How may I overcome OSA to get my UK driving licence back?

[welshmike]

Hi, are you aware that atrial fibrillation is very often a direct result of OSA? And that BP is likely to drop once on Cpap? I mention those because you're on meds for them and I'd want to get them checked out once you've been on Cpap for a while as your need for the meds might change (for the better), plus I'd want to talk to the doctor about possible effects the meds could have on your sleep - i.e. anything that depresses your system can be counterproductive to benefitting from Cpap, and by the same token so can anything that artificially stimulates it - something others have had to tweak, such as taking stimulant meds in the a.m. instead of at night, etc.

Hi Julie,

It's interesting what you wrote because I have been planning to have an appointment with my GP once my OSA is under control. I believe that I have had OSA for a long time given the complaints I have had about my snoring.
My GP had even said that he would be surprised if I had OSA because I have lead a fit and healthy life and continue so to do. My BMI is in the healthy range and my collar size is average for my height.
Perhaps my long term OSA has indeed caused, or contributed to, my heart problems.

Mike

[hueyville]

Cyberbullying, eh? New one on me and sounds like the last ditch effort of the playground kid that never got picked till last for any games. I would be ashamed to have to resort to being the victim of a bully I had never, and probably never will, meet in person. If you canot bear a little written banter, the internet may be a little too much responsibility. Maybe we should take away peoples license to post to or read from the internet once diagnosed with apnea.

Why is assumed a sedintary lifestyle is part of apnea? Mine is mostly centrals due to a head injury in a car accident. I am a former professional athlete and still fitter than most colegiate athletes. To the OP from what I learned your chances of a heart attack would more likely lose a commercial drivers license here in the states than apnea. My livelyhood depends on my ability to drive. Also, I wish we had more driving regulations like you guys. Pulling to roadside to talk on cell phones, no stuffing your face with a BigMac while driving, etc. My four months of driving in Europe thus far is most pleasent.

[Julie]

FYI - Loads of us are not at all overweight or have big necks... it's such an old stereotype!

[TonyE]

welshmike I am from the UK but now live in Australia. I am a newbie to I got very worried about losing my driving license and was sent a lot of pamphlets about how your driving license can be revoked if you have sleep apena once I checked the requirements in Australia they are my doctors has to say I am ok to drive and I need to be getting the right treatment using a cpap machine... Hopefully the regulations are the same in the UK

[welshmike]

TonyE,

Here my Obstructive Sleep Apneas, OSAs, have to become controlled. In my case by using a APAP machine every night for up to 30 days. The NHS consultant will then read the data on the SD card from the machine, make the decision and write to me and my GP. If OK I can then re-apply to the DVLA for a driving licence. Over the last two nights I have had no OSAs. So the situation is starting to look promising.

[welshmike]

Thanks for all the helpful advice here.
The APAP use is starting to pay off. Here are the last 5 nights SD card info:

[49er]

Thanks for all the helpful advice here.
The APAP use is starting to pay off. Here are the last 5 nights SD card info:

Great to hear welshmike. I am so happy for you.

49er

[Julie]

Mike - it doesn't make sense, the machine's not reading or writing properly... or else I don't understand the machine. If you have an AHI of anything, then you're having events, whether apneas or hypopneas, but the machine's not recording them properly. Are you sleeping (now?) on your side versus on your back (previously)? Are you aware of any mask or mouth leaks? Hopefully Pugsy will see this and chime in with something useful!

[Pugsy]

Julie...that does not look like any table I have seen with SleepyHead or ResScan. I don't know where that one came from..self made maybe?

[robysue]

Thanks for all the helpful advice here.
The APAP use is starting to pay off. Here are the last 5 nights SD card info:

Welshmike,

What does the second column represent and where did those numbers come from?????

If your AHI > 0, then there are SOME events being scored. They may not be OAs, however. They could be Hs or CAs. Is that second column supposed to indicate that you have no OAs being scored by the machine????

[Julie]

Pugsy - I use the IP, but don't have a module/software, etc., and only use the online code readouts. I've never seen that graph either.

[Kiralynx]

Did you know it is a crime nowadays to cyberbully and harass people online? People go to prison for that now. There are federal and state laws regarding cyberbullying, cyberharassment.

Id be careful what you say to me...

In another thread, Eric, you denigrated anyone who didn't meet your notion of "physically fit," calling them fat and lazy.

Now THAT is cyber-bullying.

[borgready]

Start taking vitamin D3. If you can get your Vitamin D checked then do that before you start taking vitamin D. Are you white? Do you get much sun? Then your vitamin D is most likely low. Low vitamin D plays hell on the brains sleeping breathing control circuits. That might help your centrals if there is nothing disease wise wrong with you. You might as well start taking calcium and magnesium supplements as well. It help you body deal with the bad chemisty of not breathing. Get some calcium carbonate (tums) pills and take 1or2 600mg Ca an hour or two with a light snack before bed. Take magnesium citrate maybe 4 hours before bed. Not so much of this or it will give you the runs. Start lightly at about 50mg Magnsium and see how you tolerate it.

[borgready]

I would bet you had problems with OSA for a while and that exercise and being is good shape helped you endure it. As you get older or you run into some minor health problems the OSA slapped you down hard. If you don't have heart damage that too bad, you being on cpap will allow you to recover. If any of those drugs you take are sedative they might make your centrals and hypopneas worse. OSA and sedative drugs are a bad combination. OSA is really hard on the heart as the heart doesn't like to operate on low blood oxygen levels. Its most likely why your blood pressure shot up. You might also want to go to a Bipap machine as they are easier to get used to. Get a machine that you can look at you breathing waveforms so you get to see where you are having events and how many. As far as the central goes, check your vitamin D and steer clear of sedative drugs. You want to wake up when your not breathing. These doctors usually don't look to hard at their patients. They follow protocol and move on. Sometime drugs interact and compound their effects or the doctor doesn't look at other problems you have. They don't deal in grey areas. They stick to standard protocol and that will

[welshmike]

Sorry to have posted a table that could mislead.
I've posted the full contents of my SD card as a zipped folder here: http://www.eacott.org.uk/sddrive.zip

Also these are the drugs I'm taking daily as prescribed by my National Heath Service doctor:

1. An angiotensin-II receptor antagonist, Olmesartan medoximil, to control my blood pressure
2. A beta blocker, Bisoprolol fumerate, to slow down my heart beats, stop my heart muscles working too hard, cap my maximum pulse rate and control my paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
3. An antiarrhythmic agent, Flecainide acetate, to control my paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
4. An anticoagulant, Warfarin sodium, to lower the risk of thrombosis.

It would be unwise for me to stop taking any of the above until I have consulted with my doctor.