British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

Hi Sarnie dude,

Yes I have seen the slot that you mention & an sd card came with the machine, I will mention this at my sleep clinic appointment on Wednesday & see if I should have it fitted.

My home pc runs xp pro at the moment, but I must admit I prefer Linux & I have 2 pc's running Linux at work. One of which I'm planning on bringing home at some point soon, I just need to try & get the desktop set up to look as much like windows as possible so it doesn't freak out the others to much.

Will let you know how I get on.

Gerry. :)

[quote="Mr Mouse"]
A, I haven't explored my machine settings or display options that much so I don't know if mine records the number of episodes or not, my machine is a Resmed S9 it came with a memory card but was not fitted. My consultant must have used the information from my overnight stay at the sleep clinic, which was 86 before cpap & 18 with cpap on my first night. My GP would only have been able to use information supplied by my Consultant at Papworth, as I haven't actually seen my GP since he referred me.

[/quote]

Hi Mr Mouse,

You say that you have a ResMed S9, with a card, but not fitted.
It's easy to fit it. Just find the air intake. Just above it is a slot. Insert the card into it, label side up until it clicks, then release it. It should stay in place.
To release it, just press the card until it clicks, then release. It should spring out further than when it was locked in. Then just pull it out.
Any SD card will do if you still want to record your statistics when the supplied card is being reviewed by the clinic, though if you are using XP on your computer, try and avoid SDHC cards.

If you want to review it and have an SD card slot on your computer, why not try SleepyHead at http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/sleepyhead/index.php?title=Main_Page
It's free.
Make sure you import at least once a week as the S9 only keeps detail data for a week, though summary data is kept for a year. I copy my data to disk, then import from there. That way I keep the history in case I need to re-build.

WELCOME ALAN! I hope you are now starting to feel more comfy with your treatment and that you'll keep in touch. We were all newbies once! Again, welcome.

Hi Allan,
Was it a machine you got home for a trial or is it the machine you have for keeps?

Don't worry about settings and time used to much, just use it as much as you can every night. The machine even in its basic form records the time used. In the old days that is about all they recorded, but they evolved to record just about everything.
As long as you use a machine as much as you can you should improve and keep DVLA happy. As long as you don't feel tired during the day you should be ok.
I wouldn't worry about neck sizes and how obese you are, it can only improve after you are on a successful treatment with xPAP treatment.

The rest is really up to you, if you want to improve things you can go out for brisk walks or go to the gym or swimming. At the end of the day it is up to you how you go about loosing weight, but there is no doubt it is a lot healthier is you do.
Here I am assuming you are large in size, but not all sufferers are.

Don't worry to much about what your machine says, as long as you feel great that is all that matters.

Hi Alan,

A, I haven't explored my machine settings or display options that much so I don't know if mine records the number of episodes or not, my machine is a Resmed S9 it came with a memory card but was not fitted. My consultant must have used the information from my overnight stay at the sleep clinic, which was 86 before cpap & 18 with cpap on my first night. My GP would only have been able to use information supplied by my Consultant at Papworth, as I haven't actually seen my GP since he referred me.

B, I have no idea what my BMI is, I'm currently 20 stone 5ft 10" tall 50 years of age & my collar size is 17" I think I had to put all of this info on the DVLA forms.

C, As someone else has kindly covered the how do I join the forum question I won't go over it again.

Alan I hope this info helps, if only to put your mind at rest. It looks as if your latest posts did come up eventually, I would guess there was a delay as I think all guest posts need to be approved by a moderator before they appear on the forum. Another advantage to signing up is that if your first few posts are ok, then all subsequent posts will not need moderating & will show up straight away.

Gerry.

Hi Alan, firstly, to register you have to go to the home page and down near the bottom on the left is a column showing links to the forum, there is a link there to the registration page.

The CPAP machines do record the number of apnoeas you have each night, I went from around 60 per hour down to zero when I started using my machine. I was and still am overweight (by quite a lot) I lose and then put on so am a bit of a yoyo dieter. However, my clinic explained to me that part of my problem is congenital and not all weight related and also they have many slim people who are sufferers so excess weight is not the only problem.

I believe the DVLA contact your clinic not your GP as I don't think the clinic sends the annual results (you have to have annual checks) to your GP. Most people find that using CPAP alters there lives, mine certainly did, can't sleep without it (even for naps!) and after I'd used it for only a week I noticed a difference in the way I felt about life, and I wasn't constantly waking up for the loo when my apnoeas set off an adrenalin rush to my kidneys when my brain kicked in that I wasn't breathing.

You will get used to the machine and you will notice how better your life is when using - Ok you look and sound like Darth Vader at night but that's a small price to pay! LOL! The DVLA do not, as far as I know, revoke licenses as long as you keep using your machine and keep them up to date if you have any changes.

There are lots of other interesting and helpful threads on the forum so have a look around and join in and don't worry about asking questions, after all we all asked questions when we joined too.

Chris

Hello Gerry

My name is Alan, I am the 'guest' whose questions you kindly answered. I did try and send some more questions to you yesterday but my post does not show on the site so maybe I did something wrong but please accept my apologies if my questions later appear twice and understand that it is not because I am impatient

a/ With regard to the CPAP machine. Do you know if the machines, in addition to recording the number of hours that they have been used also record the number of sleep apnoeas you have each night like the other apparatus that you have to assess you before you are given the CPAP machine. Also when your GP or consultant reports back to the DVLA on how the CPAP machine is working for you do they base their report on information taken from the CPAP machine or from further tests or is it purely based on what you personally report back to them

b/ I have taken a look at the form on the DVLA website and note that they ask for your height, weight and collar size. Although I am currently, with some success trying to get my weight down I do still have a BMI of 32.3 (5 ft 9 and 15 st 11 lbs adn 17 inch collar) which puts me in the obese category. I appreciate that it is a very personal question but do you know what your BMI and collar size are as I am wondering if the DVLA also take that into and would like to compare yours with mine .

I am sorry to fire so many questions as you but I need to be able to drive not only to get to work but also to do my job so am really frightened that they may revoke my license. At 55 years old I am slightly older than you but still have two children aged 13 and 6 who depend on me to 'bring home the bacon'

Finally

c/ How do I register on this website so that I can put a name next to my posts instead of just Guest

Many thanks for your help Gerry

Hello Gerry

My name is Alan - I am the guest whose questions you have recently kindly answered. I hope it is OK with you because I have some more questions for you

I was issued with a CPAP machine recently and told to use it for one week to see if it improved my sleep before returning 7 days later for a follow up appointment to discuss how I had done. I have now used it for a few nights and my sleep has certainly improved and I am told that I no longer snore.

a/ Could you tell me how the consultants assess how successful the CPAP machine is for an individual - Does the machine measure the number of apnoeas an hour you are having like the machine which I had to sleep attached to before I got the CPAP machine or do they base their report purely on the level of success that the patient reports to them.

b/ I have taken a look at the forms and note that they ask for your height, weight and collar size. I must admit that although I am currently trying to lose weight with a degree of success my BMI is still currently at around 33 which regrettably puts me in the obese category. I appreciate that it is a very personal question but would you tell me what your BMI and neck sizes are as I am fearful that mine may go against me. Did the DVLA ask for any such information when you called them or just on the forms

c/ How do I join the forum an put my name on my posts

Thank you for you patience and time. I am sorry to ask so many questions but the though of not being able to drive is really frightening me - moreso after I read some of the posts on this forum - as I need to drive both to get to work and for my job.

Thanks again
Alan

Hello Guest,

I'm quite happy to share my experiences with you, however it would be nice to know your name at the very least. I will try bellow to address your specific questions one by one, so here goes.

A, The chap who I spoke to when I rang the DVLA was very helpful & reassuring, I explained to him that I had been recently diagnosed with sleep apnoea & had been issued with a cpap machine. Which I had been using every night for a 2 week period for at least 6 hours a night, he said that because I was being treated for the condition it was okay for me to carry on driving. He explained that he would register the condition on my license details held at the DVLA, he would send out some forms for me to fill in & send back. I had 21 days after receiving the forms in which to fill them in & send them back which is what I did, you can find the forms on the DVLA website as well.

B, No I didn't mention needing to drive to work even though I do a 50 mile round trip a day for work, but I didn't need to as I wasn't advised not to drive.

C, I had to enter details of my diagnosis & treatment on the forms & give details of my GP & consultant at the Sleep clinic, I also had to give the DVLA permission to contact both for details. Once again have a look at the forms on the DVLA website & you will see what they expect answer wise.

D, It is up to you as an individual to inform the DVLA of any circumstantial change in your health, although I would imagine your GP or consultant may write to the DVLA if they feel it necessary to do so.

E, The reason I informed the DVLA before I was advised to by my consultant was because I had to renew my motorcycle insurance policy before my follow up appointment, so I had to inform my insurance company of my diagnosis to see if it would effect the cost of my renewal. They were very good about it & said I was right to inform them, they said that provided the DVLA didn't impose any restrictions upon my license then they would not increase my policy renewal. They renewed my policy there & then at the originally quoted rate & only asked to be informed if the DVLA did in fact impose any restrictions, as I got the all clear I was thinking of ringing them again to see if they require a copy of my DVLA all clear letter. I also rang my car insurers & got exactly the same approach from them, which was also a relief.

Yes I was on cpap treatment & had been for 2 weeks when I called the DVLA & my 2 insurers, this may well have made all the difference in my case. I must categorically state that when my GP referred me to Papworth at no point did he tell me to stop driving, I also did 2 different home sleep studies at the request of Papworth before being admitted for an overnight study. Again at no point did anyone at Papworth advise me to stop driving, although as I say they did say at some point I would have to inform the DVLA of my diagnosis but told me not to rush into it. I think I may have been lucky & purely by chance everything happened in the right order for me, yes they did contact both my GP & consultant as part of my investigation.

And finally, don't be afraid to ask if I can help at all I'm more than willing to do so. I would advise you to join up on this forum as well, I have found it very useful to take an active part since I discovered it.

Good Luck,

Gerry. :)

Please be patient with me as I am not really sure how these forums work. I have some questions for Gerry

a/ I have read most of the comments on this subject and whereas some people are reporting that their licenses were revoked immediately they reported their condition to the DVLA and some shortly after by letter I note that yours was not. When you contacted the DVLA did they comment on whether you were allowed to continue driving whilst they were conducting their investigation.

b/ Did you tell the DVLA about your position regarding getting to work - I ask this because one post suggested that cases where employment depends on having a license get priority

c/ Did the DVLA ask for any details of the results of the tests that you had had or were they satisfied that you were undergoing CPAP treatment. Did they ask how that treatment was progressing.

d/ Now that you have been given the all clear will the DVLA require updated reports from your GP/Consultant in the future or is it just a case that your GP/Consultant has to report any changes in your condition in the future to them.

e/ I have just re read your posts and note that although your consultant suggested that you should wait until your next appointment in six weeks (from the end of March) so that they could help you complete them you sent the forms back before then. Were you on CPAP treatment when you first notified the DVLA and did that satisfy them on the understanding that they (as part of their investigation) would require confirmation from your GP/Consultant

Sorry to ask so many questions but the posts on this site seem to contradict each other with peoples experiences being very very different from each other. As yours is a very recent experience I would really welcome your help

Yes I must admit I was somewhat relieved I could still have got to work by bus but it would have meant 2 hours travel each way rather than 30 minutes each way in the car or by motorbike !.

It should have just been a formality in my case, but I never underestimate bureaucracy !.

Gerry. :D

I saw a Thoracic Medicine Consultant last Thursday. He has referred me for 'sleep clinic' which apparently means I have to do the test at home............. hmmmm how accurate is this? Anyway, he told me also that I could not drive for 2-3 weeks until I had my results (I have to drive to get to my employment, if not using buses it would add 2.5 hours onto my working day!) I am scared to tell DVLA but am also scared not to! I am struggling so badly with tiredness at work and fear that not only driving restrictions but also performance reduction at work could threaten my employment. Help?

That's great news.

HURRAY!! And well done for following the correct procedure.

Well I got a letter back from the DVLA today giving me the all clear to carry on driving, I must say that although this was what I was expecting it's good to get confirmation through.

Gerry.