Sleep apnea

Anyone else in this boat with me?

I've been suffering for about 10 years (didn't know that's what it was until recently) and starting about two years ago I have been trying different methods to improve it but I don't seem to be able to.

I've been seeing a sleep doctor, a nose/throat specialist as well as my family doctor but things just don't seem to be improving much and I think they are running out of things to suggest.

Things I've tried:
- CPAP machine, I tried this for 3 months straight but couldn't keep it on, some how in the middle of the night in a half awake state I would remove the mask and turn the machine off. I'd wake up with no knowledge of doing this. I tried full face mask, nose pillows as well as varying the pressure but never seemed to get it right

- I've gone through a full Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (had to google that one!), horribly painful and I wouldn't recommend that

- lost 25lbs (put a decent amount back on recently due to poor eating and lethargy)

- blood test to see if anything was weird (nothing came back)

- recording my snoring and trying to note any triggers- definitely has improved since my surgery but still stopping breathing

Things keep getting worse and I'm finding I'm absolutely dead at the end of the week. I crave carbs all the time, I think due a lot to the fatigue. Things got so bad at one point I was on two energy drinks a day + coffee just to function at work. I'm trying to get back into physical activity again but don't know how long I can sustain this.

I've now found my overtiredness is manifesting itself as insomnia fairly regularly.

Anyone in the same boat that has found something worth trying? Or a doctor to talk to?

Get a doctor recommendation to go to the Sleep Center. They do full on sleep studies there. Its expensive, around 1g per study (one to prove you have apnea, maybe not needed) and another study to determine the mouthpiece set up to actually stop the apnea, not just the snoring.

Get the mouth guard, its also expensive, 2g but if you can use benefits or and least a health spending account. It takes a while to get used to it but its amazing.

I have it. Diagnosed about 3-4 years ago. Fortunately the CPAP machine is working great for me. The nasal pillow is the most comfortable. The full mask was terrible as I sleep on my side.

My sleep specialist basically told me both the surgery and any type of mouth guard would not work.

But maybe in your case, it might be worth a shot (the mouth guard)

I know exactly how you feel. It really is debilitating.

Have you tried yoga?
I don't have sleep Apnae. But the reason for my suggestion is that I took it up a few years back. The main focus of the practice was breathing. I personally found 'how' I breathed changed. i.e consciously and unconsciously. I definitely slept a lot better.

Not sure if it would effect the sleep Apnae, but just a idea though..

Are you overweight?

A buddy of mine recently lost 40-50 lbs and he no longer needed his CPAP machine afterwards.

What's your nightly routine before you go to bed?
How much caffeine do you drink throughout the day?

I had a Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty as well as a tonsillectomy. My diagnosis was that the size of my tonsils were the major cause of the apnea. That surgery sucked and I had bleeding complications during the recovery. It certainly helped with the snoring, but still have ups and downs based on weight and level of tiredness. Episodes of apnea have mostly stopped, but there are still times that it happens. Mostly I don't know about it unless my wife tells me.

I've been battling sleep apnea for approx 5 years. I struggled a lot during university. I tried many things, eating clean, working out, sleeping 8 hrs every night, blood tests constantly, breathe right strips, no caffeine, no tv before bed etc but I fell asleep in the middle of the day constantly.

I am fairly lean so losing weight was never an option, and I tried the CPAP machine on and off for a couple years. I couldn't deal with it, just never slept with it.

I ended up dishing out my benefits for the dental appliance and I'm probably at a stage where it's finally manageable. I don't require naps like I used to, and I'm not dozing off at work/school, etc anymore. Mood is much better and I can go to movies without falling asleep (lol). Somedays are tougher than others, but you're never gonna fully get away from sleep apnea (imo).

Keep in mind there are two major types of dental appliances, I spent a year with one and it sucked (the most popular one), but I got the second one a few months ago and it's probably the best for me. It's still not at a stage where the dental appliance is fully developed, the science and products are still very much in development. There are side effects like slight teeth movement and looser teeth but I haven't notice either of those.

Thanks for all the feedback. I might look into the dental appliance, I've tried the cheapo ones but they didn't work too well for me.

Yea I am a bit overweight but I'd say only about 15-20 pounds so not grossly overweight. When I pushed really hard to drop weight about a year ago I was about 15 lbs lighter with a half decent six pack but didn't notice any change in my apparently apnea levels based on my nightly sleep recordings.

Haven't tried yoga or any pre-sleep ritual changes as I think my nightly routine is fairly decent and I don't know if it would have much effect on the actual apnea. I can sleep for 10 hrs and it feels like I've only gotten 2 or 3.

Definitely going to try to push to lose weight again as that can only result in good things. I'll look into the appliance as well as going for a sleep test. I did apply to get in but when I finally got an appointment I was working 6 day weeks and couldn't take any time off so I lost my spot.

Have you tried a sleep clinic? It only makes sense to go to the experts as poor quality sleep will kill you and is making those around you feel your pain. It will be trial and error if you wing it on your own and mixed results are to be expected.

A one-hour consultation is free and the additional tests may be covered under your medical plan. Shame this illness is not covered fully as it is a serious illness:

http://centreforsleep.com/

I know one of the doctors, if I had sleep issues (family members do) I'd go there.

Quote:

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Originally posted by sputnik
Are you overweight?

A buddy of mine recently lost 40-50 lbs and he no longer needed his CPAP machine afterwards.

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this.

i still love my CPAP tho.

.

Going to bump this thread, I found out today I have mild sleep apnea... I asked them, as I'm sure lots of others have, are you sure it just wasn't my anxiety as I had a tough time sleeping with that machine on and was told nope, your O2 levels dropped and breathing stopped...

So I was given 3 options (well 4), CPAP, Mouth device, lose weight, follow up with Dr./Nothing...

I'm not super keen on the CPAP to be honest, it's covered by my benefits but it just looks awkward and uncomfortable and what about travel, it looks annoying to have to pack up and move

The mouth piece is stupid expensive and not guaranteed to work, I did find a far cheaper version called ApneaRX, is that worth a shot to see if it even helps? If it does, then would paying for the real deal be a good option?

Weight loss, yes I could definitely lose a few pounds, it's something I've struggled with all my life and really does get harder as I get older

Edit... also, as someone who suffers from anxiety, when I started researching apnea, I came to find out there are 2 different kinds OSA and CSA, the CSA seems quite scary, is this something they would have been able to diagnose with the take home test thing?

Heh, I just went through the sleep apnea testing thing several months ago and was probably looking at a machine but then I went from finish carpentry back into cabinets in late July and dropped about 17 pounds in two months and no more sleep apnea problems.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lint

I had a Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty as well as a tonsillectomy. My diagnosis was that the size of my tonsils were the major cause of the apnea. That surgery sucked and I had bleeding complications during the recovery. It certainly helped with the snoring, but still have ups and downs based on weight and level of tiredness. Episodes of apnea have mostly stopped, but there are still times that it happens. Mostly I don't know about it unless my wife tells me.

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i had the same procedure with Dr. Jason Chau. Took a long time to get on the list and get a surgical date, recovery was rough but I can't say I regret it. I snore less now and can tell I get a better night's rest the day after. I notice that a humidifer helps with the snoring when it happens. Cracking the window open slightly even if it's cold seems to help for some reason too.