We use cookies and other tools to enhance your experience on our website and to analyze our web traffic.
For more information about these cookies and the data collected, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

Introduce Yourself!

40 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
obbyone +0 points · about 5 years ago

I am a 43 years old male. I was diagnosed with OSA 3 years ago. Used a CPAP for 2 years, but somehow it became CSA since it damaged my brain due to the high pressureof the machine. I am now on BiPAP and having my AHI < 5. My blood pressure is now normal, sugar levels and my brain memory issues.

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

It is not uncommon for someone diagnosed with OSA to develop CSA on treatment. Normally it resolves itself in a few weeks. It did not for me. I think one of the issues is that in auto mode a CPAP can use too much pressure. I have improved my AHI by going to fixed pressure CPAP and by limiting the pressure.

779 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Biguglygremlin +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Hi obbyone, Welcome to the forum. Where were you diagnosed and who initiated your treatment?

3 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
eupillsinfo +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hello everyone, I am a pharmacist, want to join discussions related to online medicine.

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

I have a question for you. What are the common prescription and over the counter drugs that could cause or aggravate central apnea?

3 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
eupillsinfo +0 points · about 5 years ago

Aggravate Central Apnea is the problem when the brain of patient stops working temporarily and do not send messages to the muscles which control the breathing process. Vilafinil 200mg is the most recommended medicine to boost up the brain and solve out all related problems. If you are a local USA resident an easy way to get this medicine is online pharmacy https://modashop.is/shop/vilafinil-200

779 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Biguglygremlin +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Lol can I get that to go ....... and in English! :)

Or is it just my browser playing up?

I think it's only available for narcolepsy in Australia I guess they don't want too many students using it.

3 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
eupillsinfo +0 points · about 5 years ago

Used in USA and German too!!! It is to boost up brain ability to learn more quickly without tiredness.

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

I was more asking about drugs which could cause central apnea, rather than ones that could help reduce it. I believe the Vilafinil is a brand name of the modafinil generic. I have a vague recollection of someone posting that they were taking this type of drug to address the side effects (daytime sleepiness) of apnea, but it in turn was preventing them from getting a deep sleep.

779 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Biguglygremlin +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Hi eupillinfo,

Welcome to the forum. What kind of discussions did you have in mind?

1 post
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
phil +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hi I was diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea.. Im getting my cpap today but honestly I freaking out a little.. Mask and air make me panicky.. Hopefully I can overcome the anxiety part..anyone else have this issue?

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

Welcome to the forum. I certainly was anxious and suffered for it when I started using the CPAP. I suspect it is fairly normal. That said, there are a few things that may help some. The default minimum pressure on these things is 4 cm. That is quite low, and can be uncomfortable for going to sleep. If you have not picked up the machine yet, I would ask them to set up the minimum to about 7 cm if they are agreeable given your degree of apnea. The other thing to do is try using the machine and mask while watching TV. This will give you some time to get used to it, rather than trying it for the first time at bedtime. Hope that helps some.

3 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
jasmith +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hi Phil I haven't been on my cpap machine very long either. I was anxious at first, but it helped to talk to a friend of mine that night before I started using it. and it seemed to help, as he had been using his for nearly 3 years. I am also a very nervous person, and suffered a really bad anxiety attack afew days after starting to use my machine. It wasn't so much the machine that I was concerned about, it was more the reason why I had to use it. Thats what did it for me.

13 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
MountainGoat +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hi All,

I started another thread about what experiences people's had with objective medical tests like blood tests to show an improvement possibly due to CPAP, but as a further introduction, reposting my intro from that post here.

I was referred for a sleep study as I suffer from type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypertension, obesity (31 BMI), polycythaemia and elevated haematocrit, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol as well as low testosterone. The doctor who referred me felt that the only way all of these can come together is due to OSA and that treating this will resolve a lot of these issues.

During the sleep study done in May 2017, I was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea, AHI 31.5. Due to the quality of the sleep study, which by the looks of it from other's comments here are pretty standard, I wasn't convinced that CPAP was really indicated. My reason for this was that the study found only 2.9 events per hour of obstructive apnea when on my back (NREM) and zero for other positions, including during REM sleep, for an average of 1.1 NREM and 0 REM. The hypopnea events though was a lot higher at 31.9 NREM and 26.7 REM. The thing is, I don't sleep on my back and the NREM OA events of 2.9/hr was actually while I was awake, waiting for day to break.

After subsequent visits to an ENT and a pulmonologist, both recommending CPAP, I decided to take the plunge. Interestingly enough, and admittedly after only three nights of use, the machine reflects similar findings to the sleep study with an average of 0.43 obstructive and 0.73 hypopnea events. However, the clear airway events are 4.57 average, pushing the AHI up to 5.73. The sleep study didn't recognise any of the hypopnea events as central apnea but again understand that often happens with sleep studies.

I started using a ResMed AirSense 10 Autoset with N30i nasal mask three nights ago, but have done a lot of reading on machines, masks, OSA etc. before the time and found this forum to be a fantastic resource. We're currently still fine tuning the settings on the machine, so hopefully the central apnea events can be reduced while maintaining the obstructive and hypopnea events at a low level.

What makes life more complicated for me is that I work at an altitude of 2,200 meter (~7,200 foot) above sea level for up to 16 days at a time, with a break of 7 to 10 days at sea level. This also has an effect on my polycythaemia and elevated haematocrit, as the wonderfully adaptable body adjust for the lower level of oxygen by creating more red blood cells.

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

With all those extra red blood cells have you considered taking up marathon running or long distance biking? Seems to me that those guys do all sorts of devious things to get their blood cell count up. You could do it legally!

581 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
sleeptech +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

"I don't sleep on my back and the NREM OA events of 2.9/hr was actually while I was awake, waiting for day to break."

I know you may have felt like you were awake, you might even swear it on all that is sacred, but I would practically guarantee that you slept a little at least. For any respiratory events to be scored on a study, be they apnoeas, hypopnoeas or any others, your brain must be in sleep for at least 10 seconds, as identified by an EEG. In simple terms, the human brain pretty much sucks at monitoring its own sleep. It's not what it was built for.

Adjusting your machine for altitude is usually fairly simple, depending on the individual machine.

1 post
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
MPutnam +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hello all. I am 38 years old and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 3 years ago. I have been on CPAP and BiPAP since the sleep studies were done. Just last Tuesday I had a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty done. It has been a terrible experience so far, and I am just hoping I made the right decision and that it works. As of right now, my breathing is worse than it was before. It could be due to the swelling, but in any case, it is exhausting. I look forward to reading the topics here.

Mike

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

Welcome to the forum Mike! If you have questions just post as a new topic/thread.

33 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
MarkHanson +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hello, Patience tied to persistence are the most important attributes of this process. If I read you right you experienced basic training - and so you know that resilience leads to survival leads to success. But something the service did not explicitly tell you was that determination is essential. Believe in your own decision on the decisions for your sleep and give yourself the time to succeed. The only magic-bullet is the one you build for yourself - in your brain (determination) - give it time. You just invited trauma . NOw allow healing.
PS there is no magic!

1 post
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
weddingvideo +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hi everyone! I'm 48 and identified I likely had sleep apnea about a year ago. An at home sleep test confirmed it and I started with the Phillips Dreamstation APAP last night. I'm finding a dearth of information from my providers beyond what to do and how to use the equipment. I was happy to find this forum. It looks like a good place to really learn what's going on with my body and this treatment. My thanks in advance to all the helpful people who are taking the time to share and give advice.

779 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Biguglygremlin +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Hi weddingvideo

Welcome to the forum.

How is all the gear working for you so far?

149 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sherry +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Commentator

Welcome to MyApnea.Org! I am happy you are finding useful information on this site. It is a wonderful resource.

209 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
bonjour +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Commentator

My story: Like many here I did NOT have sleep apnea, I didn't stop breathing in my sleep, I didn't snore. Sound familiar. JUST to tell her "I TOLD YOU SO" I took a sleep study. I had 90 events per hour, an AHI of 90!! Go figure.

I didn't have a problem, I was driving off freeways at exits because I was driving to stay on the road. It was the rumble strips on the side of the city road that woke me up, rumble strips you ask, most know them as driveways, I was driving across driveways, and scared to admit it. my 2nd sleep study was the titration study, and I woke at 5:30am actually feeling awake and refreshed, I was stunned! My DME told me 6-8 weeks to get a CPAP device and I said no way. I said find one elsewhere and I'll travel as far as it takes to get it. End result was about 1.5 weeks to get an appointment and the device, and I've never looked back. My Rx was CPAP (brick) at 19 cmH2O (could only get 18) and I took to it like a duck to water. I was lucky, I was immediately feeling better. That was in 2003. I'm currently on the Sleepyhead Development team and a frequent contributor to an Apnea WIKI. My typical AHI is now around .5 with a ResMed Aircurve VAuto averaging a fairly steady pressure of around 15 with a PS of 4.

3 posts
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
jasmith +0 points · about 5 years ago

Hi Everyone, For absolute years I have been trying to lose weight. Getting up to go to the bathroom a lot through the night. Doctor at the time just said that it was because I was getting older etc etc. For a while I have been getting swelling in the lower legs and feet, a sign that the heart is not working as effectively as it should be. Exasperated with everything I told the Doctor something has to be wrong. Finally with all the blood tests done, there was only one more test to do, and that was the sleep test. So went to the sleep lab on the 18th of Dec 2018. After being hooked up for an hour, they came in and told me that I fit the criteria. Before I new it they were fitting a mask and telling me to go back to sleep. A bit scary. I was having 60 events per hour, no wonder I felt like I did for so long. Anyway in the morning when I woke up, I felt great and could not believe that I hadn't gotten up once to go to the bathroom. That is my story, but I am now struggling with the machine. I have lost 9 kilo's, so wondering if the pressure is now too high. I am waking at least once in the night, feeling like I am tingling or vibrating on the inside. No pain, just weird. It's almost like I am getting to much air. Has anyone else felt like this, would be interested to know.

779 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Biguglygremlin +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Enthusiast

Hi jasmith

You've come to the right place.

Why don't you start a new topic with some details about your gear.

(back to forum/start new topic)

3,156 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
Sierra +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Patron

Welcome to the forum. If you start a new thread with the concerns you have about your pressure possibly being too high with your weight loss, that would be a better place to discuss it. As BUG suggests, post with your exact machine manufacturer and model, and as much as you know about the current pressure settings.

In this really long thread things tend to get lost....

209 posts
bio
Was this reply useful? Learn more...
   
[-]
bonjour +0 points · about 5 years ago Sleep Commentator

I highly recommend that you become a vocal consumer. You want to get an Auto-CPAP IMHO the ResMed Airsense 10 Autoset (or the Autoset for her) These are the most flexible of the CPAP machines and if needed or desired you can even look at what is happening for the entire night right down to the breath by breath basis. It will make it easy to change your settings, or see that you need to change them just with sharing your nightly charts here. Also note that you will have this machine for 5+ years.

Please be advised that these posts may contain sensitive material or unsolicited medical advice. MyApnea does not endorse the content of these posts. The information provided on this site is not intended nor recommended as a substitute for advice from a health care professional who has evaluated you.