I think it would be a fascinating topic to discuss the latest ideas on how sleep apnea can be prevented. For example, some research suggests that breast feeding may reduce the risk of sleep apnea.
http://www.pittsburghdentalsleepmedicine.com/prevention-sleep-apnea-starts-breastfeeding/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WomensHealth/story?id=3270215&page=1
I believe SleepyHead works for most, or all, makes/models of CPAP machines. I use a USB SD card reader to enable SleepyHead to read my CPAP machine's SD card via my computer.
http://sleepyhead.jedimark.net/
I am very sorry to hear that. Did you try asking Stanford whether they know of any sleep doctor in Italy who diagnoses RERAs?
It is good that you are getting you nose evaluated. Even a mild degree of breathing obstruction can cause UARS. I have had mild chronic rhinitis (i.e. runny nose) my whole life and it is possible that that may be a contributing factor in causing my UARS. I am currently seeking evaluation for allergies to try to determine the cause of my rhinitis and if it can be treated.
I also usually have cold hands and feet and feel colder than most other people in cool temperatures. My blood pressure is usually a bit low when it is measured at the doctor's office (usually around 90something over 60something) and getting up too quickly can definitely make me feel light headed. I have also fainted multiple times in my life, apparently due to dehydration and low blood volume.
I am still working on adjusting to CPAP therapy. I have found solutions for many of the disturbances that CPAP can create, but still have at least one more CPAP problem left to solve. I am currently trying to train my tongue to stay pressed against the roof of my mouth while I sleep so that the air from my nasal pillows CPAP mask can't get into my mouth and cause mouth leaks (or puff up my cheeks when I have my lips taped closed). When I have accomplished that, hopefully I will be able to sleep better with CPAP. (One sleep doctor told me that developing the ability to use CPAP is kind of like peeling the layers of an onion: first you have to solve your biggest CPAP problem, then your next biggest, and so on.)
This forum does not seem to have private messaging, so I don't know how to exchange email addresses here. I suppose we could use a different website to send private messages to each other, such as cpaptalk.com or patientslikeme.com.
I am curious to know whether the doctor at Stanford thinks you might have UARS, so be sure to post an update when you find out.
It seems that the last comment I wrote here did not show up for some reason. But to summarize again: I have been working very hard at developing that ability to sleep with CPAP, and I am currently able to sleep with it for 4-5 hours. I cannot yet tell for certain whether it provides a therapeutic benefit to my sleep, since I am not yet able to sleep with it for a full night. So, I will continue working on it and give it some more time.
Well, one sleep doctor told me that adjusting to CPAP is kind of like peeling the layers of an onion; first you have to solve your biggest CPAP problem, then your next biggest problem, then the next biggest, and so on, until you reach the point when you can successfully sleep with it. CPAP can create many different situations that can be difficult to sleep through, such as uncomfortable masks, air leaks, noises, getting too hot, drying you out, pushing into the stomach, tubing management issues, etc. Some people are able to sleep with CPAP the first time they ever try it, but this is unusual and is more likely for someone who tends to be a very sound sleeper and who can sleep through significant disturbances, not for a light sleeper like me. I have found solutions that work for me for many of the challenges of CPAP, but not all of them yet. I have tried several different types of masks, made some helpful modifications to my current mask, and I have developed understanding of how to use the machine's settings. It feels I have become a bit of a CPAP engineer! At first I could not even fall asleep with the CPAP on, but with more time and effort I developed that ability, but would wake up immediately. Then I figured out what was causing me to wake up and solved that problem, followed by several others. Just a few days ago, I achieved another breakthrough which has enabled me to stay asleep for 4-5 hours with the CPAP on, but I still wake up after that and cannot go back to sleep. I think I may have experienced a hint of therapeutic benefit from the CPAP the past few nights, but it's still too early to say for sure without having ever experienced a full night of sleep with it.
Maybe CPAP isn't the right treatment for you. You could ask your doctor about alternatives, such as a dental device or surgery.
Just saw your question about oxygen levels. The lowest oxygen saturation in my sleep study was 95% and I only had two desaturation events of at 3% or more from baseline.
