Posted: 3/22/2009 2:22:35 PM EDT
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My girlfriend says that I may have sleep apnea. She is an RN by the way. She says she has been awake at night when I am sleeping and had to nudge me to start breathing again. Is this a big deal or is she over reacting? I fall asleep and wake up in the morning, so I am happy. So I thought I would get some opinions. What say you? |
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I have it. When my breathing restarts I get very confusing a confusesing awakening. Also I dont go into REM sleep which means that Im not actually sleeping which is dangerous .
I have to try to get use to using a ventilator with a built in Humidifier. I'm currently trying to get use to one of the mask that has multiple differnet nose adaptors. Last night the chin strap sprung off an the nasal adapter was forced up my nose. It still hurts. 
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It used to scare the shite outta the wife when I'd quit breathin'. She'd say, "You'd quit...then I'd lay there...waitin' to see if you start again...". Finally we did a little research and found out it can shorten your lifespan considerably because of the extra toll on your heart. Result - - I got my ass back in shape, lost 20 pounds and it seems to have cured the apnea problem. Intel revealed that as little as 10# overweight can cause the problem. "...and that's all I have to say about that..." (Forrest) |
| If you often wake up with a headache, always feel sleepy, and rarely dream, get your ass to the doctor and get a sleep study prescribed. Apnea is no joke. Hypertension, stroke, and MI are common in sleep apnea patients. By chance, do you have a big or muscular neck? Really, take care of it. It has the potential to kill you, both directly and from traffic accidents |
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It can contribute to other health problems down the road. It can contribute to weight gain, which ironically contributes to sleep apnea.
Weight loss is one of the first steps to preventing or combating the problem. Sometimes it is actuall structural problems with te airway that can be helped with surgery (UPPP). CPAP machines are another treatment requiring the wearing of a fitted mask connected t an air pump that maintains constant air pressure to keep the airway open. Submarine disqualifying but waiverable. (if you care) |
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I was tested for sleep apnea probably 10 years ago and was sold the cpap machine...I couldn't stand sleeping with it. However, I noticed that every one in the test was overweight (including me). So I began working out, changed my diet and lost 30 pounds. I now sleep much better, feel better. So take a good look at yourself, and see if you can improve yourself first. |
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Getting the right mask fit can be a problem . I had to get a longer hose (8 ft.)so that I would pull the CPAP of the stand. Six feet was too short. You need to cover it with a blanket if you have a humidifyer or you will have a condensation problem.. I'm on a second mask because the first came with mildew in it. When I went to exchange it the next mask (same batch) had the same problem, and a different model was the same. Make shure that the mask that fits right for you. The first mask was like wearing a face hugger from Aliens.. |
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Do the sleep study. Its no big deal. I have it, and after the test, the doc asked me how many times I thought I stopped breathing during the night. I was thinking 7 or 8, but knew it was a lot, so I said 20. When he told me 215, I almost fell out. Remember it doesnt take much of a lack of O2 to knock the brain out of REM sleep.
My migrane headaches are now alot less frequent, and BP is lower. Almost forgot, now I dont fall asleep driving to work in the AM. |
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Question?? Is a CPAP machine similar to a BIPAP machine? I had to use the BIPAP last year in the hospital.....It was like trying to sleep with an industrial fan strapped to my nose. I didn't use it long as I couldn't relax with it on unless I was drugged.  CPAP has a constant air flow, BIPAP changes it when you exhale and inhale. |
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Question?? Is a CPAP machine similar to a BIPAP machine? I had to use the BIPAP last year in the hospital.....It was like trying to sleep with an industrial fan strapped to my nose. I didn't use it long as I couldn't relax with it on unless I was drugged. No. BIPAP is an actual non invasive ventilator. It's pretty popular for COPD patients so you hopefully don't have to intubate them since they're hard to wean from a ventilator. CPAP will only work when you can breathe on your own. If you can't maintain gas exhange, CPAP will not work. BIPAP has an inspiratory and an expiratory pressure. 14/6 mmHg is a common one. That pressure difference is what forces air into your lungs. A CPAP operates at one pressure, say 8 mmHg. The downside is that you also have to exhale against that pressure, which can be hard for some people. You have less work of breathing with a BIPAP since the pressure drops off. They both work on the same principles, but have very different uses. |
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Apnea can be very hard on cardiac systems. Get the sleep test, then try the CPAP if recommended. For many it is very effective. CPAP's are great! Amen. I didn't realize how shitty I felt until I got my CPAP machine and actually slept at night. I couldn't remember ever dreaming, but I do now and I don't drop off to sleep sitting on the couch watching the news or feel drowsy at work. It's made a huge difference in the way I feel. |
| Does anybody have any experience with the dental devise which repositions the jaw while sleeping to prevent apnea? It's supposed to be an alternative to the CPAP machine. Eliminates the hose, mask and Darth Vader appearance. Are the dental devices covered by insurance? |
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Apnea can be very hard on cardiac systems. Get the sleep test, then try the CPAP if recommended. For many it is very effective. Yep Apnea over years cost me half my heart function. If you are stopping breathing at night do not wait to get help the damage cannot be undone. |
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Apnea can be very hard on cardiac systems. Get the sleep test, then try the CPAP if recommended. For many it is very effective. Yep Apnea over years cost me half my heart function. If you are stopping breathing at night do not wait to get help the damage cannot be undone. Pay attention OP. Sleep study time. |
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Apnea can be very hard on cardiac systems. Get the sleep test, then try the CPAP if recommended. For many it is very effective. CPAP's are great! Amen. I didn't realize how shitty I felt until I got my CPAP machine and actually slept at night. I couldn't remember ever dreaming, but I do now and I don't drop off to sleep sitting on the couch watching the news or feel drowsy at work. It's made a huge difference in the way I feel. +1, it's made a world of difference for me. Getting used to it can be a bit tough, but just stick with it and you'll see the results. To the OP - get a sleep study done. |
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Quoted:
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Question?? Is a CPAP machine similar to a BIPAP machine? I had to use the BIPAP last year in the hospital.....It was like trying to sleep with an industrial fan strapped to my nose. I didn't use it long as I couldn't relax with it on unless I was drugged. No. BIPAP is an actual non invasive ventilator. It's pretty popular for COPD patients so you hopefully don't have to intubate them since they're hard to wean from a ventilator. CPAP will only work when you can breathe on your own. If you can't maintain gas exhange, CPAP will not work. BIPAP has an inspiratory and an expiratory pressure. 14/6 mmHg is a common one. That pressure difference is what forces air into your lungs. A CPAP operates at one pressure, say 8 mmHg. The downside is that you also have to exhale against that pressure, which can be hard for some people. You have less work of breathing with a BIPAP since the pressure drops off. They both work on the same principles, but have very different uses. This is false. BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) and CPAP (Constant Positive Airway Pressure) machines are both sleep therapy devices NOT ventilators. They are triggered by the patients breathing. What 'forces' air into the lungs is the movement of the patients diaphragm which increases lung volume - air rushes in to equalize this pressure differential. CPAP maintains a constant pressure (anywhere from 4 to 20mm H2O - NOT Hg) which does a number of things physiologically, the relevant one being a tendency to keep airways open. BiPAP offers a slightly lower exhalation pressure which is easier for many patients. In both cases you are inhaling and exhaling against a slightly elevated (with respect to ambient) pressure. A ventilator on the other hand, controls breathing functions via controlled input, not spontaneous patient respiration. There are Ventilators which can perform CPAP and BiPAP functions, but BiPAP in and of itself does not constitute a ventilator. |