Sleep Apnea – A Sleeping Epidemic

last night for the first time as i was falling asleep i would awake not realizing i wasn’t breathing but feeling a burst adrenaline for about 2 seconds and feel really light headed. After this was happening repeatedly i realized my breathing slowed as i tried to sleep and i guess i would wake myself up because of the lack of oxygen to my head. the morning after i felt really foggy and couldn’tt really think at all.

Some people stop breathing periodically while they sleep. This condition is called sleep apnea. It is commonly caused by a blockage or obstruction in the patients airway that occurs when the patients falls asleep and the muscles relax. Patients with sleep apnea may stop breathing hundreds of times at night., and snore loudly when they start to breath again. This interrupts their sleep, and they often very tired during the day.

Treatment in many cases consist of the use of a device that delivers pressure to the airway while the patient sleeps; this pressure holds the air way open. This device is called a CPAP ( Pronounced see-pap which stands for Continuous positive airway pressure. A mask is placed on the patients face and held in place with a head strap.Then the doctor can adjust oxygen levels with the mask.

Can the mask eventually open up the airway overtime without using it anymore? I feel a little bit better and sometimes I feel like i dont have to use it.

In general, no. It merely supports the airway and does not change it in any way. But then I don’t know anything about you or your type of sleep apnea so I can only surmise that most patients improve on CPAP therapy but will always need it.
If you were extremely obese and lost a lot of weight the sleep apnea could improve but otherwise not likely. It would be best to ask your pulmonologist about it. He/she would know your particular case and what the chances might be.
God bless.

I was just diagnosed this week with sleep apnea and have to go in to the sleep lab in a couple of weeks to get a setting for a CPAP machine. My question is about aquiring the machine itself. Do I aquire one myself or does the sleep lab send a catalogue or “provide” (at my insurance company’s expense) a CPAP machine?

the sleep lab will get it for you and fit it to you.

they may give you options for brand and features.

be sure to get the humidifier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By surgery, or with a CPAP machine at home for breathing. If you are overweight, try losing some pounds. Sleep with your neck hyper-extended (tip your head all the way back), this forces the airway open for mouth breathing. Talk to your doctor for choices that are available to you.

I’ve just been diagnosed with central, obstructive and complex sleep apnea, as well as hypopnea. Does anyone have any info on these afflictions? Maybe I’m being a bit of a hypochondriac, but what I’ve read so far sounds kind of scary.

It can be scary if untreated. There is a respirator type mask you can be fitted wiyh to relieve the symptoms.

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im on cpap. presure 8 . not enough . going to do third sleep study. 4th mask now. m 44

I would need to know the severity of your sleep apnea to give you all the possible treatment options. But from what you have provided, it sounds like you feel that CPAP at 8cmH2O pressure is not enough. Another CPAP titration (“3rd sleep study”) sounds like what you are having and hopefully they will be able to tell you better if the CPAP at 8 is enough to control your apnea. CPAP can go up to a max of 20, so they have room to work with. If 8 is no longer enough, weight gain or aging could cause you to need more pressure over a period of time. I assume they have you on CPAP fixed at 8 because a previous sleep study (CPAP titration) showed that 8 was good for you. I also would try to get one on one help with mask fit. Getting the right mask if half of the battle.
Options instead or in conjuction with CPAP:
1. A mouth piece to keep lower jaw forward at night (given to you by a trained dentist in sleep apnea mouth pieces)
2. weight loss or bariatric surgery
3. ENT surgeon consult, since a large uvula, high arching palate, or large tonsils can increase apnea
4. if your apnea is mostly on your back, you can try a device like the Zzoma that keeps you sleeping only on your side (http://www.zzomasleep.com/about.htm)

I hope this helps some, Good Luck!
And props to you for treating your sleep apnea, it is a serious disease and CPAP can extend and increase your quality of life!!

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My husband is getting really tired of wearing the CPAP mask and I’m getting sick of the sound.

YES THERE IS!! I have discovered a miracle! Actually my sister did, but for now I’m taking credit for it.

The rightfully named website http://www.nomask.info has a ton of information on how you can NOT sleep with your Cpap mask ANYMORE! I’ve had sleep apnea for years and I just love this alternative. Its the only one of its kind and its just amazing. I highly recommend that you try this stuff and get rid of your CPAP machine for good!

Very. I have severe sleep apnea and it kinda shut down puberty. I found out I had sleep apnea when I was 40.

Problems for undiagnosed sleep apnea include weight gain, physical problems, sleepiness.

Nowadays its more well known. When I was a kid they didn’t even have a therapy for it, even if they knew you had it!

The sleep titration study, the hospital gig where they find out if you have it, is easy. The therapy, a machine that helps you sleep, is easy. So get that taken care of!

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Can anyone with central sleep apnea or experience with central sleep apnea tell me if a common symptom is being startled out of sleep? For instance if someone wakes you up, rather than you waking up on your own, if you wake up panicked and gasping for air? Any input would be GREATLY appreciated =)

Thanks!
-Brittan

P.S. I currently have massive pressure in my head, wake up very startled, am exhausted all day, never feel rested and have a brain tumor in the Pons of my brain.
Actually I haven’t been to a doctor for regular sleep apnea yet. I’m trying to set up an appointment with my oncologist to see if she can refer me.

Panicked and gasping for air, falling asleep during the day, being tired all the time are symptoms of sleep apnea. Get yourself evaluated by a pulmonologist at a sleep center.

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