at all costs especially if you are over weight.

If you go to a clinic and answer the questions honestly good on you, but I refuse to be singled out due to a condition that has not been scentificaly linked to increased risk and possibly be taken off the road.

James, your choices are your own, however if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and fail to disclose it on the physical it could lead to quite a few problems in the future. Be careful out there.

I provide Home Sleep Apnea testing and I came to this website looking for information on trucking companies, particular interest in truck driving schools. With recent feedback from some of the truckers I have performed test on, and reviewing information on pending legislative reviews on sleep apnea and the transportation industry, it just seemed reasonable this would be an area where individuals could benefit from my services.

No need to hide the elephant in the blog, we all work for a living. Yes, I provide a service and no, you do not have to use my service to get answers to questions.

I've been in sleep medicine for 14yrs and yes, sleep apnea testing is becoming more and more a big deal with transportation. But, without uniform regulations and directives, individual companies and physicians are setting their on rules/guidelines. Not only can I help you navigate this mess, I can help you stay compliant if you do have sleep apnea.

After reviewing some of the comments on this blog, I will just make some statements which may cover questions already asked.

Home sleep apnea testing is accepted as per the DOT recommendations.

The DOT has recommendations concerning sleep apnea screening, but being screened for sleep apnea is not a law, yet.

How you are tested, or where you are tested, may be dictated by the doctor, it really depends on the doctor you are visiting. If you are seeing a primary care physician, they usually have no ties to sleep medicine and will simply order the test, you can get the test anywhere you want to. With the exception being if they are affiliated with a group. If you go to Flattop Physicians group and that group is part of Flattop hospital, you will probably be referred to that hospital for sleep testing. But you may still be able to go somewhere else.

If you go to a specialist for sleep, such as a ENT, Neurologist or Pulmonologist, there is a higher probability they are directly associated with a sleep lab. Directly associated as in owner of the lab, medical director of the lab, or possible owner of a cpap company, or all of the above. They are effectively running one stop shops. That can be good or bad, depends on the person.

If you company is requiring the test for sleep apnea, they may pay for it and if needed, may cover the cost of any therapy as needed. Or they may not.

What can I tell you about getting tested for sleep apnea? Shop around. Don't take the first thing that comes along. Going into a sleep lab for overnight testing can be very, very expensive, over $1000. And most doctor do not require you to go into a sleep lab, they will do home sleep testing.

My company offers home sleep testing for only $200. Give me a call, 843-771-0220.

My company offers cpap compliance monitoring at no cost. We provide the reports you need to keep your job.

I am not a doctor, I am a registered sleep technologist. I started my own company the same way a trucker would start his. I put in my time working for the doctors, saved up, and moved forward. If I run a home sleep test for you, I pay the doctor a flat fee to provide me a signed interpretation/report of the test. The physician does not get anything other than a flat fee, doesn't matter if you test positive or negative.

I also offer the cpap therapy machines if you do test positive, so I am a one stop shop, but with a twist. As stated, I am a sleep tech with a company, the physican does not benefit or receive any additional monies other than the flat fee for his review/report.

Look us up on line, www.rpmhst.com

Thanks

Thanks for all of that Randy.

What can I tell you about getting tested for sleep apnea? Shop around. Don't take the first thing that comes along.

My concern is that a doctor isn't going to say "You need to be tested so go get tested wherever you like and let us know how it goes". The trucking companies normally have their own doctors they use for their physicals and those doctors would normally have their own clinics or technicians they are using for sleep apnea testing. I don't think a driver is really going to have a choice when it comes to the type of testing they get done and where it gets done.

Any thoughts on that?