03-27-2012, 01:09 AM
need advise - need advice
[parts of this thread were copied from our old forum]
...................................................................................................
alliken wrote:
Have recently been told by my family doctor that i may have sleep apnea. It will be 4 weeks before i can see a specialist. As i am a truck driver i have been considering leaving my job until after i see the specialistas i'm finding it a battle to fight the tiredness that seam to be getting worse. Also i suffer from a panic dissorder which seems to be getting worse because of the constant tiredness.Would it be wise to take time off till this looked at.
...................................................................................................
ConnCarl wrote:
Welcome to Apnea Board, Alliken!
The way I see it, there are a couple of issues here. First, there's the problem of driving with untreated sleep apnea. It's certainly a liability for you and your employer, and in some juridictions, it can even result in criminal charges. If your circumstances allow, it would be best if you could stop driving for now.
The other problem is the four week wait to see a specialist.
Don't take this the wrong way...I encourage you to consult a sleep specialist. But there's no reason to wait four weeks, particularly when you drive for a living. Any medical doctor can send you for a polysomnography, or sleep study, which will not only determine whether or not you suffer from sleep apnea, but can also titrate or calculate the correct pressure to provide you with optimum therapy from a positive pressure device such as CPAP.
Delays at sleep centers and laboratories are common. If that's the problem, you can ask for a home trial of a recording autopap machine. It's basically a cheap, down-and-dirty in-home sleep study. Usually they can be arranged very quickly, often within a day or so. If CPAP doesn't improve your symptoms, there's no harm done. On the other hand, you might wake up feeling refreshed and well rested and be on your way to effective therapy. If that's the case, your doctor can review the data from the machine and give you a scrip for a CPAP machine of your own.
Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
Carl
.............................................................................................
alliken wrote:
Forgot to say that i was from Australia and for some stupid reason in order to do a sleep study u need a referal from a sleep disorder specialist which means as much as i pushed i have no choice but to wait. Also i suffer from a server panic disorder do u think this could be connected to the apnea.
...............................................................................................
coco wrote:
First let me say that you are the judge of this problem. I know that doctors hear in the US have an obligation to report any disability while driving that might endanger other people. Here in MO the doctor sends a form to the state and the state revokes your license. Then you have to go through a process to prove compliance and treatment for your disability, before you will get your license back.
There are drugs that can be used to help with your awareness while you are driving. That might be something to talk to your doctor about.
I guess what I am trying to say is to step lightly before you find yourself out of a career.
To your question about panic disorder, there is no doubt that lack of sleep can produce problems such as panic disorder. There are hormones that come into play while you are sleeping. I know with me, when my apnea is acting up. Like when I get a cold, flu or even swollen glands I have a real problem keeping my fight or flight hormone in check.
Please take care of yourself and be safe
coco
..........................................................................................
...................................................................................................
alliken wrote:
Have recently been told by my family doctor that i may have sleep apnea. It will be 4 weeks before i can see a specialist. As i am a truck driver i have been considering leaving my job until after i see the specialistas i'm finding it a battle to fight the tiredness that seam to be getting worse. Also i suffer from a panic dissorder which seems to be getting worse because of the constant tiredness.Would it be wise to take time off till this looked at.
...................................................................................................
ConnCarl wrote:
Welcome to Apnea Board, Alliken!
The way I see it, there are a couple of issues here. First, there's the problem of driving with untreated sleep apnea. It's certainly a liability for you and your employer, and in some juridictions, it can even result in criminal charges. If your circumstances allow, it would be best if you could stop driving for now.
The other problem is the four week wait to see a specialist.
Don't take this the wrong way...I encourage you to consult a sleep specialist. But there's no reason to wait four weeks, particularly when you drive for a living. Any medical doctor can send you for a polysomnography, or sleep study, which will not only determine whether or not you suffer from sleep apnea, but can also titrate or calculate the correct pressure to provide you with optimum therapy from a positive pressure device such as CPAP.
Delays at sleep centers and laboratories are common. If that's the problem, you can ask for a home trial of a recording autopap machine. It's basically a cheap, down-and-dirty in-home sleep study. Usually they can be arranged very quickly, often within a day or so. If CPAP doesn't improve your symptoms, there's no harm done. On the other hand, you might wake up feeling refreshed and well rested and be on your way to effective therapy. If that's the case, your doctor can review the data from the machine and give you a scrip for a CPAP machine of your own.
Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
Carl
.............................................................................................
alliken wrote:
Forgot to say that i was from Australia and for some stupid reason in order to do a sleep study u need a referal from a sleep disorder specialist which means as much as i pushed i have no choice but to wait. Also i suffer from a server panic disorder do u think this could be connected to the apnea.
...............................................................................................
coco wrote:
First let me say that you are the judge of this problem. I know that doctors hear in the US have an obligation to report any disability while driving that might endanger other people. Here in MO the doctor sends a form to the state and the state revokes your license. Then you have to go through a process to prove compliance and treatment for your disability, before you will get your license back.
There are drugs that can be used to help with your awareness while you are driving. That might be something to talk to your doctor about.
I guess what I am trying to say is to step lightly before you find yourself out of a career.
To your question about panic disorder, there is no doubt that lack of sleep can produce problems such as panic disorder. There are hormones that come into play while you are sleeping. I know with me, when my apnea is acting up. Like when I get a cold, flu or even swollen glands I have a real problem keeping my fight or flight hormone in check.
Please take care of yourself and be safe
coco
..........................................................................................
