I understand Victor wanted bayoulady to elaborate on her experiences with OSA. Can't speak for her, but I drove many times when I shouldn't have. I had to get rides places and regularly fell asleep in my therapist's office. I first really noticed my symptoms when after being up just a short time in the morning I would be falling sleep on my feet (called excessive daytime sleepiness)- I'd have to lay down and sleep. I thought it was something that came on suddenly, but then I remembered that for a long time I had been napping in the afternoon. Good four hour naps and nothing would wake me up.

My doc sent me for a sleep study and in the meantime I was suffering so badly- my life was ruled by sleepiness- having to cancel, change appointments, find rides and hopefully stay awake where ever I was, that I started on Provigil, a stimulant which helped me to stay awake. The idea of the provigil was to tide me over until I had the sleep study. Turned out I did have sleep anea, but even after 20 months I'm still not comeplety titrated and continue to take medication for sleepiness during the day.

We tend to talk about driving while sleepy as it's so dangerous. Not only do we put ourselves and our passengers at risk, but other people on the road. The same with operating machinery and many other activities could be hazardous if you fell asleep in the middle of a task. Hence the NTSB's interst in airline pilots, bus drivers, and long haul truckers. But we regular folks who insist on driving when we know we shouldn't are a real problem on the roads.

So, Victor, let us know what symptoms you are having and you will get some advice and interesting stories. What led you to sleep guide? Are you on CPAP? Thinking you may need a slep study?

Welcome to the group.

Mary Z.