The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Sleep Apnea and Truck Drivers

This is serious stuff. I could bore you with the numbers and a dozen web sites talking about sleep apnea, instead this is from a personal perspective with a few numbers and facts thrown in.

At The Wheel With Sleep Apnea! – Sleep Disorders including, Sleep Apnea, Narcolepsy, Insomnia, Snoring and Nightmares

They also noted that the prevalence of obstructed sleep apnea in drivers is estimated at 3%, or 4.7 million drivers. A recent study of 1,391 commercial truck drivers found that 28% had obstructive sleep apnea, with more than one-third characterized as moderate to severe.

3% of the driving public but 28% of truck drivers. If PATT was really concerned with ‘Tired Truckers’ they would be focused on trying to solve this problem and help drivers in this situation. Instead they are on a personal vendetta against the entire industry. But that’s a seperate post.

People at risk seem to be men over 40 and overweight. A lot of the trucking population. Here’s a pretty long list of symptoms to look for here. Have your wife call 1-888-35-SNORE, let them listen to the examples to see if that’s the way you snore. There’s the American Sleep Apnea Association, FMCSA has done a study on it. Just ‘google’ sleep apnea for thousands of resources and information. Call your doctor, make an appointment.

After being diagnosed with sleep apnea from people that were around me, it took me two years to get officially diagnosed and treated. Like many drivers, I was afraid that if diagnosed I would be fired and not be able to drive. I finally gave in. Went to a doctor for a referral to a sleep center. Turned it in to the insurance, and had everything pre-approved. If the company was going to fire me, that was something I had to face. It was either that or fall asleep out on the road and hurt myself, or worse, someone else.

My condition was pretty bad, I would sleep for 8-10 hours, get up and drive and need a nap after a couple of hours. The slightest thing made me drowsy, from a big meal, driving into the sun, reading a couple of pages from a book or magazine, I would either need a nap, or be extremely drowsy. I was getting up two or three times a night to urinate. At the time I didn’t know that was a symptom. I thought I was having prostrate problems or just drinking too much during the day. I was drinking a lot during the day. Coffee, energy drinks, energy pills, I tried it all. Most of the time I was in a haze and a constant battle trying to stay awake.

Sleep Apnea Information – American Sleep Apnea Association ASAA

Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, and research into additional options continues.

When you read about a crash at 3 or 4 in the morning you can pretty much guess that it was from one of the drivers falling asleep. When you read about a crash in the afternoon, falling asleep doesn’t sound like a possibility. My own personal opinion is that some of these day time crashes when the driver says he was distracted, spilled his coffee or something just as lame, I would bet that it was because he was drowsy or falling asleep.

I’ve read several letters to the editors of the major trucking magazines where drivers are afraid to be diagnosed. Even though everything is paid by insurance, there is still the fear of being fired. I didn’t go to my Safety officer and tell them I was drowsy all day. I took it upon myself and went to a doctor and sleep center and got my CPAP machine. All covered by insurance. If it got back to the company fine. My argument was going to be that it was better that I was treated then not being treated. It never came to that and I haven’t had a problem going to other companies. I don’t advertise (till now!) that I have a problem, because it’s not a problem when I use my machine. And I always use my machine. Always. I can honestly say that it has saved my life. I feel great. I don’t get tired or drowsy during the day at all. I wake up after 8 hours without an alarm and drive all day without a nap and without caffeine. I can function on less, because the sleep I do get is deep and restorative.

It’s been about 3 years since I was diagnosed and received my CPAP machine. There are a couple different remedies but the best one is a CPAP or biPAP machine depending on your condition. There is a surgery available that cuts the soft tissue away that causes the blockage. I’ve read that the recovery is long and extremely painful and only has a 50% chance on complete success.

I’m not doing this just to fill space. I’m ‘cured’. I don’t have a problem. I do know there are a lot of undiagnosed cases out there. And those drivers may be afraid of being diagnosed. First, don’t be. If you get fired there are plenty of reasonably minded companies out there. Save yourself, protect the people around you. If you wake up several times at night, if you’ve ever woken up choking and you need a nap during the day after sleeping all night, please, please get tested. It’s such a common situation nowadays, there are sleep centers everywhere. Most require a referral from a doctor (usually just your family doctor), but all doctors are aware of this. Tell the doctor you’re a truck driver and you will get a referral. You won’t regret it. If the small minded company you drive for fires you, you’re probably better off anyway.

Originally posted 2008-08-22 03:45:00.