Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread

I had a thread on CS about Sleep Apnea and it seemed to help a few guys get a better understanding of what it is and the risks involved by avoiding treatment.

I wanted to start one here if anyone has questions or just want to make comments about their progress.

Sooooooo hi, my name is Al and I have sleep apnea.
I think I had it for years prior to being diagnosed about 6 or 7 years ago. What a life changing thing for the better knowing and treating this affliction. No more snoring, feel rested and more energy.

Always here or PM if I can help. Getting this treated can save your life.

All the best,
Al

[MedicCook]

Hello my name is Ryan and I have sleep apnea.

I have the machine but I never use it. I was unable to get a comfortable feeling for the mask. When I was in EMS and sleeping on the couch during the day my fellow crew members use to keep track of the time between breaths. I think I would average 1 breath ever 30 seconds and maxed out at 1 every 50 seconds. During my sleep study my O2 sats were in the low 80's. Not very good.

Originally Posted by MedicCook

Hello my name is Ryan and I have sleep apnea.

I have the machine but I never use it. I was unable to get a comfortable feeling for the mask. When I was in EMS and sleeping on the couch during the day my fellow crew members use to keep track of the time between breaths. I think I would average 1 breath ever 30 seconds and maxed out at 1 every 50 seconds. During my sleep study my O2 sats were in the low 80's. Not very good.

You sleep on your back or side? How many different style masks have you tried?

[MedicCook]

Originally Posted by ahc4353

You sleep on your back or side? How many different style masks have you tried?

I usually sleep on my stomach & side. I tried the nose pillow during the sleep study but that was a disaster. Then I moved to the full face mask and could never get to sleep on my back and when I would wake up in the early morning in that dazed state I would start to have clausterphobia still being partially asleep and not being able to get the mask off. The only reason I did the sleep study was for the ex-gf and now that she is gone there is no reason to worry about it.

Wow, running sats that low are not good for you, especially over the long haul. You are kind of leading a path towards stiffening the blood vessels in your lungs (pulmonary hypertension). That isn't all that bad in and of itself (at least to the extent it occurs in OSA) but it does lead to an increased risk of right heart failure. The OSA is probably also dramatically increasing your average blood pressure.

If you can't tolerate the BiPAP or CPAP machines, maybe there are surgical options available (such as cutting out the uvula and part of the soft palate of the posterior mouth cavity)?

I personally alleviated my OSA issue by dropping 30 lbs, but that was my solution...and may not be a part of your issue or solution.

Cheers

John

[PeteSB75]

Originally Posted by MedicCook

I usually sleep on my stomach & side. I tried the nose pillow during the sleep study but that was a disaster. Then I moved to the full face mask and could never get to sleep on my back and when I would wake up in the early morning in that dazed state I would start to have clausterphobia still being partially asleep and not being able to get the mask off. The only reason I did the sleep study was for the ex-gf and now that she is gone there is no reason to worry about it.

you understand the risks associated with untreated apnea? It's not just about snoring. That is the symptom most associated with it, but not even the primary effect.

BTW, you might want to check into what mask they actually had you use during the sleep study. Mine was a triangle mask that covered most of my nose and between my eyes and made me feel pretty claustrophobic. The nose pillow is pretty small and unobtrusive and very different from the study mask. http://www.mysleepapnea.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=464 is what I have - I got it through my DME supplier just by asking for a different mask. I am also a side/stomach sleeper as well as having a goatee (facial hair is a problem with some masks) and this works great for me.

[BeerAdvocate]

My father in law has sleep apnea really bad, but refuses to get a sleep study and wear any type of mask while sleeping. He has it so bad, he falls asleep and snores mid sentence. Then wakes himself up when he begins to shake and gasp for air.
I am still determined to force him to go to the Dr.

*I work for a medical equipment supplier and a majority of our business is CPAP equipment.
If anyone has any questions about masks, machines, supplies....let me know.

[PeteSB75]

My name is Pete and I have sleep apnea.

I'm sure I had it for years before I was diagnosed about 2 years ago. My ex-wife bugged me for quite some time to get tested. I never did until after we split and my mom said something to me when I stayed at her house the following christmas.

Been using CPAP with nose pillows every night since I got it. Gotta say, it's made a HUGE difference in every aspect of my life. Feeling more rested, my head has been much clearer, I have more energy, so I have been able to exercise, lost about 40 lbs. In general, my quality of life is worlds better than it was before. And that is not just due to no longer being with my ex, though that definitely helps

[kaisersozei]

My name is Gerard and I might have sleep apnea.

In all likelihood I do. I'm scheduled for a split study in a few weeks. I've been plagued with snoring & apnea events for years, and finally decided to do something about it. Had a consult last week. I have to say, my wife is extremely pleased that I'm finally doing something--I think she is affected by it more than me!

[Smokin Gator]

My name is Brent and I have sleep apnea.

I definitely had it for several years but didn't really know anything about it. Then a couple of years ago my BBQ competition partner got a CPAP. He absolutely swore by it and bugged my until I went and got a sleep study. I cannot remember the exact numbers, but I was waking myself an average of something like 150 times an hour.

The hardest thing for me was getting used to sleeping on my back as I was always a stomach sleeper. My wife got me a Temperpedic (sp) pillow that has this ridge for your neck/head and that made a big difference. I feel so much better, have so much more energy, and my blood pressure is down considerably.

I will not ever sleep without one... it just isn't worth it.

[Don Fernando]

My name is Ferdinand and I have severe sleep apnea.

I use a cpap machine that helps me a lot.

[Tripp]

My name is Tripp, and I too think i might have sleep apnea.

For all of my adult life, I"ve had low energy problems, and have trouble even staying up late. I'm only 25, am in good shape, and usually hit the sack around 11, even on weekends, and have a hard time staying up too much later. My girlfriend had told me that I tend to "hold my breath" for up to a few minutes when sleeping, which is what tipped me off that I might have sleep apnea. I'm planning on seeing a doctor about it, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Originally Posted by Tripp

My name is Tripp, and I too think i might have sleep apnea.

For all of my adult life, I"ve had low energy problems, and have trouble even staying up late. I'm only 25, am in good shape, and usually hit the sack around 11, even on weekends, and have a hard time staying up too much later. My girlfriend had told me that I tend to "hold my breath" for up to a few minutes when sleeping, which is what tipped me off that I might have sleep apnea. I'm planning on seeing a doctor about it, but just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Classic symptoms Tripp. Please do yourself and your loved ones a favor and schedule a sleep test.

Keep us posted please.

[Don Fernando]

don't wait Tripp.

Sure, the first couple of weeks you'll have some problems adjusting to sleeping with a mask, but after that your energy levels will increase and life will get so much more enjoyable.

[icehog3]

My name is Tom and I have sleep apnea.

Diagnosed 4+ years ago, I had the somnoplasty (surgery) twice, and it improved my condition but did not cure it. Had the option for a 3rd surgery, and declined based on the horrible after effects of surgery #2.

May go the the mask at some point, but my symptoms and blood pressure are much improved so I won't be doing it any time soon.

Brent, I would love a link to the pillow you speak of when you get a chance.

[SmokeyJoe]

I have sleep apnea and have been using the cpap for about a year.

Adjusting to the mask has really not been a problem and I am so much more alert and full of energy.

What prompted me was going to the funeral of a 38 year-old guy who was pretty healthy overall... that died of sleep apnea. Made my appointment within a month. No looking back...

[tchariya]

Originally Posted by icehog3

My name is Tom and I have sleep apnea.

Diagnosed 4+ years ago, I had the somnoplasty (surgery) twice, and it improved my condition but did not cure it. Had the option for a 3rd surgery, and declined based on the horrible after effects of surgery #2.

May go the the mask at some point, but my symptoms and blood pressure are much improved so I won't be doing it any time soon.

Brent, I would love a link to the pillow you speak of when you get a chance.

Folks,

Tom is an example that sleep apnea can happen to anyone. The majority of the sufferers are people that are overweight.

I am overweight...morbidly obese as a matter of fact and I have obstructive sleep apnea. I primarily sleep on my back. I am congested almost every night if I don't use some sort of nasal spray or decongestion medication. Recently I have adjust my sleep style and sleep on my side. (I place something annoying behind me just i ncase I roll on my back to wake me up or readjust my position) This had made a huge difference and the loved ones have noticed less snoring and I have had a deeper sleep. But I know I have to shed lbs as additional treatment to reverse my OSA.

t.

[tchariya]

Those are nice pics of your sleep study.

The infra red camera in the ceiling monitors any movements that would correlate to any episodes you might have during the night.

They should have taken you through steps to calibrate the monitor. Wiggle your feet..your hands...your head ...etc etc.

I had 92 sleep episodes avg per hour.

[kaisersozei]

Well fellas, my doc called this morning to review my test results.

Turns out that I do have sleep apnea. It's not severe in its frequency (avg 17 episodes/hr,) but it is rather dramatic when it occurs: my O2 sats fall to 84%. Apnea is more prevalent when I'm sleeping on my back, and during the second half of the night during my deepest "dream sleep." Which is exactly why my wife pressured me to investigate this in the first place. Guess she knew what she was talking about...!

Next steps are to complete a CPAP titration study. This is the same set up as last week's evaluation, just hooked up to a CPAP for the night. The tech will then adjust the pressure to determine the right setting to correct my problem. Once that's completed, it will be off to home health to get my own equipment.

It's hard to capture my emotions about all this right now. On the one hand, I'm glad to have been diagnosed and am actively seeking treatment for this problem. As my wife & I discussed, it might explain a lot that's been going on with me in the last 6 months or so. Maybe longer. On the other hand, I'm anxious about this life-changing diagnosis and what it will mean. At the ripe young age of 46, I'm getting set in my ways. And this will definitely be a change. I suppose it will be a change for the better, but it will still require an adjustment. My family tells me that I'm kind of a stubborn old guy. "Old dog, new tricks" and all that stuff.

Oh well.

Hopefully I'll be a positive influence for some of you guys reading this. I never would have pursued testing if my "sleep partner" hadn't pointed it out in the first place. That seems to be a big influence a lot of times in making these diagnoses. As I said before, I don't fit the body profile of your typical apnea patient, although I suspected that there was some inherited trait. That I just ignored. Probably for too long.

In any event, I'll post up more once my second study is completed.

[Don Fernando]

my doctor (and my own internet research) advised me not to go with surgery as the chance the symptoms would go away are not high and would be only temporarily. That's why I went with the respironics cpap.