sleep apnea?

[Matt Berardi]

I'm trying to figure out if I have sleep apnea.

1. I go to bed at 10-11 pm every night, wake up at around 7 AM
2. I wake up randomly throughout the night, but go right back to sleep almost instantly, often I don't even remember waking, but it always ruins my sleep and I do not feel rested at all.
3. I have tried blocking out all light from my windows / inside, wearing earplugs, air conditioner, fan, whole bit. I even got a thermometer to make sure my apartment is the optimal temperature. Basically tried every single thing that they say is important to get better sleep.
3. Despite going to sleep at around 10 and waking up at 7 AM, I am still exhausted. I feel so tired that my mood is affected, don't want to workout, sleepy all day, yawning, napping on command.

How did you find out you had sleep apnea? What do you do for it? CPAP?

Thanks,

Matt

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

Get a sleep study. Call now.

[Kevin Cox]

i was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I went to a doc to talk about after my friends told me that i stop breathing when i sleep. basically i would snore loudly stop breathing and then gasp for air. i do remember sometimes gasping but not often... the doctor set me up with a company called vitalaire. they gave me a machine to take home. the machine kept track of heartrate and counted the amount of episode i would have in a night. They analyzed the data sent it to my doc and he prescribed a CPAP. I only use it sparingly now it seems the apnea will go away for months at a time but will come back occasionally...

[Robert D Taylor Jr]

Originally Posted by Matt Berardi

I'm trying to figure out if I have sleep apnea.

1. I go to bed at 10-11 pm every night, wake up at around 7 AM
2. I wake up randomly throughout the night, but go right back to sleep almost instantly, often I don't even remember waking, but it always ruins my sleep and I do not feel rested at all.
3. I have tried blocking out all light from my windows / inside, wearing earplugs, air conditioner, fan, whole bit. I even got a thermometer to make sure my apartment is the optimal temperature. Basically tried every single thing that they say is important to get better sleep.
3. Despite going to sleep at around 10 and waking up at 7 AM, I am still exhausted. I feel so tired that my mood is affected, don't want to workout, sleepy all day, yawning, napping on command.

How did you find out you had sleep apnea? What do you do for it? CPAP?

Thanks,

Matt

I had a sleep study done. I walked around the Naval Hospital like I had a bomb vest on wore it overnight at home and brought it back. What I'm supposed to do is wear a CPAP, but since I can't sleep with one I use a method I call suffer in silence. So far, I would say it hasn't worked. I intend to get the surgery done soon and I'm considering getting a Power Lung under the theory that if my respiratory system is stronger I will be less apneic.

[Matt Berardi]

Yeah, I think I am going to set up a sleep study.

I tried every single thing in existence to try to treat my sleep EXCEPT sleep apnea, so I guess that has to be it. Even ZMA, valerian root, meditation... lol

[Matt Berardi]

Originally Posted by Robert D Taylor Jr

I had a sleep study done. I walked around the Naval Hospital like I had a bomb vest on wore it overnight at home and brought it back. What I'm supposed to do is wear a CPAP, but since I can't sleep with one I use a method I call suffer in silence. So far, I would say it hasn't worked. I intend to get the surgery done soon and I'm considering getting a Power Lung under the theory that if my respiratory system is stronger I will be less apneic.

I hear you man. This really stinks, I know it's better to get a full night good sleep and wear the mask, but at the same time I wish we knew what was the real root cause of this. I wonder if it's the air quality? I'm going to also get a hepa air filter regardless..

[Rachel Y. B. Lindsay]

The treatment, if it's apnea, is a CPAP or BIPAP machine. The trick with these is to really work with the DME supplier to get the right mask type for you, and with the doctor on the settings/ramp etc. to allow you to get to sleep at night. There's a device that Resmed makes now that will allow the provider to change your settings remotely so if they need to, they can ease you into a high setting over a period of days, weeks, or whatever as you become accustomed to the feeling.

It's tough to get compliant on a CPAP but the payoff is proper sleep, so it's worth working with your physician on it if you've really got apnea.

[Robert D Taylor Jr]

Originally Posted by Rachel Y. B. Lindsay

The treatment, if it's apnea, is a CPAP or BIPAP machine. The trick with these is to really work with the DME supplier to get the right mask type for you, and with the doctor on the settings/ramp etc. to allow you to get to sleep at night. There's a device that Resmed makes now that will allow the provider to change your settings remotely so if they need to, they can ease you into a high setting over a period of days, weeks, or whatever as you become accustomed to the feeling.

It's tough to get compliant on a CPAP but the payoff is proper sleep, so it's worth working with your physician on it if you've really got apnea.

Who locally deals with Resmed? Do they take TriCare? Any suggestions on coping with the absolute lack of sleep I get for days while becoming "compliant"? As I understand it, CPAP and BiPAP aren't the only treatments, there are surgical options which won't leave me depending on a crutch assuming of course I was ever able to adjust to it. Why would I discard them without trying them?

[Frank E Morel]

Matt... Jamie's suggestion of getting a sleep study is recommended. See a doctor and have the evaluation done. Make sure that the md does blood work for Thyroid and Iron. Both of which can cause problems with sleep, esp the thyroid .. both hyper and hypo impact sleep.

Sleep studies will cover several thing.. who knows, you may have not have sleep apnea but an undiagnosed seizure disorder or a noctural drop of blood sugar. Yet what your telling us sounds classic textbook sleep disoder.
Go get seen.

Rob, doe a search about the surgery. Jamie had it done but I posted some stats on and the pluses and minuses. It does not guarantee solving the problem.
Purchasing of equipment is easy.. if the vendor doesnt accept tri care.. just pay for it and turn in the paper and tricare usually coughs up the bill. VA system usually has equipment that they like and advocate it.
but do shop around as this market is growing with some serious cool stuff.
I have seen some cool stuff that has a computer chip and memory that records everything.. and I have seen some bare bones stuff that works fine if not better.
One company has developed a nasal mask that is a tubed shaped and has a single strap vs the full blown face mask that will back memories of the first time in the gas hut.

hit me up if you have questions

[Jamie J. Skibicki]

If anyone needs info about the surgery, let me know. I didn't have sleep apnea but upper respitory obstruction.