Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/376180
HealtH 34 | Overdrive | September 2014 By Todd Dills How to address sleep apnea risk T ruckers for a Cause sleep apnea support group cofounder and driver Bob Stanton was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2002. "I got a call from the sleep doctor's office saying the test was positive," he says. "Then I drove for three hours to meet up with my driver manager. I told him I would need to go back to the lab and set pressure" – there were no autotitrating continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines in those days. "I was told 'Load yourself on a bus – you don't have a job anymore.' " While Stanton wasn't fired permanently, the story is an example of the "administrative malarkey" he says led him to become an advocate for drivers dealing with sleep apnea. Getting ahead of the process "Treat your body just like a truck," says Stanton. "Get a PM inspection done before you go for a DOT physical. Have them go over everything. I go for my annual physical a month before my DOT physical – have them print out documenta- tion of everything I'll need so I've got everything ready." Truckers for a Cause (TruckersforaCause.com) does free screenings at some truck shows. There's a self-screening tool at its website that asks a few questions to gauge risk for the condition. Such questionnaire-based screening tools are most effective when used in a setting outside of the medical certification process, given that diagnostic ques- tionnaires can be next to useless when jobs are on the line. One advantage is that the doctor can't tell anyone "if your blood pressure is too high" or if you have a sleep-apnea diagnosis. You have time to get treated before your medical certification deadline comes around. If a test is required as a condition of certification, however, you could find yourself sidelined until treatment is shown to be effective. Greg McDermand of Phoenix Sleep Solutions says most of the examiners he works with understand the un- settled nature of a lot of the guidance. In most cases, they "would be generous enough to give them a 60- to 90-day extension while they get their stuff done" – testing and getting treatment in line if need be. Your doctor likely will refer you to a sleep specialist if your risk factors suggest an apnea diagnosis. The special- ist, if an evaluation points to apnea, will recommend an in-lab test or a portable home testing option. McDermand has seen success with take-home options, though New York-based examiner Randolph Rosarion and Stan- And what to expect for treatment if you are diagnosed "Not everyone who snores has sleep apnea," according to the National Institutes of Health, but particularly loud and frequent snoring can be a sign of the condition. NIH urges consulting with a fam- ily member about the exact characteristics of the snoring, given sleeping patients cannot monitor it themselves. Snoring characteristics indicative of apnea: · Loudest when on back · "Pauses may occur during snoring," says NIH, followed by "choking or gasping." Other apnea symptoms: · Excessive daytime sleep- iness (particularly while driving or at inactive times) · Morning headaches · Memory/concentration problems · Frequent feelings of irrita- bility, depression or mood swings · Waking frequently to urinate · Dry mouth/sore throat at waking Possible apnea indicators: · History of diabetes · History of hypertension · BMI measurement in the low- to mid-30s or higher · Neck size more than 17 inches in men, 16 in women · Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 16-24 · Class III or IV Mallampati score, a measure of visual of back of throat SOURCE: NIH.gov Apnea symptoms