15 months and still trying

I was diagnosed with OSA in Sept. 2007 and I still don't get a good night's sleep. I have had 4 sleep lab overnights (and two different doctors) and each time the doctor ups the pressure setting on my CPAP (RemStar Pro M Series). During last summer, I basically could not go to work due to excessive daytime sleepiness. I could sleep through phone calls and doorbells; several times co-workers came over to check on me. My supervisor asked me to stay away until the problem was solved. However, my sleep doctor would not support a paid medical leave because "sleep apnea is not a disability." So I was out for months on unpaid leave. I am afraid that I am about to find myself in the same position again. After my pressure was upped to 13, I was able to go to work some, but as the weeks went by I started missing more and more work. I haven't been in for a couple of weeks now. My last sleep lab (last week) resulted in a pressure of 17, so I don't have much experience at this level. The doctor has been wanting to keep me during the day for a multiple sleep latency test to see if I have a form of narcolepsy, but I have to sleep soundly through the night at the current prescribed pressure before he can do that. He did tell me that sometimes when a person has suffered from excessive daytime sleepiness for years, it doesn't go away even with CPAP treatment! I started having sleep problems in 2002 so it's been quite a number of years that I have had alertness problems. So where does that leave me medically, disability-wise? I don't want to be "disabled" but I don't know how much longer my employer will allow this situation to go on. From the other posts, it seems that making an ADA case out of this is virtually impossible.

Any suggestions or thoughts from other CPAPers? I am compliant with using the CPAP every night (except when I have a runny nose from a cold or allergy). I have noticed that the more the pressure is increased, the more disturbed sleep I have from leaks, whistles, etc. I have to use a full-face mask because I'm a mouth-breather.

Thanks

ADA talks about disability accommodation - in order to receive ADA accommodation at the workplace, one normally needs to fill out a form or request such accommodations, provide a letter from your health care provider, and then it is up to the workplace to decide if the accommodations being asked for are reasonable. This is their determination not yours or your doctors. If you ask for accommodation under ADA, and the requested accommodations are deemed unreasonable, you might find yourself without a job.

Another thing is disability for SSD or LTD. This is another whole can of worms. This is where you are obtaining funds based on "insurance" for being disabled when you can no longer work.

Which were you looking at?