[SeptemberMorn]

Frustration and disgust with myself is hitting a high. I don't like it one little bit! Seems I've had Sleep Apnea for some time and it seems to get worse when I'm anxious about something.

Our middle son who lives in OR is coming for 10 days on June 29 with his two kids. He's single at the time and is raising the kids all on his own. I want things to be perfect for him when he gets here. I'm very frustrated with the lack of motivation from hubby to finish up a few chores around here and I've had to beg, plead and get half-way angry with the two boys that live in the area so that we can have one day where we're all together.

ANYWAY... to add to my frustration, my sleep schedule has gone all to heck! Don't normally go to bed before midnight but when the sleep apnea started, I started falling asleep between 8 and 9 pm and waking up aroung 2 am. I've tried to NOT take a nap but I can't make it, so I've tried taking a nap earlier in the day and setting the alarm for only two hours. It's never worked! I always wind up sleeping for 4 or 5 hours, wasting the better part of the day.

Hubby is not a morning person. He's awake but either on the computer or if the sun shines, he's out in the sun reading his stupid novels of all things! More frustration!

ARGH! I'm rambling! It just seems that I can't come up with a sleep plan that works for me! Thought of taking a sleep aid to get me used to going to bed at a certain time but it's contraindicated with sleep apnea! What gets me the worst is how do I stay awake during the day???? Coffee and Coke don't get it because of the acid in them. One mug of coffee in the morning and one Coke in the afternoon is all I can have and not have my stomach go sour on me. ggrrrr That's not a cure as far as I'm concerned, anyway. My sleep pattern is what needs to be addressed... and I'm at a loss.

Anybody out there got any ideas for me??

EDIT: Never had a sleep study done but I know I have Sleep Apnea because I've woken myself up either snoring or gasping for breath.

[okiedokie]

Hi Septie,
Get that sleep study and get using a CPAP. It will make all the difference. It did for me!
Good luck!
Okie

[SeptemberMorn]

I've seen and HEARD those CPAP's! YIKES! Unless they've changed them some... Does yours have a mask that you have to put over your mouth and nose?? Talk about claustrophobia!

Here I am at 2:15 in the morning doing what housework I can! Something ain't right here! LOL

[tranquility]

Hi,

Definitely get the sleep study done and go on CPAP or BIPAP if necessary.

I am on BIPAP now (as of April last year), was on CPAP about 6 years ago and then stopped using it after losing alot of weight (of course my own decision without consulting doctor!). The difference is that CPAP will blow a continuous airflow at the same pressure. BIBAP will blow at a higher pressure when you are breathing in and then will drop a bit when you breathe out. This was good for me because I felt like I was fighting the machine when blowing out.

As far as the masks go...They have come a long way since I had been on it 6 years ago. There are many different to chose from and you have to tell the doctor and the durable medical equipment company that brings you the machine that you want to try different ones. They will let you and they don't charge you if you don't like one, they will just bring another one. These are the types of masks:

Nasal Pillows: Plastic flat piece is on top of your head held on my stretchy fabric. A plastic hose comes down your forehead and attached to it is this little piece that has two flexible rubber (not exactly sure what material but it's the best way I can describe it) pieces that fit right in your nostrils. Nothing is over your mouth our your face. I actually use this one.

Standard mask: Similar to the one above, but the rubber piece covers your entire nose.

Full face mask: These are for people who sleep with their mouth open. It covers the nose and the mouth.

I sleep with my mouth open, but I use a chin strap with the nasal pillows. It's just a neoprene piece of fabric that goes around your chin and velcros above your head and helps to keep your mouth shut (my whole life I've had trouble keeping my mouth shut!).

When you go in for the study, if you fall asleep for a couple of hours they will monitor you to see if you have apnea (you are hooked up to all these wires and such, not so bad and they let you sleep in a regular bed). If you do have apnea, they will then come in and put one of these masks on you so that they can adjust the pressures up and down and watch the monitors to see what pressure is right for you.

I've had 2 studies and didn't have problems with them. Some people have trouble being asleep long enough for the first half, so they may have to go in twice so that the second apt. will track how they do with the mask on.

Tranquility

Sept,
My mother just went through something similar. Never, ever one to nap in the day, she kept saying how tired she was and she couldn't get anything done because she was falling asleep, and then couldn't sleep at night.

Turned out to be her thyroid and now that she's on meds she is doing better.

Just a thought.

[SeptemberMorn]

I didn't know there was a BIPAP. Oh Geeeez!! Something on my HEAD?? Never have been able to stand anything on my head. But I guess if I have to... I have to.

In the meantime, though... how do I change my sleep patterns?? Do I go ahead and take a sleep aid to get me to sleep at a decent time and so I can sleep all night? I've even scheduled chiro appts in the afternoon to get me out of the house so I CAN'T sleep. It doesn't work.

[SeptemberMorn]

I've been on thyroid meds almost 30 yrs now. Just had some blood work done to check, among other things, if I need to up my dose. Will know by the end of the month. That may be it because when it first started, if felt like I was coming down with a cold only my nose and throat weren't involved. It was just that feverish, achey feeling you get, but I had no fever. I've felt that off and on for a day or so now and then... now that you mention thyroid.

Wonder if it's hopeless to try to change my sleep patterns until I find out about my thyroid or have that sleep study done? Noooooooooooooooooo...

[January]

Ok, I'm going to tell you how to do it, but I don't really recommend it because you really do need to see if it's due to your thyroid.

What you have to do is stay awake all day and all night and then go to sleep at the time you wish to start sleeping. You may have to drink more coffee or drink a couple energy drinks to do it.

As I said, I don't recommend it, but it does work.

You could always come here Sept. and I could bore you to sleep.

[SeptemberMorn]

What are you trying to do to me, Jan?? If I could just get through the DAY without a nap, I'd call it success. ... She says at 4:40 and Jerry has just gone to his bedroom to take a nap! You know who's next, don't you?

ARRRRGH! I want to be normal!!!

[SeptemberMorn]

Tuners, there's NO WAY you could possibly bore me!! You might keep me up during the day giggling and teaching me how to use Paint, though!

Or you could teach me some more retail secrets... or how to use a digicam and how to defuse lighting... you know, silly stuff like that!

Naaaah... I bet we could really get giggling and cutting up, though!

Have a sleep study done. It's easy and you'll do fine.

I used a CPAP for years until I happened to lose weight and quit smoking, then didn't need it. The reason my doc ordered the sleep study is the same as what you describe. Though I didn't realize I was doing it,, my son complained to me about my loud snoring (he and his friend could hear it outside the house with the doors shut and one window open on the opposite side of the house from where he was) and I mentioned it offhand to my doctor. Had the sleep study done and the CPAP delievered and took a nap with it right away--it was the best sleep I'd had in a long long time. It was really wonderful!

More insufficient sleep isn't the answer. Aerobic exercise might be more helpful to get more oxygen into your blood/body. Sleep apnea robs you of restful sleep and needed oxygen and can cause heart ailments because of the insufficient oxygen.

I hope you feel better and will consider getting the sleep study done so you can feel better all the time!

[(JD)]

Glad it worked for you ECHOES! I doubt you "happened" to lose weight and stop smoking

The CPAP often helps the body so much that ppl do lose weight from using it. (I feel it is due to the increased oxygenation of the cells, which is the main goal of aerobic exercise too!)

Even though you can realize you have sleep apnea without the study, you need the study done so they can determine how much pressure to set the machine at...for when you have the CPAP, that is.

TC

[Perna]

SeptemberMorn, how about hot chocolate? That wouldn't have the acid the sodas and coffee has but has some of the caffeine?

Sometimes I just plain go to bed earlier (9:00ish) and to heck with it; when I wake at 2:00 or so I know I've at least gotten 5 hours sleep? Then I go back to sleep by 4:00-5:00 for another 2-4 hours hours. Take your 2 hour nap at 4:00 a.m. :-)

[SecretGarden]

I love my CPAP. I sleep more thoroughly and soundly and do not wake up (and go up the bathroom or whatever) 5 times in the night.

Took one of the cats about a month to get used to it... but now he sleeps right by my head as always.

I love my CPAP. Even if you can not get it by the visit... do it. It is healthy and there are many things that apnea facilitates... heart problems, etc..

[SeptemberMorn]

Oy Vey! Guess ya'll are gonna talk me into having that sleep study.

Giving in to sleepiness feels to me like I'm giving in to depression. Kinda triggery. I don't want to go there again and that's probably why I feel so guilty when I take a nap.

How loud are these machines, anyway? The one I've seen was pretty darn loud! Do I do this before my middle son comes to visit with his two kids or do I wait until after they're gone? I can just imagine what those kids are gonna think, "Grandma sleeps with a machine!" Maybe I can tell them that I'm a Borg? "To resist is fu-tile!" They'll never want to come see me again!

[SeptemberMorn]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Perna said:
Sometimes I just plain go to bed earlier (9:00ish) and to heck with it; when I wake at 2:00 or so I know I've at least gotten 5 hours sleep? Then I go back to sleep by 4:00-5:00 for another 2-4 hours hours. Take your 2 hour nap at 4:00 a.m. :-)

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Sounds like it could work, but... what happens if I nap till around 10ish? I've done that, too!

[tranquility]

The noise level is much better now. My older one was a bit noisy but this one isn't. In fact, last year when my mom came to visit she slept in my bed since I have a king size bad and no partner .

Apparently she had been telling my sister that she was afraid she wouldn't be able to sleep with my machine going.

So we get into bed, I put the mask on and start it up. I usually fall asleep really fast, so I'm just about out and my mom says "so when are you going to turn the machine on?".

LOL apparently it is alot quieter!

Tranquility

[January]

Maybe I can tell them that I'm a Borg? "To resist is fu-tile

[SeptemberMorn]

"so when are you going to turn the machine on?"



That sounds like good news to me!! Thanks, Tranquility.

[SeptemberMorn]

You're about the only one that ALWAYS laughs at my funnies! LMBO

How do you combine "Beam me up, Scotty" with "To resist is fu-tile"? How bad do you think I'd scare them?? The girl is 9 and the boy is 5.

[January]

I didn't mean you were going to scare the kids!

I was so happy that you knew about Star TrekTNG that I thought I'd through some old Star Trek in there!!!!!

[SeptemberMorn]

I know you better to think that you were serious about scaring the kids, silly woman! I was just letting my imagination go and was wondering what would happen if I painted my face grey and drew the veins on it!!

If they start to get out of control I just might use that line on them, though! "To resist is FU-TILE!!" Of course, they won't have any idea where it comes from, I don't guess. LOL

And if the noise and playing gets too much, then it will be I know Jerry will be hollering that!!

GEEEEZ! I almost forgot my favorite line! When I ask them to do something or they ask and the answer is affirmative... what else besides "Make it so!"

[January]

You can always say, you'd better straighten up, Warp Factor 9.

When I was able to work, I would finish a big project and put it on my boss' desk. He would be reading something and wouldn't even mumble, "Thank you."

Well, one year they came out with Star Trek TNG phasers. Of course, I promptly bought myself one. It lit up, made a phaser noise, and had all the trimmings on it.

One day I finished a huge project and once again, my boss didn't notice. So, I stood right there in his office and said, "Good job, Jan! Thank you very much for all your hard work."

He still didn't answer. I had brought my phaser with me, just because I could, so I went and got it, pointed it at him, and pushed the button. He looked up and saw the lights and heard the noise. I said, "You never thank me for all my hard work, so you've just been phased!"

I got a lot of free lunches out of that one!!!!!!!!!!!

[SeptemberMorn]

And Sky says I "have brass ones"!!! I can't imagine ever doing something like that to a BOSS! Good for you!!!