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• 1. At 09:08am on 11 Sep 2008, Big Sister wrote:

  One point which is rarely mentioned in discussions of sleep apnoea is that it is a condition which must be declared to the DVLA and which, if not brought under control, would lead to the removal of the sufferer's right to drive.
  
  I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnoea a few years ago. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where there is a sleep clinic, so diagnosis and treatment are not a major problem. It is, frankly, a pain in the proverbial - using CPAP machines isn't easy for everybody (myself included), but there is an alternative that works for some, namely, a mandibular device. Again, I'm lucky enough to have had one made for me by the hospital where I get my treatment. However, I know from the sleep nurse that there are many who refuse to use CPAP, and we suspect these refusees are contintuing to drive with the condition uncontrolled. If they have an accident, they risk, at the very least, finding themselves uninsured, at the worst they could kill themselve and others.
  
  Another issue relating to the condition being untreated is that there are health risks associated with sleep apnoea, and failure to treat the conditon can lead to sudden death or to heart problems.
  
  From all of this, you can see that this is an issue that requires some serious action on behalf of PCTs, health professionals, and the media to ensure that there are no excuses for being unaware of the risks attached to the condition.
  
  Oh, and it's pretty easy to spot if you, or someone you are close to, might have the condition -
  
  Snoring!

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• 2. At 09:34am on 11 Sep 2008, U10783173 wrote:

  Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

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• 3. At 09:45am on 11 Sep 2008, Big Sister wrote:

  At least you're not snoring, Horse! :)

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• 4. At 09:59am on 11 Sep 2008, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

  Shouldn't everyone who drives be given annual medicals to check for stuff like this?
  
  If I suggested that people with untreated health problems likely to cause problems with driving (yea, even unto myopics without glasses/contact lenses) be banned from driving, would I be accused of encouraging the nanny state?

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• 5. At 12:16pm on 11 Sep 2008, Vyle Hernia wrote:

  SSC (4) I agree about eyesight. Many drivers I encounter seem to have limited vision, judging by their tardiness.
  "Keep death off the roads - don't dawdle."

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• 6. At 2:37pm on 11 Sep 2008, Humph wrote:

  An interesting comment, by BigSis (1) in her first paragraph*, about the DVLA considering a medical condition being brought under control. I am mildly epeletic, a condition that is controlled by medication, and as such am allowed a driving licence to drive a car and small van. However, I am not allowed to drive a transit van, minibus or anything that size or bigger.
  
  I could do my job better if I was allowed to drive these classes of vehicles on some occasions. Since going on the present medication, 14 years ago, I have had no seizures. However, the DVLA require me to be seizure-free for 10 years without medication. My condition has been brought under control, but not to the satisfaction of the DVLA! Should I choose to go "medication-free", I would loose my driving licence for the first twelve months and be banned from field-work for a period too (the length of ban would depend on the class of country where the work is done). I do not think that this is worth the eventual gain that I would get less than 10 years before retirement.
  
  H.
  
  P. S. * The rest of her comment was interesting, too! ;o)

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• 7. At 7:02pm on 11 Sep 2008, Chris_Ghoti wrote:

  SSC @ 4, while we are at it let's have a go at trying to ensure that people on prescribed medication that makes them unsafe to drive be prevented from driving. Prescribed drugs are apparently involved in as many road traffic incidents as excessive alcohol is -- or maybe it was more, last time the statistics were published. Either way, if they are causing people to drive into things it can't be a good idea.

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• 8. At 10:00pm on 11 Sep 2008, nikki noodle wrote:

  SSC - another good thought, as always!!!
  
  it depends on whether a driving licsnce (sp) is a 'right' or not...
  
  Is it too way out to compare the conditions with those for a pilot's liscencs (sp)?

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• 9. At 09:17am on 12 Sep 2008, The Stainless Steel Cat wrote:

  Chris (7):
  
  I didn't know that, it's quite worrying.
  
  Nikki (8):
  
  Let's call them "driving tickets"! And no, I don't think driving is a "right", but that's likely to be an unpopular view.

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