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Cpap and getting better sleep: What's your experience?
I was in the hospital for pneumonia and while I was getting a nebulizer treatment the therapist asked if I use a Cpap at home, at the time I didn't have one. Now mind you I was only sleeping for 2 hrs a night during my pneumonia bout (2 weeks) and the therapist asked if I were open to using a BPAP (what they call it in a hospital) it was a large machine and I said of course. Upon using it I still only slept for 2 hours but it was a very restful 2 hours of sleep and was welcomed. I told my Pulmonologist and got set up for a sleep study, and it is all history. I sleep more restful (have much less visits to the bathroom at night) and use it religiously. Medicare covered my testing and machine. After my test my doc told me I stopped breathing x amount of times a minute, and was restless (tossed and turned) an ungodly amount of time during my test. On the follow up test (with the Cpap) the number decreased significantly. My sister snores like a constant thunder storm and she went for a test and got her Cpap, and now she doesn't snore at all and tells me she sleeps much better.
There are two ways to use the machine, with a nostril mask (so to speak) and a full mask (you usually see on TV movies). The latter is what I use, I couldn't get use to the nostril application, and if you were to catch a cold, I don't know how well it would work, but I use the mask never the less. Hope this helps, and do read the instructions about your machine.
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I am glad you were able to find about and get the cure for sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can be a very dangerous condition if left untreated so it is good you got your sister treated as well. It can be genetic in that you inherit a palate (upper part of mouth) that is soft and can collapse. My father had sleep apnea. CPAP and BPAP are two different machines. CPAP is continuous in that it monitors the pressure you need and increases the pressure if needed. BPAP is also know as Bi-PAP and provides in and out pressure at a set level. Thank you for providing your experience and alerting others to this condition.
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2 ReactionsHi, @steve1948 -- wondering how it's going with your sleep and the CPAP?
@johnhans-- sounds like you have a CPAP as well? Is yours working well for you?
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1 ReactionMy CPAP machine is working well. I have been told by my lung doctor that I only need come back every 2 years for a checkup since it is doing so well for me. Thank you for asking Lisa.
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2 ReactionsThat's really good news, @johnhans. Glad the CPAP is working well.
In your case, did your doctor find your sleep apnea to be genetic, then, due to a soft/collapsible palate?
My father-in-law was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 7-8 years ago, and I know the CPAP made a huge difference for him in sleep quality, and I think for my mother-in-law's peace of mind, too. One of his sons, my brother-in-law, was also found to have sleep apnea this past year and now also uses a CPAP.
Wondering if you could share anything your doctor may have shared with you about the genetic component of this condition?
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2 ReactionsMy doctor just noted that there is sometimes a genetic factor. Research has shown the link. Please see this government study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699830/ to see all the genetic factors involved. It is good to note that there is a large minority who are not overweight and still have sleep apnea. As the study notes, the throat and face help determine the if sleep apnea is going to occur.
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2 ReactionsI would have never guessed I had sleep apnea. A month or so ago I had a test ordered for a home sleep apnea study with an oximeter by a Mayo doctor treating me for lymphedema and swelling in my right leg. He did a great job of asking me some key questions and then ordered a few extra tests to help with health issues not directly tied to my lymphedema. The home study identified that I had obstructive sleep apnea and after meeting with the Sleep Medicine doctor to go over the results, he ordered the overnight study that gathers a lot more detailed information than the home study with the oximeter.
Sunday evening I went into the Clinic for my overnight sleep study and it was eye opening for me. Mayo Clinic Sleep Medicine is really good at making you feel comfortable and how the test is done. They even have you watch a 10 minute video of an actual overnight test that used an actor just so you would get the feel of what happens during the test. I thought the video was helpful and took away a little of the apprehension I was having. Monday morning after the test I had a followup with the Sleep Medicine doctor again to go over the results. I did find out on a scale of 5 to 55 for apnea with 55 being severe obstructive sleep apnea, my number was at 52. The doctor wrote a prescription for the CPAP machine and I picked it up at the Mayo Store and used it last night. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but it is different. I did feel a little better today but I'm hoping it will help me get back some energy.
A special thank you to Jim @thankful for the full mask recommendation. They gave me the full mask that I used during the second part of the overnight study and the doctor said they will give me another one with the CPAP machine and it doesn't have to be the same so I picked out a F&P Simplus because it had a smooth turning tube in the mask that moved very easy. I thought it would be better than the one I used at the Clinic and I was right - very easy and a good fit. No leaks around the mask last night.
John
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3 ReactionsI saw a neurologist at Mayo for follow-up after an episode of Transient Global Amnesia. She ordered the overnight oximetry test which showed evidence of apnea. The Mayo sleep doctor ordered a sleep study test but my insurance would not cover a stay in the lab. I went over to Gonda at night and was wired by a tech then I went back to my hotel wearing my sleep study gear! Good thing this was in Rochester, MN! I have been using a CPAP for about a year. I have found Mayo Clinic Connect to be invaluable in terms of help with some of the problems from using a CPAP...things like what to do about dry mouth, etc. Good Luck and welcome to the club,
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4 Reactions@johnbishop- John, so glad the in hospital sleep study went well and you were able to find a good mask! In my opinion, the mask is the most important part especially early on. If you can sleep comfortably with the mask, then the rest will go well. It took me about 2 weeks to fully get used to it and now I'm almost unaware I even have it on. Even if I decide to take a short mid afternoon siesta, I will use the C pap and always wake up refreshed! And now the REMS begin....
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2 ReactionsHey JB,
I'm not sure if you were looking for feedback or were just posting your situation.
The scale referred to is the AHI scale and measures like this:
Normal sleep: Fewer than 5 events per hour
Mild sleep apnea: 5 to 14 events per hour
Moderate sleep apnea: 15 to 29 events per hour
Severe sleep apnea: 30 or more events per hour
So your 52 is a big deal. Fifty two times an hour your breathing/oxygen saturation is disrupted, blasting adrenaline thru your system and putting your heart health at risk.
My diagnosis put me at a 60 and with a breathing pattern referred to as Cheyne-Stokes which complicates the issue. Between the two I developed an arrhythmia called PVCs that, based on my last two 72 hour monitors, average 32,000 a day... a deadly combination.
I share this because after less than 60 nights on my ASV machine (by Res-Med w/water chamber), my AHI average for the last 10 days has been 6. And equally important is that my daily PVC load has come down dramatically. I'll be on a monitor again in about 3 weeks and am confident it will show me closer to 5,000/day.
So, my message to you, John, is to take this seriously - know your mask will take a while for you to get used to using thru the night and your mask will periodically leak, but hang in there - use your machine diligently and you'll see improvements in your rest, energy and general health!
Best, John
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5 Reactions@menotpvcs, Thank you John! I knew it wasn't good. Funny story - I was showing one of the doctors at a local clinic my Kardia ECG readout on my phone and he thought it showed some PVCs but he took my phone with him and showed it to a couple of other docs and they thought it was minor. I take the ECG everyday for history and it normally shows a "normal" ECG but once in awhile it will tell me it's unclassified or possible AFIB. I had told the doctor about this too and he compared with a recent ECG I had and didn't think it was abnormal. I have an app on my phone that downloads the data via bluetooth from my CPAP machine. It showed my AHI as 17.4 for the 8 hours of sleep last night using the CPAP. The doctor is looking to get the number down around 4 for the AHI. I have an appointment in about 8 weeks where I have to take the machine back and they download the data.
John
P.S. - I really do take it seriously even though I make some jokes about it sometimes.
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