Anyone here have sleep apnea?

[Stumbo]

Low oxygen means your heart working harder, higher blood pressure and not allowing your brain to refresh itself while sleeping.

Bad sleep means poor thinking, irritability and poor health.

Don't wait to get treatment.

Resmed Fitlife CPAP mask works for me. It's a full face mask with a wide silicon seal so there's no pressure on the bridge of your nose. It also extends below your lower lip so breathing through your mouth us possible.

IME, if you have allergies, making sure your sinuses and nasal passages are clear is most important. A HEPA air filter/purifier can help.

Sleeping in a more up right position helps me as well.

 

[Petebass]

It'll kill you one day. Do something.

-Mike

You're totally correct. In fact, I look at how crap my life is at the moment and can't help but wonder how much better this 45 yr old would be travelling if I had done something about it. Time to pull the finger out.

 

[MJ5150]

You're totally correct. In fact, I look at how crap my life is at the moment and can't help but wonder how much better this 45 yr old would be travelling if I had done something about it. Time to pull the finger out.

Please do. I ignored it for years, and have likely caused permanent damage to my body that will manifest itself as I get older. I'm 46 now.
Getting the sleep study done is kind of awkward for some people, but your first night of real sleep with your new CPAP machine will be life changing. I am completely serious. Instant results in an improved quality of life.
If you have a partner you sleep with, it will change their life too.

-Mike

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I was able to do a sleep study from home.
They gave me a kit that I put on to monitor breathing & position.
Then UPS came & picked up the kit.

 

[bholder]

I have apnea and use a CPAP machine to sleep - just got a new one in fact. And I disagree wholeheartedly with driver800 above - they are worth it. I like breathing.

 

[Baird6869]

Carl Brewer played for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the old days and had sleep apnea. Didn’t use a CPAP and the apnea killed him at 62. You wake up choking and unable to breathe which is terrible on your heart. He had a heart attach during an apnea episode.

Not a joke if you have apnea. Get a CPAP.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I was too self-conscious of it last night & couldn't get to sleep.
Finally got a kip on the sofa until someone started mowing their lawn, and I'm a wreck today.

 

[BlacksHole]

Something is going to kill you anyway. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea many years ago, and I still have issues with it, but I do not want a cpap machine.

 

[Monkey]

I was tested about 10 years ago and found to have pretty severe sleep apnea. I got a CPAP machine (set on 12) and have used it every single night since then, and it has changed my life dramatically. I got used to it quickly, since I felt so much better during the day. I suffered from depression for much of my life, but since I've been using the machine, my mood, concentration, and focus are so much better. I strongly recommend using a CPAP or some other device to address the problem. Ignoring it is really bad for your health.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I pick up my CPAP on Halloween morning & I can't wait for all these great improvements I've been told it will bring.
Speaking of concentration and focus, WOW could I use some improvement there!
My general practitioner even thinks it will help me lose more weight.

 

[Petebass]

You're totally correct. In fact, I look at how crap my life is at the moment and can't help but wonder how much better this 45 yr old would be travelling if I had done something about it. Time to pull the finger out.

Better late than never. I've been to the GP and he's given me a referral to a sleep clinic. I've had my preliminary chat with them and because i have infant twins at home, we've decided the sleep test in the lab will yield a better result. Just have to arrange a date. The process has begun.

 

[Stumbo]

I pick up my CPAP on Halloween morning & I can't wait for all these great improvements I've been told it will bring.
Speaking of concentration and focus, WOW could I use some improvement there!
My general practitioner even thinks it will help me lose more weight.

Better late than never. I've been to the GP and he's given me a referral to a sleep clinic. I've had my preliminary chat with them and because i have infant twins at home, we've decided the sleep test in the lab will yield a better result. Just have to arrange a date. The process has begun.

There is an art to properly wearing a CPAP mask. I suggest putting it on while sitting up and do the final adjustment while laying down. You still may have to adjust it a couple of times after that.

You have to sleep on your back. Adjusting your bed/pillows for this is helpful. if you take a nap during the day, wear
your mask. Same for vacations.

The newer machines are pretty much silent. Some have data collection to let you know how you are doing. Please read your manual for proper maintenance procedures. Keeping it clean is very important. Replace your filter after 3-6 months. Distilled water only if you have a humidifier. It's cheap so buy a couple of gallons.

The mask and head gear Velcro/material will wear out over time and need to be replaced regularly. Usually about 6 - 9 months.

Worn out seals and head gear lead to poor air sealing, leaks and noise that will interrupt your sleep. Also, you'll have to adjust the mask tighter over time and this leads to indentations on your face.

Another issue is: where does the air tube go so it doesn't bother you? Some get hooked onto the top of the head board .

Be patient. Keep trying. When my first mask was delivered I took a nap in the afternoon because I was so tired. You really need to be dedicated to wearing your mask every night.

When you have a cold or your allergies act up and your sinuses are plugged, using the CPAP may not be possible unless you have a mask that covers you mouth as well(full face mask). Saline solutions work well.

Hope it all works out and you feel better.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Oh dear, sleeping on my back has never been my thing.

 

[bholder]

Oh dear, sleeping on my back has never been my thing.

Mine neither, I sleep on my side even with the CPAP. Though with it, I can actually sleep on my back which I never could before.

And I'll reiterate: I really like breathing.

 

[Monkey]

I have no problem sleeping on my side with my CPAP, which uses nasal pillows. Here is the one I've been using for 10 years. I have it set up to go over my head, like in the picture, but after a few months of use, I found that it had started to wear my hair away and I was getting a bald spot! I now put on a bandanna or thin cotton cap before I put on the mask.

The other problem I had, which was already mentioned, was having indentations on my cheeks that seemed to take forever to go away. I sew little tubes from old washcloths or other material that fit over the cheek-pieces and make it much more comfortable, and I don't get the indentations. You can only imagine how ridiculous I look with my nightly get-up, but I couldn't care less: I CAN BREATHE!!!

 

[Petebass]

I'm a side sleeper, so this isn't going to be easy. Then again, maybe my body is turning sideways because it gets more air that way? I definitely snore more when I'm on my back ..... Time will tell I guess.

 

[Stumbo]

I'm a side sleeper, so this isn't going to be easy. Then again, maybe my body is turning sideways because it gets more air that way? I definitely snore more when I'm on my back ..... Time will tell I guess.

Yes, you'll get much more air when you get your CPAP.

 

[mrpackerguy]

Snoring is caused by the muscles in the back of your throat relaxing during sleep and then those tissues flapping in the wind so to speak and in most cases, closing up the airway entirely causing the apnea and subsequent brain intervention waking you up to bring those muscles to attention and relieve the apnea. In most severe sleep apnea cases, it's happening over 20 times an hour. My test showed 11-12 times per hour. That's considered moderate apnea. I've been on CPAP since Feb. With a full face mask, I took to it right away because to me it was the most comfortable. But I wondered if I could get something better after a few months. I got refitted by my medical supplies company with a nasal mask. Resimed N20. Works better for me because I'm a side sleeper and this mask only covers my nose. I initially had sore red Bridge of nose but figured that out with a bandaid to the bridge of my nose at bedtime. My apneic periods went from 2-3 per hour with the full face mask, to less than 1 per hour with the nose mask. Even with the full face you can get a CPAP pillow on Amazon that worked pretty well for me sleeping on my side with the full face mask. Don't give up. Your heart will thank you. Reggie White died young from sleep apnea. And my wife is so happy I don't snore any more.

 

[MJ5150]

Something is going to kill you anyway. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea many years ago, and I still have issues with it, but I do not want a cpap machine.

That's certainly true, but if you can remove one of those 'things' that can successfully do so, why not?

-Mike

 

[yodedude2]

^^ agreed. sleep apnea almost certainly led to the death of my father, an athlete who played tennis for the university of texas in his youth, at the age of 65. his father, my grandfather, lived to be 91. my father passed 11 years ago. i still miss him every day.