Johnny Punani2 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 I'm pretty sure I have it which sucks... Does anyone use a cpap or bipap machine? If so, is it hard getting use to? Did you see a dramatic change in the quality of your sleep after you started using it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowGixxer Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 i have sleep apnea, and i own a cpap machine. it does take getting used to. my mask only covers my nose, so if i open my mouth during the night, air flows thru my nostrils and out my mouth and makes sort of a howling noise. i dont use it as religiously as i should, because i never really noticed an improvement in my quality of sleep . probably not the answers you were looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted August 16, 2004 Author Share Posted August 16, 2004 lol yeah prob not... I looked into the machines some and the bipap machine looks better to use then the cpap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDoyler23 Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 My uncle has(had) it and he had some kind of surgery to fix it. He said it helped him tremendously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsCrunkin Posted August 16, 2004 Share Posted August 16, 2004 my friends father had it and once he lost some weight it's gone away.... but I remember we could hear the machine from a floor below so I'm sure it took some getting used to for him to be able to use it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soliloquy Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 I had it, my brother-in-law has it, and my uncle has it. My brother-in-law still uses his C-PAP, my uncle stopped using it after several years due to the side-effects. I couldn't stand it when I tried it out. I lost about 15 lb.s, and that was enough to reduce the extra tissue, and I sleep fairly well now. My ENT doc really pushed the surgical option, but I did some research on the web and chose to delay that route. It doesn't always work, and even when it does work, the apnea often recurs unless you lose weight (when weight is the primary cause). In any event, get tested (at a sleep facility) and fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted August 17, 2004 Author Share Posted August 17, 2004 Well, I have an appointment with the head Pulmonary Doc over at Georgetown Univ Hospital in Sept so I'll see what the exact cause is. I was told by a doc before the I needed to get my tonsils out so maybe that is the cause. I dunno?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RicRod Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 I knew a guy at work who had it. He could fall asleep at work at a drop of a hat, I guess since he never slept well at night. hope it all works out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cskin Posted August 17, 2004 Share Posted August 17, 2004 Suprisingly, the lack of a good night's sleep can be the key to many other and larger problems. It's amazing how crucial it is to get sleep... and the deep REM sleep needed to recharge the body. I've suffered from sleep apnea for a couple of years..... but it has decreased dramatically when I made an attempt to loose weight. Now that I'm pretty healthy... I've noticed I sleep better. No more snoring... Still... I don't sleep as soundly as I'd like.... and I wake up periodically and toss and turn some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Update... Well, I took the sleep test at Johns Hopkins(got an app faster) and they said I stopped breathing about 80 times an hour which is very severe apnea. I have to go back and get another sleep test done with a CPAP machine which sucks but hopefully I will sleep much better now. All I want is to do is sleep 8 hrs straight without waking up. I haven't been able to do that for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaFunky1 Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Sorry to hear that Johnny... I probably have it... I'm fat, I know from time to time I snore, and I remember a few years ago my ex-girlfriend woke me up from a nap because I stopped breathing. My dad had it, I probably do as well. Let us know how the tests turn out. Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 I think my cause is due to enlarged tonsils and a lot of soft tissue in my throat. However, the Dr said that he didn't recommend geting surgery for it because they wouldn't know for sure if it would work or not. Since I developed sleep apena my weight as gone through the roof. I'm hoping this will fix it and let me get down to my normal weight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Johnny... Just for giggles, have you had your septum checked? I didn't have apnea, but used to snore like mad because I had a very badly deviated septum. Had surgery to correct it in June and have been fine ever since. The oximetry test I took (pre-surgery) said my oxygen intake never went below 97% of capacity while I slept (no apnea), but that I did snore. Didn't exactly need to take an oximetry test to tell them that, though... My Stepmom's brother had surgery to correct his apnea. Looked like they removed half of the back of his mouth, but he says he sleeps like a baby now. Can't even fake a snore noise. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Originally posted by ntotoro Johnny... Just for giggles, have you had your septum checked? I didn't have apnea, but used to snore like mad because I had a very badly deviated septum. Had surgery to correct it in June and have been fine ever since. The oximetry test I took (pre-surgery) said my oxygen intake never went below 97% of capacity while I slept (no apnea), but that I did snore. Didn't exactly need to take an oximetry test to tell them that, though... My Stepmom's brother had surgery to correct his apnea. Looked like they removed half of the back of his mouth, but he says he sleeps like a baby now. Can't even fake a snore noise. Nick Yeah, I had surgery for a deviated septum when I was in the military. This was before I developed apnea though but it did help me breath better afterwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakofthesouth Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Hey Pun, I went through this whole proces a few years ago; I did the overnight thing, w/ all the wires and what not. While I do stop breathing when I sleep, they doctors concluded that I did not have sleep apnea. They did mention that I had a sinus disease of some sort, which I never had cheked out further. Here's what I want to mention to you- Just as Cskin stated that dificient sleeping habits can cause other complications, such as a bad memory, clouded thinking, and possible mild depression, it can also be viewed from an opposite perspective. There are certain disorders that cause sleep complications, depression, and the like. For me, I found that the root of my problems started from ADD. I slept terribly, I woke up feeling more tired than before I slept, and I always woke w/ this impending sense of doom for the day. Turns out, I had a mild depression accompanying it as well. Granted, this was all self-diagnosed, but I concluded through serious research that I had some mental defiencies...and found certain ways to combat them: -First and foremost, I found a combination of vitamins, minerals, and suppliments that are right for me, including antioxidants, herbal suppluments that promote mental clarity and slow anxiety, and certain minerals that allow a deep, natural sleep (GABA, Valerain root). Best thing about all of this, it's healthy, and completely natural (if anyone wants to website for this product, PM me). -Diet. Everything we do in life is conducted by our diet. If you have a diet that is high in carbs, you will be lethargic, forgetful, and most likely sleep poorly. If you have a diet that is high in protein, and low in carbs, you will have increased energy, mental clarity, and IMO, a better night's sleep. By doing this, I have noticed a SIGNIFICANT difference in my sleep habits; I can sleep for 4-5 hrs now, and wake up refreshed, and ready for the day... But hey- if you have apnea, you must deal w/ it accordingly. Others have mentioned that the cpap has not been effective. If you encounter this same problem, consider the possiblity that the apnea-syptoms may be a result of some other existing condition. And after all, the mind controls the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riggins44 Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 I was tested, but came back negative. Still snore, but wife has found earplugs help! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedskinsChick Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 What exactly is sleep apnea??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Originally posted by RedskinsChick What exactly is sleep apnea??? you stop breathing while you sleep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbooma Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Originally posted by Johnny 'Luscious' Punani I'm pretty sure I have it which sucks... Does anyone use a cpap or bipap machine? If so, is it hard getting use to? Did you see a dramatic change in the quality of your sleep after you started using it? Johnny don't know if you are overweight or not, but if you are losing weight helps a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Punani2 Posted October 16, 2004 Author Share Posted October 16, 2004 Originally posted by jbooma Johnny don't know if you are overweight or not, but if you are losing weight helps a lot. Yeah I am, but the apnea started before I started gaining weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sisko Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Sleep apnea is a huge problem for those that suffer from it. In most cases it is in fact caused by excess weight however that isn't always true. After your sleep study did they show you a video of yourself asleep ? I have seen a lot of sleep apnea patients over the years and it really is a strange phenomenon to observe. What actually happens is that the soft tissue at the back of the throat actually falls back and covers the airway. The affected person then generally makes a few unsuccessful attempts to take a breath. Eventually, when they really get air hungry they wake up enough to open their airway and take a breath. They then fall asleep again and the cycle starts all over again. I would highly recommend that you do your best to wear the CPAP or BIPAP machine because sleep apnea can cause a host of long term health problems. They really aren't all that bad but it is something that takes some getting used to. The newer machines are much much smaller and quieter than the older ones. Good luck with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Williams Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 I 've had it for 4647 days....I wonder why?...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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