Sleep Apnea

[ApolloSZ]

I'm sure I've seen people mention on her about sleep apnea.
After a weekend visit to my grandma's she (And Mary) talked to me about getting checked for sleep apnea, because of my snoring and that fact it's been in the family. I was hoping people here might be able to share their knowledge about it, what it actually is? While I procrastinate about getting checked....

[CaroPhoenix]

It's very important to get checked out. If you do, then you'll fell a lot better. Let me tell you!

First off, with sleep apnea, you stop breathing whilst sleeping. THat's right. Your lungs stop expanding, your heart slows down/stops because you're not longer breathing, and parts of your brain can shut down because you're not getting any oxygen to it. Also, because your sleep pattern is being distrubted every few minutes, you never ever get into REM and therefore you're never getting into the deepest part of sleep, and no dreams. (Though if you're me, then you have dreams about your dead grandparents just waking up one day and not remembering that they are dead and only you want to tell them they're dead and everyone in your family telling you to be quiet. Yeah, I don't know).

You need to go to a pulmonologist. At least that's what I see. Your general practitioner doctor will be able to send you to the right person.

After detailing your sleep history. You will get one or two visits to a sleep clinic. (I only had one). They will connect you with lots of wires to check your breathing, see if you have restless leg syndrome, monitor heart rate, etc. Be sure to wear comfy pj's. And when it's all over, make sure you take a shower. The gel they put in your hair to get brain wave readings will stay in your hair until you wash it out.

Whew.

I didn't realize I typed so much!

Hope this hasn't bored you.

Good luck!

[telecom_goddess]

What IDrinkARum said . I have sleep apnea also and had two sleep studies done, one to diagnose and one to judge the pressure I needed for the cpap machine. Check out cpap.com to get a look at machines and supplies and stuff so you get an idea of what they look like. Also check out cpaptalk.com for a forum that's populated by cpap users, that will help and support you if you're new or an old hand at it.

I've been on a machine for about 3 years and I can't imagine sleeping without it now. No more choking at night, no more getting up to go to the bathroom numerous times, no more excessive sleepiness during the day.

[CaroPhoenix]

The other night, I fell asleep putting Child Rum to sleep. I woke up to this horrible noise. Then I realized it was me! Yeah, bad move.

I don't miss waking up to me snoring. I love my cpap machine.

This is the machine I have:
This is the machine I have - I love the humidifier!

This is the mask I have:
This is the mask I have - I have small/petite size. I love the gel padding.

[telecom_goddess]

Mine is similar to yours Rum but it's more like this : My machine I use

And I'm using two different masks right now...this one I don't like so much: Nasal pillow type mask

And this one I like better but it's over 6 months old so I'm trading off on the two: nasal maks but not the pillow type

[CaroPhoenix]

The one you like better is the one my husband uses.

I like the one I use. Though lately I've woken up to find me lying on the tubing. I have no clue why but I have been.

My insurance lets me get new masks/tubing/filters every six months. We just have to pay like a co-pay or whatever the insurance doesn't pick up. (about $20 every six months).

[Seshat]

Sleep apnea can kill, I'm told. So don't keep procrastinating - do get checked.

I can also assure you - sleeping next to someone with a CPAP is better than sleeping next to someone with apnea snoring.

And sleeping next to someone you know has sleep apnea, but doesn't have a CPAP, can be scary. You're not sleeping, you're lying there listening to them breathe, and having a panic moment every time there's the slightest glitch in their breathing.