Anyone been diagnosed with sleep apnea?

[Erick Estrada]

So I've been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. Apparently I average 34 breathing interruptions/hr and they are telling me I need to use a CPAP machine for the rest of my life likely. This is depressing as I check online at these machines and the pictures are all of old people with these masks on their faces. I am going in for a consultation but on the phone they didn't say I had any other options.

Anyone else suffer from this? I realize that things could be a lot worse as I could have been diagnosed with cancer or something but I hated just one night of wearing the test gear and the thought of wearing one of these things every night is kind of bumming me out.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

So I've been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. Apparently I average 34 breathing interruptions/hr and they are telling me I need to use a CPAP machine for the rest of my life likely. This is depressing as I check online at these machines and the pictures are all of old people with these masks on their faces. I am going in for a consultation but on the phone they didn't say I had any other options.

Anyone else suffer from this? I realize that things could be a lot worse as I could have been diagnosed with cancer or something but I hated just one night of wearing the test gear and the thought of wearing one of these things every night is kind of bumming me out.

As a pharmacist, when I discuss this problem with people almost every single one of them felt it was life changing after getting used to the mask. Many people can reduce the severity by losing weight, if that helps.

[edslunch]

Lots of good discussion here

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=139783

[Eric Vail]

I had a test done at a private for profit clinic where a dentist (who they tried to pass off as a medical doctor) was trying to tell me I was going to have a stroke due to the results of my sleep test. I told my family doctor and he laughed.

Make sure your tester is credible.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist

As a pharmacist, when I discuss this problem with people almost every single one of them felt it was life changing after getting used to the mask. Many people can reduce the severity by losing weight, if that helps.

I'm not really overweight. I do weigh more than I should for my height but that's because of muscle mass from working out for almost two decades. Only weight I can really lose is muscle mass for the most part. I guess I will likely feel better although I never felt that I was dead tired all the time or anything.

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I had a test done at a private for profit clinic where a dentist (who they tried to pass off as a medical doctor) was trying to tell me I was going to have a stroke due to the results of my sleep test. I told my family doctor and he laughed.

Make sure your tester is credible.

Well it's Respiratory Health Services Canada that does the testing and a specialized doctor on the board for respiratory health diagnosed it so chances are that I've got some issues.

[Northendzone]

Erick - I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea and got a machine. Took a while to get used to it and you then begin to realize how much better you feel using the machine.

It is a PITA though when you travel and it is something else to carry.

If you don't want to use a machine, you can look at getting a dental appliance; however they are generally not as effective and sometimes they are not a covered expense under your employer provided health care plan.......

[cracher]

Originally Posted by Eric Vail

I had a test done at a private for profit clinic where a dentist (who they tried to pass off as a medical doctor) was trying to tell me I was going to have a stroke due to the results of my sleep test. I told my family doctor and he laughed.

Make sure your tester is credible.

FYI, some maxillofacial dentists are amongst the top dogs in the field.


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[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

Erick - I was diagnosed with sleep Apnea and got a machine. Took a while to get used to it and you then begin to realize how much better you feel using the machine.

It is a PITA though when you travel and it is something else to carry.

If you don't want to use a machine, you can look at getting a dental appliance; however they are generally not as effective and sometimes they are not a covered expense under your employer provided health care plan.......

I got a dental appliance for my mild/medium apnea. It's not life changing for me but helps my wife ( less snoring and no more stressing waiting for me to breathe)

[I-Hate-Hulse]

The clinic I went to let you rent it for a month to see if you liked it - rental amounts came off the purchase of the machine (and everything is potentially claimable if you have benefits).

I sure don't feel like I get a better sleep when I use it but since it eliminates snoring it just might save my marriage. So machine it is.

[Jacks]

No point in stressing about it, just get it done, you'll feel better. If you are stopping breathing 30+ times per hour just think of the stress you are putting on your body, especially your heart. Once you get used to the machine it's not so bad.

[ernie]

My CPAP goes with wherever I go and it's wonderful. Life changing.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

The clinic I went to let you rent it for a month to see if you liked it - rental amounts came off the purchase of the machine (and everything is potentially claimable if you have benefits).

I sure don't feel like I get a better sleep when I use it but since it eliminates snoring it just might save my marriage. So machine it is.

I'm going to rent one for a month and just as you say the price comes off the purchase. Between my wife's benefits and mine I would hope for some coverage but I don't think you can put a price on good health so whatever it costs me I'm going to pay.

Honestly I figured I had a mild snoring problem so I wasn't expecting this diagnosis (at worst expected to have to get a mouth piece) so it threw me for a curve but now I'm feeling more positive in that using the machine may make me feel better and who doesn't want to feel less tired and more refreshed? I didn't realize so many here would have this issue but it reassuring to hear that the machines can work.

[craigwd]

I had 70+ interruptions during the night, woke up feeling like crap, trudged through the workday and endured headaches in the office.

I thought this was normal - that you were supposed to feel tired in the morning and that I had headaches because my job sucked.

Nope, I had severe sleep apnea. Everything I described went away almost immediately. I wake up refreshed most days, I haven't needed an Advil in months, and I've been much healthier.

Yes, it's a bit expensive but CPAP is worth it. It's a one time cost, takes a few seconds to clean every morning and it only took me about a week to get use to wearing. (I had a trendency to pull it off in the night)

The only ongoing cost is some distilled water and I have to replace the face mask every couple of years as the plastic wears out.

[REDVAN]

Get the machine.

My dad (he is 60) has had untreated sleep apnea for the past 15+ years, and about 5 months ago we got the scare of the lifetime when he was in hospital for a routine test and had major overnight breathing problems.

They put him into an induced coma for a week, and he had some complications. Long story short, we were told he wasn't likely to make it.

I'm not religious, but I'd call what happened to him a miracle, and he seems to have fully recovered since overcoming some of the complications. He had major lung and heart damage from 15+ years of untreated sleep apnea.

He is now on a BPAP machine every night (no oxygen, just the machine is enough for his case) and hasn't felt this good for the last 15 years obviously... since May when he got the machine he has been steadily losing weight, and feeling a lot better the past few months.

Morale of the story is that if he would have got the CPAP machine 15 years ago, he would not have been in such rough shape back in May. Get the machine! Being healthy and alive is worth a silly mask at night.

Second morale of the story is that I told my wife to tell me if I ever seem to be having sleep apnea. Don't want to go untreated if it's something I suffer from.

[Daradon]

Can't you have pallette surgery too? At least for some cases of apnea you can. My father had that.

I suffer from occasional sleep paralysis. Can be brought on by apnea but not in my case.

Also, anyone who has heart conditions should check for sleep apnea. Doublely dangerous in those cases.

Best of luck to you EE.

[Rathji]

I was recently diagnosed with a similar level of sleep apnea to you. I am still in my first month, so obviously still getting used to the machine, but I went from being exhausted at work everyday to having a a good night sleep and having way more energy.

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[ernie]

Originally Posted by craigwd

I had 70+ interruptions during the night, woke up feeling like crap, trudged through the workday and endured headaches in the office.

I thought this was normal - that you were supposed to feel tired in the morning and that I had headaches because my job sucked.

Nope, I had severe sleep apnea. Everything I described went away almost immediately. I wake up refreshed most days, I haven't needed an Advil in months, and I've been much healthier.

Yes, it's a bit expensive but CPAP is worth it. It's a one time cost, takes a few seconds to clean every morning and it only took me about a week to get use to wearing. (I had a trendency to pull it off in the night)

The only ongoing cost is some distilled water and I have to replace the face mask every couple of years as the plastic wears out.

Almost word for word what I felt like, though mine was not as severe as yours. Last test I was around 20-25 interruptions. Exhaustion, would often wake up nauseous (oxygen deprivation), headaches etc. I also thought it was normal. When i started just randomly falling asleep at work I got checked out.

Cost is a bit much up front (i was able to rent monthly for year in the States and after that it's mine). Had it for 3 years I think now. Replaced the mask twice, the silicone cushion a couple other times, and then the filters (minor minor minor cost).

Or look at it this way...worry too much about the money, don't get one and shave several years off your life.

[Bmuzyka]

I had about the worst the Dr had ever seen. I was at 117 interruptions per hour. My O2 Level was down to 51%. Mind you I am pretty over weight.

Before I was diagnosed, I was waking up at night, but I was sitting up when I woke up which was really weird. I was also having really bad headaches through the day, and was nearly narcoleptic. I couldn't sit in a meeting at work without yawning, and dozing off. Then I started noticing the dozing off when I was driving. I didn't hit the ditch or hit anyone, but it sure scared the crap out of me. That is when I went to the Doctor.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Can't you have pallette surgery too? At least for some cases of apnea you can. My father had that.

I suffer from occasional sleep paralysis. Can be brought on by apnea but not in my case.

Also, anyone who has heart conditions should check for sleep apnea. Doublely dangerous in those cases.

Best of luck to you EE.

I will ask them about that available surgery options. Just to be clear are you talking about the surgery where they place inflatable rods in the soft palate?

Are the machines noisy or relatively quiet? Do they bother your mates? My wife would be very happy about me no longer snoring but replacing one noise with another probably isn't great for her.

[Cuz]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I will ask them about that available surgery options. Just to be clear are you talking about the surgery where they place inflatable rods in the soft palate?

Are the machines noisy or relatively quiet? Do they bother your mates? My wife would be very happy about me no longer snoring but replacing one noise with another probably isn't great for her.

My wife got used to it over time, so much so that she has trouble sleeping without the sound now.