Sleep Aponea

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LeverDown
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Sleep Aponea

Postby LeverDown » Mon Mar 16 2015, 07:05

I am a newbie having achieved my PPL(H) last November.

About 10 years ago I was diagnosed with acute sleep aponea. After loosing 30 KG I thought I was cured (as I didn't wake up an night and I felt good when not using my sleep aponea treatment). Anyone who has acute sleep aponea will know you feel like a truck hit you if your don't use your chosen sleep aid.

So when I decided to take up flying, and being the honest soul that I am, I ticked "yes" to "do you have a history of sleep aponea" in my medical questionnaire. This sent me back to my Sleep Physician and another sleep study to find I do still have very mild sleep aponea. I think normal ranges is below < 5 sleep interruptions per hour and I have 7 per hour

My Sleep Doctor wrote a report and sent it to CASA and they have me a Class 2 medical with 12 month reviews. Part of this review is they require another report form my Sleep Doctor with my medical review. I am hoping I don't need to do $1000 sleep study every 12 months. My strategy was to shed another 5-10 KG and hopefully get me into the normal range but that has not happen. So clearly my review that the sleep doctor will send to CASA will be the same as the last with no change

So my question is does anyone have any history of sleep aponea and can give me an insight into what CASA are going to expect.
If I loose some weight and get cleared by my sleep doc will they still require a report form my sleep doctor every year regardless now that I am flagged?

Anyone tackled this and have advice

Thanks
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FerrariFlyer
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Re: Sleep Aponea

Postby FerrariFlyer » Wed Mar 18 2015, 04:26

Bumped by mod due to late post approval.
ozloadie
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Re: Sleep Aponea

Postby ozloadie » Wed Mar 18 2015, 05:02

Keep a diary or do a daily summary of your life style eg diet, sleep periods, exercise regimes, medications, activities eg flying , diving etc.
Provide that with the Dr's report to support it.

It's not easy for organisations to make decisions on single or periodic reports.

However, your diary/summary provides research which you are providing in your own case management; that creates a yard stick and gives them a lot more realistic information to base a decision on.

It might also reveal a remedy to yours and others situations within elements of the info you provide that was not obvious.

In effect, you'll create the path for them to approve what you need or want, aviation wise.
Keep it flying, don't quit!
lowflyer
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Re: Sleep Aponea

Postby lowflyer » Wed Mar 18 2015, 11:31

It is sad and should not be so as we should not have to fear casa they should here to to help but they are not. It may be irrisponsabile to say so but tick no to everything.

I have had a sleep study done befor but did not pay anywhere near $ 1000 . Was closer to $100 but I had a referral from a GP so that may have made a difference in cost.
LeverDown
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Re: Sleep Aponea

Postby LeverDown » Wed Mar 18 2015, 12:30

Thanks for the advice Ozlodie, I will discuss this with my DAME
My mother in law had a sleep study where they wired her up and sent her home with a portable machine. That was arranged by her GP
I was sent to a specialist when I had acute sleep anonea and he puts me into a sleep study centre at a hospital where they monitor and observe your sleep via CCTV.
I just recall there is not much change from $1000

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