Biguglygremlin

Hi Mike

You might be one of the lucky ones.

Time will tell but if you truly are sleeping for that duration it might be more than just Apnea that you are dealing with.

The satin pillowcase is a great idea. It took me years to consider that option and finally persuade the wife to loan me one.

She is still harassing me to buy one of my own but the one I already have is the enhanced 'for her' version. It's going to be hard to beat! :)

But wait! There are silk ones too!

This one promises to make my hair look great and get rid of wrinkles! And it's such a lovely colour! :P

https://www.lilysilk.com/au/19-momme-terse-silk-pillowcase-with-hidden-zipper.html?fee=14&fep=9250&size=50x75cm&color=Rosy%20Pink&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9665udvT3wIVhLaWCh2QqQBPEAYYAiABEgJAX_D_BwE

Ok. My wrinkles might be too big an ask but a nice shiny pillowslip will help keep the mask on.

We sometimes connect dots that were not meant to be connected.

It's easy to picture lots of humid air causing sinus issues but I had sinus issues for many many years before I got a CPAP machine and probably have less now.

The 'experts' seem to consider that dry air might carry as much or more risk than humid air.

That's my philosophising and stirring done. Now for the radical diversion;

What else can I add to the humidifier other than just boring old water?

Peppermint oil? Eucalyptus leaves? Antiseptic?

Something that smells like roses and turns the water a pretty pink?

Should I add "Don't try this at home" in anticipation?

Hi BrightOliveAlbatross1947

You have been using CPAP for a long time!

What were your numbers at the start and what are they now?

Sorry renrenbri.

I was just using a term that for me meant that the mattress comes with a simple base but not a traditional bed. What we actually bought was a king size base and mattress set that is in four pieces. (split) The mattresses actually are intended to be zipped together when it is being used as a king bed.

I doubt that they usually test for apnea on the side because the first time is so uncomfortable and the patient has such a sense of awareness that sleeping on the back is virtually the only option.

Most snoring is dramatically worse on the back and virtually none existent on the side so I doubt that your husbands numbers are that unusual.

It is important to do all you can to help him but you also need to attend to your own needs because insomnia is a real struggle even without all the other complications.

We bought the bed you seem to be describing and yes we use separate sheets and bedding but keep them together most of the time.

The bedding is still whatever we have, single, double, queen because they still adapt and we hate to waste them but the beds are effectively extra long single which are not easy to find affordable linen for.

If our present room was a bit bigger we would have bought two king singles instead because the linen is easier to find.

They are freestanding and on wheels so if I get restless the wife just edges her bed away a few inches so it isn't getting shaken and life goes on.

I don't want to be the one to say it but there seems to be no real connection between apnea and these other sleep disorders excepting that they make each other worse. There seems to be little evidence that removing one will remove the other although we all desperately wish it were otherwise.

Hi Michael

It does sound like apnea which I guess is why you are in this forum but a few questions are in order.

You don't snore ...... even if you are on your back?

Do you have a partner who can reassure you of this?

What do you think wakes you the first time?

Have you spoken to your doctor?

I am very lucky that the woman I married 38 years ago has extreme patience and is incredibly calm and tolerant.

I'm sure that she has been disturbed endlessly through the years and sported a bruise or two from time to time that I was unaware of, to such an extent that it was only after launching myself out of bed a number of times and breaking things within range of the bed that I started taking precautions, and even then it was mostly because we often had a small grandchild in the bed with us.

Once I saw the dangers I started sleeping on the floor when there were toddlers around and then improvised a bunk for myself in an enclave and eventually we switched to the split king bed and moved the kids out of our room.

Even so I think my restlessness and the regular kicking as well as the more violent movements and the added distraction of the CPAP and the occasions when I am calling out in my sleep are becoming a significant deterrent even for her, with the outcome that she is reluctant to settle down to sleep until most of the night has expired.

It is not sustainable and I'm not sure that any part of it is fixable. Where it goes from here depends on me getting a handle on some of these sleep disorders but it's not looking good at this stage.

I am very reluctant to venture into using dopamine agonists like pramipexole so I guess that I too am desperately looking for alternatives.

If anyone out there can help in any way PLEASE let us know.

There are numerous small steps that could be helpful for your husband many of which he has most likely figured out already like training himself to sleep on his side and on the edge of the bed.

One advantage of detatchable beds is being able to get oversized sheets and loosely tuck them in, effectively restraining excessive leg movements and keeping him in the bed. Unfortunately this does not effectively restrain upper body movement.

Most things that cause loss of sleep are themselves made worse by loss of sleep so anything that impacts adversely on sleep needs avoidance (alcohol, caffeine etc) and problems like congestion and allergies need urgent intervention.

As far as apnea is concerned it is likely that he will need a CPAP machine eventually but if you work together and he is lucky that day could still be a few years down the track.

Although I do have some experience with these problems I can't claim to have found any real solutions so I feel that this is a classic case of the blind leading the blind.

As per usual there are too many tangled threads here.

Until i became involved with this forum i had naively considered apnea to be a solo venture.

Its obviously a long way from that.

I would like to believe that most sufferers would address the issue far sooner if they were really aware of the impact on their partners.