Sleep Apnea

[Buffdaddy54]

Anyone else here suffering from sleep apnea? I'll be ordering a new Cpap machine as soon as insurance tells me how much I can spend. Any recommendations along with what mask?

[NYWayfarer]

I suffered from sleep apnea years ago. Mine was weight related. When I weighed over 210 pounds I would have stop breathing in my sleep. I dropped down to 190 lbs and have no more apnea. I have maintained that weight for over 3 years now.

 

When I had my machine I made sure I had two kinds of masks. The one that just fits over your nose and the full face kind. The nose one was for normal sleeping nights. The full mask was for when I had congestion problems that prevented me from breathing through my nose.

 

They have much better and smaller machines than I had now. They advertise one on the radio that fits in the palm of your hand. Mine was a ResMed. worked great and easy to clean. The filter was washable so I didn't have to spend money on disposable ones.

[SDoolittle]

40 minutes ago, NYWayfarer said:

I suffered from sleep apnea years ago. Mine was weight related.

Same here. I lost 40 lbs, and I haven't had a problem with it since.

[desmobob]

I have severe sleep apnea.  Mask choice is going to be totally personal.  I was able to test three or four different types of masks before I found one that worked for me.  I'm glad that was the case because I hated the first couple of masks I tried.  I use a semi-small mask that covers my mouth and nose.

 

The CPAP machine I use (Respironics REMStarAuto A-Flex) has a water tank but no heater beneath it to increase air moisture levels.  It becomes an issue for me in the winter when the air is dry.  I wish I had chosen a machine that had adjustable moisture control.  It is available as an add-on for my machine and I hope to get one before next winter.

 

Tight lines,

Bob

 

 

[dave]

I've been tempted to try the nose only mask.  I agree with the congestion issue.  I have a Respironics Dream Station.

 

[desmobob]

1 hour ago, dave said:

I've been tempted to try the nose only mask.  I agree with the congestion issue.  I have a Respironics Dream Station.

 

I apparently tend to breathe through my mouth when sleeping, so the nose-only is not an option for me (but I sure wish it was).   My mask goes up higher than the one pictured; up to the bridge of my nose.  That one looks interesting...

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[dave]

I always thought I breathed through my mouth a lot too.   After a year on the CPAP,  I am too asleep to tell.

 

I sleep like a rock for the first four to six hours (maybe the vodka helps) up until my nightly leak.  After that,  a little less restful and I am very aware of the mask.

[Buffdaddy54]

2 hours ago, dave said:

I always thought I breathed through my mouth a lot too.   After a year on the CPAP,  I am too asleep to tell.

 

I sleep like a rock for the first four to six hours (maybe the vodka helps) up until my nightly leak.  After that,  a little less restful and I am very aware of the mask.

Boy oh boy, how I would love to be able to say I've had a good 4-6 hours of sleep a night

[NYWayfarer]

12 hours ago, Buffdaddy54 said:

Boy oh boy, how I would love to be able to say I've had a good 4-6 hours of sleep a night

I didn't know what a real night sleep was until I got the CPAP machine.

 

Prior to getting it I would fall asleep everywhere. Watching a movie from start to finish was almost impossible. People thought I had narcolepsy.

 

I really needed that machine back then. I am glad I don't anymore though.

[Mr Swim Jig]

I have the Philips Respironics System One Auto CPAP and Humidifier machine and I have a nasal mask and a full face mask.

 

I went and saw my ENT doctor last year and he fixed my nasal passages and then removed my tonsils and reshaped my uvula and that fixed my sleep apena...

 

Well worth the pain and suffering from the surgery...

[frosty]

Thankfully no I don’t have it, I had to be tested for my CDL, since I’m a fatty mcfat, came back clear, but my mom does have it, I’m in the dieting process to lose weight to reduce my odds of getting it. 

[NHBull]

If you can sleep with your mouth closed, the new noser nose pieces work well.

 

Hope that loosing 30 lbs will fix everything 

[burrows]

Yeah I sleep with this cpap mask sucks I call it a torture device wake up with lines all over your face drys my mouth got to get up in the middle of the night to refill the stupid humidifier.... Better than not breathing I’ll tell you that!!!!

[dave]

Check your humidity settings.  If I make sure I am full of distilled water when I go to bed,  I have never once run dry.

[NYWayfarer]

14 hours ago, Burros said:

Yeah I sleep with this cpap mask sucks I call it a torture device wake up with lines all over your face drys my mouth got to get up in the middle of the night to refill the stupid humidifier.... Better than not breathing I’ll tell you that!!!!

Lines on the face from the straps that last all day. Straps pulling hair out so much so I thought I was going to go bald in places. Dry mouth from when the mask shifts during the night. Not to mention mask shifts create a woosh of air that would wake my wife.

 

I agree better than not breathing but so glad to not need it anymore. The hair loss alone was enough to make sure I keep my weight in check.

[Bass Turd]

On 4/5/2018 at 12:47 PM, desmobob said:

I apparently tend to breathe through my mouth when sleeping, so the nose-only is not an option for me (but I sure wish it was).   My mask goes up higher than the one pictured; up to the bridge of my nose.  That one looks interesting...

 

Tight lines,

Bob

This is what I use. Very comfortable. It's on Amazon. By the way... I buy all my supplies on Amazon. Even new masks. It was such a hassle to go thru insurance. I use the smallest mask I could find. Called the nasal pillow. It comes with three different size interchangeable  "pillows" so you can choose the one that fits the best. 

 

[Wurming67]

I had it about 9 years ago I've lost over 100lbs in last 9 years don't have it anymore.

[burrows]

On 4/9/2018 at 12:09 PM, dave said:

Check your humidity settings.  If I make sure I am full of distilled water when I go to bed,  I have never once run dry.

My humidifier is set on 5 always I rather have moisture than dry air. 

4 minutes ago, Burros said:

My humidifier is set on 5 always I rather have moisture than dry air. 

My tongue feels like it’s on fire some mornings seriously. I hate it.

[Boomstick]

I have thought I may suffer from sleep apnea for a very long time now, but I don't really know. Maybe it's just my cat. I have recently lost almost 100lb and no longer snore at night so there's that.

 

Now it seems that I am just ready for bed when my alarm goes off.

[Wurming67]

1 hour ago, Boomstick said:

I have thought I may suffer from sleep apnea for a very long time now, but I don't really know. Maybe it's just my cat. I have recently lost almost 100lb and no longer snore at night so there's that.

 

Now it seems that I am just ready for bed when my alarm goes off.

Do a sleep study your doctor can arrange it

Sleep apena is very dangerous besides what happens when you are sleeping it's when you are awake I was falling asleep at the wheel and got into car accidents , because I wasn't using a mask not getting proper sleep,I would fall asleep in staff meetings snoring and the whole nine

[frosty]

2 hours ago, Wurming67 said:

Do a sleep study your doctor can arrange it

Sleep apena is very dangerous besides what happens when you are sleeping it's when you are awake I was falling asleep at the wheel and got into car accidents , because I wasn't using a mask not getting proper sleep,I would fall asleep in staff meetings snoring and the whole nine

Yep, exactly what my mom experienced. I was concerned I might have it, it’s a requirement to be tested if you meet certain criteria (being fat) for a cdl physical. I don’t have it, my mom assured me the sleepy feeling I have around 2 is nothing like what people experience with sleep apnea. 

[Wurming67]

3 minutes ago, frosty said:

Yep, exactly what my mom experienced. I was concerned I might have it, it’s a requirement to be tested if you meet certain criteria (being fat) for a cdl physical. I don’t have it, my mom assured me the sleepy feeling I have around 2 is nothing like what people experience with sleep apnea. 

Good to hear you don't have it and very smart taking measures to avoid it.

[Way2slow]

Fought with those mask and tried the nose thing for three years.  In 2011 after they put a stint in my heart I decided it was time to change my life.  While I was not grossly overweight for my height and bone structure I was still at 215 pounds, 6'1" and wore 36" pants, a little on the snug side.  I cut out most of the fats and started eating healthier, and within a year I was down to 168 pounds and 32" waist, smaller than I was when I was 14.  Finally had to modify my diet again, that eating healthy was making me loose too much weight so I threw some of my not so healthy foods back in.  Now I keep it below 180 pounds and still wear a 32" waist.

Since I lost the weight, I have not needed the CPAP.  I have not used it since 2012.  I still don't get more than four hours sleep because of joint pains and other problems but at least I don't stop breathing like I did before.  By the way, they blamed the stopping breathing during my sleep for the reason I had to have the stints.  My wife always said I had it for years.

[Buffdaddy54]

8 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

Fought with those mask and tried the nose thing for three years.  In 2011 after they put a stint in my heart I decided it was time to change my life.  While I was not grossly overweight for my height and bone structure I was still at 215 pounds, 6'1" and wore 36" pants, a little on the snug side.  I cut out most of the fats and started eating healthier, and within a year I was down to 168 pounds and 32" waist, smaller than I was when I was 14.  Finally had to modify my diet again, that eating healthy was making me loose too much weight so I threw some of my not so healthy foods back in.  Now I keep it below 180 pounds and still wear a 32" waist.

Since I lost the weight, I have not needed the CPAP.  I have not used it since 2012.  I still don't get more than four hours sleep because of joint pains and other problems but at least I don't stop breathing like I did before.  By the way, they blamed the stopping breathing during my sleep for the reason I had to have the stints.

Yeah, thinking I need to make some changes in diet also. I'm 6'5 260lb. Doc's at Hopkins say I should be no heavier than 220. I've had the Apnea for 15 years,1/2 of those I was not over weight.

[Way2slow]

My wife kept telling me I needed to get checked because I would stop breathing in my sleep when I was a genuine military bad**s, playing GI Joe with the Special Forces, going through Ranger School and all kinds of classified special duty assignments.  I was probably in much better shape than most people. I was a big chested guy and didn't consider myself over weight then.  That's why I blew it off when she complained about it.  It was not until I had retired and 57 years old before I had that sleep study done.  They told me I had a severe case of it.