I and 35 years old, male, and work as a sales person for a computer component manufacturer, where aggressiveness is prized above all in the cut-throat market. Obviously apnea is no friend when it comes to being aggressive - for the past 10 years different bosses complained my constant fatigue, why is the youngest person on the sales team always more tired than someone 15 years his senior? This question led me to many humiliating moments, to which I didn't have an answer until now.  The bosses often thought I partied all night, yet I was always home on the nights before work. Worst of all, the business trips always exhausted me to the point that calling me a zombie is an understatement.
 
My career has been severely damaged as a result, and finding out that I had OSA (AHI 38) now, I have such high hope that during the first sleep study, I was so excited I couldn't sleep despite the fatigue !! How ironic.
 
As my titration test is scheduled in 3 weeks, I estimate that I will not get the CPAP machine until 2 months from now. My concern is now how to cope with the fatigue at work, all the while it might take another 6 months before the right mask / cpap or bipap machine / correct pressure combination before I could possibly get a good night sleep.
 
 

Jake9777a wrote:

I and 35 years old, male, and work as a sales person for a computer component manufacturer, where aggressiveness is prized above all in the cut-throat market. Obviously apnea is no friend when it comes to being aggressive - for the past 10 years different bosses complained my constant fatigue, why is the youngest person on the sales team always more tired than someone 15 years his senior? This question led me to many humiliating moments, to which I didn't have an answer until now.  The bosses often thought I partied all night, yet I was always home on the nights before work. Worst of all, the business trips always exhausted me to the point that calling me a zombie is an understatement.
 
My career has been severely damaged as a result, and finding out that I had OSA (AHI 38) now, I have such high hope that during the first sleep study, I was so excited I couldn't sleep despite the fatigue !! How ironic.
 
As my titration test is scheduled in 3 weeks, I estimate that I will not get the CPAP machine until 2 months from now. My concern is now how to cope with the fatigue at work, all the while it might take another 6 months before the right mask / cpap or bipap machine / correct pressure combination before I could possibly get a good night sleep.
 
 

Jake,

Squeekiest wheel gets the most oil. Agitate for a quicker titration study. Plague them. Agree to go on a cancellation list.

You have severe apnoea which requires immediate intervention. Can you talk to your sleep doctor. Explain your situation, travel, EDS (Excessive Daytime Sleepiness) and the uncertainty of your job. If that doesn't get him going, suggest using an auto adjusting machine for the next 3 weeks (rental). It won't do any harm and could certainly help you. He may agree to prescribe one in view of the severe nature of your apnoea.

Jake, you are a salesman..............sell the story and get moving to the next level of your therapy.

Best of luck, and keep posting.

Daniel.


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

Jake,
    I agree with Daniel.  When my doc ordered a study, the sleep center he sent the order to wanted to schedule the study in FOUR MONTHS.  I was really upset.  My wife started calling around to other hospitals in our area to find a sleep center that could get me in sooner.  She found one that had an opening in 2 weeks, so she called the doc and asked him to fax the order to this other sleep center.  She's a saint don't know what I'd do without her.  
     When I had the study, I had 198 OSAs in 93 minutes of sleep and my saturation fell to 67%.  The tech woke me up after 93 minutes, told me that I definitely had severe apnea and that he was going to begin titration immediatley to help speed the process along.  I slept another 4 1/2 hours with the cpap during titration and woke up feeling better and more alert than I had in years.
      Now for the bad news, I was told that it would take between 2 1/2 weeks and a month for the doc and the specialist at the sleep center to get the report and then they could start working on getting a cpap for me.  After 10 days I called the specialist to see if she had the report. She said she did and that the doc should also.  She told me that she had to send him a referral form to sign and when he sent it back she would work with me to get me the cpap.  I asked if she could fax it to the doc and if he faxed it back how soon she could order the machine.  She agreed to fax it and said that if he faxed it back she would order the machine immediately.  Next I called the doc and told him that I need him to sign the form and fax it back immediately, reluctantly he agreed.  An hour later a medical supplier called me to tell me that they had the order and that they should be able to schedule me an appointment in TWO or THREE WEEKS.  I got back on the phone with the specialist, she called the supplier and threatened to pull the order and send it to another supplier if they couldn't do a lot better.  My next call was from the supplier to see if I could be home at noon to meet the DME with the machine.  That was about a month ago, and the cpap has changed my life.
      So, keep plugging away and be persistent.  If the sleep center can't get you any sooner, check other sleep centers in your area.  I just don't think all the professionals realize how much difference a little time makes to those of us that are suffering.  Good luck and keep us posted.

Jake,

You also need to get a letter from your doctor for your employer.  It should simply state that you have been seen by XX since XX for a medical condition which is requiring on going care.  They need to say that effective therapy has not yet been achieved and that one symtom of your disorder is extreme fatigue.  Do not give them specifics about your disorder.

If your doctor wants to know why you need this letter, be honest and tell them you are about to lose your job.  It might also help prompt them to initiate your therapy faster.

Vicki


_________________
That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Jake,

Everyone is giving you excellent advise.  Ok, here's some more.  IF you have insurance, call them and see if they cover CPAP/APAP/BiPAP equipment.  Let them know your situation and that as soon as the test is done you ABSOLUTELY NEED a machine to get you by until the results have been read.  Next call the sleep center where your test will be done.  Ask them if they set you up for the equipment the day after your test.  Tell them even if they don't have the exact pressure, you need an APAP so you can start treatment as it's affecting not only your health, but also your job.  I had a split night sleep study.  I was awoken at midnight and told I had OSA.  NOT a great thing to be woken up and told.  I didn't know I'd have the titration done at the same time IF I had this disorder.  Anyway, the next day as the tech was taking off all the wires, she said she'd get me started on the paperwork so I could get my machine within the next day or two.  Now in my case I said hold on, don't I need to talk to my doctor and get this ok'd with the insurance????  Good thing I held off as my insurance does have to give special permission for this equipment.  If you can be proactive, you may be able to get this going at light speed.  NOW if you have a regular doctor who ordered the sleep study, contact him also and let him know what's going on.  See if he will write you a prescription for a APAP rental until the exact pressure can be establed.  As I always say, it never hurts to ask.

Best of luck and let us know how it's going.

Melinda

I can't say that I know how you feel, but I have seen what my husband went through. He was in the process of being diagnosed with sleep apnea, when he was fired from his job, because he fell asllep on the job. He explained to his boss that he had sleep apnea and she told him to clock out that he was fired. We are currently in the process of filing a claim against his employer. My suggestion for you from seeing what my husband went through is provide your employer's with medical documentation. They are required to provide you with reasonable accomindations. Try to stay mobile. In my husbands case as long as he was moving he was tired, but not falling asleep. Another thing to do is to sleep on your side at night, and do not drink alcohol, or take sleeping pills this may make you sleep worse. My husband had 90 interruptions a hour during the test and after an 1 1/2 hours they woke him up and put him on a CPAP, because he was sleeping badly. After he was put on the CPAP he sleep soundly the rest of the night. He has sense found a machine and swears by it. He will not sleep without it. When he first tried to find help for this nobody would help us. Then we found help and they informed us that he could not get in to a study until over a year (we do not have insurance, and are on charity). The doctor saw the need and within 2 weeks he had his study.

Thank you all for so much support. I am glad that my current employer is quite understanding, my situation is not dire but requires immediate help. It helps so much, just to know that others are also suffering from the same ordeal.