Sleep Apnoea and the HGV Driver

[Richard]

Sleep Apnoea and the HGV driver

Hi Ian,

Many thanks for your offer. And a very positive view of the OSA/CPAP scenario.

I am hopeful that my 'Truckers Health' web-site will be up and running before long, this will enable drivers who feel they may have OSA to access medical-standard forms that they can download, fill in and take to their GP. This should greatly condense the time between the first GP appointment, getting a referral diagnosis and treatment and then getting the driving-licence back from the DVLA.

I shall then need help in spreading the word among truck-drivers.

You might like to read this:

Imagine you are the driver of a 40-tonne artic. loaded to capacity with machinery for export. Your journey started in Glasgow early that morning and you are heading for Southampton Docks. The time is 8.00pm and you have reached the limit of your hours for that working-day. You pull into the M40 service area near Oxford and get something to eat before bedding down for the night in the sleeper-cab.

But there’s something troubling you. You are desperate to get some sleep, because you have already drifted off to sleep six times today while you’ve been at the wheel. Only very short naps, and you stayed in your lane each time; you didn’t drift across the carriageway or hit anything, but a couple of times when you awoke, you were very close, too close, to the truck in front. Another second and it could have been much worse. And it’s not the first time it has happened. But how did it happen? What’s wrong with you?

There’s a Wi-Fi at Oxford services. You take hold of your lap-top and connect to the internet. You’ve heard of this new web-site www.TruckersHealth.org.uk which offers real help and advice, you bring it to the screen and read what it has to say.

“That’s me!” you say to yourself. “That’s how I feel.” Suddenly, you realise you’re not alone, there are plenty of other drivers feeling the same as you. And, at last, here’s some real, practical help towards getting rid of this horrible tiredness and lethargy that’s been haunting you for months.

There are thousands of people who depend upon driving to earn their living, Ian, and they drive every day feeling more and more wretched. Yet there is no one to turn to: the employer, by and large, doesn't want to know and he might get the sack if the boss finds out, anyway. A driver with OSA is 7 times more likely to have a serious accident than a driver who doesn't.

Richard

[gearjammer]

Sleep Apnoea and the HGV Driver

hi richard
no problem let me know when you are ready and i'll help any way i can.

now that i know that i have sleep apnoea i realise that i have probably had it for quite some time and like many other hgv drivers i struggled on not wanting to admit it in case i lost my licence and job.

i know from reading some of the posts on here that i was very lucky in the fact that

1:- my doctor suspected sleep apnoea straight away(yes i am overweight 23st and snore like a trooper)

2:- the sleep clinic that i chose to go to "the liverpool chest and heart hospital" (broadgreen) were brilliant right from the start, it only took 3 weeks from doctors referral and tests to diagnosis and being started on CPAP

3:- i informed the dvla as soon as i knew i had sleep apnoea and by the time i had received the forms and was ready to send them back i had been on CPAP for 2 weeks and the hospital told me that i was in full compliance with what the dvla required

that is :- A: full and continuouse use of CPAP

B: more than 4hrs good sleep per night

C: no daytime drowsiness

so before sending the forms back to the dvla i rang them and told them what the hospital had said. as they already had my licence due to my 5yr medical they said to send the forms back and they would contact my doctors/consultant as soon as possible.

after 3 weeks and still not heard anything i phoned the dvla again to be told that they had not been in touch with my doctors yet, again i told them that the sleep clinic had said that i was in full compliance with what they require and that there was no reason for me to be off work anymore. i was a bit supprised to be told that, yes, if the doctors say i am fit to go back to work the cover note i already had for my licence would be ok to use untill they had completed thier investigations.

the story right up to date is this.told my employers that i could return to work,they checked with thier insurers who said they needed confirmation in writing from the dvla and the consultant. the dvla sent an e-mail straight away saying yes i could return to work as long as the consultant says ok. unfortunately the consultant is on holiday till next week. untill i can contact her and she does her bit i am still off work but hoping to go back the week after next.

so with a lot of help from my doctor and the sleep clinic and a bit of gentle prodding from me to the dvla i can see light at the end of the tunnel.

as i said before the treatment works, what with that and losing some weight 2.5st so far i feel like a different person even my familly have noticed the difference

Ian

[Richard]

Sleep Apnoea and the HGV driver

Hi Alex,

My man at Lloyds confirms that, provided an OSA driver has the approval of the DVLA then his premium will not be loaded.

The problem remains for the employer, however, if he has a number of OSA drivers on his fleet. And it is this factor that sets up the wall between the driver and his employer: the driver won't tell his boss, because he is in fear of losing his job, and the boss won't tell his driver because his fleet insurance premiums will probably go up!

The boss turns a blind eye to the fact that his driver has probably spent an hour in a lay-by because he couldn't resist taking a kip. Rather that than nodding-off at the wheel on a busy road.

Richard

[Richard]

Snowed in

How many HGV drivers have had to spend nights in their cabs as a result of the appalling weather we are having?

How many with OSA wish they had their CPAP with them and not left it on the bedside table at home?

With appalling weather conditions and drivers, regardless of whether they're OSA or not, having had poor sleep, or worse, none at all, we have all the ingredients for serious accidents . . .

[Sparticus]

Dont Shout!

This probably isnt going to go down too well.

For a living I drive many types of trucks, ie, fork, reach, ppt, llop. I was diagnosed in the summer months after suffering for years of tiredness. I have had many incidents of falling asleep while in the car and at work. Also my homelife is very busy due to running 3 disabled persons around (family) Now he's the crunch I still havent notified anyone of my illness and dont intend too. My work know of my condition and are happy with my recovery as there hasnt been any incidents of sleeping on the job in nearly 6 months, oh and my boss has the same condition. Due to the time it takes for the DVLA to get their act together, how can I explain to my family that they will be housebound for 6 months or however long it takes and also who is going to pay my bills while Im waiting to get my license back. call it dangerous or selfish but with now being cured so to of my sleepiness, whats the point

[symmit]

Sparticus - anyone who criticises your choice is being churlish. If you are compliant and the therapy is alleviating the symptoms then you're morally OK. After all you could declare, be given the OK and then stop the CPAP and yet still be unsafe!

[gearjammer]

hi
as a recently diagnosed sufferer August 2010 I can understand where you are comming from. I am an hgv driver and was involved in an accident (luckilly for everyone a very minor one ) but it could have been much worse I fell asleep at the wheel. Striaght away I was told not to drive untill they knew what the cause was. Within 3 weeks I had been diagnosed and was on treatment for sleep apnoea and two weeks later was told that I was in compliance with what was required from the DVLA ( if you look farther back on this thread you can see what i went through with regards my licence) anyway long story short I have now been back at work for two weeks although being honest I never did stop driving my car. If god forbid you have an accident either at work or in your own car and they find out that you have sleep apnoea and havn't declared it you won't be covered by any insurance. For my own part I found that by being straight up with the DVLA and not trying to bullshit them they couldn't have been more helpfull and did everything for me a lot quicker than i expected.
hope this helps and good luck
Ian

[Tigers Fan]

Reason enough for hanging out so long!

Hi Sparticus

Your reasons for not informing DVLA are very easy to understand. Problem is, you drive unlawfully.

Symmit's comments might be supportive, but it has nothing to do with being morally OK or churlish. You are driving unlawfully.

Gearjammer is correct, you are driving without insurance cover - so any victim of an 'accident' would not be able to get compensation, no matter how high a premium you are paying to your insurers. How would you stand morally in that case?

Fortunately, the solution is simple. If you contact the DVLA and ask them to send you the forms for declaring a notifiable condition (that is a condition you are required by law to tell them about), you would receive them within a few days. No need to involve doctors or consultants, you fill out the forms yourself. The crucial one is the Epworth Scale day-time sleepiness test. Answer the questions honestly - and why shouldn't you, you are doing great on CPAP - and you get a low score, meaning you do not have day-time sleepiness, send the forms back to DVLA. You will also have to confirm that you are receiving treatment successfully - no problem, you are. They are interested in being irfromed, not why you didn't tell them ages ago - don't worry about this.

I can almost (not quite) guarantee that you will get a letter from DVLA within a few weeks saying you are OK to continue driving.

Nothing will have changed except one very important fact - you would be driving lawfully, with insurance cover and everybody would could seek compensation. (OK - three facts).

I understand the stakes would be high for you. I believe the risk to be very small - from personal experiencce and from loads of posts on this forum.

Be lawful. Be insured.

TF

[Sparticus]

Thanks for that TF, I do agree with you and it scares the hell out of me just to drive because I know full well a bump is a bump and all hell would break loose if it happend. I beleive that common sense must prevail here not just for my sake but for others. Im going right now to contact them and get the forms sent out, its not an option, cheers everyone.

Ps You can get the form from the DVLA site and print them yourself. (Done) will post them tomorrow. Phew feel better for that

[Tigers Fan]

My hat is off to you, Sparticus!

[Richard]

Self-diagnosis for OSA

Hi Sparticus, and anyone who believes they may have OSA

Print off these two questionnaires and fill them in:

http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/sleep_apnoea/epworth_sleepiness_scale.php

http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/berlin_questionnaire.php

If you believe, or you have a friend or colleague who is battling day-time sleepiness, print these off, fill them in as truthfully as you can, and take them to your GP. He will recognise them as standard medical questionnaires.

Most important, if you are an HGV driver, make sure your GP is aware of that, and the implications of not being treated. Tell him/her you want a referral to a respiratory consultant asap.

The NHS guarantee a referral within 13 weeks, but if you can't wait that long, try giving James a call.

Best of luck

Richard

[Richard]

OSA has to take its place with every other ailment and disease that is trying to create an awareness of its seriousness among the medical profession.

GPs are human, and they have no more time in their day than we have. Every patient has the right to just 7 minutes of their GP's time per consultation. In front of your GP, trying to describe how you feel, he looks at you and listens to what you have to say. You can't put a name to the collection of symptoms that are making you feel so ruddy miserable; and, at first visit, neither can your GP.

'You're over-weight' is a fairly common response. 'Lose some weight and come back in 6 months.' he gives you some diet pamphlets and off you go.

But you feel so 'orrible when you get home, you just can't be bothered. You just want to sit on the sofa and sleep. But you're back in the cab on Monday morning, with the cucumber sandwiches, the tubs of yoghurt and a flask of tea without sugar that your loving wife has prepared for you.

Yes, losing weight is an important feature of overcoming OSA, but it's only addressing the symptoms and not the cause.

The driver would save a lot of wasted time if he took a completed copy of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Berlin Snoring Test to his GP. Doing that he could pretty well guarantee a referral on his first visit to the GP.

[Tigers Fan]

What progress with your licence, Sparticus?

[Sparticus]

No Post Today!

Still waiting, shouldnt be too long now mate

[Floatyboaty]

Well done sparticus but don't forget that once you get the dvla okay you will need to inform your insurers (I know granny and eggs spring to mind!)

Interestingly My sleep clinic were telling me that in the last 18 months they have increased their capacity for sleep tests from 5 per week to 25 per week and are hoping to double that capacity within the next 12 months.

At another hospital I attend (for other reasons) they have had to vastly increase their clinic too due to the amount of referrals. There is more understanding of the condition out there along with the awareness of other obesity related illnesses.

I also some time back wrote on here that I thought that anyone who drove for a living (not to work) should have priority to ensure that they are back at work as soon as possible. If you drive to work, no matter how difficult it is there are alternatives to getting there (I do understand in some cases real serious difficulties) anyway I was shot down in flames but I still believe that as a driver to work at the time it would have been very difficult to get there but I could have done, yes it may have involved a three hour each way trip instead of the normal half hour drive, but I could have still earned a living. A driver (for a living) can't