How can you comment on my experience if you don't even know what a sleep test score is? I was there and spoke with a HCP who is a specialist in sleep disorders and had a 1+ hour conversation going over the data and learned that my specific case was a 4 and borderline for sleep apnea and it was my choice if I wanted to move forward with treatment, but if insured with Medicare I would be considered a 3 and not within their guidelines as eligible for treatment. It's really as simple as that and not a black and white issue.

In reading this thread, Todd has indicated he's an 8, but I'm not so presumptuous to assume we're being scored on the exact same scale. I have no idea what Todd's sleep test entailed so I can't say, with any certainty, his 8 is twice as bad as my 4. No offense, but you come off as a know it all with all kinds of certainties and have demonstrated that diagnosis over Rennlist really doesn't work.

 

There is documented evidence of truckers falling asleep whilst driving for their job, hence laws in place to cap what they can drive per day. Can you cite any evidence of race car drivers in any series from amateurs to professionals, falling asleep on track? IF you can, then we have something. No one has been able to produce such evidence yet.

 

And this, if I may speak for Todd here briefly, is at the heart of his frustration, and ultimately what caused him to "go public" with his situation...

 

It’s not. If you’re doing the Krispy Kreme’s on track thing, you should probably not be wearing a helmet at all.

 

Thing is, no matter how much research you do, you're not a doctor, nor are you the person/committee who makes the decision on medical clearance. The people who make that decision are doctors, and they know a lot of things you can't imagine knowing (you don't know what you don't know). They don't need to explain to you why they want the CPAP data, and they shouldn't have even tried to explain it. They also don't need to explain to you why they think trucker standards apply, and it doesn't matter whether that makes sense to you. Bottom line is that, in the current regime, you either give them the data they ask for and hopefully get your license renewed, or you choose not to give them the data and your license is not renewed. Everything else is noise.

 

If a racer is prescribed a CPAP, there's no evidence that using the CPAP doesn't reduce the risk of a crash, and there's no evidence that using the CPAP increases the risk of crash. And it's plausible that using the CPAP reduces the risk of a crash (read the literature on physiological effects of OSA). So it's not unreasonable to ask racers to provide CPAP data.

 

Ridiculous. As if I am not smart enough to understand the issues enough to speak about them intelligently without being a doctor.

Plus, I have more doctors telling me I am correct than exist on the PCA medical committee, including one that was on the committee. What does that mean?

 

Wow.... no words....

Stop, just stop with physiological babble. Bottomline me, where is the data of ANY, even a single incident of a participant falling asleep on track. I'll wait.

 

I agree with you, except that I wouldn't go to the extreme of saying it's 'ridiculous'. If they're erring on the side of caution in requesting information when information is or should be available, regardless of how that may or may not move the risk needle, what they're doing is not unreasonable.

You're a lawyer and you understand nuances, so look at it in a nuanced away. I think that your POV on the reasoning is too influenced by your (understandably) being pissed off.

 

Read the literature, then come back and we can discuss. Years ago, when I was having serious sleep problems and did a sleep study, I spent many hours reading the literature on OSA and how it can affect the body, and one thing I learned for sure is that this stuff is complex.

 

What are exactly are you correct about? That there's no justification for the medical committee wanting to see your CPAP data?

 

Where is the data? This entire thread is an exercise in futility if there is no data to back it up. I ask you or any PCA officials, board members, or executive members to provide any data on how many people have fallen asleep on track regardless of the series or club. IF we want to "follow the science" let's have a data set to start.

 

If they want to get CPAP data, than they should be checking for compliance with insulin treatment of diabetics, whether people with vision issues are wearing contacts or glasses, if drivers can get out of their cars in enough time if they are on fire, if all the gear and safety equipment is operable before each race, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc., or drop the requirement to look at CPAP data.

They cherry picked one medical issue and decided to hyper focus on it when the data is only historical. If I use the CPAP for months and months but don't bring it to me during a race weekend all that data is useless.

The PCA requirement for CPAP data is absolutely ridiculous in the context of overall risk. The "it wouldn't hurt" argument is specious at best.

 

they stop you on the grid without a helmet. But you can hide Krispy Kremes under the seat.

 

dgrobs, you're up.