sleep apnea

moj0 · Jul 24, 2005

For me it took about 6 weeks to get used to sleeping with the mask. I tried several types and found that the smallest, most comfortable one for me is the Vista Mirage. There is no way I would consider trying to sleep without it now considering how much better my sleep is. Prior to CPAP I hadn't had a dream in years ...now it's common. If the radio wave treatment proves to have a good success rate I'll give it a try (it would be nice to be able to travel without hauling that machine around). Until the time comes I'll stick with CPAP. You've just gotta stick with it for a while...it'll pay off....and could save your life.

Starkraven · Jul 25, 2005

im confused. you havent had any dreams? i dream all the time. im not sure i have sleep apnea but always being tired made others believe i do have it. so im going in for a sleep study when i get my health ins.

also, how do you feel now during the day? are you much more energized or just a little? i dont have problems sleeping to be honest. i don't even wake up once until the morning, then i feel too tired so i go back to sleep and then wake up real tired.

moj0 · Jul 26, 2005

Lack of dreams can be an indicator that you never reach REM sleep. There are several stages of sleep that repeat throughout the night REM is the final stage. If the sleep pattern is disrupted (i.e. you never go into the REM phase) you won't dream and you will not be rested when you wake up. Some people rarely recall dreaming even though they have no sleep problems but I used to dream and then at some point it just stopped. My wife actually got me to go get checked out because I would wake her up with loud snoring and she said I would often stop breathing and then suddenly gasp for air. Also I noticed that my blood pressure was beginning to creep upward (I always had low blood pressure before) that is another symptom. Sleep apnea is a possible cause for your fatigue but there are other factors as well I would not just assume that it's apnea. The only way to know for sure is to get a sleep study.

The CPAP has made a pretty dramtic improvement in my enegy levels during the day. I still have issues occassionally due to other factors like tren, eca's etc but I expect that to affect my sleep. Normally I sleep very well since starting CPAP. Like I said earlier lots of things can affect your sleep....take a look at your own variables you may find it's something that you can change.

gravityfighter · Jul 26, 2005

And I thought I was the only one with apnea....hell we ought to start a sleep apnea section...the wifey calls it pappy...when I fall a sleep without it she elbows me and says put pappy on!

mike man · Jul 26, 2005

The CPAP has made a pretty dramtic improvement in my enegy levels during the day. I still have issues occassionally due to other factors like tren, eca's etc but I expect that to affect my sleep. Normally I sleep very well since starting CPAP. Like I said earlier lots of things can affect your sleep....take a look at your own variables you may find it's something that you can change.[/QUOTE]
The same applied to me. It had been so long since I had rested good, that I didn't realize it wasn't normal to feel so tired all the time. I forgot what it was like to feel refreshed after a sleep. I just wanted to go right back to sleep again. I even had my heart go into a Tachacardia (sp?) attack that lasted a few days. It stayed up around 135-140 the whole time. MAN, talk about being tired all the time! I didn't go to a hospital until 3 guys from work urged me to go. The one had a heart attack when he was 42 and was the most insistent. I finally went and they did all these studies, bloodwork, and even an ultrasound to make sure my blood flow and heart valves were working right. Kinda scary what lack of sleep can do to your health.

cryptasm · Jul 27, 2005

does it normally take time to feel results??

Ive been on for 3 weeks and still dont feel much better...need 2 redbulls and 3 cups of coffee to get going in the am..Seem to be fuctioning mentally better though...Does it normally take a while to feel the results??

moj0 · Jul 29, 2005

Yeah bro...just give it a little more time. It takes a while to get used to having a mask strapped to your face while trying to sleep.

mike man · Jul 29, 2005

yeah

It was about 3 months for me before I realized that I didn't feel tired all the time. Eventually you'll look back and just be like "WOW, now I know how much better I feel."

Shawn Cooke · Dec 11, 2005

i think i have it. im going to get insurance and get a sleep study. its literally ruining my life. i sleep at work, im never rested or feel refreshed after a nights sleep, which is at least 8-9 hours. im tired all the time, irritable, moody, depressed, lethargic, i think its even affecting my sexual life too.

adobe · Dec 11, 2005

Before you go under the laser scalpel there are a couple of less invasive things you could try.
Go see your Dentist and ask for an apnea jaw appliance.
**broken link removed**
You wear it at night and it repositions your jaw "among other things"
to open up your airway.

Also try sleeping on your side with your head tilted back towards your shoulder blades. This opens up and straitens out your airway the way they teach you to do during CPR.

The other thing is the pillar system.
http://www.putanendtosnoring.com/pillar.htm
It is far and away less painful and is more effective imho.

The other thing you might want to be wary of is depression.
You should prolly ask your GP for something until you can sleep better.
Some depression meds are also very sedative so taking them at night can help you sleep better as well as taking the edge off...

-=ad0be=-

hughesy · Dec 11, 2005

I had the UPPP procedure along with having my tonsils removed in 2003. It was the best thing I ever did for myself and my wife(now ex-wife). I feel so much better when I get up in the morning and only require 6-7 hours sleep to feel refreshed as compared to being able to sleep 12 hrs and still felling tired before the surgery. Also my ex-wife said that my snoring stopped and I was no longer restless at night. She said I used to kick my legs and toss and turn all night. I would recommend having it done to anyone.
They tried to get me to use the c-pap but I sleep on my stomach and it was impossible for me to use it. I tried during the sleep studies and as soon as i'd fall asleep I would roll over and knock it off. My sleep study befroe surgery showed over a 100 episodes in 8 hrs of sleep. The post surgery study showed none. The worst part of the whole experience was weight loss right after and they use those stitches that disolve. One night I was awaken by feeling something in my throat. One of the stitches had broke and was hanging down my throat causing me to cough. I had to wake my wife up at 2am so she could reach a pair of sizzors down my throat and cut the stitch off.

dragonfire101 · Dec 11, 2005

I was recently diagosed with sleep apena. I had surgery a diviated septum a year ago. I havnet opt for CPAP yet although the docs recommened it. Mine is mild if I lay on my side. So the docs suggested i loose a little wieght also and go to bed earlier if I sleep on my side.

edge250 · Dec 11, 2005

wow, i have went thru all of this. almost lost my job cause i couldnt stay awake, almost killed myself falling asleep at the wheel. set a record at the hospital for the most apnea's in a 6 hour period during my sleep study, it was to the point that i was hardly getting any stage 4 sleep and like mention'd above never had any dreams. i have been on my cpap for about 3 months and feel like a different person, people have even noticed positive changes in my personality. took me about 3 nights to get used to the mask and some nights still struggle with it. needless to say my workouts are much better, bodyweight & strength are up. doc told me i would have had a heart attack by the age of 40 if i had continued down the road i was going, i had no idea. took awhile for the wife to get used to me not snoring anymore, lol. i used to snore her to sleep

xcelbeyond · Dec 11, 2005

adobe said:
You should prolly ask your GP for something until you can sleep better.
Some depression meds are also very sedative so taking them at night can help you sleep better as well as taking the edge off...

You need to work with sleep specialist regarding ANY sleep aids, esp sedatives.

With sleep apnea you literally quit breathing and your body wakes up and reacts so can breath again (hence - no rest/deep sleep). A sedative may keep your body from waking up!!!

I was told this by a doctor.

Shawn Cooke · Dec 12, 2005

i am desperate to take care of this problem. it seems like its the biggest problem i have right now, and i think it creates the other problems i have.