say NO to snoring

[8up]

we have recently had two package drivers who answered YES to snoring on their recent DOT physical paperwork. both have had their DOT cards pulled while they go through several weeks of sleep apnea studies. they have had to bump back into the building to get work and all of the extra Dr. visits and added medical studies are coming out of pocket, the co-pay. all of this for admitting that they snore while sleeping. this may have been intended to identify sleepy over the road drivers, but has little to do with the highly active delivery driver, constantly getting in and out of the car, mentally working through the route and car, there is no way this person is going to nodding off at the wheel.
remember say NO to snoring at your next DOT physical, and save yourself all the ordeal.

 

[Channahon]

Did know a package car driver who had narcolepsy and believe it or not, was able to keep his DOT card. Luckily for the driver and UPS he never had a safety incident and did retire from UPS. This was about 6 years ago, things may have changed with the DOT since then.

The main characteristic of narcolepsy is overwhelming excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), even after adequate night time sleep. A person with narcolepsy is likely to become drowsy or to fall asleep, often at inappropriate times and places. Daytime naps may occur with or without warning and may be irresistible. These naps can occur several times a day. They are typically refreshing, but only for a few hours. Drowsiness may persist for prolonged periods of time. In addition, night-time sleep may be fragmented with frequent awakenings.

 

[Sammie]

we have recently had two package drivers who answered YES to snoring on their recent DOT physical paperwork. both have had their DOT cards pulled while they go through several weeks of sleep apnea studies. they have had to bump back into the building to get work and all of the extra Dr. visits and added medical studies are coming out of pocket, the co-pay. all of this for admitting that they snore while sleeping. this may have been intended to identify sleepy over the road drivers, but has little to do with the highly active delivery driver, constantly getting in and out of the car, mentally working through the route and car, there is no way this person is going to nodding off at the wheel.
remember say NO to snoring at your next DOT physical, and save yourself all the ordeal.

Not necessarily!!!!!!

But I'm only speaking for one driver friend who recently retired but was diagnosed with it while still working.

With the sleep apnea he had but didn't realize he had, he always slept badly at night and was miserable trying to stay awake every day. He admitted to the snoring on his last physical and yes he did have to go thru medical maneuvers.

He was also very upset and thought somebody was cracked when it was suggested that he might have sleep apnea, which shouldn't be taken lightly. It's associated with coronary disease, irregular heart rhythms, hypertension, stroke, and some folks don't wake up from a tough night of struggling to breathe. He uses a respirator of sorts at night now and that seems to have fixed him up...

 

[sendagain]

A lot of it can be caused by being overweight. I lost thirty pounds and my snoring stopped; the airways had less fat on them to hinder my breathing. It is all the latest fad to help people with sleep disorders. I suppose it is the latest goldrush in the medical field.

 

[aspenleaf]

A lot of it can be caused by being overweight. I lost thirty pounds and my snoring stopped; the airways had less fat on them to hinder my breathing. It is all the latest fad to help people with sleep disorders. I suppose it is the latest goldrush in the medical field.

Being overweight like you said can cause snoring but so can all the reasons Sammie listed. There is a problem if you are waking up 200-400 times a night with sleep apnea. The person won't recall waking up that many times but those who have been sleep studied show they cycle all night with waking up after not breathing. I am not sure it is a fad but I can see how people could use it as such. Congrats on losing weight btw - you must feel a lot better!

 

[Sammie]

A lot of it can be caused by being overweight. I lost thirty pounds and my snoring stopped; the airways had less fat on them to hinder my breathing. It is all the latest fad to help people with sleep disorders. I suppose it is the latest goldrush in the medical field.

I just told my sleep apnea pal that I mentioned earlier,Ronald McDonald, as I call him, about this thread. He was told to expect to lose a lb. or two when he got the condition under control and he has. Not sleeping well affects a blood protein which affects one's appetite and here comes the munchies.
Pretty amazing.

 

[over9five]

8up is right. At your DOT physical, YOU DO NOT SNORE.

If you're worried about it, talk to your personal doctor.

 

[scratch]

I have Sleep Apnea, it can be a problem. During my Sleep Study, I was wired up to a monitor, and woke up 120 times over a three hour period, which is considered a mild case. Your brain wakes your body up because you quit breathing, so your body doesn't get the deep sleep it needs. I had the throat surgery, which removed my tonsils and adenoids. This is only about 50% effective. I used to wake up in the morning alone because my snoring was so bad my wife would go sleep downstairs. Now she is still there, the surgery "changed the tone". It is common in overweight people, when the surgery doesn't work, the treatment is something called a C-PAC machine. This is a machine that pumps air into a nose piece, forcing air into your lungs. You sleep like a baby, and enjoy a deep, restful sleep. My surgery helped some, since I move around all day long my job doesn't suffer. But I will nod off sometimes if I sit still for an hour or so, like in a meeting or sitting in a church pew. I have to bring a note from the surgeon when I go for my yearly DOT physical.

If you snore bad and wake up in the morning with a dry sore throat and are tired all day, then you probably have it. Make an appointment with an Ear, Nose, Throat doctor.

 

[neverskiplunch]

Uh hello? This is all Bull$#%#! Everyone snores at some point during their lifetime.

 

[Cole]

Excellent post friend, I learned this the hard way myself, and had to go through alot of crap. I snored mildly one night which coincidentally was the night before I had a physical a few years ago, and mentioned my wife said I had snored, and that ended up being a mistake. Only becuase I had her monitor me afterwards and it didn't happen anymore, but Apnea can be dangerous so don't play around with it if it is a potential problem imho.

 

[705red]

I have Sleep Apnea, it can be a problem. During my Sleep Study, I was wired up to a monitor, and woke up 120 times over a three hour period, which is considered a mild case. Your brain wakes your body up because you quit breathing, so your body doesn't get the deep sleep it needs. I had the throat surgery, which removed my tonsils and adenoids. This is only about 50% effective. I used to wake up in the morning alone because my snoring was so bad my wife would go sleep downstairs. Now she is still there, the surgery "changed the tone". It is common in overweight people, when the surgery doesn't work, the treatment is something called a C-PAC machine. This is a machine that pumps air into a nose piece, forcing air into your lungs. You sleep like a baby, and enjoy a deep, restful sleep. My surgery helped some, since I move around all day long my job doesn't suffer. But I will nod off sometimes if I sit still for an hour or so, like in a meeting or sitting in a church pew. I have to bring a note from the surgeon when I go for my yearly DOT physical.

If you snore bad and wake up in the morning with a dry sore throat and are tired all day, then you probably have it. Make an appointment with an Ear, Nose, Throat doctor.

Scratch can you teach me to snore so my wife can sleep downstairs ? please. Having the bed all to my self sounds great!!!!!!!!

 

[BLACKBOX]

DOT Physicals.....never admit to anything, no family history of anything. If you put anything other than that, be prepared to fight to get your job back!

They may even want to test you yearly instead of every two years. So take the physical and get back on the road, you don't need the hassle.....

 

[phil]

Plus it's not like you get your physical from top notch doctors at the Mayo Clinic. I mean look at all those people who don't have any spine that they let in!

 

[tieguy]

Uh hello? This is all Bull$#%#! Everyone snores at some point during their lifetime.

Its also a sign of sleep apnea which can be very deadly. Sleep apnea getting a lot of press lately and does not sound like something you want to play around with.

 

[8up]

It was not my intention to have anyone over look a serious medical condition. The folks I know have none, they simply said that they snore and then were caught totally unaware of how that would affect their job and the unexpected out of pocket medical expenses. I believe that the intention of the DOT regs were to identify sleep disorders within the ranks of the over the road drivers, who spend long hours behind the wheel. This is a totally different element than someone who is making frequent stops, getting in and out of the vehicle, walking alot, making constant decisions of planning out their next ten stops plus the interpersonal contacts that go on with most stops. I don't know of any package car drivers that are nodding off at the wheel because they didn't sleep well last night. Some folks don't think twice when it comes to telling the truth, so for those who do they should just know what might come along with that.
Have a good day.

 

[over9five]

EVERY man snores. This is a ploy for sleep study doctors to make a bunch of extra cake.

Never admit to anything to the UPS doc in a box. If you're worried, talk to your own doctor.

 

[neverskiplunch]

Sleep Apnea and snoring are two different things, really, they are.

 

[upserslady]

Just had to chime in as a long time lurker. My husband is a driver of 23 years and I noticed he would stop breathing out of is nose and mouth at night. His chest would rise and fall but his throaght would close. I begged for nine months for him to get it checked out. Sleep apnea is very dangerous if left un treated. He failed the test big time ( enough for the doctor who performed the test called me at work and said to
get him back that afternoon for a bi-pap machine) He had a severe case of sleep apnea. I only knew this because my first husband did this as well as snore. I woke up freezing and asked him to turn the air up and he was out of it. His skin was cold and wet feeling and when I turned on the light he was blue. EMT's told me he would probably not make it to the ER. After 6 days in ICU he was put on the same as my current hubby. He refused to wear it (it is different but you get used to it and feel much better) and 6 months later died at the age of 34 due to an enlarged heart. Autopsy findings were that SA was to blame for the enlarged heart. It does kill people. My husband now thanks me every night when putting his mask on. He can testify it has added years already. Although I will say that the doctor did say overweight people tend to have it but many that are underweight have it also. Take care of yourself. You might not wake yourself up and if I had not witnessed my first hubby about die the first time I would have never known for sure that my new hubby had sleep apnea. One more note. In December of 06 hubby was on his route and was hit head on by an 18 wheeler hauling chalk from a mine and the driver never stopped. If hubby had not been paying close attention and try to avoid the accident he would have been a fatality. He was injured and quite shaken but an hour after EMTs cleaned him up he continued his route that day. Two days later we were still digging glass out of his ears and head. He was lucky and he knows it. The driver was later found the next day with damaged truck. NOTHING was done to this fella. No ticket - No nothing. He was pulled off the road for 1 week. Much to our suprise the local police said he was turning 80 yes 80 years old on Christmas Day and he said he didn't remember hitting anything. Please be safe out there and always watch for the other fool. Anytime I see UPS truck out there I smile and think of all you guys and what a great job you all do. Browns done alot for me!

 

[upsdude]

EVERY man snores. This is a ploy for sleep study doctors to make a bunch of extra cake.

Never admit to anything to the UPS doc in a box. If you're worried, talk to your own doctor.