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Megawatt · Post by **Megawatt** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:05 am

I just found this forum and am grateful that there is a resource that I can go to when I need to get information. I am not on a machine yet; I go for my sleep study on the 27th to find out exactly what is going on. But I am sure that I will be a hose head after everything is said and done. I am sick and tired of going to work dead on my feet and not being able to wake up and feel like I’ve been up all night.

I do have one question. I will be retiring from my current job as a power plant operator in about 18 months and thinking of starting trucking for a few years.

Are there any truckers out there that are hoseheads and if so how do you deal with being on the road with a CPAP machine?

Thanks,
Megawatt (Future Hosehead)

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:02 pm

Welcome! You can click on the yellow lightbulb above and read Our Collective Wisdom. You'll find this place to have a very helpful bunch of members. I'm sure there are some truckers here who will post. Between now and the 27th, read as much as you can, especially about the machine and mask choices that are available to you. Ask lots of questions. Be sure when you go for your sleep study, that they know you want a copy of it.

Brenda

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:56 am

Sorry, Megawatt, I'm not a trucker. But welcome to the forum, nonetheless!! Travelling with CPAP isn't that hard. Cpap.com sells DC power cords for CPAP's that run from a 12 volt battery, if you want to sleep in your truck. If you're sleeping in hotels, you'll want to pack 1 or 2 extension cords, plus some distilled water for your humidifier. Depending on how you hang your cord ( ) at home, you can take some string, some hair scrunchies, and some large binder clips (those black metal, spring loaded, butterfly paper clips) to replicate your set-up in the hotel.

Good luck with your sleep study. Let us know how you make out.

Take Care,
Cathy

Catnapper · Post by **Catnapper** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:25 am

Maybe if you change the title of the thread or start a new one titled "Seeking truckers on CPAP for tips" you will get more responses.

goose · Post by **goose** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:00 pm

Welcome Megawatt.....Sorry, I'm not a trucker either, but......
I also started on this forum before getting my machine and also prior to my titration......
When it came time for the decision to be made I had enough information that the doc prescribed what I asked for (I have a doc that appreciates an educated patient). She didn't do the pressure correctly, but the titration didn't have it right either (titrated at 5 and am presently set at 10cm H2O and that's what is working).....

I echo others. Read, read, read. Load up on as much information as you can get your eyes on and you'll be an educated patient -- some doctors like that, some don't -- you'll have to read yours to determine which you have.

Also believe that Catnapper is right -- start another thread specifically aimed at hosehead truckers and you may have more luck at bringing them out of the woodwork.....there are lots of ways to travel with your xPAP setup.....

Good luck - and let us know how you are doing.....

cheers
goose

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:54 pm

you need to touch base with Patrick here, he was a trucker.

You also KNOW that with a OSA diagnosis, you will have to report that finding to DOT to maintain your license. You have ask Patrick, but you may have to prove you are being compliant.

Finding out you have OSA then having to disclose it may mean cancellation of life insurance policies or increased rates. If your OSA is reported to DMV, your insurance will know about it, yada yada yada.

Sometimes having the diagnosis is worst than having the disorder. If you are going to be retiring in 18 months, I would talk with your GP about it and get them on board in supporting you having a Autopap machine. You may be better off taking your script and purchasing a machine outright from like our hose cpap.com. You will then have a machine that automatically titrates you to proper pressure thereby reducing the number of doctor visits needed, use of the machine for long term. While software for it is currently not available to patients it is available via other sources if you are patient. In the mean time, pertinent data can be extracted from the LCD display. But if you need compliance reports for DOT, that may be more difficult to obtain, but others are working on coming up with alternate solutions where you will be able to generate your own compliance reports.

Your PSG results will dictate what machine you get, doctors, insurance and DME will always push you towards the simplest and cheapest available machines. That keeps you under their thumb and having to go see them for every little change, changes they make money from. They will tell you how bad a autopap is for you, but most are outright lies, because use of one means you don't need to see them as often and sleep medicine is all about money, most of the time it is a legal license to steal from you.

I suggest to start looking at machine types, one of the latest is the Respironics A-Flex autopap. It offers the most comfort of most machines depending on your pressure requirements.

What to expect in the lab:

1. Know that you must SLEEP for them to accurately evaluate your condition. If you don't sleep the test is pretty much void and will have to be done again.

2. Try and follow your regular sleep routines, take a TylenolPM if need be in the parking lot, you need to sleep you will be in a strange environment than your norm.

3. If you are wakened in the middle of the night don't FIGHT it, they need to fit you with a mask and hopefully find your ideal pressure. Called a split-night study.
First half of the night is dedicated to diagnostic of your disorder, KNOW if they attempt to fit you with a mask you DO have OSA. It is even more important that you fall back asleep with the mask as you need to reach REM for it to be successful, if you don't reach REM your results can be skewed and you may have to reschedule another night at the lab for a titration. That can take an extra month or two. Best if you can get it all done in a single night.

4. After 10-30 days you will return to your doctor for the results of your PSG (sooner if severe or past history of heart attack/stroke). Within another week they should provide you with a machine, that machine will most likely be the cheapest piece of garbage they can provide you with.

I would suggest reading up on the new Respironics A-Flex machine, if your pressure lands in the 15cm or higher range you would probably be better off on a Bipap Auto machine, it offers pressure relief on exhale with more adjustable parameters than a cpap or autopap machine.

Perchancetodream · Post by **Perchancetodream** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:09 pm

I am amazed at how much information I am picking up on this forum! This has been a tremendous help as I find my way around this new world.

But, I do find it interesting that Megawatt may need to prove compliance to the DMV to drive a truck, but is allowed to operate a power plant, untreated!

Susan

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Power

AdmiralCougar · Post by **AdmiralCougar** » Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:32 pm

Welcome Megawatt

Snoredog has allot of true and good information in his post...

Snoredog wrote: 3. If you are wakened in the middle of the night don't FIGHT it, they need to fit you with a mask and hopefully find your ideal pressure. Called a split-night study.
First half of the night is dedicated to diagnostic of your disorder, KNOW if they attempt to fit you with a mask you DO have OSA. It is even more important that you fall back asleep with the mask as you need to reach REM for it to be successful, if you don't reach REM your results can be skewed and you may have to reschedule another night at the lab for a titration. That can take an extra month or two. Best if you can get it all done in a single night.

This can be a very important.... especially when the sleep tech comes in like they did with me... Mine said she had been on pins and needles watching my numbers trying hard to wait for the 3 hours to be up. I know now why, I was told after that I had over 150 events an hour and my O2 got down under 60% at one point. So she was very happy to be putting a mask on me.

Snoredog wrote: 4. After 10-30 days you will return to your doctor for the results of your PSG (sooner if severe or past history of heart attack/stroke). Within another week they should provide you with a machine, that machine will most likely be the cheapest piece of garbage they can provide you with.

Or you could end up with a machine within a week before they finish reading your results....

Snoredog wrote: I would suggest reading up on the new Respironics A-Flex machine, if your pressure lands in the 15cm or higher range you would probably be better off on a Bipap Auto machine, it offers pressure relief on exhale with more adjustable parameters than a cpap or autopap machine.

Defiantly research the machines and know exactly what your looking for so you can let your Dr. know exactly what you want. when they tell you what you need if they say just a CPAP I agree with Snoredog that you try and get an Auto, make sure you tell them why you think you should get an Auto tell them all the benefits, Full data that can help fine tune your treatment, being able to home titration over several nights, and the fact that is what you want. It will make getting it from the DME easier if the Dr. will write a prescription for the exact machine you want. And if they try and put you on a straight CPAP at a high pressure I totally think you should mention a BiPAP Auto because I'm at 20 inhale and 16 exhale and I couldn't imagine having to run at 20 on a CPAP like one of the other new members here posted today that they got their CPAP and set at 20 I don't envy them.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Aug 20, 2007 6:56 am

Thanks everybody,
I want to thank you all for the replies and the warm welcome. I understand about educating myself about what machine I will want when I get there. One thing I am grateful for is that I have been blessed with come wonderful Doctors that believe that the patient comes first. I’ll let you know how things go after my sleep lab.
As for driving a power plant as long as the lights are on its not bad it’s when the light go off is when I earn my money. The hardest part about being a power plant operator is the shift work. After doing it for thirty years it has really affected my health. OSA being one of my problems and Peripheral Neuropathy being the other, but that’s another story.

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