Anyone with Sleep Apnea?
Replies
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Diagnosed with severe sleep apnea 2 years ago. Been on CPAP ever since (FAA required the exam and treatment as a condition of continuing to keep my aeromedical certificate and fly a plane).
CPAP use has made a world of difference in my life. Now 6 hours and I am well rested. I love my CPAP machine!
How I wish this were found/treated 40 years ago. I basically lived my life sleep deprived - even though I would get 12 hours each night.
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I am pretty sure he said mine was 25 x per hour. Still not happy with that number but sounds like that is A LOT less then other stories I have been reading online of people who have had successful CPAP treatment and even overcame sleep apnea with weight loss.0
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I am pretty sure he said mine was 25 x per hour. Still not happy with that number but sounds like that is A LOT less then other stories I have been reading online of people who have had successful CPAP treatment and even overcame sleep apnea with weight loss.
For comparison, lying on my back, I experienced 55 apnea events per hour and 40 apnea events per hour when lying on my side. With CPAP machine, I am under 5 events per hour and it is frequently under 1 event per hour.
The world is a very different place when you are able to sleep...4 -
I am pretty sure he said mine was 25 x per hour. Still not happy with that number but sounds like that is A LOT less then other stories I have been reading online of people who have had successful CPAP treatment and even overcame sleep apnea with weight loss.
For comparison, lying on my back, I experienced 55 apnea events per hour and 40 apnea events per hour when lying on my side. With CPAP machine, I am under 5 events per hour and it is frequently under 1 event per hour.
The world is a very different place when you are able to sleep...
I am happy to hear you had great success. Trying to have a positive attitude about it and embrace the treatment and hope for the same results.
Just hope my insurance will cover some of the cost of the machine, I have no clue how much they cost for the auto cpap my doctor is ordering!1 -
I am pretty sure he said mine was 25 x per hour. Still not happy with that number but sounds like that is A LOT less then other stories I have been reading online of people who have had successful CPAP treatment and even overcame sleep apnea with weight loss.
For comparison, lying on my back, I experienced 55 apnea events per hour and 40 apnea events per hour when lying on my side. With CPAP machine, I am under 5 events per hour and it is frequently under 1 event per hour.
The world is a very different place when you are able to sleep...
I am happy to hear you had great success. Trying to have a positive attitude about it and embrace the treatment and hope for the same results.
Just hope my insurance will cover some of the cost of the machine, I have no clue how much they cost for the auto cpap my doctor is ordering!
Depends on the make/model and features. ResmedTM is a top of the line machine. Phillips RespironicsTM is a quality machine, too, and a little less expensive. Insurance covers almost all of the costs - the reduction in chances of a cardiac event if you are under treatment is well worth the price of the machine to the insurer. Not even counting the reduction in chances of getting into an accident driving while fatigued, etc.
Humidifier is a great option - I would place it in the necessity category since it makes using the machine much easier on the sinuses.
Heated hose is another nice option worth getting.
I have the ResmedTM AirSense 10 and I am very happy with it. Its portable enough to take in on trips, can be easily carried on an airplane and is completely self contained. Includes a heated humidifier and has auto sense. Also has integrated wifi to store your data into the cloud automatically without extra steps. Most important, it is silent.
You can get an idea of the costs of purchasing this stuff here: www.cpap.com (I am not affiliated with the site in any way) and there are other vendors.
Best wishes for your health!3 -
I am pretty sure he said mine was 25 x per hour. Still not happy with that number but sounds like that is A LOT less then other stories I have been reading online of people who have had successful CPAP treatment and even overcame sleep apnea with weight loss.
For comparison, lying on my back, I experienced 55 apnea events per hour and 40 apnea events per hour when lying on my side. With CPAP machine, I am under 5 events per hour and it is frequently under 1 event per hour.
The world is a very different place when you are able to sleep...
I am happy to hear you had great success. Trying to have a positive attitude about it and embrace the treatment and hope for the same results.
Just hope my insurance will cover some of the cost of the machine, I have no clue how much they cost for the auto cpap my doctor is ordering!
Depends on the make/model and features. ResmedTM is a top of the line machine. Phillips RespironicsTM is a quality machine, too, and a little less expensive. Insurance covers almost all of the costs - the reduction in chances of a cardiac event if you are under treatment is well worth the price of the machine to the insurer. Not even counting the reduction in chances of getting into an accident driving while fatigued, etc.
Humidifier is a great option - I would place it in the necessity category since it makes using the machine much easier on the sinuses.
Heated hose is another nice option worth getting.
I have the ResmedTM AirSense 10 and I am very happy with it. Its portable enough to take in on trips, can be easily carried on an airplane and is completely self contained. Includes a heated humidifier and has auto sense. Also has integrated wifi to store your data into the cloud automatically without extra steps. Most important, it is silent.
You can get an idea of the costs of purchasing this stuff here: www.cpap.com (I am not affiliated with the site in any way) and there are other vendors.
Best wishes for your health!
Thanks Sloth, that is some good info. I will look into that model as well, not sure which my doctor had already ordered me though. Just know its an auto CPAP. This is all new to me so I will have to do some research.
Being on CPAP- will this eliminate snoring or can you still snore while on it?0 -
CPAP or BiPAP is the ultimate life changing solution .. many patients of ours have really improved after prescribing a home CPAP/BiPAP after a full sleep study Dx with Sleep Apnea
Changing the eating habits and excercise lifestyle can also plays a huge role2 -
I have found it impossible to snore using the CPAP. I've used one since 2001. I've worn out two of them and am on my third. It saved my life.3
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LOVE my CPAP!! Before being diagnosed with sleep apnea (stopped breathing in my sleep), I was always tired. I put my CPAP on and I sleep like a baby. Our accountant passed away from sleep apnea - didn't use his CPAP. Now I can't sleep without it.2
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You're probably not going to stop breathing in the night. That's not the risk with SA. The risks are far less visible. It's extremely taxing on your heart to have these "events" all night, every night. If I don't use my CPAP, I will stop breathing, but the body will kick into gear at some point and gasp for a breath.
Do your reading, ask your questions. It's a serious issue and I'm shocked at the number of people I hear of who refused to try a CPAP. Not much different than smokers, I suppose.
FWIW- I have the Philipps Respironics and I love it. Humidifier, heater, long hose... it's all great. It will take getting used to, but your body will adapt. That's the great thing about our bodies, they're resilient.1 -
I look at is as not having a choice to accept the treatment, and if you use cpap you essentially will not have sleep apnea. So I am anxious to get mine in what im guessing is a couple weeks. just kind of scary now that I know I have this condition for a fact and need to sleep for 2 weeks until i get my cpap0
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Regarding snoring, CPAP greatly reduced/eliminated my snoring. I used to wake myself up. Now only once or twice have I caught myself snoring. I suspect the majority of people do not snore at all - I am a notorious "mouth breather" and wear a chin strap at night to keep my mouth from falling open and snoring. (A full face CPAP mask is the other alternative and I sometimes use one)
@mhlew you will be fine - once you acclimate to the machine you will see a world of positive difference.
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looks like i will be on the CPAP train soon. i don't think my levels were as bad. they said I desat more than 70 times and my oxygen dropped to 79% at one point. i had the test done due to my insanely loud snoring that has worsened over the past few years0
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@mojo75 Would that be 70 times per hour? Or per night? Typically, Apneas are measured per hour - AH. An AH of 70 per hour would be high- you are waking up more than once per minute. In other words, you do not really ever sleep. (My AH was 55 range - considered severe obstructive sleep apnea). The CPAP machine has been a "godsend" for me.
Best wishes for improving health!
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CPAP helps me sleep at night however, it can get pretty uncomfortable at times. I'm hoping after i drop this weight i won't need it anymore0
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I've been on the auto CPAP for 7 years and as someone who once worked in cardiology, I wouldn't live without mine. It's a lifesaver. Since on it I rarely stop breathing unless I'm sick or stopped up. As I lose weight, I'll be able to have my lower and upper pressures adjusted. The stress, especially since my left heart valve is enlarged, helps me to feel more secure.
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My AH was over 80!!!
I love my CPAP.1 -
OP: I have been using a CPAP for about 15 years now and I would recommend that you ask your doctor to get you into an overnight study at a clinic. This way you have trained technicians observing the sleep cycle and it's a more complete diagnosis. In phase 2 of my study, when I slept overnight with the machine in the clinic, I felt so amazingly different and better the next morning, I was ready to jog home, and take the machine with me!
My GF was recently diagnosed also and the quality of her sleep and her energy levels have improved so dramatically in the last 4 months, she can hardly believe it.
Losing the weight can help, but I read a study that found that the majority of people who regularly use a CPAP continue to do so even after they lose the weight. I have lost almost 60 pounds since my all-time high of 323 in 2010, and I am headed for the 180-200 range, but I don't see myself giving up the machine...it has improved the quality of my sleep so drastically I think I'll stay with it!
Good luck to you!2 -
I used to have it but don't anymore since I've lost over 20% of my body weight. When I did the study, they said I stopped breathing 55 times an hour! I used the CPAP and noticed a huge difference in my energy levels throughout the day. I used to feel tired all the time no matter how long I slept. After using the CPAP, I felt a big difference right away. Good luck.
What is CPAP? @Bxqtie1160 -
My husband has a CPAP and it's helped him a lot (and it makes it less painful for me to sleep next to him.. most of the time).2
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I used to have it but don't anymore since I've lost over 20% of my body weight. When I did the study, they said I stopped breathing 55 times an hour! I used the CPAP and noticed a huge difference in my energy levels throughout the day. I used to feel tired all the time no matter how long I slept. After using the CPAP, I felt a big difference right away. Good luck.
What is CPAP? @Bxqtie116
Continuous positive airway pressure device.1 -
I used to have it but don't anymore since I've lost over 20% of my body weight. When I did the study, they said I stopped breathing 55 times an hour! I used the CPAP and noticed a huge difference in my energy levels throughout the day. I used to feel tired all the time no matter how long I slept. After using the CPAP, I felt a big difference right away. Good luck.
What is CPAP? @Bxqtie116
Here is a fairly good animation:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cpap0
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