Sleep Apnea

Sleep Apnea?

  • I have been diagnosed with it and continuing treatment.

    Votes: 1 33.3%

  • I never been diagnosed, but I suspect I have it.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I know that I have it, but refuse all treatment.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • My significant other suspect I have it.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I rather not know honestly.

    Votes: 2 66.7%
  • Total voters
    3
ladysolitary85

ladysolitary85

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Just out of curiosity does anyone on here have Sleep Apnea? How did you find out? What treatment are/did you go through? I would just like to hear about some experiences, maybe some success stories.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Just out of curiosity does anyone on here have Sleep Apnea? How did you find out? What treatment are/did you go through? I would just like to hear about some experiences, maybe some success stories.
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My dad had sleep apnea. The hallmark symptoms of sleep apnea are most obvious when the person is asleep on the back, with the abdominal and chest weight on top, and the person's breathing stops briefly in middle of the person's sleep. My dad is very loud with snoring so when his breathing stops, the snoring also stops and then my mom would get worried. Sometimes my dad would choke in the middle of his sleep. Sleep apnea was interfering with the quality of my dad's sleep, of course.

Thing is, my dad hates going to the doctor. My mom had to badger him over and over again just to get him to go. The doctor had him tested overnight at a sleeping center and sure enough, the results showed that he had a definite case of sleep apnea. The doctor's recommended course of action? Lose weight. My dad was at least 60 pounds overweight (80 pounds overweight at the most, I don't recall what exactly his weight was at the time).

You will come to find out there is a correlational relationship between body weight and sleep apnea--the higher your body weight (over your ideal body weight), the higher your chances of developing sleep apnea. When you cut down on your body weight, the symptoms of sleep apnea decrease--even if it's just by 5 percent or 10 percent with weight loss.

My dad did slim down, yes, but later gained it all back. It is easier said than done for some people to really stay on track for weight loss. My dad is on his feet all day long as a mechanic at his own auto repair shop so when he gets home, most of the time he's wiped out. With weight loss one of two things need to happen: (1) increase your physical activity and (2) change your diet. It's really best if you do both things.
 
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Part of my issue is weight, but that's only part of my problem. The other is I have a deviated septum and my jaw is pushed back a bit (born that way, forgot what it was called). I did a at home sleep study and responded well with the CPAP machine. I'm just waiting to get mine in the mail soon.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Part of my issue is weight, but that's only part of my problem. The other is I have a deviated septum and my jaw is pushed back a bit (born that way, forgot what it was called). I did a at home sleep study and responded well with the CPAP machine. I'm just waiting to get mine in the mail soon.
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You have what's called an overbite for the jaw. I had braces for three years and even though my teeth are straight, I will always have the slight overbite simply because my jaw is pushed back a bit (I was born with that too). I don't think the overbite has anything with breathing (I sleep with my mouth closed and I breathe through the nose) but the deviated septum will definitely disrupt the flow of oxygen. Nasal steroid sprays would be one option as medical treatment for the deviated septum (I don't know about any other treatment options besides that, ask your doctor). Medications that have steroids as a primary ingredient are known to open up congested/tight airways in the nose and in the trachea (the passageway that leads to the lungs). I used to take Advair to help open up the trachea for my asthma.

If you sleep on the side instead of on the back, it will help ease the symptoms of sleep apnea some as it reduces the amount of pressure on your trachea. The less pressure, the more air that passes through the trachea. My dad had to make the same change with his sleeping posture to help with breathing at night. You can even buy some specific pillows to make it more comfortable to sleep on the side. I don't have sleep apnea but I know I am definitely overweight and I have an issue with acid reflux, so I have to sleep on the side.

If you smoke, it is best to try and quit. Smoking alone decreases the amount of lung capacity, which may worsen the sleep apnea. Quitting the cigarettes will increase the lung capacity, even after just a few weeks. And if you want to drink an alcoholic beverage, try to not to have any drinks within the last 4 hours before you go to bed (i.e., if you go to bed at 11:00pm, don't have any alcoholic beverages after 7:00pm). Alcohol is a depressant--it slows down the central nervous system, which controls your breathing. My dad doesn't smoke but he does drink.
 
my hubby <who sometimes is on here> has it. Uses a C-PAP machine. He went to a sleep center and had one of those studies.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Just out of curiosity does anyone on here have Sleep Apnea? How did you find out? What treatment are/did you go through? I would just like to hear about some experiences, maybe some success stories.
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You should call your doctor and have them help you find a sleep clinic that will test you for sleep apnea. You should check with your insurance to see if they'll cover this.
 
I've already been through the sleep study and was recommended for the CPAP machine. I was diagnosed with OSA, I'm just trying to see if there's others on her who has it.

Been smoke free for 4 years.... I snore so bad in every sleeping position that even my poor girlfriend hears me with her ear plugs in. Good news is I seem to respond best with CPAP now I'm just waiting for my own.
 
ladysolitary85 said:
I've already been through the sleep study and was recommended for the CPAP machine. I was diagnosed with OSA, I'm just trying to see if there's others on her who has it.

Been smoke free for 4 years.... I snore so bad in every sleeping position that even my poor girlfriend hears me with her ear plugs in. Good news is I seem to respond best with CPAP now I'm just waiting for my own.
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I think I may have it as I been making up very tried . If I fall asleep with my HA my snoring will wake me up. LOL! I will have to ask my dog Marty if I snore.
 
A lot of people have sleep apnea and don't even know it. A lot of overweight people especially have sleep apnea and have never been diagnosed. Often times, larger people who snore very loudly can have it without even knowing it. :shock: Of course, you don't have to be large, but those are the people who often have it and don't realize it a lot of the times. Waking yourself up snoring... you might want to get that looked at there pal... :laugh2:
 
I have a mild one. I took a sleep study test. although my sleep efficiency rate is very good... the test showed that I stopped breathing for a moment several times and I have Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.

:zzz:
 
ladysolitary85 said:
Reason #437 Why being Deaf is awesome :D
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I am HOH and there is nothing awesome about it to me. I would love to had hear my daughter whistle when she was a baby. My sister was visiting us and she started whistling to my baby and I asked why she was doing that . My sister said my baby was whistling to her first. I could not hear it, I bet it was cute and I never got to hear it.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I am HOH and there is nothing awesome about it to me. I would love to had hear my daughter whistle when she was a baby. My sister was visiting us and she started whistling to my baby and I asked why she was doing that . My sister said my baby was whistling to her first. I could not hear it, I bet it was cute and I never got to hear it.
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I understand how you feel. There are times when I miss music and feel sad but I try to look at things in a more positive prospective. For me, I find other things to keep me relaxed like painting as a form of therapy.

You could teach your daughter baby sign language.... which would really be cool . Being about to communicate with her without her even speaking, to know what she's wants to say.
 
Sleep Apnea or Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) as it is otherwise known, has many symptoms of which snoring is the most disruptive for both bed partners.
 
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