It's about the same thing they did with the diabetes safety line, or whatever they call it. They realized there are not sufficient patients and suddenly they lowered the line at half, then boom, tons of new diabetic cases...
A LOT of Truckers may fall in these early recommendations for a Sleep Apnea Test
- Thread starter Luke Kibby
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- sleep apnea
I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea... how sever? I stopped breathing over 140 times during the sleep study before they decided to put me on the machine. With the machine, I am breathing and sleeping better at night.
I am on the fence about required testing; I believe it will kill more jobs than it will save lives (note: I have nothing to back this theory). Just know that, I am doing what I can to reverse the diagnosis. My problems, ALL OF THEM are related to obesity. Once I get back to my ideal weight, I can lose the machine and my blood pressure meds, and my medical card can go back to a bi-annual re-cert. But then, if testing is required, and drivers can be helped to get more rest...
Maybe I haven't made myself clear. I have nothing against CPAP machines and other treatments for OSA. What I am against is the FMCSA's medical review board bullying millions of captive truckers into a program where the doctors themselves have a vested financial interest in seeing as many truckers in the program as possible.
Can you imagine the wild and wacky regulations we'd be staring at if the medical review board was comprised chiefly of proctologists?
I'm not sure what you mean by that. If they are diabetic they certainly aren't excluded from trucking, and having diabetes is one of the key pieces of criteria that gets you on the OSA testing program. The only diabetics who are excluded are the ones who are on injectable insulin, which is actually a small minority of people who are diagnosed with diabetes.
Very interesting for me, this topic as it combines many of the elements that are attracting me to join in on this Expediter thing not the least of which are the conversations and interesting thoughts that I have been exposed to here in the culture that has been created by all of you, I also am one who uses a CPAP. Didn't know anything about it until my daughter suggested I get tested because a friend of her's dad was going blind because of not being diagnosed for it until his VISION started to fail!
I was tested. Me got it. Felt terrible thinking I needed to use a MACHINE to just sleep properly. Ugh... difference in my attitude of feeling bad about using one was caused by the guy who gave it to me and instructed me how to use it. My simple question to him was how soon would it make a difference? His reply was 1 night.
He was dead on right in my case. One night. Wow! Faithful user now for more than five years. I know longer had the case of just not enough energy some days for who knows why. Well I am grateful for having the machine. I am 22, going on into my later 60's, 5'11" ~190 lbs +/-, shouldn't I be in those regs too?
The survey, I think is asking: "Just how much Big Brother?"
Point. Falling asleep at the wheel. Folks getting killed... okay but individuals are responsible for their own health. A law or reg is only a "feel good" action in my view. The tragedy of some innocent being killed shall continue, not cynical or uncaring, just a fact, me thinks.
Being new to this arena, I do not know anything about its boards or regulators. Seems kinda smelly that the makeup of the board has an easily thought of motive for profiting off a troubling situation.
I personally am not shocked at the smell. I also believe that the docs motives primarily began with their efforts with a good will target, but secondarily $ also played a role. The $ ended up never being enough, in regards to profiting, so the "good will" aspect gets corrupted to the point it nearly disappears altogether, hence barely a thick enough facade to keep the $ motive hidden any longer.
Wrong place perhaps, but this sure seems to mirror the fact that corruption is legal, as is the corruption within how our Republic has been corrupted over time by the Courts. ( got out my hard hat so when the rocks start flying for posting what follows I can find some safety as I learn the culture here)
It seems that when individuals are preempted by groups, be that for personal health responsibilities, or ethical/moral accountability, an inherent thing like the healthy human desire for good will gets cloaked as in the proposed regs here. $ gained by individuals simply because they are shielded by their "grouping" or now "corporate" persona as a governing entity. Our Republic started out as being a government, board/regulators accountable ONLY to the people. However, beginning with The Rev John Bracken v. The Visitors of Wm & Mary College (7 Va. 573; 1790 Supreme Court of Virginia), that has been evolving so that today, it is the de facto case that the $ of the Corporate world rule us, not the other way around. This is absolutely legal, in fact, if the Corporation does not act in a way to increase the bottom line, regardless of hurting anything or anybody in the process it just doesn't matter, the law requires them to make profit for the stockholders or it shall be breaking the Law and can be taken to Court and sued by its stockholders. They are designed only to make a profit, not to be good/moral/ethical entities.
Please don't get me wrong. I do not hate corporations. I am a stock holder in some of them. We as a nation have the best there is in this regard. They are wonderful, powerful institutions that have created such wealth that they are often envied around the world. They are great, but only an experiment. Just as is our democracy. They just need to be tweaked a bit perhaps? Looking closely at the data/history over their lifetime of a mere ~210 years, We started'em & we ought to be able to make them conform to a model that keeps their exemplary strengths for profiting but make them accountable to humans, not the other way around.
The Trump, Bernie, Hillary and the rest of the current circus performance seems to be just another symptom of the same $ corruption. All of it legal, or at least obfuscated, actions which steal from the “commons”; us. Again, we started out as a Republic. It appears we may in fact just be a Plutocracy by evolution. It didn’t start that way, doesn’t have to stay that way. I have spoken to folks from the extreme left, right and middle of the road and this seems to be an issue they all seem to be concerned about.
Whew… get off the damned soap box dude...
I was tested. Me got it. Felt terrible thinking I needed to use a MACHINE to just sleep properly. Ugh... difference in my attitude of feeling bad about using one was caused by the guy who gave it to me and instructed me how to use it. My simple question to him was how soon would it make a difference? His reply was 1 night.
He was dead on right in my case. One night. Wow! Faithful user now for more than five years. I know longer had the case of just not enough energy some days for who knows why. Well I am grateful for having the machine. I am 22, going on into my later 60's, 5'11" ~190 lbs +/-, shouldn't I be in those regs too?
The survey, I think is asking: "Just how much Big Brother?"
Point. Falling asleep at the wheel. Folks getting killed... okay but individuals are responsible for their own health. A law or reg is only a "feel good" action in my view. The tragedy of some innocent being killed shall continue, not cynical or uncaring, just a fact, me thinks.
Being new to this arena, I do not know anything about its boards or regulators. Seems kinda smelly that the makeup of the board has an easily thought of motive for profiting off a troubling situation.
I personally am not shocked at the smell. I also believe that the docs motives primarily began with their efforts with a good will target, but secondarily $ also played a role. The $ ended up never being enough, in regards to profiting, so the "good will" aspect gets corrupted to the point it nearly disappears altogether, hence barely a thick enough facade to keep the $ motive hidden any longer.
Wrong place perhaps, but this sure seems to mirror the fact that corruption is legal, as is the corruption within how our Republic has been corrupted over time by the Courts. ( got out my hard hat so when the rocks start flying for posting what follows I can find some safety as I learn the culture here)
It seems that when individuals are preempted by groups, be that for personal health responsibilities, or ethical/moral accountability, an inherent thing like the healthy human desire for good will gets cloaked as in the proposed regs here. $ gained by individuals simply because they are shielded by their "grouping" or now "corporate" persona as a governing entity. Our Republic started out as being a government, board/regulators accountable ONLY to the people. However, beginning with The Rev John Bracken v. The Visitors of Wm & Mary College (7 Va. 573; 1790 Supreme Court of Virginia), that has been evolving so that today, it is the de facto case that the $ of the Corporate world rule us, not the other way around. This is absolutely legal, in fact, if the Corporation does not act in a way to increase the bottom line, regardless of hurting anything or anybody in the process it just doesn't matter, the law requires them to make profit for the stockholders or it shall be breaking the Law and can be taken to Court and sued by its stockholders. They are designed only to make a profit, not to be good/moral/ethical entities.
Please don't get me wrong. I do not hate corporations. I am a stock holder in some of them. We as a nation have the best there is in this regard. They are wonderful, powerful institutions that have created such wealth that they are often envied around the world. They are great, but only an experiment. Just as is our democracy. They just need to be tweaked a bit perhaps? Looking closely at the data/history over their lifetime of a mere ~210 years, We started'em & we ought to be able to make them conform to a model that keeps their exemplary strengths for profiting but make them accountable to humans, not the other way around.
The Trump, Bernie, Hillary and the rest of the current circus performance seems to be just another symptom of the same $ corruption. All of it legal, or at least obfuscated, actions which steal from the “commons”; us. Again, we started out as a Republic. It appears we may in fact just be a Plutocracy by evolution. It didn’t start that way, doesn’t have to stay that way. I have spoken to folks from the extreme left, right and middle of the road and this seems to be an issue they all seem to be concerned about.
Whew… get off the damned soap box dude...
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I self regulated and opted for the sleep study. I was tired of being tired, I was tired of not losing weight, I was tired of my wife (bless her huge heart) complaining about my snoring... now I am energized, losing weight, and my wife is getting better sleep too! But I do not need the gov'ment telling me I needed to be tested just because I am overweight, snoring or have a CDL.
Most of the proctologists have a better gig working for carriers and sticking it to truckers.
Where's the line in the article bragging about the pending advances in medical science and the first wave of desensitizing truckers (and the society that hates them) to the future availability of a prescription medication that alleviates the need for bulky equipment and usage compliance?
Guess the government makes more money by pushing policy to mandate the CPAP than pushing prescriptions.
Amazing conundrum there.
All of the standard listed side effects of the medication would be far worse than the actual affliction.
"May cause drowsiness" Oh Noooo!
Can't have that..
So, the government doubles the cost of the machines, mandates compliance, then encourages loosening of the guidelines with the intent of rapidly expanding the amount of drivers who suddenly become seen as a potential liability to public safety If they do not comply.
Oh, and let's put sleep professionals with a blatant self-interest in profiting by legislation expansion in positions of authority here?!
Corruption and manipulation can not be any more obvious.
Who are the politicians lobbying "for public safety" by endorsing this insanity?
For the record.. my BMI is 23. I have a 15.5" neck. I sleep very soundly. I drive 80% of the time at night. Never had any concerns. This is my 11th year of professional driving.
My issue is the typical lack of transparency from the government's perspective.
Far too many proposed regulations trying to put out fires before the first spark is even seen.
The statistics are readily available. Professional truck drivers are the safest drivers out there on the highways.
What is there to be gained by this rush of legislation meant to make the targets on our backs even larger?
Setting the stage for future automation of the industry? Is the government going to win the hearts of the public by saying..
"Computers don't fall asleep behind the wheel.. Ever."
Well, there are your politicians pushing the legislation. The ones who have funding from the automation segment deeply in their pocket.
There is a hidden agenda here. Believe it.
Guess the government makes more money by pushing policy to mandate the CPAP than pushing prescriptions.
Amazing conundrum there.
All of the standard listed side effects of the medication would be far worse than the actual affliction.
"May cause drowsiness" Oh Noooo!
Can't have that..
So, the government doubles the cost of the machines, mandates compliance, then encourages loosening of the guidelines with the intent of rapidly expanding the amount of drivers who suddenly become seen as a potential liability to public safety If they do not comply.
Oh, and let's put sleep professionals with a blatant self-interest in profiting by legislation expansion in positions of authority here?!
Corruption and manipulation can not be any more obvious.
Who are the politicians lobbying "for public safety" by endorsing this insanity?
For the record.. my BMI is 23. I have a 15.5" neck. I sleep very soundly. I drive 80% of the time at night. Never had any concerns. This is my 11th year of professional driving.
My issue is the typical lack of transparency from the government's perspective.
Far too many proposed regulations trying to put out fires before the first spark is even seen.
The statistics are readily available. Professional truck drivers are the safest drivers out there on the highways.
What is there to be gained by this rush of legislation meant to make the targets on our backs even larger?
Setting the stage for future automation of the industry? Is the government going to win the hearts of the public by saying..
"Computers don't fall asleep behind the wheel.. Ever."
Well, there are your politicians pushing the legislation. The ones who have funding from the automation segment deeply in their pocket.
There is a hidden agenda here. Believe it.