Does anyone have "Sleep Apnea" here?

[Redrig]

do you feel good well better in the first half of the day then around 2 to 5 oclock it the worst when i get home from work im done my eyes are bloodshot idont feel like doing anything i hit the couch and im out its getting so bad that ive even thought about a heart attack or a stroke i just feel so weak anyway i want to share something with all of you today i got an email one of those where if u send it to so many people and make a wish it will come true well i wished i would start feeling better and you know what about 45 mins after that i read this thread coinsedence or what well thanks again for sharing this with us i know ill benefit from it and like i said before i hope the best for you to.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Redrig - I hear ya! I also had the same worries and this is where my anxiety started which was followed by a few panic attacks. I thought I was having a heart attack and went to ER. This hadn't happened for almost 2 yrs until a month ago when I had another one when my blood pressure med didn't arrive and I went without for 3 days and then missed an appt with my doctor for refill on a friday. It hit me and I wasn't able to realize it was just another panic attack. Man I was so pissed after putting my family through another trip to the ER.

For me I was falling asleep at my computer as early as 9 am and it went throughout the day. I was having a hard time focusing on work projects and time lines would just cause me to fizzle and stress.

Look man if you want to check it out yourself just get a video cam, rent it if you have to, and video yourself sleeping with sound and see if you gasp or stop breathing for periods of time then gasp and take a big breath. If nothing shows up do it for a few nights. I would say at the least go i for a physical maybe you have low levels of something. I found out a while back that I have extremely low Potassium levels and I have always had really low cholesterol (100-120).

Take care of yourself, I have to thank my wife for pushing me into this. What a woman, man she loves me despite my stubborness.

 

[JamminG4Jim]

I had an appointment all set up to get a sleep study done. Had to miss it because my mother passed away.

As far as I know, from what I've heard from my better half and my camping buddies is that I snore REALLY loud. I also stop breathing for a little bit at times. Scares the crap out of somebody new camping with us!! I think they invite me along to scare the bears away.

Seriously, I feel that I should reschedule that sleep study. Does the machine run on Batteries also, or am I doomed to be hooked up to 120VAC every night???

Jim

 

[AlaskanJack]

Hey Redrig I was just thinking maybe it would help you if you had someone to just write to and talk about how you feel and help you with this problem. If so man here's my email kcarpenter@sbsalaska.com shoot me an email and let me know if you start feeling anxiety over possible problems. Sometimes being able to just say hey man I feel worried is enough for your mind to deal with it in a rational manner. I had the same feeling but kept them inside and it was hell, I wished I could tell someone and say man I'm worried today. We need to express how we feel its so important to how we deal with things. Otherwise we keep it bottled up and then it boils over on us and then panic sets in.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Originally posted by JamminG4Jim
I had an appointment all set up to get a sleep study done. Had to miss it because my mother passed away.

As far as I know, from what I've heard from my better half and my camping buddies is that I snore REALLY loud. I also stop breathing for a little bit at times. Scares the crap out of somebody new camping with us!! I think they invite me along to scare the bears away.

Seriously, I feel that I should reschedule that sleep study. Does the machine run on Batteries also, or am I doomed to be hooked up to 120VAC every night???

Jim

Man get it done!!!!!

The one I got can be plugged into a cigarette lighter I don't think it runs on batteries. If I have to I will run an outlet from my vehicle to my tent.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Hey guys I just want to say thanks


If I can help even 1 person with posting this then I am gratifide.

Everyone on this board should appreciate the other people on the board and be thankful to Rick for making discussions like these possible.

I can truely say that whatever it was that I spent to become an Elite Explorer was nothing compared to what I have gained!!

 

[Mascman]

Hey Guys...interesting reading.

I am pretty sure I have sleep apnea. I know for a fact that I snore. I often wake up gasping for breathe and my heart beating VERY hard and quick. The beating is so hard that seems to shake my whole body.

Do you think it's possible that I stop breathing to the point that my heart actually stops (is that possible)? Or do you think it's just that it slows down and wakes me up, then beats rapidly to replenish the blood supply or something.

I work the Midnight shift. I just assumed that is why I'm tired all the time.

My daughter had a sleep test done when she was a little over a year old. When she slept, I could hear her choking in her sleep. She had an appointment the next day. She was losing 80% oxygen! They went in and took out her tonsils, adnoids and she also needed tubes in her ears. I guess the tonsils and adnoids were swelling and blocking her O2 supply. That night at the hospital she wouldn't leave the O2 mask on. I stayed awake all night holding the O2 tube towards her face. If I fell asleep, an O2 alarm would warn me that her level of O2 dropped and I'd wake up and direct the tube towards her face...what an experience!

Anyhow, she is 7 and does not seem to have any problems. The surgery cured her. If it is a suggested cure for anyone out there...just do it!

I am not sure why I don't have the test done. I definitely know that I have a problem. A guy at work had to have a pacemaker installed due to this and he is in better shape than me...I think I am just scared and hoping it will go away.

 

[AlaskanJack]

...I think I am just scared and hoping it will go away.

Oh man that sounds so familiar!! I think this way also, and it is wrong. It won't just go away!!!!!! Got to be proactive and get it taken care of.

Do you think it's possible that I stop breathing to the point that my heart actually stops (is that possible)? Or do you think it's just that it slows down and wakes me up, then beats rapidly to replenish the blood supply or something.

I really don't know about this. I have had this happen to me as well. I realized at some point that my anxiety was feeding some of what I was feeling. I sensed my heart beating faster and then that was all I focused on. I would lay in bed and the beating of my heart seemed loud to me. I learned to relax use deep breathing and self talk. All that was just helping me cope with the symptoms of my sleep apnea. I only wish that someone was able to identify my problems as a result of sleep apnea but they didn't. Just gave me things to deal with the symptoms.

A guy at work had to have a pacemaker installed due to this and he is in better shape than me

Its funny because that should scare us enough to act. For some reason it doesn't I know all to well. I need to lose weight, I know this, but that doesn't make it any easier. I am shortening my life being overweight and that should scare the hell out of me, which it does. But have I had any success at losing weight, barely. I have been just too tired to commit to going to the gym regularly. All that will change here shortly as I have a real good reason to dedicate myself to losing weight. I want to be there for my son as he gets older. I want to be there for his marriage and kids. So he has become my enthusiasm to improv my quality of life.

 

[IAmTodd]

Never saw this thread before. And i suffer from the same complications. Hardly ever dream. Always wake up tired, alarm clocks do nothing for me. I might just have to look into this!

 

[Limited Ex]

My brother was having the same problems. He would stop breathing for a period of seconds during his sleep, and he could really saw some logs with his snoring. He was put on a CPAP and now you would never know that he was sleeping in the same room as you. The only problem that he has had with his machine is that he developed an irritation around his nose where the oxygen mask fits. This was awhile ago, so I am not sure if he ever got that worked out or not. Likewise with you guys, he experienced the same benefits; sleeping much better, waking up energized, more energy during the say. My father however, snores pretty badly. He has never had a sleep study done and is a victim of immense tiredness once he gets home from work. Given he has a stressful job, he is the president of a company that deals all along the east coast and in the mid-west, he is tired a lot of the time and even dozes off behind the wheel going down the road. My mother can attest to this, for she has been with him a few of the times they had been traveling somewhere and she will have to nudge him to bring him to, at which point she takes over the driving. And when he does go to bed, he sleeps with three pillows, and once asleep, gets up early in the a.m., like 3 or 4 and watches television. Sometimes he will go back to sleep, but others he will just be up for the rest of the day. Resulting in him falling asleep on the couch for a few hours when he gets home in the evening. I think I may have to talk with mom and see about getting him a sleep study done also.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well this was the whole reason why I started this thread to see what other experiences have been with these machines and to bring it to peoples attention just in case they were suffering from the same thing without treatment.

After my second night on the machine I am amazed. I slept an even 7 hrs and woke up refreshed. Usually on weekends I nap a lot and barely get far into projects I need to do. Well today not a single nap and I still feel good. I also got well into working on my Ex and kept at it even when I hit brick walls. Its 9:50 PM now and its still light outside so I'm going back out to see if the penetrating lubricant has loosened up my camber adjuster for removal.

For those of you that have posted experiencing symptoms what would it hurt to just make a call to your doctor and see what they think.

Later guys, back to work.

 

[cookie]

To Alaskanjack, or anyone else with a Cpap machine. Does everyone have the mask with the velcro straps that wrap around your head? If so, does it give you much trouble? Don't get me wrong, this machine is like a miracle after the sleep problems I had been experiencing-mine is set at a 15mm volume-but the air leaks, burping noise, and general discomfort of the head piece can be irritating. I recently saw an ad for a mask that is basically a mouthpiece with vents that go up into your nose. Is anyone familiar with this type or have an opinion about whether it might work? Thanks

 

[AlaskanJack]

To Alaskanjack, or anyone else with a Cpap machine. Does everyone have the mask with the velcro straps that wrap around your head? If so, does it give you much trouble? Don't get me wrong, this machine is like a miracle after the sleep problems I had been experiencing-mine is set at a 15mm volume-but the air leaks, burping noise, and general discomfort of the head piece can be irritating. I recently saw an ad for a mask that is basically a mouthpiece with vents that go up into your nose. Is anyone familiar with this type or have an opinion about whether it might work? Thanks

I haven't seen this one you are talking about. I've got the one with velcro straps and the mask that coversa the nose. I used one during my study that was just two plugs that went into the nostrils. I wanted to try the other one because the head device was hard plastic and difficult to keep on the head. I have a moustache and the nostril plugs helped me get a better seal. Absolutely no leaks. Now if they could redesign the harness for the head I would go with that one. The mask style irritates my upper lip and I wake with sore upper gums. I too have experienced leaking with it if I move my head or lay on my side.

I will look into other types of masks hopefully there is one out there that will allow me to sleep on my side better. I woke up each time I used the machine with a backache because I can't move around and changes positions while sleeping.

cookie- does your mask look like this

or one of these

The one I am using

This is one I used during evaluation

I was given this website to reference for different types of masks. You might take a look at it. They also have a CPAP chatroom where you can talk with other users.
http://www.cpapplus.com/CPAPMasks.html

 

[cookie]

Mine is the one with all the straps-one under the ears-one over the ears-two over the top of the head. My teeth hurt each morning too. I'll check out that website and forum. Thanks for the info.

 

[cookie]

I did some searching and found the mask. It's at cpappro.com---it snaps onto your teeth and claims to eliminate leaks and readjustment of the straps. Maybe I'll give it a try.

 

[Brandons]

my dad snores, hes looking into getting that machine too.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well that looks quite interesting cookie. Like I said in an earlier post my insurances have covered everything so far. I had no idea of how expensive these masks were.

So far I'm not having too much discomfort with my mask. The thought of having a mouthpiece in doesn't sound that appealing however. I remember how sore my mouth got from wearing these in football. My mouth always got sore at the corners of my mouth no matter how much I trimmed down the mouthpiece.

I see a few others I might try first. I like the nasal plugs from my study it was less obtrusive. Now I see they have straps instead of the hard plastic band they had at the sleep clinic. I may switch to that in a week or so. I've got 30 days to decide on a mask so I'm not worried.

 

[Fusion213]

I'm getting a sleep study done on May 6th. I'm having it done because everyone told me my sleep was really loud and couldn't sleep. The first ones to tell me my snoring was loud was my roommates, but they failed to inform me that I was choking while I sleep, damn careless *******s. The next time was with my girlfriend, I would fall asleep in the car, at her house, on the floor, you name it, I fell asleep on it. She didn't tell me I was choking either. The thing that finally did it was when my grandmother came up from LA to visit because I was home and she couldn't sleep during the night because it sounded like I was dying when I slept.
Turns out that they said I would stop breathing for 30-40 seconds a bunch of times while I sleep. I also stopped going to my classes because I was so tired, I didn't even have an urge to go to my favorite class, welding.
I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea and I hope to get whatever it takes to get rid of it, this is no way to live, people just thought I was plain lazy.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Well I was hessitant to say this but I was so tired in college that I was an infrequent attendee of my surveying class at 7 am 5 days a week.

But the worst thing that has happened to me several times in the past was falling asleep while performing oral sex on my wife!!!! Yep that's right I fell asleep right in the middle of her legs!!!! Embarrassing, I know all to well. Once woke up about 2 hours later and she was sleeping on the couch. I was like hey I don't even remembering finishing, wow I must be losing my mind. She was very pissed and I didn't even realize why. As soon as she said what the hell happened last night I went oh crap I knew I had fallen asleep.

 

[Fusion213]

ROFL. That's probably the funniest thing thing i've heard. Don't you wish people would be more understanding about you falling asleep when doing things? Worst thing that's happened to me due to my apnea is closing my eyes for a short moment while driving, then all of a sudden, opening them to see that i'm about to hit some car next to me on the freeway, thank God I opened them just that moment.