Sleep Apnea Issues

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#3055662 28-Mar-2023 08:21

I've been on a CPAP about a decade now. Short of surgery (Maxillomandibular advancement) it's the best solution for OSA, but I'd get the surgery in a heart beat if I could afford it.

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#3055669 28-Mar-2023 08:45

Weight is definitely a factor. Friend of ours grossly overweight had apnoea and used a cpap machine, until he became very ill and lost half his body weight. He no longer had sleep apnoea at that point and sleeps all night without it.

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#3055715 28-Mar-2023 10:21

Eva888: Weight is definitely a factor. Friend of ours grossly overweight had apnoea and used a cpap machine, until he became very ill and lost half his body weight. He no longer had sleep apnoea at that point and sleeps all night without it.

Stomach surgery to lose the weight? Or, was the weight loss from the illness? Stomach surgery was a life saver for my friend, off the cpap, and now has normal blood pressure.

I do get that natural weight loss is supremely difficult in the modern environment , and surgery has its own risks.

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#3055788 28-Mar-2023 13:12

After the third time our neighbours who live about 8m from our bedroom window came over at 3am to ask us to stop mowing our lawns, I had to gently raise it with my wife.

Neighours build a 9m tall noise proof fence and now they say it's gone from lawn mower to hedge trimmer.

JK mostly.

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#3055789 28-Mar-2023 13:13

My father (71yrs) got diagnosed with apnea recently and has been using a CPAP machine for the last few months. I reckon it has probably added a few years to his life. Massive change in energy levels and alertness. Even his golf game has improved! The machine he has is really quiet and unobtrusive as well - doesn't disturb my mother's sleep at all.

Eva888

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#3055798 28-Mar-2023 13:47

surfisup1000:
Eva888: Weight is definitely a factor. Friend of ours grossly overweight had apnoea and used a cpap machine, until he became very ill and lost half his body weight. He no longer had sleep apnoea at that point and sleeps all night without it.

Stomach surgery to lose the weight? Or, was the weight loss from the illness? Stomach surgery was a life saver for my friend, off the cpap, and now has normal blood pressure.

I do get that natural weight loss is supremely difficult in the modern environment , and surgery has its own risks.

No, he developed end stage kidney failure and suddenly lifestyle changed and he ate less and had to watch which foods he ate. Is on dialysis now. Shame he didn’t take care before. It just shows it can be done and all it takes is to stop eating as much.

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afe66

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#3055876 28-Mar-2023 16:22

Stop-Bang is the screening tool most commonly used.

Google it to find resources to score you as this will be the most likely tool your gp wulllill use to assess you.

The gold standard next step is a sleep study of which there are a number. The waiting list is long publically as its not a sexy topic like hip replacement so you will most likely have to go private.

In short term there will be suggestions to exercise more, reduce/stop alcohol and trial devices. The most simplest mind be putting a tennis ball tucked into the small of your back which makes it too uncomfortable to lay on your back.

The issue with Osa isn't just poor sleeping and being tired the next day is that repeated cycles of hypoxia are a bad thing (duh) associated with systemic and pulmonary hypertension, cardiac ischiamia, right heart failure, diabetes.

Source: professional experience. Personal records include 298kg, and ppl with more kg in weight than cm in height. (BMI 71)

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#3055904 28-Mar-2023 16:43

I've been using a CPAP machine for several years. I have always snored, but didn't have any of the other OSA symptoms (tiredness, headaches etc.) until marital harmony dictated further investigations. That for me involved sleeping with a pulse oximeter clipped to my finger - apparently this had some alarming readings. I didn't have a great experience with the first sleep consultant I went to, who seemed far more like a CPAP salesman than a medical professional. However I did get a second opinion that suggested my long-term heath (and continued marital bliss) would be best served by a CPAP machine.

It took me a while to get used to it (I still don't really like it) - key for me was using a full face mask than a nasal one. If you like a nasal mask, that seems to be current thinking as to best practice, but for me the pressure differential between nose and mouth drove me absolutely nuts. It's now been reduced to a sleep cue so I do fall asleep in it fine. However many report "best thing ever" because they are getting a decent night's rest for the first time in years, whereas I don't really feel any different and am a bit more ambivalent about it. If I am away for only a couple of nights I usually don't bother taking it with me.

Other options discussed were surgery, mouth splints and sprays, none of which necessarily had guarantees of success. Though this was according to Dr Cpap-Sales, and so your advice may differ.

I have a Fisher & Paykel SleepStyle. Which does have a reasonably good app giving you your sleep statistics - somehow I find this quite motivating.

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#3055928 28-Mar-2023 18:26

There’s a lot of mask options for CPAP now. It used to be pretty limited but there are now nose, mouth and full face options. When I was at FPH in the early 2000s I was on the team that developed the first oral mask.

If you go down the CPAP route make sure you consider a machine with humidification. It makes a big difference although it does make for more consumables.

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#3055974 28-Mar-2023 21:32

I'll just mention that SA is something that can affect other aspects of your biology. For example blood pressure and heart issues.

"Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during OSA increase blood pressure and strain the cardiovascular system. Having OSA increases your risk of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension."

I'm sure y'all know all that but just in case, it is not simply a matter of uninterrupted sleep or no snoring.

wally22

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#3055980 28-Mar-2023 22:04

Lias:

I've been on a CPAP about a decade now. Short of surgery (Maxillomandibular advancement) it's the best solution for OSA, but I'd get the surgery in a heart beat if I could afford it.

My sister's husband used surgery, but because he liked pies had to have repeats of the surgery.

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wally22

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#3055985 28-Mar-2023 22:38

Handle9: There’s a lot of mask options for CPAP now. It used to be pretty limited but there are now nose, mouth and full face options. When I was at FPH in the early 2000s I was on the team that developed the first oral mask.

If you go down the CPAP route make sure you consider a machine with humidification. It makes a big difference although it does make for more consumables.

My early experiences with a nasal mask were hopeless as I always opened my mouth. They then supplied a Resmed Quattro full face mask which worked great. Then in later years I was supplied a F & P Simplus mask which has never been as good as the Quattro was in my experience. I am looking at options.

Always had a humidification CPAP. Helps enormously for dry mouth as I tend to relax into mouth breathing.

In all, I had a positive experience with the Public Health system and a dedicated team at Waikato. I move around a bit, so have experienced varying levels of service at Manukau and Palmerston North, but still do get serviced OK.
As a class 5 driver with a Passenger endorsement I have to have an annual check with the clinic. They extract the data to check you are using the machine regularly and send the results to NZTA. Don't want any heavy vehicles or lots of passengers being casualties...

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#3056015 29-Mar-2023 08:59

wally22:

Handle9: There’s a lot of mask options for CPAP now. It used to be pretty limited but there are now nose, mouth and full face options. When I was at FPH in the early 2000s I was on the team that developed the first oral mask.

If you go down the CPAP route make sure you consider a machine with humidification. It makes a big difference although it does make for more consumables.

My early experiences with a nasal mask were hopeless as I always opened my mouth. They then supplied a Resmed Quattro full face mask which worked great. Then in later years I was supplied a F & P Simplus mask which has never been as good as the Quattro was in my experience. I am looking at options.

Always had a humidification CPAP. Helps enormously for dry mouth as I tend to relax into mouth breathing.

In all, I had a positive experience with the Public Health system and a dedicated team at Waikato. I move around a bit, so have experienced varying levels of service at Manukau and Palmerston North, but still do get serviced OK.
As a class 5 driver with a Passenger endorsement I have to have an annual check with the clinic. They extract the data to check you are using the machine regularly and send the results to NZTA. Don't want any heavy vehicles or lots of passengers being casualties...

Resmed full face masks are still available.

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#3061367 11-Apr-2023 11:42

I got a sleep study done through Eden Sleep - it was showing I was having events/waking up to 80 times an hour. Doctor has told me to only drive if I feel 100% awake. I have a CPAP arriving on Thursday to try.

wally22

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#3061573 11-Apr-2023 16:53

Good call. If you need more advice or assistance keep reaching out. It can be a mission to adjust to using a CPAP, but perservere until you crack it or you no longer need it. As you have found, plenty of help here. I am a little passionate about them as it saved my life.

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