Sleep apnea diagnosis/driving “on topic”
- Thread starter Cyclops
- Start date
Once you get diagnosed with sleep apnea you have to use a C-PAP machine as long as you want a DOT Card. I have to get a letter from my pulmonary doctor before I go for my yearly physical. The C-PAP machine has a memory card you take to the doctor so they know you are using it. The surgery is a joke and it seldom works.
Cyclops
Well-Known Member
I’ve heard the surgeries they do for sleep apnea are tonsillectomy and for deviated septum. But they will still let you drive with sleep apnea? What if you are diagnosed before you become a driver? Does this make you ineligible?
brown_trousers
Well-Known Member
Memory card to snitch on you?? I dont like the idea of that. Like having big brother watching you at home.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
The alternative is loss of DOT card which could mean loss of employment.
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Johney
Well-Known Member
Not true. We have had a couple guys get diagnosed with diabetes and unable to get DOT cards. They have to create 22.3 jobs for them that don't get rebid when they leave.
upschuck
Well-Known Member
In contract, says they only have to do a pt position, unless supplement or rider says different.
Turdferguson
Just a turd
As long as you are using your C-pap machine you are fine. They won't DQ you from driving for that
Johney
Well-Known Member
There are three in our building and all work 8 hours, so maybe we have a different rider or supplement.
My point is upjerk is wrong....again.
upschuck
Well-Known Member
That is the right thing to do
brown_trousers
Well-Known Member
That could be a creative way to get into a combo job with low seniority. Around here you need around 12 years seniority to get into a combo. But they are hiring drivers with less than 6 months seniority.
Bid a FT driving job at 6 months. Pass 30 day probation, then immediately get your DOT card revoked. You could potentially have a combo job with under 1 year of seniority
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Uh.......nope.
brown_trousers
Well-Known Member
I though the same thing, but if the contract really does support that....
I should have done that years ago
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
Do you realize that 22.3’s make about $6/hr less than a FT driver?
Johney
Well-Known Member
And you'll find a DOT Dr. to go along with your scam?
The first three months the C-PAP machine uses a transmitter to automatically send data in. After that you take the memory card with you to the pulmonary doctor so he can download the data. No letter from the doc, no DOT card. I did feel like a new man after getting used to the treatment, I have a lot more energy and I wake up fully alert in the morning. I no longer walked around in a daze and didn't nod off while driving long distances. That was one of several reasons I never went into Feeder driving myself.
Sleep Apnea is caused by your tongue relaxing when you fall asleep and that blocks off your airway. Your brain automatically wakes you up enough to get your breath, so you don't get any of the deep sleep you need to truly rest. My original sleep study showed I woke over 120 times over the night. I had a deviated septum removed years before that and my tonsils and other soft tissue in the back of my throat removed to increase my airway for the sleep apnea surgery. This surgery has about a 90% failure rate, it did nothing for me. A friend of mine had a custom-made dental appliance made, it did nothing for her. There is a new treatment called Inspire where an implant is installed to solve the problem, its too new for insurance to pay for it yet.
Sleep Apnea is caused by your tongue relaxing when you fall asleep and that blocks off your airway. Your brain automatically wakes you up enough to get your breath, so you don't get any of the deep sleep you need to truly rest. My original sleep study showed I woke over 120 times over the night. I had a deviated septum removed years before that and my tonsils and other soft tissue in the back of my throat removed to increase my airway for the sleep apnea surgery. This surgery has about a 90% failure rate, it did nothing for me. A friend of mine had a custom-made dental appliance made, it did nothing for her. There is a new treatment called Inspire where an implant is installed to solve the problem, its too new for insurance to pay for it yet.
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Johney
Well-Known Member
Again not true. Jesus man. Our night time shifter just retired $.91 an hour less than friend/t feeder.
UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)
Well-Known Member
I can tell you from experience 22.3’s make roughly $6/hr less than a FT driver.
brown_trousers
Well-Known Member
That sounds like a lot of painfull surgeries. And it didnt solve the issue. Ouch!
Yes, you can still drive with sleep apnea as long as you can prove you are taking treatment for it. These are DOT rules and they keep an eye on it to prevent commercial truck accidents. This is why they started measuring our neck size during DOT Physicals a few years back looking for symptoms. I don't personally know if it would pre-disqualify you from getting the job.
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