re: Sleep Apnea...Have anyone of you had this?

I’m 6 foot and weigh around 168 lbs. and I had apnea.

People say it’s obesity is most cases. I think that’s wrong.

The obesity is exacerbating a structural issue. Most Americans have narrow jaws, and underdeveloped facial bone structure. It goes back to diet.

The skeletal issues compromise your airway.

PAP machines will help, but you’re also married to the machine for the rest of your life. Palate expansion will cure the problem, and it’s what i would do.

I've snored since college (6"-5", 190 lbs). Didn't feel it was disturbing my sleep, but what the frick do I know. However, my snoring definitely disturbed the sleep of others trying to rest.

About 35 years later (still 6"-5", but topped out at 337 lbs) I had a medical issue that required attention and snowballed into multiple visits to doctors and specialists. Among other things, I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. I wasn't very concerned about the sleep apnea, because I had other things that were killing me. But, being a good boy, I got a CPAP and used it as directed.

It's not bad, once you get past the initial period of getting used to sleeping the a mask on. I don't feel noticeably better rested, but I'm not blaming the machine for that. I've got a fatigue issue from cancer treatment that hasn't resolved itself yet. However, I do think I'm sleeping more soundly because I'm only waking up to piss once or twice a night, as opposed to four or five times without the CPAP. I consider that a win, in this shitty stage of life!

I have been using a cpap for the last three months. They have increased my pressure from 8 to 12. What is the average pressure that everyone uses

I did a sleep study and was told I only had 3 out of the required 5 disturbances per hour to call it sleep apnea. Wake up feeling like shite and likely need a CPAP but technically don’t have it. I’m assuming CPAPs aren’t cheap?

CPAP is game changer for me
Not overweight
In good health

*No longer wake up sweating
*No longer snore
*No longer wake up to piss in the middle of every night.

quote:

---

Have anyone of you had this? Did you get the machine? If so, how big of a difference did it make in your sleep?

I think i have this. I am going to get my doctor to refer me and have a sleep study done.

ETA: I'm 6'4" 215 lbs

---

I have it, didn't realize how bad until I did a sleep study as part of an apnea research program (still-ongoing) at Pennington (for those in the BR area interested in participating, skip down).

The numbers represent how many times per hour your apnea is pulling you out of sleep (not sure if it's REM or not)



I was at 69.9. That means 69.9 times per hour at night my apnea was saying "hey, wake up". This was why after 8-10 hours of "sleep" I was still dragging arse in the mornings and was ready for a nap by noon.

Prior to getting the machine I constantly felt drained. I'm normally an upbeat and optimistic person but over the last few months I could literally feel something changing. My mental processes were getting slower, I was more easily annoyed by little things, etc. Over the last year I've suffered with some sort of pressure-migraine which doctors cannot explain. I'm on the 2nd version of medication to attempt to address it but both have had only middling success.

Within the first couple of days my apnea number was down to 10. My wife saw the change almost immediately. Within the first week it felt like I had gotten 10 of life years back. I'm now over a month into using it and feel I could probably ditch the drugs (still taking them due to the Pennington study though, can't change things mid-stream in a study).

It's not a stretch to say the damned thing may well have saved my life.

My case is a bit extreme so take all of that with that qualifier.

That said, it takes a little while to get used to. I use the kind with the nose and mouth coverings. It's basically two gaskets, one for the mouth and the other for the nasal openings. There is a feeder tube which rests on the top of your head (it swivels freely so it doesn't disrupt your sleep if you toss and turn).

The machine itself isn't very loud. If you like having a fan on for the white noise while sleeping, you'll be fine with this.

Because of the issues mentioned above, I've already gotten to the point where I simply don't sleep without it.

***For those interested in the apnea study click here.

They still need more people in the study.

The study is basically ascertaining any possible effects of Metformin on sleep apnea. If you progress far enough in the testing you will eventually be given an APAP (a CPAP gives Continuous airflow, an APAP gives Automatic airflow in that it has sensors which help regulate it) which you get to keep after the study is over (along with the money you are paid for participating).

I did a home test which showed very mild OSA. I went get scanned for an oral appliance this morning. It was free so I figured I’d try it out.

it works. I resisted but I am a believer.

quote:

---

the machine

---

been on it for eight years. The wife will not let me go camping with out it.