- Part 1 – Can A DOT Medical Examiner Refuse You A Medical Card Unless You Have A Sleep Study Done?
- Part 2 – DOT Physical And Sleep Apnea Testing: Are Medical Examiners Caught Between A Rock And A Hard Place?
- Part 3 [You Are HERE] – Commercial Driver Awareness About The Sleep Apnea Issue
- Part 4 – OSA: How To Know If You Have It
- Part 5 – Commercial Drivers Can Manage Sleep Apnea And Maintain Their CDL
The sleep apnea issue could affect both your livelihood and your life.
Ask yourself – “Am I ignoring or denying personal health problems (longer term life risk) because I can’t afford time off work (shorter term financial risk) or to lose my job?”
By being aware of the different circumstances and perspectives around sleep apnea, you get to manage this before it becomes an issue. Then you can do what you need to do to protect both your earnings and your health.
CHECK OUT THESE STEPS
Step 1: You’re At Reasonable Risk for Sleep Apnea.
A combination of symptoms and / or diagnosed medical conditions indicate that you may be at high risk for sleep apnea.
You can bet on these pointing at a sleep study test in your near future. And the Medical Examiner is justified in requesting a sleep study test.
Step 2: You May Suspect You Have Sleep Apnea But You Haven’t Been Diagnosed Yet.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition that can have serious life-threatening consequences if not treated.
If you have reasonable suspicion that you have sleep apnea, it’s recommended that you investigate it further, see your physician and do a sleep test if necessary — BEFORE it becomes an issue for your medical card — and while you still have time to look into OPTIONS that work best (financially, time wise, and health wise) for you.
Step 3: You Can Manage Sleep Apnea and Maintain Your CDL.
Obstructive sleep apnea does not necessarily disqualify you for CDL medical certification.
Treatment with a prescribed CPAP or Bi-PAP machine, and some manageable lifestyle changes, can help you take back control of your health, and maintain your commercial drivers license.
If You Feel You Are HONESTLY NOT AT RISK And Screening Seems To Be Overly-Cautious Or A Conflict of Interest…
If a medical examiner is picking single strikes e.g. neck size or BMI to send you for a sleep study, you should question the motive.
The examiner may be being overly-cautious, or work for an organization that has laid down a list of screening factors and is not considering the bigger picture. Or, the examiner may have ties with a sleep clinic, and have a conflict of interest.
Be aware that there are no FMCSA rules at this time regarding sleep apnea screening i.e. prescribing who should be tested. This does not mean you have a “get out of jail free” card to avoid the issue if you are at risk.
If, after understanding the indications of risk for sleep apnea, you feel that you are honestly not at risk, then you now have the information to stand your position if a medical examiner tries to assert screening guidelines rather than assessing your overall health situation.
Put In A Nutshell
You may be reading this article because you’re concerned about your livelihood – how sleep apnea could affect your DOT medical certification and that your CDL is at risk. If that’s the case, then you should be concerned about your health too – that this issue could become life-threatening.
Who Has Their Hand On The Steering Wheel Of Your Life?
If you don’t have your hand firmly on the steering wheel of your life, you can be sure someone else is going to be putting their hands on it. 
Commercial driving is an extremely challenging lifestyle. Will you let its constraints – health challenges, rules and regulations – control the way you live? Or will you take back the steering wheel of your life and manage your life and your livelihood, despite its challenges?
By knowing what the problems are, you can take action to make the outcome different, and maintain your CDL without hassles.
Thanks to Trucker Docs expert panel doctor, Dr. Kenn Seals, for contributing to this article.You can find Dr. Seals at Chiro Stop in Salt Lake City, UT.
I just visited my local occupational health facility to get a new medical card. One of the questions on the questionnaire is “Have you ever had a sleep study test?”. I had a sleep study test performed in 2012 which came back negative of any sleep disorders. I told this to the nurse practitioner conducting the exam, she told me she could not give me a new medical card until I produced these said results. I tried to obtain the results, but the facility in which I had my test performed has gone out of business. I told the manager at occupational health facility this and now they’ve issued me a six month certification telling me I have to go and get another sleep study test done in order to get my two year card. I’ve been able to obtain four medical cards between the sleep study test and now, all certified by doctors and not nurse practitioners. I’m five feet four inches and 132 pounds, not exactly sleep apnea material. Is this a standard practice? What can I do? Can I go to a different facility in six months when my card expires to get my two year card?
@Alexander
No, it is not a standard. You just need to go somewhere else to get a second opinion. The facility you are at now is overreading the guidelines. It would be very helpful if you can find out where your records were sent though. Someone has them somewhere.
i had a sleep study done a little over three ago came back that was good no sleep apena how long is that good for . how offen do they want you to get tested
@Tony
There is no interval/time requirement for sleep apnea screening.
Sleep apnea screening should be based on health issues present that indicate potential sleep apnea.
Whent to dot physical card was failed because I was only at 40% usage for the full year. What do I have to do to get back in compliance?
@John
30 days worth of numbers with a 70% compliance.
I have CDL A I was hired to drive local I had to get a new medical card so I did my physical I noted I had a sleep study which three years ago I was diagnosed with sleep apnea I did not know this was a problem what do I have to do to get my medical card is there temporary card so I can start work I have cpac machine which I used
@George
Have a printout from your unit showing a 70% compliance for the past thirty days and you should be good to go. Medical card will be for one year at the time due to the OSA.
Two years ago I went for my dot physical they told me , I would have to go for a sleep study before my next one. so I did, and was advised I had sleep apnea . my insurance is crap so I ordered a cpap online, when it came I started using it, but something didn’t seem right. the next morning I found the mask was broken I tried to tape it, that didn’t work I ordered a new one it took about ten days to arrive. so I go in for my physical yesterday took my smart card, they ask me what that was they had no idea, I said the recording device for my cpap. they couldn’t down load the info so I had to find a place to take it now I have the info but because of the messed up mask I only have 66.3% instead of the 70% needed for dot regulations , I’ve drove safely for 40 years and try to do the right thing and it comes back and bites me in the ass what can I do ?
@Lee
Cover your ass. You might explain the situation and see if they can issue you a short card to allow you the time to get a new mask and get your compliance up to snuff.
My husband got a 2 yr certificate after his dot exam the dr stated no limitations etc but after he signed the paperwork and issued his new card he gave him back his sleep evaluation certificate and said he had 2 of the factors recommend a sleep apnea but gave him his 2yr so we are confused
@Sue
The two year medical card went into the FMCSA database and stands as good for two years.
If he has sleep apnea and has already been tested, then there are new questions here. Does he have sleep apnea, does he need a cpap unit, does he use the unit 70% of the time for compliance? If no unit is required, then you don’t need to do anything. If he does have sleep apnea and uses the unit then he should have received a one year medical card.
How long do you have to be 70% or more compliant using cpap to get a one year certification in the State of N.H?…been using mine for just over a month and half
@Eddie
30 days of compliance is what is a minimum requirement for CPAP usage. Any time frame longer is just icing on the cake.
I went to get my medical dot physical card yesterday and pass every test with flying colors. Now the Dr told me he couldn’t pass me cause of my bmi and I needed to go see a dr for this part to get my medical card and I looked at him why is he telling me this and he also told me I have to pay about 500.00 for this and I told him he was crazy. Asked me if I have problems sleeping or do I snore when I sleep and I’d told him no I don’t. I have no problem sleeping at all and on my days off I sleep in and get alot of rest. He told me my weight and height is why he couldn’t give me my medical card. My weight is 230 with clothing and wallet and shoes on and not one time the they asked me to remove them from me and then get weighed and then after that he told me he sent all this information to the DOT to let them know i was order to take that sleeping study. Bear in mind they didn’t do my physical properly nor did they do the measurements of my neck at all. So I’m asking what so I do my old dot card does expire till Aug of 2016. Don’t have the money to get this study and I did let them know all I have to do is lose 10 to 15 lbs and I know I’ll pass it. So what I’m asking what should I do next and what set do I need to take cause I just lost 100.00 on this physical and now they want me to spend 500 to 2000 on some test that’s bs.
@JD
We just answered your same question at http://dotphysicaldoctor.com/can-dot-medical-examiner-refuse-medical-card-unless-you-have-sleep-study/
Thank you and I will do this asap.
I had a sleep study done in 2011 minor was told I have minor sleep apnea and was given a CPAP. I tried to use it for the first year but found it made sleeping very difficult. At the time of the sleep test I was under a lot of marital stress. Since I have not been using the CPAP and do not have daytime sleepiness can the medical examiner give me a 2 yr certificate. I already had the exam today and he is reviewing the rules. He also had me fill out a Berlin sleep test and said it was a good score.
@Jim
It will be up to the examiner as to what he does with the findings. If there was no sleep disorder, then he may go for a two year card, but without retesting to make that decision, he may hold to one year at the time.