Sleep Apnea

[Cribbs]

Anybody have this ailment? I recently had a sleep study and results showed I stopped breathing 40 times an hour. I was diagnosed with Severe Obstructive and minor Central Sleep Apnea. I just got my cpap 2 days ago and it's been a easy transition so far.

Anybody opt for surgery or cpap and how is it going for you? I've heard it takes about a week to get use to the cpap. Since I found out my results I've been scared to fall asleep so I think that's why I am not having difficulties using the cpap.

 

[ericram]

So I always have wondered, if you never found out that you have sleep apnea what would have happened?

So you stop breathing, but apparently you manage to start again.

Anyway, just curious.

 

[Cribbs]

I have no clue. Dr's told me it can cause a heart attack in your sleep if left untreated. I know my wife says I snor really bad and I find myself waking up occasionally gasping for air. I sometimes wake up with bad headaches and was told its due from the apneas. Also, my blood pressure is off the charts high(and I am in good shape) and am always tired so Dr thinks it's also from apnea.

 

[Nolomite]

I don't have sleep apnea, but a couple of friends of mine do and have the CPap - they both claim it has saved their life. Someone with sleep apnea just doesn't stop breathing a few times, they can stop breathing hundreds of times per night.

 

[ponchfrog]

6 out of 10 people who are diagnosed with severe apnea pass away in 10 years if not treated. Use your cpap man. I was just diagnosed with it, and have a cpap. It took about a week to get use to and I average about 4-5 hours of wearing it(that's the average) and I feel a little better. The Dr says it will take about 6 weeks before you will see true results as far as rest, REM sleep, blood pressure, etc...
Good luck!

 

[F4Gary]

My dad was put on a CPap machine 2 years ago. It destroyed his lungs. He never had a breathing problem, never smoked, and he died of COPD 6 weeks ago. Be very careful of going on a CPap machine. All my dad needed was some supplemental O2 at night. Not a CPap machine.

 

[Bartdog]

My dad was put on a CPap machine 2 years ago. It destroyed his lungs. He never had a breathing problem, never smoked, and he died of COPD 6 weeks ago. Be very careful of going on a CPap machine. All my dad needed was some supplemental O2 at night. Not a CPap machine.

and what happened to the "shock" picture?

 

[semihawk]

have been on cpap for 10+ yrs with the symptoms you describe. have issues you described AND diagnosed with pulmonary embolism x2.
cpap takes a little getting used to but did not wear for 5 days last year and diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and blood clots in lungs (second
occurrence). bottom line is wear it and live. I can elaborate if you want me to.

 

[F4Gary]

and what happened to the "shock" picture?

WTF. What shock pic. I'm just telling you what the pulmonologist said.

 

[goldmom]

This is scary to me because I'm pretty sure I need to get tested for this.
What about those devices you can get from a dentist?

 

[JLORYFSU!]

This is scary to me because I'm pretty sure I need to get tested for this.
What about those devices you can get from a dentist?

I got tested for it yesterday and will get results in 7-10 days. I know that I snore \and get up quite a bit at night and always feel tired the next day. I am in good shape and not overweight but would like to get better sleep and have more energy. I have never noticed waking up gasping for air or anything like that.

 

[F4Gary]

I got tested for it yesterday and will get results in 7-10 days. I know that I snore \and get up quite a bit at night and always feel tired the next day. I am in good shape and not overweight but would like to get better sleep and have more energy. I have never noticed waking up gasping for air or anything like that.

My brother has a supplemental oxygen machine and he just wears a nasal canula at night. Says he feels a lot better in the morning than before.

 

[ohio#1nolefan]

Sleep apnea is something that has probably been around forever. The CPAP is a somewhat new treatment. Consider that in 1985 only 100 people used a CPAP and presently 1 million people use it. IMO it's a big money grab. Commercial Driver License holders are the main reason this is becoming more prominent in the public. If one is diagnosed with sleep apnea they are required to show proof(the CPAP has a memory card in it) of using their CPAP machine,if not they will not get their DOT medical card thus being ineligible to drive a CDL vehicle. It's probably not a bad idea for OTR drivers but for casual drivers not so much. Shouldn't everyone that operates equipment,drives or does anything that could endanger someones life that falls into the " likely to have" sleep apnea be required to be tested? Why just truck drivers?

 

[Bud Fox]

Sleep apnea is something that has probably been around forever. The CPAP is a somewhat new treatment. Consider that in 1985 only 100 people used a CPAP and presently 1 million people use it. IMO it's a big money grab. Commercial Driver License holders are the main reason this is becoming more prominent in the public. If one is diagnosed with sleep apnea they are required to show proof(the CPAP has a memory card in it) of using their CPAP machine,if not they will not get their DOT medical card thus being ineligible to drive a CDL vehicle. It's probably not a bad idea for OTR drivers but for casual drivers not so much. Shouldn't everyone that operates equipment,drives or does anything that could endanger someones life that falls into the " likely to have" sleep apnea be required to be tested? Why just truck drivers?

I had sleep apnea. I also had a UPP & deviated septum Surgery 10 years ago. In the end, I lost 110 pounds & I no longer need My CPAP machine. Overweight folks struggle mightily with this.

 

[FreeFlyNole]

I think Cman wears one and said it had a positive effect on his sleep/ quality of life.

I snore like a wildebeest and lose a lot of sleep to getting poked in the ribs by my wife. I need to get checked out too.

There is a correlation between apnea and sudden cardiac death.

 

[JohnnieHolmesNole]

My dad was put on a CPap machine 2 years ago. It destroyed his lungs. He never had a breathing problem, never smoked, and he died of COPD 6 weeks ago. Be very careful of going on a CPap machine. All my dad needed was some supplemental O2 at night. Not a CPap machine.

So sorry, brother. I remember you posting about losing your Dad. Hope you are doing fine....always a tough process.

 

[squiffynole]

When I reached my 50's my knees gave out, I gained weight and developed sleep apnea. it was becoming debilitating so I got a CPAP which I hated. Last year I changed my eating habits and lost 60 pounds. I sleep much better now.

 

[CJRN]

My husband had the surgery quite a few years ago, great results. He has had no problems since.

 

[MIKE_G]

I'm thin but have had trouble breathing through my nose at night for years. One nostril is always closed, and sometimes the other is partially obstructed as well. I wake up tired every day. I have never been to a doctor about this, but I really need to get it checked out. I have changed diet habits, (gone grain-free) lost weight from being a bit pudgy to now being pretty slim, but it hasn't improved my breathing at all. I tried using flonase and a netty pot, but it helped only marginally. I'm hoping not to have to wear any kind of apparatus just to sleep.

 

[Banditking]

Sleep apnea causes blood pressure spikes which can cause white matter disease similar to having hypertension. It also is a risk factor for stroke and heart attack. It causes daytime sleepiness and reduces cognitive performance. Cpap compliance improves these things. Cpap compliance is generally quite low, unfortunately. Anyway, sleep apnea is often caused by being overweight. If you are overweight, losing weight may make the problem go away.

And, I'll throw this in. The most common preventable form of cognitive decline is cerebrovascular disease. Common things that cause cerebrovascular diseae:

Hypertension
Diabetes
Smoking
Sleep apnea
Hyperlipidemia
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity

Obesity is a major health problem. It is a cause of hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia (metabolic syndrome). If you are overweight (let's define that as a bmi greater than 26), you are eating too much and not exercising enough. Eat less and exercise more until you get to a healthy weight level. Then keep exercising and continue eating a healthy diet. You should be getting good solid moderate to intense exercise daily. Not doing so increases your risk of early dementia, early disability, and early death dramatically.

In my opinion, if you don't exercise and you are obese, you are effectively saying "I don't give a crap about life."

 

[Banditking]

I'm thin but have had trouble breathing through my nose at night for years. One nostril is always closed, and sometimes the other is partially obstructed as well. I wake up tired every day. I have never been to a doctor about this, but I really need to get it checked out. I have changed diet habits, (gone grain-free) lost weight from being a bit pudgy to now being pretty slim, but it hasn't improved my breathing at all. I tried using flonase and a netty pot, but it helped only marginally. I'm hoping not to have to wear any kind of apparatus just to sleep.

This probably isn't sleep apnea.

 

[MIKE_G]

This probably isn't sleep apnea.

Yeah, it doesn't make sense given my relative good health. Other than slightly high cholesterol, all my other levels are very good. I've just sort of lived with it all these years because I don't remember a time when I didn't feel like this. But one of my sons has trouble breathing through his nose at night, and he's only five. He's snored since he was a baby. So it could be a hereditary issue. I need to get us both to an ENT.

 

[cmanole]

My apnea is a lot better since I quit drinking (heavy) but I still snore and the machine does help for that. Interesting to hear what Gary said about COPD and the CPAP machine. One thing that happens to me is that after several nights of consecutive usage my lungs hurt like hell. For that reason I got off and on it, mostly off now. I've brought this up to my sleep doctor and to and GP and they both blew me off. I need to look into this...

 

[YogiNole]

My apnea is a lot better since I quit drinking (heavy) but I still snore and the machine does help for that. Interesting to hear what Gary said about COPD and the CPAP machine. One thing that happens to me is that after several nights of consecutive usage my lungs hurt like hell. For that reason I got off and on it, mostly off now. I've brought this up to my sleep doctor and to and GP and they both blew me off. I need to look into this...

Same issues here. I've been an user for over 5 years but have similar problems and I'm beginning to wonder if it's from the cpap machine

 

[RTM58]

So I always have wondered, if you never found out that you have sleep apnea what would have happened?
Anyway, just curious.

 

[cmanole]

Who is that?

 

[JLORYFSU!]

My brother has a supplemental oxygen machine and he just wears a nasal canula at night. Says he feels a lot better in the morning than before.

Another thing I need checked is my prostate. I get up to pee 3-5 times a night.....I do drink quite a bit of tea and need to stop doing that in the evening. I am not sure if I have a prostate issue or if my snoring wakes me and when I awake I notice I might as well pee since I am up.....getting old is fun!!! LOL

 

[ericram]

Growing old is not for wimps.

 

[RTM58]

Who is that?

Reggie White

 

[cmanole]

Reggie White

Does/did he have apnea?

 

[ericram]

Did he die of sleep apnea?

 

[Wendy79]

Yeah, it doesn't make sense given my relative good health. Other than slightly high cholesterol, all my other levels are very good. I've just sort of lived with it all these years because I don't remember a time when I didn't feel like this. But one of my sons has trouble breathing through his nose at night, and he's only five. He's snored since he was a baby. So it could be a hereditary issue. I need to get us both to an ENT.

Not a doctor, but it sounds like a deviated septum.

 

[F4Gary]

My apnea is a lot better since I quit drinking (heavy) but I still snore and the machine does help for that. Interesting to hear what Gary said about COPD and the CPAP machine. One thing that happens to me is that after several nights of consecutive usage my lungs hurt like hell. For that reason I got off and on it, mostly off now. I've brought this up to my sleep doctor and to and GP and they both blew me off. I need to look into this...

My dad complained of stomach aches and heartburn. Turns out it was his lungs that hurt. The CPAP machine pressurizes your lungs and it was causing air bubbles out in all those tiny little parts of your lungs where the blood absorbs it. My mom said she had never heard him stop breathing in 72 years of sleeping beside him. Again, all we wanted him to get was a little supplemental O2 at night.

When he went in to the hospital in May, the lung doc asked him how long he had smoked. He never smoked.

If you are overweight and truly have sleep apnea, then you probably need a CPAP, just be careful with that diagnosis. Sometimes all you need is the O2 canula at night.

 

[cmanole]

Sorry about your dad Gary. That's a terrible story. Is there any recourse to persue?

I went in for nasal congestion which they didn't really address, got sent for a sleep test and came home with a machine. I have only used it sporadically over the past few years because of the chest pain it causes. I've complained about it but like I said, it's fallen on deaf ears. I think I'm probably done with it.

And what's funny is you see more and more and more people on these things. I'm not convinced it's anything more than a money grab.

 

[F4Gary]

After 4 sleep tests, "they" determined my dad had sleep apnea. He didn't.

 

[Bud Fox]

After 4 sleep tests, "they" determined my dad had sleep apnea. He didn't.

I will say that after my UPP (The remove your Uvula, Tonsils, Adenoids & a lot of your soft palate) & Deviated septum surgery, my sleep was tremendously improved & I stopped snoring immediately.

I never used my CPAP for more than 3 days in a row, could never get comfortable with it.

 

[Cribbs]

I am not overweight at all but am convinced that my diagnosis is accurate and in need of the cpap. My wife has recorded my snoring which is crazy loud and have woken up gasping for air on many occasions. At least 3 times a week I wake up with headaches and felt like I didn't get 10 minutes of sleep.

Last night was my third night with the cpap and my wife said that was the most sleep she has gotten in years next to me. I haven't had a morning headache in the three days nor have I needed a nap. I am loving this cpap but I will monitor for any lung issues.

 

[RTM58]

Does/did he have apnea?

DALLAS, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Reggie White, a fearsome defensive end
for the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers who was one of the
greatest players in NFL history, reportedly died from causes related to
sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a condition that causes people to stop breathing
repeatedly -- in some cases, hundreds of times -- during their sleep. Sleep
apnea is a very common disorder and affects more than 50 million Americans.
By the end of the decade, it is expected to affect one in every five
adults.

Welcome to the Reggie White Sleep Disorders Research and Education Foundation
http://www.reggiewhitefoundation.org/default.asp

 

[Naught-Nole-Buc]

Well, this is the most terrifying thread I've read in here. I rarely snore but I do wake up throughout the night (mostly just when I'm adjusting my position). I was diagnosed with a deviated septum back in May and I'm going through a course of therapy (high powered nasal spray and some cream I put in my nostrils) to see if that works to avoid surgery.

Do you start with your GP and get a referral to a specialist? What kind of specialist?

Gonna research this now.

 

[RTM58]

Yeah, it doesn't make sense given my relative good health.

I believe it has to do with the thickness of your neck, more than overall health but the two aren't unrelated. A lot of professional bodybuilders and NFL player have sleep apnea, and use CPAPs.