SLEEP APNOEA and driver fatigue

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
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Hi All,

I haven’t searched the forum and I am sure there have been posts about Sleep Apnoea and other sleep disorders etc before but I wanted to share this with you lot because I think it tells a story and it is a very important topic.

Below is an email I received late last night from a driver who attended DCPC courses with me and one course in particular struck home …

"Hi peter,
I completed a cpc course with yourself last year. One subject that was dealt with in your training programme was driver fatigue. After completing the course I made relevant enquiries with my g.p.
Subsequently I was referred to a specialist and later diagnosed with suffering from 'sleep apnoea ’ I refrained from driving for 3 month’s.

I now use a CPAP machine every night and my quality of life has improved dramatically.
Without such course’s as yours I wouldn’t have been aware or even have considered having a sleeping disorder.
You may use this email as a platform to show that anyone can suffer from such an illness.

I thank you dearly for making me aware of driver fatigue and the importance of being ‘fit to drive’.
I would have been unable to forgive myself if I had of caused or been in a road traffic accident, either with my family or the general public. "

All the course he mentions did was encourage him to step back and take a look at his life style, sleeping habits and general health and have a good think about it and he realised all was not well and toddled off to his GP. I couldn’t feel better about this as it is a result worth having.

This industry does not as a whole encourage good practice with regard to dealing with fatigue. We have all had to ‘crack on’ at times and put the job/delivery before our own health but there are drivers out there right now struggling to keep going and not saying a word. It is estimated around 80,000 HGV drivers in the UK have some form of sleep disorder ranging from mild to severe with Sleep Apnoea being very common.

Please - if you think there may be a problem for yourself or someone you know, even a remote chance, then go and see your Doctor or encourage your mate to do so if it’s him with the problem. Yes it may mean a less than favourable outcome such as unable to drive for a while but Sleep Apnoea is generally treatable and licences returned - otherwise it can be a killer even if it is just the extra strain placed on your heart.

Right - I’ve done my preaching now. Those who want to take the ■■■■ and have a go please form an orderly queue and enjoy yourselves.

Those who want to take this seriously - here’s a start Sleep apnoea - NHS

Those who don’t have a problem sleeping or managing fatigue … lucky you!!

Pete

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I think part of the whole managing sleep problem is down to the short time you are legally allowed to have for daily rest before starting again,particularly the reduced 9hrs which if taking in your cab may well be enought to get 7-8hrs sleep but if you are taking it at home your lucky to get 5 or 6 hours due to the fact you…
Have to get home
Have some food
Shower
Sleep
Then back awake at least an hour before your due back in the get ready and drive into work.
Reduced rest should be abolished,I know it’s drivers choice but even so companies DO pressure drivers into taking a reduced rest on a regular basis.
Years ago I did 15 hrs took 9hrs off (at home) then did another 14hrs…never again!
I won’t reduce now unless it’s for my own purpose.

Before people go rushing off to the docs they should as you say look at their lifestyle and how much sleep they are allowing themselves before jumping to the conclusion that there must be something wrong with them because they are always tired.
I went to my doc 6 years ago because I always felt fatigued/tired and all the tests came back negative,BUT these tests to over 6 months to get done because of NHS waiting times and all of this time I wasn’t allowed to drive Hgvs,people should consider this as financially it could well cause people big problems.
In the end the doc put it down to lack of sleep/exercise and me not drinking enough water as most days id just have a few cups of coffe but this was causing me to become dehydrated which effectively ■■■■■ the body down and causes the issues as above.
I’m not saying don’t go to the docs,just have a good look at what other possible causes it could be before hand because once you tell you doc then he is legally abliged to instruct you to stop driving until all tests for sleep apnea and narcolepsy have been completed.

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another CPC trainer short of work and too much time on his hands, thinks he is a medical professor now :smiley:

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green456:
another CPC trainer short of work and too much time on his hands, thinks he is a medical professor now :smiley:

Oi! That hurt! :wink:

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Here is a similar thread: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=106407&p=1657630&hilit=Apnoea#p1657630

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Having problems getting a decent sleep? Wake up feeling even more tired than before? Do you struggle to “clear” your mind enough to let you sleep?

If you answered yes to any or all of the above then you need to enrol on a DCPC course. We absolutely gurantee that you will be sound asleep within 10 minutes or your money back

wewaffleyousnooze.

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shep532:

green456:
another CPC trainer short of work and too much time on his hands, thinks he is a medical professor now :smiley:

Oi! That hurt! :wink:

I have been led to believe that the truth does that, a CPC trainer told me :smiley:

8

green456:
I have been led to believe that the truth does that, a CPC trainer told me :smiley:

If a DCPC trainer told you then it CAN’T be true

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This is a lot more common than people realise , I have it .i went to the docs because the wife was sick of my snoring and thumping me when I stopped breathing in my sleep. I too have a wee m/c and it runs all night in the cab no problem .i had never realised what a crap sleep I was getting . The change in general wellbeing is vast.as regards any stigma in admitting this when I first attended the clinic I was amazed at the number of people I knew , and yes there were drivers among them . One of whom had fell asleep at the wheel and bounced off the kerb twice before he recognised he had a problem. Mock all you wish but as far as I am concerned it’s the best thing I have ever done. Just to add the m/c has a data card in that is downloaded and shows length and quality of my sleep and I am well above what is considered the norm , dvla are aware and based on data provided by the clinic they are quite happy my apnea is managed. If you have any issues with your sleep pattern or general feeling of wellbeing see your doctor it could save your life

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yep, another sleep apnoea sufferer here! except i learned the HARD way (had a smash after falling asleep at the wheel) :frowning: :frowning:

must admit, i don’t like 9 hour reductions, and consequently i have told my boss that even when i’m sleeping out i will not do them due to my sleep disorder, he has agreed and leaves me too it!!

have a CPAP machine, and the truck power adaptor… works great :slight_smile:

B…

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And another. What a difference after diagnosis. I no longer have an excuse for being a grumpy, miserable, cantankerous old git, but I’m working on it :slight_smile:

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Bungle666:
yep, another sleep apnoea sufferer here! except i learned the HARD way (had a smash after falling asleep at the wheel) :frowning: :frowning:

must admit, i don’t like 9 hour reductions, and consequently i have told my boss that even when i’m sleeping out i will not do them due to my sleep disorder, he has agreed and leaves me too it!!

have a CPAP machine, and the truck power adaptor… works great :slight_smile:

B…

Hi folks my partner informs me that i snore very loudly & sometimes stop breathing wake up feeling tired so presume i have apnea, am i right in thinking these CPAP machines are a mask you wear when sleeping and cost around £99.

Where would be the best place to buy one thanks in advance.
Regards,
Jeff. :sunglasses:

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YorkshireJeff:
Hi folks my partner informs me that i snore very loudly & sometimes stop breathing wake up feeling tired so presume i have apnea, am i right in thinking these CPAP machines are a mask you wear when sleeping and cost around £99.

Where would be the best place to buy one thanks in advance.
Regards,
Jeff. :sunglasses:

A CPAP machine is normally prescribed after a full sleep assessment - so first steps are get to your GP. Yes it is a mask and a slightly pressurised air supply to keep the users airway open.

what you describe are classic symptoms so get checked out.

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YorkshireJeff:

Bungle666:
yep, another sleep apnoea sufferer here! except i learned the HARD way (had a smash after falling asleep at the wheel) :frowning: :frowning:

must admit, i don’t like 9 hour reductions, and consequently i have told my boss that even when i’m sleeping out i will not do them due to my sleep disorder, he has agreed and leaves me too it!!

have a CPAP machine, and the truck power adaptor… works great :slight_smile:

B…

Hi folks my partner informs me that i snore very loudly & sometimes stop breathing wake up feeling tired so presume i have apnea, am i right in thinking these CPAP machines are a mask you wear when sleeping and cost around £99.

Where would be the best place to buy one thanks in advance.
Regards,
Jeff. :sunglasses:

Hi, regarding your comment about cpap machines - unfortunately they are not at all cheap, the mask is bought separately and costs £99 upwards, which probably explains your estimate. The actual constant pressure (cpap) or automatic pressure (apap) units range from £300 for a base model to close on a grand.
You can’t buy one (unless you know of someone selling one privately) without a diagnosis of sleep apnoea or a “supporting letter” from a GP as they are classed as medical units.
I didn’t fancy 3-4 weeks unpaid sick leave awaiting a diagnosis (GP’s are legally obliged to inform DVLA if apnoea is suspected) so managed to get round the sleep clinic/diagnosis/licence suspension procedure by asking my quack for a supporting letter recommending cpap for ‘disruptive snoring pressuring married life’, she wrote a letter which was accepted by this lot…

britishsnoring.co.uk/?

who sell and trial the machines. I had never fallen asleep at the wheel but was constantly tired & irritable with daily morning headaches (oxygen starvation) upon waking. I bought one. Machines are great once you get used to them - even got rid of the ubiquitous black eyes of a night driver!
Only down side is if you have a cold/bunged up nose you can’t use the machine till it clears up.

Hope this helps.

15

YorkshireJeff:
Hi folks my partner informs me that i snore very loudly & sometimes stop breathing wake up feeling tired so presume i have apnea, am i right in thinking these CPAP machines are a mask you wear when sleeping and cost around £99.

Where would be the best place to buy one thanks in advance.
Regards,
Jeff. :sunglasses:

Ok, Cpap machines are around £800 for a decent one (resmed) then add the cost of a mask, decent tubing, and the 12/24V adaptor to use in a truck.

The best bet is to get a GPs referral from your GP for a trip to the sleep clinic, you have NO obligation to inform DVLA until your diagnosis is official, the sleep clinic will advise you what to do to get sorted.

I would STRONGLY not advise you to go the DIY route, as the machines need to be setup, and their use is still DVLA declarable so you may as well as do it the “right” way PM me if you need further advice :slight_smile:

DearBoy:
Only down side is if you have a cold/bunged up nose you can’t use the machine till it clears up.

Try some over the counter decongestants its all i use and i have no issues with the use of the machine while i have manflu or similar close to death symptoms…

HTH

B…

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if you go down the correct route , GP referral to clinic the unit should be free mine was