Among Friends

[qvc chick]

I did a sleep study a few weeks ago.  I am not a great sleeper, usually average 5-6 hours a night.

So results came back, that I have a mild case of sleep apnea.  They want me to wear the device.  Ugh. 

I am surprised that I have it.  I do not snore, and never wake up short of breath.

Any suggestions?

[ECBG]

Insurance should pay for that.  When we sleep, we're not always aware of our own breathing problems which can end up life threatening.

Best course would be to go through your primary care.  Good luck.

[Bird mama]

That's the nature of sleep apnea - you don't necessarily waking up gasping for air.  I worked with a guy many years ago who had sleep apnea.  He didn't feel rested and he also didn't wake up gasping for air.

One day he nodded out and fell out of his desk chair.  They did sleep studies and he had sleep apnea.

[ALRATIBA]

A friend recently did one of those over-night sleep studies.

She has some sort of contraption that she has to wear in her mouth now when she goes to bed.  It's been a couple of weeks and she's finally getting use to it.

[RetRN]

If you have sleep apnea you definitely need to be using a CPAP device. Sleep apnea should not be ignored.

[Alison Wonderland]

My suggestion is get a CPAP. but before you do, you may want to investigate two things:

1. A dental device that can solve the issue for some patients. You would need to be evaluated by a dentist. If you have mild sleep apnea, you may be a good candidate for a dental device instead of a CPAP.
2. "Tattletale" software that comes with some CPAP devices. Some CPAP devices come with hardware and software that record your usage and then send that information back to your insurance company to let them know if you are compliant with the doctor's orders. There are cases where insurance companies have received these reports and ended coverage for a CPAP device or demanded payment for the device because they analyzed the output of the software and determined the person was noncompliant with device usage. If you get a CPAP, ask questions about that type of software and if your device has it, make sure you're willing to be compliant with it.

[RedTop]

The test results are accurate and should be taken seriously.   If you are surprised by the diagnosis, you will likely be even more surprised at how much better you feel once you start using a c-pap!

[Catlady Nicole]

I've been a CPAP user for a year and a half now.  My sleep study revealed that I stopped breathing an average of 40 times an hour!  No wonder I was so tried!  I'm not a big snorer either, and also never woke up short of breath.  I actually had a sleep study done about 10 years prior to this one and at the time my results were also mild sleep apnea, to the point that the doctor didn't feel I absolutely had to have a CPAP machine, so I didn't.  It obviously progressed to a more serious situation.  And yes, I did gain some weight too, that is a big contributor to sleep apnea, but not the only cause.  Sleep apnea can lead to very serious heath issues if left untreated, the shortage of oxygen during the apnea episodes is very hard on the heart and really, the whole body.

That beings said, yes, it is a little odd to get used to the mask, I'm fortunate that I can use what they call nasal pillows so it's a little less obtrusive.  I'm still a poor sleeper as far as staying asleep all night, but I can say the sleep I do get is definitely better quality with the mask.  In fact, if I happen to doze off on the couch, I wake feeling horrible, exhausted.  If I feel like I need a nap, I'll go to bed so I can use my machine.  It's like a security blanket to me now, I know I'll feel OK when I wake.  Insurance does cover most of my expenses, save for a small copay on replacement supplies, and the machine copay was spread out over a year so it was affordable too. 

I read in bed every night and my mask is now a part of my routine; lotion, lip balm, mask, glasses, Kindle, and rest!  I've also travelled with my machine, and while it is an extra bag, it's not huge or heavy, and I know I'll get better sleep.

Hope this helps you consider all your options 

[piperbay]

In the meantime, it will help if you sleep on your side. I would try the dental appliance first if your case is mild.

[SchippyLuv]

I wear a Garmin Fitness Tracker which records my SP02 overnight. I noticed that my readings dropped into the 70s at night and I couldn't get them over 80 during the day.

Being chained to a hose and mask is not my cup of tea, so I started researching like crazy. I came up with a gizmo called "Expand-a-lung" breathing fitness exerciser. It was apparently designed to help athletes perform better, expecially scuba divers. It has been used successfully by Navy Seals.

So - I've been using it for about two months and my numbers don't fall below 88 at night and stay around 95 during the day. I have asthma, so my doc is pleased and so am I...

Hope this helps!