Sleep Apnea

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
lorbay

lorbay

Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2009
Messages
3,396
Location
BC. Canada
Do any of you on here have sleep apnea ?? I have just been diagnose with it and I am on a CPAP machine for a 30 day trial. It's like being a fighter pilot with that thing on your face while trying to sleep. If you are on one please share your thoughts.

Lin.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
They are hard to get used to. I tried the face mask type but couldn't get used to it and went back and they ordered me a "nasal canula", similar to the type used for Oxygen that just goes partially up your nose.

Ray
 
lorbay said:
Do any of you on here have sleep apnea ?? I have just been diagnose with it and I am on a CPAP machine for a 30 day trial. It's like being a fighter pilot with that thing on your face while trying to sleep. If you are on one please share your thoughts.

Lin.
Click to expand...

I was diagnosed in 1990 after I fell asleep at a red light while driving home from work (a real wake-up call!). Mine isn't the obstructive type and I have had it since I was a skinny teenager. My father was diagnosed when he was 60 and I really did not want a CPAP after seeing and hearing his for a few years. However, it is a life saver and I will not go anywhere without mine, now. I can't sleep without it and neither can my wife.

My machine is a Respironics with a humidifier. It's the third machine I have had and it is very quiet and reliable. The most important thing for you is to get a mask that is comfortable for you. I use the Respironics Comfort Gel mask and would not have anything else. Over the years, I have used a number of different mask types and this is by far the best for me. It is comfortable, quiet, and doesn't leak.

Be patient and stick with the CPAP. It will prolong and improve your life.

Tomas
 
I treat people with OSA & CSA everyday. There are many different CPAP options. Make sure you explore all of them to insure you are compliant...the stuff doesn't work if you don't use it!.
 
ironman123 said:
They are hard to get used to. I tried the face mask type but couldn't get used to it and went back and they ordered me a "nasal canula", similar to the type used for Oxygen that just goes partially up your nose.

Ray
Click to expand...

I have a nasal pillow device, which is not like the oxygen set-up. I've used it for about 6 years and am thoroughly used to it. It's a much less bothersome system than the face mask that I used initially. I would say the face mask was somewhat difficult to get used to, but I tolerated it for about 6 months before I spoke up and they switched me to the nasal gear.

Then I made the mistake of using it without attaching the short hose (that's part of the face gear) to the head band. I often had to adjust the nasal pillow because it would become dislodged, which interrupted sleep. As soon as I began attaching the short hose to the head band, I found that I could go through the night without attending to the hose or the pillow.

I have a Fischer-Pickel (sp?) machine with a heated reservoir. I had to learn to adjust the heat seasonally as ambient humidity and temperature changed. Otherwise the hose would collect condensation and gurgle.

Basically, there is a learning curve, for sure, but I know I sleep very well and wake up rested. On the rare occasions when I have not used the CPAP, I have awakened with a mild headache (lack of oxygen in the bloodstream because of snoring?) and to my wife's smart comments about chainsaws.


,
 
I have been using a CPAP for about five years now. It is a life saver for me. My sleep apnea had gotten so bad that I could barely drag out of bed in the morning. It only took me a couple of weeks to get used to wearing the mask. I tried the model which fits in the nose but I kept pulling it out accidentally at night.

Because I use the CPAP I am much healthier now than before, and now my wife can sleep through the night as well.
 
My symptoms were severe headaches and being very sleepy about midway through the day.

Try a mask called the Mirage. It's consideranly smaller than other masks. My Dr has a gal that works for him that has sleep apnea. She tries every new product that comes out and is knowledgable cause she uses them. Try a variety of masks till you find one that siuts you. I also have a small head strap to keep my mouth closed at night. This really helps with the DRY MOUTH syndrome. Yuo don't have to CLAMP it tight aroung your head, just enough to keep your mouth from opening. Res-Med has a new CPAP Machine out the works way better than the older models. Instead of pushing air all the time, when you exhale the pressure backs off enough that it's not as uncomfortable.

Been using mine for 10 years now, I'm 48 yrs old. It is definitely a thing you have to grow into, for most people. I also found that the ramp up time used to make mefeel like I was suffocating waiting on the ideal pressure to stabilize. I can adjust my ramp up time(was 10 minutes, cut it down to 5 minutes) and have now cut it down to ZERO. Works much better for me.

Like I said keep playing around with it till you find that happy medium. Keep at it because it wil definitely improve your health and quality of life.
 
I have been on the machine for about 10-12 years know......It certainly was a life saver.....Please give it time, it just might save your life
 
Lin,

Been on mine for 15+ months and I LOVE IT!! I can deal with the fighter mask in order to sleep a normal night's sleep!

I don't have any issues with mine. I use a full face mask and have tried other styles also but keep coming back to the full face model. I feel a definate difference if I don't use it. I was a TOTAL A$$HOLE when I was not using it. Everyone at work thinks I am a different person now since I actually sleep at night....

I will say it took me about a week to get used to it. I now am on a normal schedule and don't go to bed and put on the mask until I am ready to go to sleep. If I am laying in bed and can't sleep, I will take my mask off because I can't stand laying there with it on but when I sleep, I sleep like a baby now with the slight air flow noise. It is tons better than it used to be for me.

Give it some time. Hopefully you will get used to it and feel the real difference!

Good Luck!
 
I have been using a mask type CPAP for about 6 years. I love it. Now when that mask goes on, it doesn't matter if the lights are on or not. If I try to sleep without it, I can tell I'm not resting well at all. Invest the time to get used to it, you'll like it!
 
Yep, I'm on one and can't get any decent sleep with out it. Lifesaver. I have had no problems adjusting to the mask. I use a full mask do to being a 'mouth' breather.

I do find sleeping on an upright incline more helpful with the mask.
 
I developed apnea after my 2nd trip to Fallujah and the wonderful yellow air created by the burn pits.

I use the nasal blocks. Really hate the damn thing. Most nights about 0200 or so I tear it off and just sleep w/o it, poorly but w/o it.
 
I use a CPAP every night. I love it. I no longer snore. I can sleep on my back again. It helps me breath when I feel stuffy or congested.

Best of all my wife is not scared at night anymore that one of the times I stop breathing that I won't start again!

I use the full face mask but it is well worth any discomfort I might feel.

Kevin
 
I've been using the full face mask for a little over 2 years. I wear it religiously and sleep a lot better because of it. Took a little getting used to, but well worth the effort.

If we are gone overnight I will usually forego taking it along, but anything more than one night and it goes with me.

I will say, that I have lost almost 50 pounds since getting it and that has made a big difference as well. I will probably undergo another sleep study very soon to see if I still need it. On those rare occassions whey I don't wear it (travelling) my wife says I no longer make my noises, quit breathing or gasp for breath....but I will let a doctor determine if it is safe for me to quit wearing it.

As a side note....losing the weight also has gotten off my blood pressure meds !!
 
I have had one on the bedside table for about five years. Doctor says I need to start using it again (I quit the thing). That's not the thing to do. Doctor says now I need to be tytrated again. I wonder if I could just start using it and forget tytrating again.

Wrestling with this issue stays on my mind.
 
make sure who ever you get the CPAP from will sell it to you other wise they keep hitting you and your insurance each month they only cost 800 or so I pd 3400 for my 1st one by the time we figured the scam out medical eq companies will rip you off as long as they can
 
danrs said:
I have had one on the bedside table for about five years. Doctor says I need to start using it again (I quit the thing). That's not the thing to do. Doctor says now I need to be tytrated again. I wonder if I could just start using it and forget tytrating again.

Wrestling with this issue stays on my mind.
Click to expand...

Use the Ramp feature whee it starts out low and builds up and see how you tol it
 
I've had mine now for about 15 years. I have had sleep apnea since I was a small kid. We were just to dumb to know what it was. But now I use my CPAP...and the only problem I have with it is that my nasal passages feel like they are clogged and I am unable to breathe. I blow my nose and nothing comes out...so I figure that my nasal tissues are irritated and swelled. But what do I do about that?
 
warthog said:
I've had mine now for about 15 years. I have had sleep apnea since I was a small kid. We were just to dumb to know what it was. But now I use my CPAP...and the only problem I have with it is that my nasal passages feel like they are clogged and I am unable to breathe. I blow my nose and nothing comes out...so I figure that my nasal tissues are irritated and swelled. But what do I do about that?
Click to expand...

Check with your doctor....you could have a deviated septum. I had the same issues with allergies (unknown at the time) year round. Finally went to the doctors and found out I had allergies to enough things to keep everything going all year long.....also found out that I had a deviated septum (both sides). Had surgery to fix that and I could then breath just fine for the first time in years and even blow my nose when needed.....it worked!!! Best thing I ever did!!!

Barney
 
Just put it on and concentrate on breathing in and out while you are still awake and when you wake up you will feel better. Soon it will quit being a nuisance and become a necessity. Like kronewi said, when your becomes happier, life is better.
Dwight
 
i have been using one for about 10 years now and like has been said before it is a life saver and does take a little time to get use to but well worth it.
 
Friend of mine had apnea severely....always falling asleep at work....didn't ever have enough energy to lose weight. It is a self-compounding issue. Nothing seemed to work for him. He finally went to the extreme and had a special surgery. They cut between his bottom teeth and lip and pulled his lip down over his chin. They then proceeded to cut a square out of his front chin bone (where the tongue is attached), pulled it out and rotated it 90 degrees and then inserted it back in. Stitched him up and sent him home.

Other than a few speech issues, it absolutely transformed his life. He had huge amounts of energy, never slept at work anymore, and lost 50+ pounds within a few months....just because he suddenly had energy from finally getting the sleep he needed.

I wouldn't recommend this for many, but it sure changed his life for the better.
BTW- my better half has it bad too, but due to severe claustrophobia, she can't wear the dang mask.
 
Wow thanks for all the encouragements. Just a bit of back ground, I was sent to a sleep therapist by my doctor and the lady that did the testing on me said normal people stop breathing 5 times and hour while asleep, I was stopping 25 times p/h which she said is in the middle scale and severe are 35 to 40 times p/h. Wow it's a wonder they wake up. I am on my 4th night now and every night gets better and my wife says she is getting a better nights sleep also. I have the Phillips One machine which is classed as the gold standard in Canada, it has all the bells a whistles on it. I was also fitted with a whole bunch of masks at the fitting and she seems to think I have the best fit so far for whats out there. I feel like a million bucks today, so what will I feel like next week. Thanks guys for all the feed back.

Lin.
 
next June I will be on my 4th machine, I just can not sleep without it, and if you have some procedures at the hospital where they put you asleep, they keep me overnight since i use a cpap,Use it no matter how hard it is,there around 2000.00 dollars and insurance pays some,but ihave to fight with them every 6 months to get new hose and mask, there around 400 dollars for a hose and mask, thats why insurance is so high,I got lots of spare mask, hoses and last machine still works, but the one i am on now is starting tobeep during the night so got to call and get it checked out,Mine has a card in it and it reads the time you sleep and believe me the doctors read it they know if your following there instructions and using it,keep at it it will help,
Rodney
 
I have had mine for 8 yrs. I tried the partial mask but had to go to the full mask because my mouth drops open when I sleep, so then I would wake up. I got used to it quite quick because I knew I had to . I take it everywhere I go. We had the power go out for a couple of days and I didn't sleep much at all. I also use the Mirage.
 
don't give up

I am on my second machine. Been using one since 1998. It is God sent. I can now function as a normal adult. When I think of all the things I missed, like a whole pacific coast vacation. The guy that invented this has saved so many lives. It is non-invasive. I fought doing it once too. Thought of it like an Iron lung.Then I thought, Heck. who sees me at night. The first night cemented the deal. I sleapt a full 10 hours and never moved. It was the first full nights sleep I had in years. I was falling asleep at my desk at work. My boss thought I was just lazy or drugged. He had never heard of it. Then his boss (skinny as a rail I might add) put a company car in a ditch because he fell asleep at the wheel. Funny how that changes things. Please, please stick with it. use the mask, use the nasal style but don't give up.
 
Many years ago I had all of the symptoms of sleep apnea. I went to my doctor for my annual check up and mentioned it to him. He did a blood test for thyroid function and found that my thyroid was very underactive. Started taking Synthroid and about a month later all of my sleep problems were gone. It felt nice to sleep without getting an elbow in the ribs and to be able to drive without dozing off at traffic lights.
 
I've been on one for about 12 yrs and cant sleep without it. Napping is impossible but I sleep alll night and am fully rested. Used to fall asleep driving, eyes wide open. I've had gel type, half face, full face....... Find what fits well WITHOUT LEAKING and give it time. You'll feel 100% better in no time.
 
Can not get along with out mine. While a workers comp. premium auditor and driving from business to business I would find a grocery store and a shade to sleep for an hour. This prevented me from falling asleep behind the wheel. The feeling of drowning while under water and then waking gasping for breath was what my wife noticed. I do not want to experience those sensations again. Wear it in good health.
 
Apnea

I have been a bipap user for over 20 years. Got 4 or four machines in the closet from my first monster to my present day mini. I have tried all the fase mask and finally settled on a Breeze headset which works great, so great in fact that I can not sleep without a system. Gotta be the greatest invention since sliced bread!

Chester
 
I have been on one since I was 28. So it is now about almost 8 years. And I cannot sleep without it. My wife forgot to bring it with us on a trip to her parents and we had to leave early because I can't breathe without it when i sleep.
 
Do you become "addicted" to the cpap machines? or your body becomes dependent on them? once you are on, can you eventually get off?

I am overweight and I know I have sleep apnea. I am going for a test soon.
 
I have had apnea for 18 years now. I started off with a CPAP but after my third bout of cellulitus (sp) on my forehead, (the first so bad I almost lost an eye)I was put on a TAP TAP® - Thornton Adjustable Positioner :: The TAP® prevents snoring and sleep apnea.

I imagine since loosing over 80 pounds I could sleep without it but I don't want to, I have gone from sleeping at stop lights and signs, to riding centuries on my bike.

The Apnea diagnosis was the third best thing that has ever happened in my life. (My lovely wife is first and my son is second.)
http://amisleep.com/
 
I have seen these before. It keeps your jaw in a good position to keep the airway open.

I do have about 80 more pounds to go for a total of 100. I think that will solve most of my issues.

Thanks for the link!!
 
Losing weight makes a big difference. Besides helping with the sleep apnea, you will have more energy. It also reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer !!

If anyone needs help with weight loss, I can help.
 
I'm listening


G1Pens said:
Losing weight makes a big difference. Besides helping with the sleep apnea, you will have more energy. It also reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer !!

If anyone needs help with weight loss, I can help.
Click to expand...
 
I have a CPAP device which I packed away in a closet 10 minutes after getting it. my problem is I wake often needing to pee and unhooking the Cpap takes long enough for me to start leaking before getting to toilet. To me it is worthless.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
BlackPearl said:
I have had apnea for 18 years now. I started off with a CPAP but after my third bout of cellulitus (sp) on my forehead, (the first so bad I almost lost an eye)I was put on a TAP TAP® - Thornton Adjustable Positioner :: The TAP® prevents snoring and sleep apnea.

I imagine since loosing over 80 pounds I could sleep without it but I don't want to, I have gone from sleeping at stop lights and signs, to riding centuries on my bike.

The Apnea diagnosis was the third best thing that has ever happened in my life. (My lovely wife is first and my son is second.)
http://amisleep.com/
Click to expand...

Does your mouth dry out?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom