Does anyone here have Sleep Apnea?

[caleb08]

Just wondering if anyone here has Sleep Apnea. I have had it for 3yrs and where a full face mask. I scare my grandkids when I where the masks. My cats love the mask because of the air plus they love sitting on my machine at night and turning it off while I am hooked up to the machine . They look at me when they see me jumping up because I can't breath and the look says I didn't do anything

[breault]

Nope, don't have sleep apnea, but know about it. I can only imagine how it scares the grandkids! Heck, I was washing my face one evening and had soap all over my face and even that scared my son when he was little, thought I was a monster...

[desimo]

Yea I have it and it runs in my dad's family. It is very hard on the heart so I am glad you are addressing it. Do you have a specific question?

[jg1]

Yes, I do. Doctors said one of the worst, 2nd worst, pre death sleep apnea, worse off than a 90 year old with a serious heart condition. I was drinking so much coffee and caffeine that I should not drink anymore as I was going to have a heart attack and die. Also my cholesterol and triglyceride were through the roof. 367. Doctor said could have a heart attack at any minute, Ive brought that down with meds.

I had a operation to correct my deviated septum, so I could use my mask better. Had a uvula & tonsil operation. They wanted to do numerous other operations to help the sleep apnea but insurance would not covered.

I have used two different sleep apnea machines, both I would wake up in the middle of the night including one of the sleep studies, feeling like and yelling I cant breath. Took it upon myself to jack up the altitude to max 60,000 feet and now sleep a-lot better. Went in for another operation a couple months ago for sinus infection and swelling in both sinuses. Still cant breath well out of my nose and wake up with killer head aches if I doze off without my mask. Especially have a hard time with the mask when I have a cold. Funny, now I work at a company repairing cpaps and respiratory equipment.

[Don Paul]

I have it,. but couldnt get used to the machine. Loosing 24 lbs helped considerably on the snoring. I cant imagine going thru surgeries till they get it right though

[smee2]

I have had sleep apmea for several years, at least fifteen maybe close to twenty. I have trouble keeping track of time ... which is my way of saying I don't want to be reminded of the passage of time so I basically try to ignore it (hahaha). . The first C-Pap machine lasted about nine years and since then I get a new one every couple of years. They are getting better, and the masks are batter and there are some that a totally different configuration for people who just "can't" get used to the mask.

Not only do I find I cannot use it when I have a cold, which isn't often thankfully, but crying makes it impossible too. Lost my husband just over a year ago and haven't been able to use the machine on a constant basis yet.

But the C-Pap system (Constant Positive Air Pressure) is a great help for most people. I was "waking up" about every twenty minutes. Some of my resperatory tests showed I stopped breathing, which is what wakes you up, as often as twenty times in an hour and that really makes a good night's sleep impossible.

So, anyway, you asked, and yes, I do have it. Is there a specific question? or situation you could use advice with?

smee2

oh ... p.s. you must find a way to keep the cats from turning the machine off. I had mine on a night table by the bed and had to replace the table with a shelf unit so that the machine is on the second shelf and there isn't enough room for the cats to sit on the machine. Also at one point I found I could discourage the cats by putting the machine farther away and got a longer main hose unit. But it can be a problem.

[bear]

Yes i have had it several years. I use what they call nose pillows. It was a big help from the full face mask. I have never felt better. I surely can tell the nights I may fall a sleep without it. But wife does not allow that to often.

And your question was? Or you just wondering.

[EagleEye]

C-pap works great for me. Glad they tested me for this.

[caleb08]

Yea I have it and it runs in my dad's family. It is very hard on the heart so I am glad you are addressing it. Do you have a specific question?

No questions on my sleep apena I was just wondering. I enjoy coming to Off Topics and reading what others have to say and I just wanted to join in.

[Mo4115]

Using a CPAP for my sleep apnea has added many years to my life. The good feeling of taking deep clear breaths is invigorating. I've used a CPAP

for 10 years and advise anyone who susppects sleep apnea to get tested. My snoring caused me to investigate and was then diagnosed with Apnea.

[Maynard57]

Just wondering if anyone here has Sleep Apnea. I have had it for 3yrs and where a full face mask. I scare my grandkids when I where the masks. My cats love the mask because of the air plus they love sitting on my machine at night and turning it off while I am hooked up to the machine . They look at me when they see me jumping up because I can't breath and the look says I didn't do anything

I have sleep apnea and I appreciate your concerns. I don't use my machine enough, and I really should.

Maynard

[elv780]

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, lost weight, could not use machine as I am very noise sensative. I ordered a mouth guard that works really well for me. No noise and I sleep better.

[Silence Dogood]

Have a best friend who had it till college. Got diagnosed... had a surgury to correct... and now sleeps like a baby. If you can get it corrected do so as soon as possible! Not getting proper sleep ,to your body, is the same as speeding up your death. Yes I know that sounds over the top but its truer than most know. If you dont sleep "correctly" your body cant repair like it needs to at night and it causes a domino effect on ALL the systems of your body. MUSLE PAIN , LACK OF CONCENTRATION, DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS, IRRATABILITY,CONSTANT COLDS AND FLUS. Any of these sound familiar? Just the begining.... Take care of your health first and you will always be wealthy.

[len]

I don't have sleep apnea but I'm a physician. If you are overweight, weight loss can sometimes help. CPAP is the gold standard treatment either by mask or nasal pillows. There are other treatments but they are not as effective as CPAP. I wrote an article about it here: http://ezinearticles.com/?After-Burning-Fat-and-Losing-Weight-Beware!&id=4787750.

Hope this helps

[tomcat]

I have sleep apnea and I appreciate your concerns. I don't use my machine enough, and I really should.

Maynard

Hey I didn't know, Uncle Jon also does and he uses it everynight and makes special arigments when traveling.

We all have noticed the change in his energy level and demeanor

I hope you are doing well and we should talk soon

Take care, Tomcat

[Mntnman]

Here is some info that may prove to be enlightening: Treat the cause... not the symptoms.

More and more people are developing a problem known as sleep apnea. This means that these individuals are not breathing regularly during sleep. In other words, there is a pause in their breathing usually greater than 10 seconds and may be as long as a minute or two. Obviously.

during these times their blood oxygen level can drop to dangerously low levels and even be associated with abnormal heart rhythms. It has even be postulated that this may cause sudden death. These prolonged episodes of apnea or lack of breathing is then associated with an abrupt gasp and the patient usually is awakened momentarily or their sleep pattern is at least disrupted. These leads to a very poor sleep pattern and excessive stress on your heart and lungs. This is why the major symptom of sleep apnea is daytime drowsiness.

OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA

The most common type of sleep apnea is known as obstructive sleep apnea. This is characterized as a closing off of the upper airway, which may first present as snoring. However, many people who snore do not have sleep apnea. It is best understood as a simple mechanical narrowing of the back of the throat and the intake of a breath creates enough negative pressure to actually close off the throat. This blocks the airway and creates a period of apnea or lack of breathing. Their blood oxygen and pH levels decrease and their CO2 level increases. This is not a good situation and it can place added stress on their heart and lungs as well as significantly disrupting their sleep.

The most common finding in patients with sleep apnea is central weight gain and underlying insulin resistance. These patients not only seem to gain weight around their middle but they also gain weight and thickness around their neck. This can cause fat deposits around their pharynx and throat, which in turn causes a physical narrowing. These patients start out having signs of increased snoring and daytime drowsiness; however, the most common presenting complaint is usually from the spouse. Not only can't they sleep but they also document the fact that their husband or wife is having significant pauses in their breathing. The best way to truly diagnose this problem is via a sleep study. The frequency, severity, and clinical manifestations make it easy to know who is really having a serious problem or not.

CENTRAL SLEEP APNEA

Central sleep apnea is not as common and is characterized by the lack of central nervous stimulation of the breathing mechanism. In other words, there is no central nervous system stimulation to drive the respiratory muscles. The treatment of both types of sleep apnea are relatively the same.

TREATMENT

The most common treatment is to place these individuals on what is known as CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines. This means placing a nasal mask and straps on every night before they go to bed. Now most patients are thrilled to begin feeling better and most tolerate these machines quite well. However, over time many become discouraged with the thought of having to wear this apparatus every night for the rest of their lives. This is when they begin to look into other options.

The only other option that has been shown to be effective so far is a minor surgical procedure called an uvelectomy. In other words, the surgeon removes the uvula along with some of the soft palate that hangs down in the back of your throat. The problem with this procedure is the fact that less than 50% of the patients do not respond. You really don't know who is going to respond to this procedure or not until after it has been done. So many have gone through this procedure only to realize that they must continue to use their CPAP machine.

The Metabolic Syndrome

Many patients who have developed sleep apnea are now realizing that they also have a constellation of problems that is referred to as the metabolic syndrome. These individuals usually have high blood pressure, central obesity, elevated triglyceride levels and cholesterol levels, and may have heart disease or even diabetes. Several studies are also showing that these individuals may also develop sleep apnea. This is not too surprising when you consider the fact that they also develop significant thickness in their necks. However, the metabolic syndrome is the result of underlying insulin resistance. This can be reversed by becoming proactive and significantly altering your lifestyle habits. Now these problems did NOT come about over night and they will not go away in a couple of months. However, many people who have completed a specific nutritional program have been able to not only reverse their insulin resistance and improve their health but also improve their sleep apnea.

Please feel free to PM me if you want to know more about how to reverse insulin resistance .

And, of course...

GO DINAR! GO RV!

[tevye02]

I was on a CPAP fro years but fought it every night. Went to a BIPAP last year and it finaly worked. I have real high pressures so the BIPAP helped me. I went to a Nasal pillow to stop looking like Darth Vader in bed but keep the full mask for when I have allergies and cant breath through my nose.

[TNDinarGirl]

My husband has sleep apnea. After my nagging him for several years he finally went in for a sleep study and was told he has moderate sleep apnea. He refuses to use the CPAP machine so I lay awake most nights and elbow him when he stopps breathing. He also has MANY food allergies and is deathly allergic to seafood. I call him my "Bubble Boy" LOL. He has also recently been battling Gout flair ups....sad thing is, he's only 36, not overweight and is otherwise very healthy. I hope that one day I can get him to use that darn machine so I can get some good sleep!

[jg1]

Doctor told me that the uvelectomy, and the removal of the toncils, and the nose surgery, and any other surgery would not work to correct my sleep apnea. He said not even weight loss would help, and to stay away with people that had knives. The only cure for me was to cut my jaw and to move it forward. I said OK, do it. He said no that it would look really funny. He said it was all about jaw alignment.