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anybody have sleep apnea? can you tell me

14 years ago

about your experience with it?

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Comments (7)

petaloid
14 years ago
My husband has it. He went through the sleep study, and the c-pap machine the doctor prescribed really helps him sleep better -- he has been using it for a few years now.
Lindsey_CA
14 years ago
My husband has sleep apnea. For waaay too many years, I was constantly saying to him during the night, "you're not breathing..." I finally made an appointment with an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist because I wanted him to go through a sleep study. I made an appointment for myself at the same time, because I knew I had a sinus infection.

Color me surprised when the doctor said that *I* was going to have to have a sleep study done, too! See, when you go in to the ENT, you have to fill out a questionnaire and by my answers, the doctor knew that I wasn't getting a good night's sleep...

Anyway, we had the sleep studies done on the same night (no, they don't let you be in the same room). The results showed that Hubs most definitely has sleep apena, and that although I don't have true apnea, I have an upper airway obstruction and I don't go into REM sleep. (Doc said to me, "you are seriously sleep deprived!")

We were both given CPAPs and they have made a world of difference.
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So sorry I went AWOL concerning this thread. Three very horrific events in my world in seven days. Robin, Sorry to hear about your Mom. To be perfectly honest, I'm still not 'used' to wearing the CPAP. I still hate it but can't imagine sleeping without it. There are still nights when I wake up and sling the mask halfway across the room. I have tried every mask they make. I think that most of it is 'mind over matter.' You just have to be determined. Once your Mom realizes how much better she feels, hopefully, she will make up her mind to do it. When you first start wearing CPAP, the wind pressure takes your breath. Depending on how severe your apnea is, the air pressure is varied. It's like a wind tunnel forced up your nose. After a couple of weeks, I didn't even 'feel' the wind. I would have to check to make sure the machine was on. Have your Mom email me if you think it would help. Maybe I can give her some suggestions that have worked for me.
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ilene-84, Happy Birthday to your Dad! Is he a WW II vet? I hope all the medical issues are behind you and your family now. Spring is around the corner and it's such a great time of year. And, I'm sure when your kitchen is all done, it will be great simply because it has been a labor of love. It's good to know I am not the only one sleeping terribly. I wake up every day with a terrible headache and neck pain. I also wake up in the middle of the night repeatedly adding up cabinet sizes, trying to make a list of events of what should come next, what goes and doesn't go, if I do this then I have to do that and the infamous DID I MAKE A MISTAKE and what are my options now if I decide to change the layout. I started keeping a pen and paper on the night table to be able to jot down the ideas and make notes. However, one kitty is a pen thief, the other is a paper tearer. So when I get up to find the pen, big doggie has to come over and inquire as to what I am doing but more so to make sure he is not missing out on a food tidbit. Then DH starts in, what's wrong, is everything okay . . . it's so pitiful I have to laugh because I would cry. Now I try to get back into bed and find out that another kitty has stolen my warm spot and I just can't bear to move them so to the couch for me where I wonder, I just left that bed with all of them so how did we fit on there before! At least I'm off the kitchen biz. So much for the couch idea. There is usually the shy rescue cat there who so prefers DH to me. Then if I manage to lay down, it's impossible to get my back comfortable but then I finally fall asleep out of sheer exhaustion and then there is DH waking me, come back to bed, you know the couch is no good for your back. Argh . . just leave me be! This is a daily routine for us. I almost want to quit my day job and get a night job just so I don't have to go to sleep. I am sure also that the massive amounts of junk food I am eating is not helping the situation either. I am actually craving veggies so I don't know what that says about the diet. But in the end I will have a nice enough kitchen that I have built out of a labor of love. I am so looking forward to cooking again for us so hang in there! Christine, thanks for sharing your perspective on things. I must say you must be one strong resilient woman! You go girl.
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Comments (10)
Thank you rhizo_1. I don't feel sorry for myself, I hope no one feels the same for me neither. In reality, I'm still much better off than many people. It's a challenge as anything else in life with any human. The key to help it eases through our daily lives is how we view this challenge. I count my blessings every day and always in awe of how much blessings I get. Karenmay_gw, there are lots of information on Post Polio Syndrome (aka: PPS) over the internet. Just do a search on "Post Polio Syndrome". PPS is no longer new, neurologists have been awared of it for decades now. After you've looked it up over the internet, find a nearest neurologist in your area if you don't have one already and pay a visit. Preferrably a specialist that has knowledge of polio. From your description, it does sound that you may have PPS now. If you find the right doctor and you've diagnosed with PPS, the first thing the doctor will tell you is to limit your daily physical activities. The more physically active you are, the worst your symptoms will get. Basically, you'd want to avoid speeding up the symptoms and slow down getting paralized. Seek a good doctor to steer you in the right direction. Keep in mind that each case of polio and PPS is different. Treatments, if any, are also different from patient to patient. In the mean time, use heating pads to apply over the pain area. This simple treatment has been helping me to avoid having to take pain medication. Best wishes to you Karen.
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mare-wbpa - My husband uses one of the dental devices you referred to in your post. But we live in Canada - and no we had to pay for it. He is now past 65 and when he needs a new (third device) we will have to pay for it as well.. About 8 years ago I finally managed to have him mention his very loud snoring to his doctor. His doctor referred him first to his dentist - who in term referred him to a specialist who makes the sleeping aid device. The doctor told my husband - as did the specialist that often the dental device will solve the issue. However, the specialist had to take several measurements of my husband's mouth to determine if he would be a candidate for a device. Not everyone is. He was a candidate and so the appliance was made. The first once cost $1,000 Cdn. - neither our provincial health plan nor his office plan would pay towards the cost. If you take care of it, the lifetime expectancy is 5 years. My biggest fear was that he would not wear it. But after the first night he was very happy - the device just opened his airway enough that it made a huge difference. He still snores loudly if on his back, but not nearly as much as when on his side. At the 5 year mark he had to go back and have another device made - this one cost $1,200. Actually, the dentist said that despite being 5 years old it was in better shape than others he had seen that were 1 year old. The trick was the container I bought for him to keep it in - one of those small thermal jars. And he had to use the Polident retainer cleanser on the device. He does have eye issues - including glaucoma in one eye. A few months ago his eye specialist decided he should send my husband for a sleep study because often sleep apnea can be related to glaucoma. He was a 5 on his side and a 7 on his back - so he was cleared of sleep apnea since he only reached a 7 when he was sleeping on his back. I was grateful because I have seen the machines and read all about them on the website that was provided by another poster - and my husband is a mouth breather so that would have made using the CPAP machine more difficult. But if he needed it, he would have needed it - no questions asked. A look at the site would not hurt, the posters are good people. My husband is not overweight nor does he have diabetes. When he had his eye surgery he was the only one in the waiting room who did not have diabetes - and again at the sleep study they were surprised he was not over weight or suffering from diabetes. The dentist did warn him against buying one of the dental devices sold at the pharmacy - or "as seen on TV". It most definitely has to be made to fit your mouth. I would not have been comfortable had he been asked to send back an impression - the dentist did it. Sometimes he will put one of those Nose Strips on his nose together with the appliance - especially when we are away from home. This helps his snoring even more. Snoring and bad vision are very common in his family. I hope you are able to find a solution. I am a diagnosed insomniac who also had a sleep study performed many years ago. I do not have sleep apnea, but I do have the opposite reaction to anything that would sedate the normal person. So sleeping pills, anti-histamines, locals etc. have no effect on me. I would give up something to be able to sleep - but it is not in the cards for me. If you could somehow manage it, I would try for a device.
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vannie
Original Author
14 years ago
thanks for the words of encouragement. Mine has been like a roller coaster--bad nights and good nights. It's hard to avoid the leaks. Night before last the leakage was 37% and that is NOT GOOD. So, I dread even going to bed. I don't have a choice--I was told 25% don't follow through. I'd also been told 75%, but that's way too high for me to believe. I have pulmonary hypertension, so this is something I've got to do. Thanks for the comments. It's just nice to hear from somebody who's been there and done it.
chubby_rat
14 years ago
I have sleep apnea.Was never going into R.E.M. sleep Quit breathing often during the night.Dr told me some night I just wouldn't wake up.Scared me so I fought to get used to my machine. It was so hard to get used to it,now I can't sleep without it. Love my machine! Husband went for a sleep test about a yr ago and also got a machine but he doesn't use it.He says it makes him to dry. I wish he would keep using it until he gets used to it.I still have some problems with leakage but I just readjust the mask and go back to sleep.Maybe try a different mask? I prefer the one that covers the nose.Tried the one that just has two pillows for your nostrils but didn;t like it,also tried the full face and didn't like it either.
imjustme_gw
14 years ago
DH and I both use the machines/masks. We sleep much better without all the snoring. My mask was irritating my face, and now I use a little bit of fabric under my mask and it helps (also helps with the seal).
User
14 years ago
I believe I have it, DH would often wake me up when I wasn't breathing. They did a study of some sort in the hospital but never told me the results. I do need to get it checked since I sleep alone now.
Where do you go to get it done and how much is that c pap thing?
Lindsey_CA
14 years ago
Joann you should make an appointment with an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. They are listed under the speciality of Otolaryngology. The doctor will order(prescribe) the sleep study, and will likely refer you to a sleep center, too. If you have insurance, it should cover it, because apnea is a life-threatening situation.

There are many different CPAP machines from which to choose -- different brands, and different models within a brand. Again, insurance should cover it, but if it doesn't, you can find online suppliers (legitimate ones) that will sell them at a lower price than if you paid cash to the dispensing sleep center. You do have to have a valid prescription for a CPAP.

There are also humdifiers that integrate with CPAPs, which alleviate the dryness that some folks experience.

And there are many different masks, too. Again, different manufacturers and different styles within those brands.

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