It was a pain in the butt, but at least I now know I don't have apnea. I just snore like a bear.
Looks like they have an app for that.
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So who has sleep apnia?
- Thread starter bassteban
- Start date
Looks like they have an app for that.
I'm a respiratory therapist and work for a medical equipment company . My primary job is to set up patients on their CPAP machines , teaching them how to operate and troubleshoot the equipment . We follow up with our patients frequently the first month or two as they aclimate to sleeping with a mask and breathing under pressure . Afterwards we contact the patient when insurance will pay for new supplies or pay for a new machine . Sleep apnea is usually caused by a combination of factors , weight being one of them . Having said that , I've got patients that run the gammet of 105 lb. teenage girls to 400 lb. truckdrivers and all points in between . Some patients inherit a small airway . It's a common story I hear from patients that their mother or father snored like a freight train . Untreated sleep apnea can , even over a short time span , lead to or contribute to diabetes , high blood pressure , heart attack , stroke , depression and sexual disfunction . Lots of wrecks on the highway are thought to be the result of drowsy drivers who fell asleep at the wheel . If you suspect you may have sleep apnea , PLEASE talk to your doctor about it .
I'm not proud to admit it, but I have sleep apnea. I was in several car accidents due to the ailment, I would fall asleep at stop lights and the like. It took a while to get a correct diagnosis, but a sleep study and Neurologist got it figured out. I have the triple whammy... narrow airway, a fat bastard, and only 3-hrs to sleep per night. My Neurologist suggested he become my life insurance beneficiary, because I'm dying slowly at a really fast pace High blood pressure, Obesity, High Cholesterol and Depression. If you can get treatment, I would suggest you do it and don't give up until you find a solution that works for you, it will be a life changing/saving experience.
Are you at least being treated for the cholesterol and blood pressure? Those are relatively easy to manage with medications, and will have a huge benefit. Having seen a number of people with strokes, it really blows my mind when someone comes in complaining of headaches, has repeated bp measures of 160/100, but never follows up with meds. One of the reasons people don't like the meds is their side effects, but there are many options. For example, some people don't like the diuretics because it makes them pee all the time, or the ace inhibitors because it makes them cough. There are many alternatives.
e: regarding 'healty' BMIs of 40, medically speaking, you're probably better off if you're 300 pounds of all muscle than 300 pounds of fat, but you're still not better off than the 140 pound beanpole dude. I'd let it slide on a dude who has a BMI of 27 but is big boned and totally ripped, but the dudes who are absolutely HUGE and covered in muscles are NOT doing themselves any favors. They need to understand that its an extra 50+ pounds of tissue that their heart has to pump blood through. To some extent you can train your body through exercise, but no heart is designed to pump blood through massive amounts of muscle. That said, this only applies to maybe 1% of the population, or maybe 10% if you're at DA CLUB or DA SHORE.
I have hypertension and depression...and as a nurse myself, I should get checked for sleep apnea. But I am not working and it makes things difficult. I have one issue too with CPAP, I can't wear masks over my face. It was hard to do when I was working too. I am claustrophobic! I suppose I'd have to wear the ones up my nose...I am taking meds for BP, but not depression. I am learning how to control that on my own.
Despite my fatness, It's my neck that gives me the problems. I've got a 22in neck ( ex football player, i know i know).
Funny thing is when my dad was diagnosed, they made it seem like he was about to die instantly. He's a really active guy (being 48, duh.) working, working out, etc, and they were surprised he could walk to the car or not take naps during the day. He, however, couldn't actually sleep at the sleep study, so he had to take the monitor home. Eventually losing weight (along with 9in. of his colon) he's gotten better, and needs no CPAP, etc.
I have sleep apnia.
I spent a night at the hospital with electrodes everywhere to check how my sleep is. I'll see the doctor next week to discuss what they've seen
I spent a night at the hospital with electrodes everywhere to check how my sleep is. I'll see the doctor next week to discuss what they've seen
a full sleep study is two fold. during the days I was given short naps then after 15 minutes my reflexes were tested and this went on for hours to build a graph on how my body reacted to sleep deprivation. over night the electrodes would monitor my apneas. at the end of 3 days (inpatient) the diagnosis was made and the hospital gave me my first CPAP machine free to take home. besides the reflex tests and wired overnight to the electrodes there was an MRI and a CAT scan.
and most studies (especially if your hospital is looking for research volunteers) will pay you...in my case it was $300.00
and most studies (especially if your hospital is looking for research volunteers) will pay you...in my case it was $300.00
I've had sleep apnea for years and finally my doctor recommended a sleep study. The results of that study showed that I had close to 300 episodes during one night and I've been using CPAP ever since. I have both the mask and the nasal one but prefer the nasal one as it allows me to watch TV easier. Prior to using the CPAP I would always get extremely sleepy after eating lunch and would feel lethargic the entire afternoon. Now I sleep like a log. The only thing I hate about the CPAP is traveling with it, the airlines make you take the entire thing apart and thats a pain especially when you have that and a laptop, but I guess its worth it. One word of advise, ALWAYS carry your CPAP with you, never treat it like regular luggage (learned this lesson the hard way and had to have one replaced because of the damage).
I takes a while to get used to it. Many times I have hurled that mask across the room. Tell him to hang in there.
You know, it's a trip- I asked him about it yesterday, and he said he'd 'get used to it.' I'm sure he griped pretty hard to my mom, cause that's what he does, but I'm hopeful that it will be a good thing. Again, guys- thanks to all. I'm also thinking a few others beside myself have learned a thing or two about all this.
