sleep apnea
08-24-2011, 12:43 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Shipshewana, IN
Posts: 775
Originally Posted by schoolteacher
I have recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea and it has been recommended to used a CPAP (?). Does anyone use it and are there any disadvantages? Thanks
08-24-2011, 12:58 PM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: La Pine Oregon, USA
Posts: 5,907
I have had one for 6 yrs...what everyone says is true. I had no problem adjusting to it and am a MUCH better person since I got it! I had to learn how to sleep and get the hose so it didn't bother me at night -- I tuck mine it between the headboard and the mattress.
do you camp??? We have a travel trailer --- my DH rigged up a plug (cigarette lighter style) for it (we camp withOUT electricity), bought an inverter that they make special for them $65.00 6 yrs ago, and put an extra battery in the camp trailer. We've gone 3 nights without needing to run the generator to pump up the batteries again.
One thing that really burns me is that the medical equipment providers won't provide ANYTHING without you having a prescription. We got clear down into California when I discovered one little plastic part that cost all of $8.00 was missing (had washed everything and left it on the counter). Even though I said I'd pay and to not send it to the insurance company they couldn't provide it. SO -- get a prescription from your doctor for those "just in case" times......
I have the kind with "nasal pillows"......there is NOTHING in this world funnier than being almost asleep and SNEEZING!!!! DH said it was like I blew a head gasket!!! ROL!
do you camp??? We have a travel trailer --- my DH rigged up a plug (cigarette lighter style) for it (we camp withOUT electricity), bought an inverter that they make special for them $65.00 6 yrs ago, and put an extra battery in the camp trailer. We've gone 3 nights without needing to run the generator to pump up the batteries again.
One thing that really burns me is that the medical equipment providers won't provide ANYTHING without you having a prescription. We got clear down into California when I discovered one little plastic part that cost all of $8.00 was missing (had washed everything and left it on the counter). Even though I said I'd pay and to not send it to the insurance company they couldn't provide it. SO -- get a prescription from your doctor for those "just in case" times......
I have the kind with "nasal pillows"......there is NOTHING in this world funnier than being almost asleep and SNEEZING!!!! DH said it was like I blew a head gasket!!! ROL!
08-24-2011, 01:36 PM
#34
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 1,516
I have one that is battery operated so when we camp without electricity I can go for 3 days (got a prescription for it from the doc) when I needed a new machine..with Medicare you're entitled to a new machine every 5 yrs, which was nice as when they tested my old machine it wasn't putting out the proper level!
If you use the search feature there are lots of threads about cpap on here and it will give you more support...I had an awful time getting used to mine. I would use it only a little and it bothered me, my doc said to use it as much as possible so I always at least try it every night and also use the ramp feature..it starts off lower so you can get to sleep and then in about 20 to 40 mins it gets stronger
If you use the search feature there are lots of threads about cpap on here and it will give you more support...I had an awful time getting used to mine. I would use it only a little and it bothered me, my doc said to use it as much as possible so I always at least try it every night and also use the ramp feature..it starts off lower so you can get to sleep and then in about 20 to 40 mins it gets stronger
08-24-2011, 05:20 PM
#35
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Emmitsburg, MD
Posts: 1,599
Originally Posted by Sadiemae
Listen to your doctor...
My oxygon levels go so low when I sleep that it is critical that I use my machine. The first time I had a surgery even with oxygon, my levels were 76 when I went to sleep--not a good sign. The nurse kept waking me up and I told her to leave me alone, so she told the doctor I needed to go immediately for a sleep study. During my sleep study my numbers were in the upper 50's--very dangerous. If I fall asleep even for a short nap without my machine, I will have the headache that is miserable, so I am very careful. I never seem to be normal with most things, and my Apnea is different also. I am in REM sleep all but about a half hour each night.
I had no problem adjusting to my machine at all, but they told me I could die at any time without it. That kind of makes it easier to use.
My oxygon levels go so low when I sleep that it is critical that I use my machine. The first time I had a surgery even with oxygon, my levels were 76 when I went to sleep--not a good sign. The nurse kept waking me up and I told her to leave me alone, so she told the doctor I needed to go immediately for a sleep study. During my sleep study my numbers were in the upper 50's--very dangerous. If I fall asleep even for a short nap without my machine, I will have the headache that is miserable, so I am very careful. I never seem to be normal with most things, and my Apnea is different also. I am in REM sleep all but about a half hour each night.
I had no problem adjusting to my machine at all, but they told me I could die at any time without it. That kind of makes it easier to use.
I have to add here that I never slept either before he started using the CPAP. It turned out that I was holding my breath in my sleep and if I ran out of air before he snored again I'd wake up, and wake him up. This was a Very Bad Time.
Also, my husband now sleeps with pillows and a blanket over his head and uses his CPAP like a scuba mask. Sometimes it's hard to tell if he's even in there.
Next, if someone passes gas in the night you won't smell it anymore, so you can use that to torture your loved ones.
On the other hand, if you or someone else passes gas too close to the machine's air intake... :twisted:
As a corollary to that last point, take care where you put the dog's bed.
08-24-2011, 05:29 PM
#36
Power Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,375
Originally Posted by greenini
also use the ramp feature..it starts off lower so you can get to sleep and then in about 20 to 40 mins it gets stronger
08-24-2011, 05:57 PM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,390
Having sleep apnea is very, very hard on your heart. When you stop breathing, your body goes into alarm mode, fires off a truckload of adrenalin and shoots your heart rate up. Your body wakes up enough to start breathing again, but now there's all those stress hormones floating around inside you. It is NOT good for your heart to be stressed like that all night long. Think about a time when you had a close call - barely avoided an accident, or maybe heard a noise outside your house and thought it might be a bad guy? Remember how your body reacted? It's doing that ALL NIGHT LONG with sleep apnea.
If you happen to be of the few people with sleep apnea that doesn't have the stress response, then you are risking brain damage and even death from lack of oxygen.
I strongly urge you to have a sleep study done. There are LOTS of options for machines and gear these days, it should not be difficult to find one that is comfortable for you. My husband has one, my mom has one, my brother-in-law has one. I find the quiet white noise it makes much more reassuring than the loud snores, then sudden deafening silence when my husband stops breathing.
If you happen to be of the few people with sleep apnea that doesn't have the stress response, then you are risking brain damage and even death from lack of oxygen.
I strongly urge you to have a sleep study done. There are LOTS of options for machines and gear these days, it should not be difficult to find one that is comfortable for you. My husband has one, my mom has one, my brother-in-law has one. I find the quiet white noise it makes much more reassuring than the loud snores, then sudden deafening silence when my husband stops breathing.
08-24-2011, 06:34 PM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: La Pine Oregon, USA
Posts: 5,907
Originally Posted by JulieR
Next, if someone passes gas in the night you won't smell it anymore, so you can use that to torture your loved ones.
On the other hand, if you or someone else passes gas too close to the machine's air intake... :twisted:
As a corollary to that last point, take care where you put the dog's bed.
On the other hand, if you or someone else passes gas too close to the machine's air intake... :twisted:
As a corollary to that last point, take care where you put the dog's bed.
08-25-2011, 03:30 AM
#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 922
Originally Posted by schoolteacher
I have recently been diagnosed with sleep apnea and it has been recommended to used a CPAP (?). Does anyone use it and are there any disadvantages? Thanks
08-25-2011, 04:01 AM
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: WV
Posts: 819
And now, for something completely different - My genteel, lady-like manner will not allow me to use the words I'd like to use to express my opinion of the c-pap. I got far less sleep than I had before the trial, the morning headaches were severe, I became zombie-like with a flat affect. I was a crank, and my husbands' professional opinion, (medical profession)was that I was bordering on suicidal. I need a full face mask because I am a mouth breather. I know that I have a deviated nasal septum, which is most likely a big part of my problem. However, Medicare won't allow the ENT docs to examine me until I go through all of this c-pap rig-a-ma-role.
Many of my c-pap friends are amazed to hear my stories because they absolutely love the way their machines work, and the way they feel. It just didn't work for me. Hope you have better results.
Many of my c-pap friends are amazed to hear my stories because they absolutely love the way their machines work, and the way they feel. It just didn't work for me. Hope you have better results.
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