Question to those that have sleep apnea and use a CPAP machine

[a1951zorro]

Severe sleep apnea

I've had my CPAP for about 3 yrs now- used to be exhausted and have memory problems every day no matter how many hrs sleep I thought I was getting- better now although I do have the occasional nite where I pull it off and then feel like crap the next day.
I started with the pillows then went to the nasal mask and now haVE A FULL face mask- may have to have 02 added to cpap down the road according to doc. My apnea has been getting worse the last sleep study I had so at some point I may have to have surgery ( hopefully not a trach.)
The one type of surgery they do where they break your jaw and move it forward has had some success but the soft palate surgery is pretty low success rate and as someone said extremely painful.
Good luck

 

[HUMALOG]

i had soft palate surgery in addition to removing the tonsils and adnoids. you guys are a bunch of sissies. i'm cured.

 

[dragonfire101]

i had soft palate surgery in addition to removing the tonsils and adnoids. you guys are a bunch of sissies. i'm cured.

I'm willing to get one...if the doc recommends it...

 

[Pekkerwood]

I've read studies that 50% of heart failure patients study from sleep apnea. Which caused what?

 

[DatBtrue]

I've read studies that 50% of heart failure patients study from sleep apnea. Which caused what?

Genetics mean my father has sleep apnea, I have sleep apnea and my brother has it (not weight related).

My father ended up with quadruple bypass surgery before his sleep apnea was diagnosed. It took a long time to recover from heart surgery because of the undiagnosed apnea.

I ended up with acute heart problems apparently as a result of sleep apnea which thankfully did not do permanent damage and seems to remedied by getting the apnea under control.

My brother doesn't use a CPAP. He guts it out. As a result he had a mini-heart attack and periods of heart stoppage.

This little sampling isn't dispositive by any means but in my mind it is pretty telling.

 

[smokeybair]

i agree with everything that was said possitive about the cpap. i have been using one for over ten years. my apnea gets bad when i am on cycle and growth and also when i gain weight. hence being on cycle and growth. it seems that if i am 220lbs or less i dont snore and dont need to wear the mask. but thats only about one or two months out of the year in the summer. otherwise i walk around at 240-260 most of the year. for the machine- i use a resmed with a resmed medium full-face mask. my apnea is bad. the settings on my machine are extremely high. the force of air is enough to move move an empty milk carton across the table. the woman who came to set the pressure said i have the settings of a 350lb man. anyway, the only negative thing i have to say is that it forces so much air in that my stomach is bloated and i have gas for the first hour or so in the morning and the stomach cramps suck. otherwise, once you get use to it the restful sleep is unbeatable. wear it in good health and good luck.

 

[alan1973]

that my stomach is bloated and i have gas for the first hour or so in the morning

Are you married????

 

[maldorf]

i agree with everything that was said possitive about the cpap. i have been using one for over ten years. my apnea gets bad when i am on cycle and growth and also when i gain weight. hence being on cycle and growth. it seems that if i am 220lbs or less i dont snore and dont need to wear the mask. but thats only about one or two months out of the year in the summer. otherwise i walk around at 240-260 most of the year. for the machine- i use a resmed with a resmed medium full-face mask. my apnea is bad. the settings on my machine are extremely high. the force of air is enough to move move an empty milk carton across the table. the woman who came to set the pressure said i have the settings of a 350lb man. anyway, the only negative thing i have to say is that it forces so much air in that my stomach is bloated and i have gas for the first hour or so in the morning and the stomach cramps suck. otherwise, once you get use to it the restful sleep is unbeatable. wear it in good health and good luck.

Wow, Ive never heard or thought about the side effect of having gas.Must be some really ihgh pressure to be pushing around an empty milkcarton.

 

[alan1973]

i agree with everything that was said possitive about the cpap. i have been using one for over ten years. my apnea gets bad when i am on cycle and growth and also when i gain weight. hence being on cycle and growth. it seems that if i am 220lbs or less i dont snore and dont need to wear the mask. but thats only about one or two months out of the year in the summer. otherwise i walk around at 240-260 most of the year. for the machine- i use a resmed with a resmed medium full-face mask. my apnea is bad. the settings on my machine are extremely high. the force of air is enough to move move an empty milk carton across the table. the woman who came to set the pressure said i have the settings of a 350lb man. anyway, the only negative thing i have to say is that it forces so much air in that my stomach is bloated and i have gas for the first hour or so in the morning and the stomach cramps suck. otherwise, once you get use to it the restful sleep is unbeatable. wear it in good health and good luck.

I looked online. too pricey for me right now.

 

[RexHead]

I have had a total of 3 surgeries to correct my deviated septum. All of them involved turbinate reduction. The last one improved my breathing significantly. It was so weird (and great) to feel the free flow of air through both nostrils.

The surgery to fix a deviated septum isn't bad at all. You look like shit for two weeks. The hardest part is when they rip out the things they put in your nose to keep it straight.

I have lost a significant portion of my sense of smell. I don't know if it's scar tissue from breaking the septum, the turbinate reduction, or some other issue. I personally don't care because it's actually allows me to eat more things. It's weird how the sense of smell influences your sense of taste.

I'm working with several doctors because I still have sleep apnea. I'm getting the machine in a few weeks and we'll see if I can tolerate that. I know during my sleep study they had several masks for me to try. I switched at least three times during the study until I found one I liked.

I'm not sure I want to go for the throat surgeries. My wife just had her tonsils taken out last year and that was one hell of a recovery.

 

[maldorf]

I have had a total of 3 surgeries to correct my deviated septum. All of them involved turbinate reduction. The last one improved my breathing significantly. It was so weird (and great) to feel the free flow of air through both nostrils.

The surgery to fix a deviated septum isn't bad at all. You look like shit for two weeks. The hardest part is when they rip out the things they put in your nose to keep it straight.

I have lost a significant portion of my sense of smell. I don't know if it's scar tissue from breaking the septum, the turbinate reduction, or some other issue. I personally don't care because it's actually allows me to eat more things. It's weird how the sense of smell influences your sense of taste.

I'm working with several doctors because I still have sleep apnea. I'm getting the machine in a few weeks and we'll see if I can tolerate that. I know during my sleep study they had several masks for me to try. I switched at least three times during the study until I found one I liked.

I'm not sure I want to go for the throat surgeries. My wife just had her tonsils taken out last year and that was one hell of a recovery.

I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out when I was about 5 years old or so and it was pretty easy for me. I was just in overnight and went home the next day. I dont remember having much pain and I was playing around the house as soon as I got home. Maybe its worse for adults. Having that surgery done has done nothing for me sleep apnea.
I really think I would like to have my nose fixed like you did. I am going to push for that. Even if it doesnt solve my sleep apnea I would like to be able to breathe through my nose during the day.

 

[klowndog]

Went to the sleep center yesterday, the doc said I need to come in for a sleep study. I said okay. They call this morning to set up payment. It is $3500 to sleep in the room there for one night. I have $1000 deductible, so I said forget it Im not coming in cancel my appt.. I then called my family practice doctor who sent me to the sleep center, and asked if he could prescribe me a machine, so I could order one from the internet out of my pocket. Nope they have to do the study to determine what machine to put me on. BULLSHIT. I just found a brand new entry level machine on Craigslist for $250. I offered the guy $150 SOLD!! Hopefully I will be having sweet dreams tonight!!!

 

[kid1dakota]

Went to the sleep center yesterday, the doc said I need to come in for a sleep study. I said okay. They call this morning to set up payment. It is $3500 to sleep in the room there for one night. I have $1000 deductible, so I said forget it Im not coming in cancel my appt.. I then called my family practice doctor who sent me to the sleep center, and asked if he could prescribe me a machine, so I could order one from the internet out of my pocket. Nope they have to do the study to determine what machine to put me on. BULLSHIT. I just found a brand new entry level machine on Craigslist for $250. I offered the guy $150 SOLD!! Hopefully I will be having sweet dreams tonight!!!

Its good you are being pro-active but,the machine you bought is set to bring someone elses O2 into target range.When I had a sleep study after determining I had sleep apnea, they put a CPAP on and adjusted the level to bring the individual (while sleeping) into target O2 range.

This is kind of like saying I bought some braces from someone on Craigs list.Well those braces are set up and adjusted to correct that individuals teeth and their needs.

 

[klowndog]

Well, I dont have a thousand dollars that I want to dump on my deductible right now, so I am going to try this out, just set it on high to start out with. Cant get too much oxygen right?

I see what you are saying now, I didnt know they checked it while I am sleeping, but do you think it will do me any good at all to try it and see? I mean I could buy a hell of a lot of gear AND HGH for a thousand bucks!

When I actually get hurt an HAVE to spend my deductible on something, I will then get the study done. Hopefully that is not for at least fifty more yeaRS! In the meantime I am going to tinker with it and see what happens. Unless you guys think I could get hurt or something? I am more worried about not breathing than breathing too much.

 

[kid1dakota]

Well, I dont have a thousand dollars that I want to dump on my deductible right now, so I am going to try this out, just set it on high to start out with. Cant get too much oxygen right?

I see what you are saying now, I didnt know they checked it while I am sleeping, but do you think it will do me any good at all to try it and see? I mean I could buy a hell of a lot of gear AND HGH for a thousand bucks!

When I actually get hurt an HAVE to spend my deductible on something, I will then get the study done. Hopefully that is not for at least fifty more yeaRS! In the meantime I am going to tinker with it and see what happens. Unless you guys think I could get hurt or something? I am more worried about not breathing than breathing too much.

Whoever you are buying this from went through a sleep study and based on his/her results is how the machine will be set.Mine for example is set on 3 which is for mild sleep apnea.I cant change this setting as,after my sleep study the doctor wrote a prescription for the machine and the settings. With this prescription the medical supply place set up the machine based on my prescription and mailed it to me.I cant change the settings myself.

As far as being dangerous? I don't know as I am not a pulmonologist .Also there is basic care of these machines that you should be aware of such as how often to change the mask,tubing and filters as they become moldy especially if yours has a built in humidifier.

Just some things to think about bro.good luck.