Cpap changed my life

[edslhead]

I don't remember there being sleep apnea back in the 60's. Did it just pop up all of a sudden? My Doc tried to get me to do a study, but I don't have any problems with my sleep. Kinda made me wonder why she would push it out of the blue like that.

 

[Reacher120]

Life saver! Tell me, how often did you have headaches before the cpap?

Not prone to headaches, but level of "brain fog" in the morning decreased significantly. Noticed I have more energy later in the day than before.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

I don't remember there being sleep apnea back in the 60's. Did it just pop up all of a sudden? My Doc tried to get me to do a study, but I don't have any problems with my sleep. Kinda made me wonder why she would push it out of the blue like that.

Great question. I ask the same stuff. Things like prostate cancer ramped up more frequent the last 30 years.
Sleep apnea Hansen around for a long time. It has been under serviced due to perseption by patients, and low reimbursement for providers. Then about 12 years ago sleep study centers popped up everywhere cause it PAID WELL. It's pulled back now. It's also somewhat expensive to the patient. You need to be your own advocate.
Why did your doc push you? Are you overweight? That isn't always the sign. Bone thin people have apnea also due to there throat and mouth structure.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Usually gettin on a Cpap reduces your weight.

 

[edslhead]

Great question. I ask the same stuff. Things like prostate cancer ramped up more frequent the last 30 years.
Sleep apnea Hansen around for a long time. It has been under serviced due to perseption by patients, and low reimbursement for providers. Then about 12 years ago sleep study centers popped up everywhere cause it PAID WELL. It's pulled back now. It's also somewhat expensive to the patient. You need to be your own advocate.
Why did your doc push you? Are you overweight? That isn't always the sign. Bone thin people have apnea also due to there throat and mouth structure.

I went in for a spot in my mouth I was concerned about, and a sore elbow she said was golf elbow. Before I left she say's a lot of these problems can be attributed to poor sleep and she'd recommend me for study. I'm a good 40 lbs over and she didn't even mention " loose some weight ya fat bastard"

 

[Oregonhunter5]

She saw your large tongue and meaty throat!

 

[edslhead]

Ya think she was comin on to the old guy

 

[Oregonhunter5]

Ya think she was comin on to the old guy

Of course she was. Nothing more sexy than a great talk about a cpap.

 

[WAYNO]

I don't remember there being sleep apnea back in the 60's. Did it just pop up all of a sudden? My Doc tried to get me to do a study, but I don't have any problems with my sleep. Kinda made me wonder why she would push it out of the blue like that.

It's probably always been here, but they didn't have a name for it. And it was easier in the old days to just say "old age, natural causes" on the death certificate.

Plus, folks didn't live as long, and they were not as likely to be overweight. So I'll bet a whole lot less folks were afflicted.

WAYNO.

 

[Member 5605]

I don't remember there being sleep apnea back in the 60's. Did it just pop up all of a sudden? My Doc tried to get me to do a study, but I don't have any problems with my sleep. Kinda made me wonder why she would push it out of the blue like that.

We are learning more and more about how interconnected our bodies are now days.

Sleep apnea leads to:

• Headaches caused from low oxygen levels when sleeping due to not breathing
• Excess fat (from your body dumping adrenaline) when your body startles awake to breathe
• Heart failure due to extra stress from startling
• Low libido (again, stress)
• Low energy in general (lack of body actually getting to sleep and getting the REM it needs
• Diabetes
• List goes on and on...

Apnea fix isn't a cure all but if you are predisposed to anything it will exhasorbate the underlying issue

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Checking back in. Earlier this year Doc had me wear an O2 monitor at night which showed me dropping to 50-60 while snoring. Then I finally got to visit a sleep doctor who wanted to do an overnight sleep study at their facility. Insurance said no, which is funny because when my son needed his golf ball sized tonsils out insurance demanded an sleep study at that same facility. His overnight stay cost insurance $2000 while it was only $1700 to eventually get his tonsils removed. Idiots!

So I had a take home sleep study and the results got me a ResMed CPAP unit. I am still not used to it and can only falls asleep with it on if I am dead tired or had two benadryl. My wife likes it because I don't snore. It has not helped my blood pressure.

 

[41Slinger]

Thanks for the comments all. I met the doc, the finger test they did on me said I was in the severe category, made it down to 70 a bunch of times so now we're gonna do some other overnight test, but I won't get that gear until the end of Dec. so till then I'll keep snoring, not breathing and getting hit in the ribs by the little woman. For all of you doing it now, from what the doc told me, you all are doing the right thing cause not breathing prolly isn't the best idea lol. Wish you all well.

 

[WAYNO]

I love my CPAP. It's my security blanket. Strap it on, and it's lights-out.

Funny story...Of course my friends make fun of my machine and space mask when we're out hunting, but I was at the coast staying at a buddy's house before a fishing trip. My CPAP sometimes sounds like Darth Vader breathing. I was just going to sleep and I hear my buddy say, "Luke. I Am Your Father". I absolutely lost it. Next thing I hear is his Mom yelling, "what's going on in there?"

Here I am 64 years old, and his parents are still yelling at us like we're kids.

WAYNO.

 

[Fordcragar]

I got tested about four years ago and have been using a CPAP since. It took me a while to get used to it, but what a change. I don't wake up tired anymore.

 

[teflon6string]

There's a little paranoia (if that's the right word) when considering power outages, which happen a couple times a year here in my neck of the woods, sometimes when I'd like to be sleeping.

If you keep a 12V deep cycle (RV/boat) battery topped off and a cheapo power inverter, you're set for at least a couple nights (without the humidifier hooked up, which sucks up power a LOT faster).

It's a chore to take all that crap camping, but it beats the hell out of not going.

If the power went out longer term, I wonder if this kit would be adequate to top off a 12V battery every day after running CPAP every night.
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit 10 Pc Kit
Some folks might opine that there are "bigger concerns in a SHTF situation." Tell them to go a week with zero sleep and see if they can even spell their own names.

 

[bbbass]

64 now, been snoring like mad since I was in my twenties. Made wife miserable. Ruined my health and almost crashed the car many times due to falling asleep at the wheel!!! Have had CPAP about 15 years now. Still don't sleep well due to all the air leaks, neuropathy, and getting up to pee, but no more nightmares about drowning. Still sleepy during the day tho. Nap with CPAP cuz falling asleep in my chair w/o cpap brings it all back and wake up feeling crappy!

 

[No_Regerts]

When I was in my early 20's and working graveyard, I was having to pull over from time to time because I felt like I was dozing off behind the wheel. My roommates kept saying that I had started snoring over the last year and it was getting worse. They recorded me in my sleep and it didnt sound good. My group death doctor got me a take-home sleep study kit and next thing you know it, I'm looking like a half-azzed cosmonaut. But, I dont have problems feeling sleepy anymore and I've quit snoring.

It just aint sexy though.

 

[Oregonhunter5]

64 now, been snoring like mad since I was in my twenties. Made wife miserable. Ruined my health and almost crashed the car many times due to falling asleep at the wheel!!! Have had CPAP about 15 years now. Still don't sleep well due to all the air leaks, neuropathy, and getting up to pee, but no more nightmares about drowning. Still sleepy during the day tho. Nap with CPAP cuz falling asleep in my chair w/o cpap brings it all back and wake up feeling crappy!

Have you tried all masks? There's one that will not leak for you. Your getting up to pee cause of th air leaks are not letting you sleep correctly. There's got to be an answer for you.

 

[No_Regerts]

There's a little paranoia (if that's the right word) when considering power outages, which happen a couple times a year here in my neck of the woods, sometimes when I'd like to be sleeping.

If you keep a 12V deep cycle (RV/boat) battery topped off and a cheapo power inverter, you're set for at least a couple nights (without the humidifier hooked up, which sucks up power a LOT faster).

It's a chore to take all that crap camping, but it beats the hell out of not going.

If the power went out longer term, I wonder if this kit would be adequate to top off a 12V battery every day after running CPAP every night.
45 Watt Solar Panel Kit 10 Pc Kit
Some folks might opine that there are "bigger concerns in a SHTF situation." Tell them to go a week with zero sleep and see if they can even spell their own names.

I was wondering the same thing. I use a deep cycle marine battery with an adapter when I camp. I usually hook it up to a generator to charge during the day. It works, but its loud.

 

[Dungannon]

I've been using a CPAP for nine years. The ResMed unit lasted 7 years before dying. Have one by Philips now. It is lighter and quieter, and the humidifier part can be detached, which makes it even smaller and lighter when traveling. I've always had a hard time getting to sleep [still do] but never felt fully rested because I'd wake up so often during the night. My wife made the appointment for a sleep study because she said it was 'either that, or I'm going to smother you with a pillow.' Did one of those overnight monitoring tests, which confirmed I had severe apnea. Then a second night stay a few weeks later while they adjusted the air flow to determine the best setting. Since I have a mustache and beard I'll always have some air leakage - most noticeable if I roll to my side and bump the mask. I've tried all the types and the kind that fits over my nose works best for me. I don't start it up until I've been in bed for 30 minutes or so, and can tell I'm feeling sleepy.