[SeptemberMorn]

Dr is sending me for a sleep study. I'm pretty sure they're going to find that I do have it. I snore enough to shake the walls of my room so I've been told. I've woken up with my throat closed and not being able to breath, other times, I've woken up seeing blue spots of every size and shape all over the room AND I'm sleepy all the time, no motivation and hardly any interest in doing anything that will keep me away from my 4-5 hour nap in the afternoons.

I know I've seen posts about sleep apnea, so whoever deals with this, would you respond and share what you go through? Not keen on the idea of sleeping with a machine that blows into my mouth!

[Yoda]

I read that 20% of the population snores and half of those who snore have sleep apnea.

The sleep study is no big deal. Lots of wires and sticky goo but I was able to sleep long enough for the evaluation. I did have sleep apnea so then I had to repeat another night with a cpap machine.

The one that they gave me for use at home blows continuous air pressure into my nose but does not cover my mouth so it is pretty comfortable. I got used to it pretty quickly. The only recurrent problem I have had is when I have nasal congestion I can't breathe through my nose and therefore can't use the cpap.

The cost of the study was $2000 per night but my medicare paid for most of it. I would love to have my son do the study because he snores loudly but he has no insurance so there is no way to afford it.

[SeptemberMorn]

Thanks, Yoda!

How do you do when you can't use the machine? Any ill after effects?

Guess I'll have to wait and see about the machine. I don't do nasal congestion well at all and use nose drops when I do. Now I'm thinking that the machine will dry out my sinuses and they'll be highly uncomfortable.

The one machine I saw in operation a long time ago was pretty loud. Are they still that loud?

Do you find that your mental state many times is tied in to how bad the apnea gets? Guess I'm already looking for excuses for not using the machine. LOL

Thanks for sharing.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by SeptemberMorn

Thanks, Yoda!

How do you do when you can't use the machine? Any ill after effects?

I am more tired if I don't use the machine.

Guess I'll have to wait and see about the machine. I don't do nasal congestion well at all and use nose drops when I do. Now I'm thinking that the machine will dry out my sinuses and they'll be highly uncomfortable.

The one machine I saw in operation a long time ago was pretty loud. Are they still that loud?

My machine has a humidifier and you can adjust the heat of the air. A friend showed me hers which had nasal prongs that fit in the nostrils which I would find uncomfortable. Mine is pretty comfortable and is pretty quiet.

Do you find that your mental state many times is tied in to how bad the apnea gets? Guess I'm already looking for excuses for not using the machine. LOL

Thanks for sharing.

I don't see an association with my bipolar states but I do think the fatigue when I don't use it worsens my ADHD.

Also I am pretty claustrophobic but the mask doesn't bother me.

I don't know who your insurance covers but I have had great experiences with Apria Healthcare. If you have questions you can call a respiratory therapist anytime 24/7.

[SeptemberMorn]

Thanks, Yoda. Knowing that it has a humidifier helps alot! Wearing the machine would help, too, when we have the hot, dry east winds blowing here. YAY!

Prongs in the nose? Hmm... It's my throat that's sore in the mornings. I've also woken up with my throat closed off because of the dryness and part of the soreness I thought, was from the vibration from the snoring. Will be interesting to learn more about it, to say the least.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by SeptemberMorn

Prongs in the nose? Hmm... It's my throat that's sore in the mornings. I've also woken up with my throat closed off because of the dryness and part of the soreness I thought, was from the vibration from the snoring. Will be interesting to learn more about it, to say the least.

Thanks again.

Hi September Morn,

I sleep with my mouth wide open all night. i wake up mostly because my my mouth is bone dry.

ive had this problem since i was a child. they removed my adnoise and tonsils thinking that would help . it did not,

just got the skinny on sleep apnea and had my first test done. Not sure what altrenatives there are to the nice looking air raid Nose mask you have to wear.

they are forcing air through the nose to keep the passage open so thee is air pressure . head on to the nose. it feels suffocating. i have alergie as well . imagine sneezing int the mask.LOL!!!!!!

sure beats haviing a hole put through your trach or pipe clemers stuck up your nose or your jaw broke or a mouth gaurd that forces your jaw forward and is tweeked by set screws.

You get paste in your hair but it washes out easily. I ddn't know this but to be diagnoiseed for the equipment you have to stop breathing more than 15 times per hour .

Im right below 15 . So I may have to do another study for the machine . If the doctors think Im warrant having one.

If you stop breathing more than 15 times in an hour they put the machine on you right away and try to get you adjusted in one appointment.

I was told sleep apnea sets up an all night long fight or flight refex in your body and this effects adrenaline and cortisol levels

affects your heart mood focus ad can cause strokes also.

theres a connection with weight gain as well .

have fun . make sure you take your pillow from home. I forgot mine . Ive had my pillow since I was a child... feather,, hand plucked by my mom from the farm ducks, may have to do another one in two weeks.

Patricia

[SeptemberMorn]

Oh, Man!!! Sounds like you have fun sleeping, too. LOL I can imagine what it's like to sneeze into the mask! LOL LOL eeewwww! I have allergies, too, but not bad.

I hope they can get me done in one night. Don't like sleeping away from home at all! Had already thought of taking my own pillow. Can't sleep without it for some crazy reason.

Hey, you suppose that maybe... just maybe... that feather pillow may be giving you the sneezes? Just a thought.

Good luck with your sleeping difficulties. I feel for ya!

Hi September Morn,

My study was set for september 16, They had a cancelation so I got in sooner. Let them know you want to be on the cancelation list .

I have washed The feather pillow many times So I do not think its a problem. Im alergic to ragweed some other pollens, cats and molds. I work outside all day so my body has built up nautral imunity. never took drugs . used to not be able to go outside as a child . my eyes would swell shut.

About the study being done twice. I got a call from the Doctors nurse who said Its official . I have sleep apnea .

I stop breathg 24 to 25 times an hour. Not the less than 15 the technition said.

so I go in on Moday night to get the Groucho Marxs mask and air pressure adjusted.



If you get to sleep eary in the study and they can see your rate is above 15 per hour they will wake you and get the mask thing going.
You have to beable to fall alseep with it on so they can see its enough air to keep the muscles from closing.

So I woud count on two stays if you wake up with no mask..

You will be given a sleep log to fill out for a week or two prior.

What an eye opener that was for me, I wake up about three times per night and do not get more than six hours sleep. You do noy count the wake up hours.

I always wondered why I hit the snooze button five to ten times in the morning.
and feel like I was hit by a mack truck upon waking.

I thought it was my mental state and I was to blame for my feeling so bad in the am.... not wantig to get the day started.

Im hoping this will make me feel much better . with focus concenration and ...

MOOD!

about 20% of the sleep sudies done are children who are suspected of having ADHD.


One of sleep techs child has both apnea and ADHD.

The sleep studies here are in an old retirement five story home . The rooms are like a hotel room with big double beds.

compared to my twin bed It was like a vaca for me . I enjoyed it except for fears of what I might do in my sleep that Im not aware of...



I used to sleep walk when i was young. tried to flush my pillow down the toliet .or just show up in bed rooms to sit on the beds and smile .
Sometimes I would talk about my kntting....

good thing didn't have my needles with me,,,

pretty strange....LOL!!!!!!!!



take a book or your sewing with you . They have us report in by 8:30... here ,so you will have some time to relax .


No drinking before hand. of coffee or alchohol.

So what do they have in the sleep study waiting room.?

a "BIG " pot of freshly brewd coffee.....

I again said to the receptionist,

"good thinking having Coffee in the waiting room..."

[sunrise]

I think I have sleep apnea too, but I haven't wanted to be diagnosed. I purposefully don't tell my doctor I think I have it, because I don't want to get a machine. I know that's denial, but I'm not ready to have a machine. The connection between weight gain and sleep apnea, is that many people develop sleep apnea because they are overweight. I think I am in that category. I really want to lose weight, and I think then my apnea would improve. So it would kind of be like giving up on losing weight to get a machine. I know that sounds dumb, but it's where my head is at.

Can you tell me more about the machine? What is the mask hooked to? Is it hooked to a machine that is in bed with you? Or on a bedside table? Can you turn over when you wear the mask? I sleep on my side--sometimes my right side, sometimes my left. If I can't turn from side to side, then I wouldn't be able to use the machine. How loud is it? Would it disturb a partner?

about 20% of the sleep sudies done are children who are suspected of having ADHD.

aurora, what did you mean about ADHD? Do children with ADHD have a sleep problem? If so, what kind of problem? Do they not sleep enough at night? Sleep walk? Not go into REM? I'm curious because I have ADHD, although I am not a child.

[marvin_pa]

Can you tell me more about the machine? What is the mask hooked to? Is it hooked to a machine that is in bed with you? Or on a bedside table?

The CPAP machine would typically sit beside the bed - a bedside table is ideal as it keeps the CPAP at at the same height as you, allowing you easy access to it & leaving more of the hose going to the mask/nasal pillows free to facilitate your own movement whilst asleep.

Can you turn over when you wear the mask? I sleep on my side--sometimes my right side, sometimes my left. If I can't turn from side to side, then I wouldn't be able to use the machine.

You can sleep on your side & turn over whilst using it - the headgear part often has a clip that you can attach the hose to, which takes the hose up, over your head, so that it doesn't tangle when you turn over.

How loud is it? Would it disturb a partner?

When in use, the system will emit some sound, but it's not loud & tends to become a background ambient, once you get used to it. The bi-level (BiPAP) machines change their pressure level depending on whether the user is breathing in/out & so these follow your own breathing, which makes for a fairly natural background ambient. Obstructive apnea is frequently associated with snoring - using a CPAP encourages the user to sleep with their mouths closed, which, along with the pressure, tends to stop the snoring - and partners probably find the snoring much more disturbing than the CPAP machine's noise.

Here's some links that might be of interest.

This blog describes a CPAP user's experiences & has some useful images of CPAP units/masks, along with a typical beside setup scene -> http://www.joeydevilla.com/2008/04/0...while-i-sleep/

Interestingly, one of the links from the comments section of that page, points to an article that links treating sleep apnea with resulting weight loss. (I wouldn't expect miracle results with that but the linkage between sleep quality & energy levels make some sense to me.) Here's that link -> http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders...while-sleeping

There are also some online forums which you can find out about others apnea experiences ->
http://www.apneasupport.org/index.php
http://www.cpaptalk.com/CPAP-Sleep-Apnea-Forum.html

[quote=sunrise;1107455]

aurora, what did you mean about ADHD? Do children with ADHD have a sleep problem? If so, what kind of problem? Do they not sleep enough at night? Sleep walk? Not go into REM? I'm curious because I have ADHD, although I am not a child.

HI sunrise ,

Apnea can increase ADD symptoms and or be the cause of them .

http://www.wpxi.com/health/3868817/detail.html

I don't have to worry about anyone seeing me with the Grocho mask. nor be concerned about the noise.

I just want o be able to Not wake up three times a night and to feel better.

treating the apnea may help one loose weight if they are to tired to exersize or eat to stay awake or eat, or to sooth the grumpies.

I am not overweight . But I work hard to manage my voraicious hunger.
or my just want to feel good eating.
I hope this helps with that too.

Patricia