Get on the machine or get off the highways!

Perchancetodream wrote:I agree with those who feel that regulating non compliant drivers would be a bureaucratic nightmare, so how about imposing stiffer penalties for those who cause accidents while driving while sleepy?

I don't have any problem with stiffer penalties...just don't penalize me until I do have an accident. And whether anyone believes it or not, I'm NOT a menace on the highways...not like the women I see putting on their makeup while driving...now there's a group that needs to be monitored!!!

FreeLancer74 wrote:You could say the same things about people who get the Flu and don't take all their antibiotics. Because of them, the virus mutates and becomes resilient to those antibiotics which makes us have to pay more for the development of more powerful drugs to treat the mutated strains.

Just for the record, viruses aren't exterminated by antibiotics and they manage to mutate all by their little lonesomes without help from antibiotics....... sad to say!

m

Since apnea is only one cause of daytime sleepiness, it would not solve the whole falling asleep while driving thing anyway. I agree too, that it is hard to determine effectiveness of treatment. If apnea drivers are monitered, then I for one want all health issues that can impair driving to be monitered, including psychiatric issues. I have a friend on paxol that actually 'zones out' while talking to someone. She should not drive either. There are a lot of people out there that have conditions that can interfere with driving, I have heard of several diabetics crashing, etc. I think, unfortunately, that it is too costly for our government to monitor and regulate. But I am very much in favor of pushing for more public transportation as a viable choice for all of us. I live in a small town, and none is available. I think we need to look at Europe and its systems to get an idea of what we could utilize. City to city, and interstate. Grayhound runs too seldom for most users. As I age, I start to realize this is something our country is lacking.

I just noticed the response that mentioned women putting on makeup, so what about cell phone usage. Texting etc?

Guest Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

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I don't have any problem with stiffer penalties...just don't penalize me until I do have an accident. And whether anyone believes it or not, I'm NOT a menace on the highways...not like the women I see putting on their makeup while driving...now there's a group that needs to be monitored!!!

Let's just hope that you DON'T fall asleep at the wheel and KILL someone!! No one gets in their car and says to themselves "I am going to fall sleep behind the wheel and take a few lives when I do." It happens when you least expect it. I had a former student driving home after the late night shift job he had, he fell asleep and missed a curve on a country road and now his parents are left to grief for their son as he is now a statistic. He was alone. No, he didn't have sleep apnea but he was working shift work which has its own set of problems.

You MAY think you aren't a menace -- but you ARE!!

Because you are so SMUG you are dangerous on the road because you think it happens to other people and not you.

I assume you think it is okay to drink and drive -- after all why should the cops pull the drunk drivers over? Why not just wait until they have an accident?

Yes, I drove prior to being diagnosed with sleep apnea but I am now 100% compliant now with treatment!!! I was a danger to myself, my grandkids that rode with me, and to everyone else on the road.

sleepycarol wrote:
Because you are so SMUG you are dangerous on the road because you think it happens to other people and not you.

I assume you think it is okay to drink and drive -- after all why should the cops pull the drunk drivers over? Why not just wait until they have an accident?

I'm not smug. I AM trying to get compliant. What am I supposed to do until then...let my family starve? I have to drive if I'm going to work.

I have to admit, I was a little shocked at being accused of condoning drunk driving. That's a bit of a leap, even for an internet forum.

You tell us you are NON COMPLIANT here:

Guest Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:29 pm Post subject:

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What about me? I have moderate apnea, and I'm not compliant

Either you are compliant or not. From the way your post sounds you are not using your equipment at all. You have given up.

As far as being smug -- you state here:

Guest Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 6:59 pm Post subject:

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"Tired all the time" doesn't make me any more of a danger on the road than you are. Tired does not mean sleepy. .

Guest Posted: Wed Dec 05, 2007 7:55 pm Post subject:

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I don't have any problem with stiffer penalties...just don't penalize me until I do have an accident. And whether anyone believes it or not, I'm NOT a menace on the highways...not like the women I see putting on their makeup while driving...now there's a group that needs to be monitored!!!

To me that is smug!!

My husband is an alcoholic -- when he had a few he thought he was the best driver in the world -- he had it under control. He would sit there and argue that he was NOT drunk and he was fully capable of driving. His judgement was impaired. I KNOW when I am tried and cranky and sleepy my judgement is impaired as much as his was. I just didn't realize it until I started on cpap therapy. I KNOW there were times I should NOT have been driving and I have NEVER slept in a car -- either as a driver or passenger. But that doesn't mean I was a safe driver!!

Yes, I admit I'm not compliant. I am still working on it, though.

If I'm smug, I don't mean to be. But damn, are you self-righteous! I'm glad I didn't ask you for advice!

Hey Guest,

I would never call sleepycarol self-righteous! She was being honest about how she feels and I see her as a very caring person. I suspect she hit a nerve with you because you're probably not very happy with yourself about your therapy not working out too well so far.

This is not always easy therapy even though it can be life-saving and life-altering. I'd encourage you to figure out why you're sleep apnea therapy isn't working well and to see what you can do to fix it. We're always happy to help if someone wants to improve!

Mindy

mindy wrote:Hey Guest,

I suspect she hit a nerve with you because you're probably not very happy with yourself...

OMG...you too?! Please stop making assumptions about me! My mental state is fine, I still try with my equipment, I don't drive drunk, or approve of those who do! All assumptions so far have been wrong!

We're always happy to help if someone wants to improve!

That's what I was hoping for when I came here. Then I replied to this message...man, was that a bad idea! Thanks, but no thanks!

Ok, Guest,

Apologies for making assumptions that don't fit!

Mindy

Guest,

Please understand that this forum contains some of the most avid CPAP users avialable. Most of them have had a life changing improvement in their health and mental state due to CPAP treatment. They are not intending to come down on you as hard as they are trying to defend CPAP use and "possibly" scare you into trying harder to make it work in your situation. They really DO want to help and will help, but they are short on patients (state of mind, not customers of doctors ) for people who appear to complain without "walking the gauntlet" so to speak. There are some uncomfortable things you have to adjust to in order for CPAP to work for you and that struggle kind of brings you closer to everyone.

Most everyone I have noticed that posts in here is either a CPAP veteran or is a new user who is trying diligently to adjust to the therapy to make it work so they, too, can experience the positive life changing affects of therapy (I'm one of these). I think your way of posting just caught everyone off guard.

With that said, and you still remaining anonymous, how can I or we best answer your questions to help you take steps towards some positive CPAP therapy adjustments?

I probably shouldn't have started this thread. It wasn't really my intent to single out any individual such as our Guest, but rather to discuss possible solutions to the problems posed when sleep deprived drivers endanger the general population. (And FreeL, please feel free to correct my grammar! )

But I have been online long enough to know that some issues are too emotional to discuss on a message board. And the title of this thread is probably too confrontational for rational discussion anyway.

Guest, I hope you, and others like you, get the help you need to successfully treat your apnea.

Susan

[CHALKBOARD]
I must refrain from being anal!
I must refrain from being anal!
I must refrain from being anal!
40 IF LINECOUNT<100 THEN GOTO 60 ELSE GOTO 50
50 IF LINECOUNT=100 THEN GOTO END
60 GOTO 10
END
[/CHALKBOARD]


LOL, it was not your grammar that I questioned, my dear. I had to satisfy a "clarity" in my own mind and shared it with the class in I really JUST HATE CPAP, page 3.

CRCP +2

It seems DOT is cracking down on commercial drivers that are at rixk for sleep apnea. Sleep quistions are now part of the medical exam, and if a machine is prexcribed, drivers must show compliance with usage. I wonder if the Mexican and Canadian drivers are also subject?
Killing off the weaker and dumber gene pool is a questionable endeavor. Many of us that have need of this therapy may be deemed to have defective genes. Who gets to decide? I think some German guy tried this in the 40's and the world had a heck of a time getting rid of him.