Sleep Apnea

[Shootkick1000]

Sure enough, two years of serious unrest and apparently buzzsaw-like snoring came to a head. I went in for an overnight sleep study, got wired up, taped, and as was feared, I have significant oxygen reduction during my my rest, and, subsequently, "severe" sleep apnea. It's a problem that has plagued several members of the father's side of my family, none of whom are particularly small individuals, and, unfortunately, none of whom ever have any contact with.

 

I'll be going in for a couple of weeks to have the level of C-PAP machine i'll eventually be getting measured. Oddly enough, I'm greatly looking forward to this whole process. With any luck, i'll be, as has been suggested, rejeuvenated and energized on a daily basis. Hopefully to the point where I can start working out more regularly again.

 

Has anyone else on this board been treated for sleep apnea? I've been given plenty of pamphlets and websites, but is there anyone else out there who can give me an idea of what to expect? (Other than what will hopefully be a good night's sleep!) Anything I should realize going in?

 

One more thing i'm looking forward to: With any luck, i'll be getting the full face mask breathing device, and will be able to annoy my girlfriend to no end by becoming frank Booth from Blue Velvet:

 

DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME!!!!!!!!

[trwi7]

I've never been in one of those sleep studies but I've always wondered. Isn't it annoying to try to sleep with all those wires and that tape?

[And That]

A few members of my family have sleep apnea, but my father has it acutely in particular. About 5 years ago, he did the overnight sleep study... he tested positive for it and his doctor later assigned him some breathing exercises and IIRC, a light sedative. After a few more tests and tweaks, it was diagnosed that he was out of any sort of danger zone.

 

As for trwi's comment, yah, I could never do the test. I am an exceptionally light sleeper - you'd have to sedate me to get me to fall asleep with anything foreign attached to my body. I can barely get to sleep how it is. And sedation would ruin the test, I assume. I don't snore at all - I am just listless once I fall asleep.

 

Good luck, though, with the sleep apnea treatment. Apnea can be a pretty serious thing without treatment. I'm glad you were diagnosed correctly.

[Shootkick1000]

Absolutely. I woke up a bunch of times throughout the night, worried that i'd end up bringing the wires across my windpipe. I guess the ends justifies the means.

[pitchleague]

I think my wife has a mild case of it, what with her snoring and then sudden loud snorts because it sounds like she wasn't breathing for 10 seconds or whatever.

 

She thinks I'm a loon when I tell her to stop snoring. I think she should get it checked out, just to be safe, but I don't think she thinks it's that bad. Maybe I should videotape her with the nightvision on our camcorder.

[splitterpfj]

I had the test, getting all wired up is really a weird experience. They took my picture with all that stuff taped on, my kids love it.

 

I have it, but just barely, I'm not being treated at this point. You'll feel much better once you begin treatment, my wife's boss absolutely could not believe the difference, and the change is almost immediate.

[pitchleague]

I just can't imagine having to sleep with those masks on. I've seen those in a breathing specialty store once. It's the whole nine yards with some of them. I definitely would have problems because I'm a tummy-sleeper (sleep on my stomach). Of course, because I sleep that way, I don't snore.

[trwi7]

Yeah that's what I thought. I know I could never do that mainly because I toss and turn, fall out of bed (not really but you get the idea) when I'm sleeping so I'd always be worried of yanking one of the wires off and messing up the whole sleep study.

[splitterpfj]

I toss and turn a lot too, so I had worried about all of that before my test, and with all that stuff on, knowing someone was monitoring me, I thought I'd never be able to sleep.

 

It had the opposite affect on me, I laid still and dozed off quickly, I had the best night's sleep I'd had in months.

 

Go figure.

[hawing]

I'd be surprised if the sleep clinic staff weren't prepared for most every odd sleeping possibility (like tossing and turning, maybe even enough to yank off a monitor, or not being able to sleep for thinking about being monitored). If you were sleeping 'normally', you wouldn't be one of their patients.

[Shootkick1000]

At one point I accidentally disconnected a wire near my eye. Within a few seconds, the sleep technician was in the room, having responded to an alarm, and re-connected me with fairly little trouble.

 

I sleep on my stomach too, and my primary concern thus far has been not being able to do that once the mask is in place. I seem like the sort of klutz who would end up mashing my face into the bed and breaking my nose on the mask somehow. I'm assured that's highly unlikely, but who knows. I'll just be satisfied with a decent night's rest at this point.

[Jimbo]

I went through the initial consultation and will most likely go in for a study at the end of December.

Just found out my brother uses one of those masks and it works well for him.

 

[Principessa21]

[snip]

 

One more thing i'm looking forward to: With any luck, i'll be getting the full face mask breathing device, and will be able to annoy my girlfriend to no end by becoming frank Booth from Blue Velvet:

 

DON'T YOU LOOK AT ME!!!!!!!!

LOL!

 

And I love the avatar! Did you see But the Ticket, Take the Ride? I keep meaning to rent it.

[Shootkick1000]

I haven't seen it yet; it's currently #2 in my Netflix Queue. I've heard really mixed things about it, but I'm excited to see it nonetheless!

[Nottso]

I have severe apnea, and have had it for a number of years. Tha CPAP will take some getting used to, but it is well worth the effort. I use what is know as a "breeze interface with nasal pillows" and have found it to be the most comfortable. It comes over the top of my head and there are 2 little pillows that rest against my nostrils. No mask to leak. no shaving off of the facial hair. Very nice.

 

The CPAP will eventually become a big pacifier to you. I love mine. If I know I'll be out late or something and should take a nap, it's no problem even if I'm not tired. I put the machine on, and I am OUT.

 

Apnea left untreated is a silent killer. It got Reggie White, remember.

 

If you live near West Allis, stop in the Sleep Wellness Institute. They can help you with lots of stuff. Very nice people. Ask for Ron or Mark, and tell 'em the "Super Evil Genius" sent ya.