Is falling asleep being unconscious ?

As title. As I suffer from extreme fatigue and sleep apnea. I unwillingly nod off at very inappropriate times.

Can this be classed as loosing consciousness as it is quite involuntary ??

Rob

Rob Roy wrote:

As title. As I suffer from extreme fatigue and sleep apnea. I unwillingly nod off at very inappropriate times.

Can this be classed as loosing consciousness as it is quite involuntary ??

Rob

Hi Roy,

You haven't said which benefit you may be trying to claim or in which circumstances you are asking.

However I hazard a guess and say it probably would not be classed as losing consciousness, as there is quite a difference between 'nodding off' due to sleep aponea and unconsciousness.

I do know of someone with a similar condition who has been provided with a form of loud bleeper that bleeps and has to be cancelled if it detects, by lack of movement, that the person has nodded off. Obviously it is switched off at bedtime!. It seems to work very well to overcome the problem.

Pete

Hi Pete.
I've been on IB and DLA high mobility and medium care due to MS since 1995.

I'm just getting round to filling this ESA50 form in.Not only have they moved the goal posts I can't see any. Maybe I now have sight problems too

Rob

Rob Roy wrote:

As title. As I suffer from extreme fatigue and sleep apnea. I unwillingly nod off at very inappropriate times.

Can this be classed as loosing consciousness as it is quite involuntary ??

Rob

The simple answer IMO is no and its to do with the sleep-wake cycles ....Disorders of consciousness is not sleep apnea what is for example is Locked-in syndrome or Persistent vegetative state the other is brain death one missing ???Chronic coma nope still one missing must be five

pete17971 wrote:

Rob Roy wrote:

As title. As I suffer from extreme fatigue and sleep apnea. I unwillingly nod off at very inappropriate times.

Can this be classed as loosing consciousness as it is quite involuntary ??

Rob

Hi Roy,

You haven't said which benefit you may be trying to claim or in which circumstances you are asking.

However I hazard a guess and say it probably would not be classed as losing consciousness, as there is quite a difference between 'nodding off' due to sleep aponea and unconsciousness.

I do know of someone with a similar condition who has been provided with a form of loud bleeper that bleeps and has to be cancelled if it detects, by lack of movement, that the person has nodded off. Obviously it is switched off at bedtime!. It seems to work very well to overcome the problem.

Pete

Well I don't think that we work with me I'm afraid. Due to my thyroid problems I experience extreme fatigue which often results in me falling asleep so fast that It's like having a blackout. I've done it whilst I've been with other people in a room and it takes a lot to wake me. I can be dead to the world for hours.

So I'm a bit surprised to hear that wouldn't count as altered consciousness in the ESA form.

Sorry only just posted my first post and now expressing an opinion I have sleep aponea and having other test for fatigue. The dvla heard about me nodding off about 3 times a day and said they wanted my licence back as i was not in a concious state to drive, I dont now due to surgery but at the mo still retain the licence, my point is if I cant drive due to this how come it might not be considered for a "state of unconscousness" the govt: cant have its cake and eat it as they say. IMHO.