“C-PAP” Looking Back

[ZX9RCAM]

All pilots and truckers are required to use a CPAP?

Probably only if they ever went for a sleep survey, and it was determined they needed one.

 

[leVieux]

All pilots and truckers are required to use a CPAP?

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I’m not involved any longer, and haven’t kept up.

Some decade back, under Obama’s Emperorship, all licensed airplane pilots, “OTR” Truckers who had “CDL’s”, and some Mariners were FORCED to participate, if their weight/height ratios or “BMI’s” were above a certain arbitrary “standard”. All of those were made to undergo mandated “sleep studies”, and when “failed”, they were given a choice of monitored C-PAP, having surgery on their throats, or losing weight.

Of course, the C-PAP was the only way to continue working uninterrupted.

Obvious problems were immediately noted:

No-one ever “passed” the sleep study test.

The actual EVIDENCE did not support the DoT’s contention that we were in great danger, nor that the C-PAP actually decreased that danger.

This became a financial “racket” for honest Physicians; plus Crooks, Quacks, & parasitic “Providers”.

The extremely specious nature of the entire ordeal was quickly “outed”, when it was realized that the 250MM regular licensed auto & truck drivers were not included, while supposedly posing the exact same imagined “dangers to the public”; they were left-out. Observers quickly deduced that this was some sort of political “compliance trial”, not any real safety issue. Indeed could you imagine the uproar had they tried to do this to everyone who held a DRIVERS LICENSE ?

None of my posts should be taken to mean that “Sleep Apnea”, nocturnal hypoxia, or the various treatments are a scam. Our complaints were based on the above, plus general but well warranted suspicion of any test which was ALWAYS “POSITIVE”.

Overweight and snoring/sleep apnea/related fatigue are REAL. Some added dangers related to sudden death, heart disease, poor job performance, etc. have been legitimately demonstrated.

Physicians feel that the diagnosis of ANY serious condition must be based on careful individual patient history, detailed physical exams, and appropriate testing using PROVEN testing equipment & methodology.

But under Obama, the government had suddenly threatened the livelihoods of millions of innocent Americans; based on ridiculously inadequate “evidence”, a patently defective “test”, an unproven theory; then had added a draconian regime of enforcement.

My legitimate complaint was not directed towards the many folks who did suffer this medical problem nor the actual Sleep Medicine Physicians into whose laps this was thrown with little notice.

Sadly, some on here didn’t either READ of understand the O.P. and took the thread in directions never intended.

The personal stories of those not involved in the ENFORCEMENT may be true, even compelling; but were not the issue, nor part of the issue.

leVieux

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[Geezer]

All pilots and truckers are required to use a CPAP?

Only if there is a record of a sleep apnea diagnosis.

 

[S13]

Only if there is a record of a sleep apnea diagnosis.

I have sleep apnea. I want my pilots to use a CPAP if the have apnea.

 

[leVieux]

I have sleep apnea. I want my pilots to use a CPAP if the have apnea.

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Yes, of course; but that was NOT the point of the post.

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[ZX9RCAM]

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Yes, of course; but that was NOT the point of the post.

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Are you saying they require pilots without sleep apnea to use a cpap machine?

 

[leVieux]

Are you saying they require pilots without sleep apnea to use a cpap machine?

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No, please read prior detailed explanations.

The problem was that the bureaucratic action was done presumptively, w/o proper diagnosis or scientific basis.

Of course, if a person actually has the condition, they may benefit from C-PAP or from OTHER treatments.

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