Sleep Apnea - Page 2

TootyJane · ‎03-14-2010

Jubilant - my husband's snoring became a BIG issue between us. I kept telling him that he was snoring, our kids told him he was snoring. He didn't believe us even after I taped him snoring!! A sound machine and earplugs didn't help. I had to go to bed before him to get some sleep! Then, I woke up around 2am one night because of the snoring. As I was lying in bed, knowing that it would now be impossible to fall back asleep, I suddenly realized that had had stopped breathing! I knew then that I had to lay down the law and force him to go to the doctor and ask for a sleep study. I got the tape recorder out and taped it. This next morning I told him, let him listen to the recording and then I said if you aren't going to call the doctor I will. His PCP was unsympathetic. His excuse for my husband is that many people snore and don't have sleep apnea!! Wait - what??? The next thing to do was a trip to the ENT doctor. In the meantime, I had obtained the name of a sleep specialist and made the appointment. I went with him and took along my IPhone so she could hear what I was talking about. After meeting with her, the sleep study was scheduled. He went in from 9pm to 5am and he was not a happy camper!! When he got home that morning I asked how it went. He told me that he didn't sleep at all because of the wires, the noises, people checking on him, etc. I said I'm sure you slept but the sleep study will tell us. We went to the follow up appointment the next week. The doctor gave us a copy of the report. Yes, my husband has sleep apnea and, oh, by the way, he stopped breathing 86 times in an hour!! I'm not going to lie, he absolutely hates the CPAP machine but he now knows that he needs to use it. Although he says he doesn't feel any different using the CPAP, I definitely can tell that he is sleeping better and his disposition is better - he isn't as crabby and moody! Sleep Apnea is a serious health issue. Now, as a spouse of a CPAP user, I was told that the CPAP is practically whisper quiet. It definitely isn't. I need to use earplugs but at least the bed doesn't shake from all that snoring! Good luck to both you and your husband!!

DottieBlue · ‎03-11-2010

@TootyJane wrote:
Jubilant - my husband's snoring became a BIG issue between us. I kept telling him that he was snoring, our kids told him he was snoring. He didn't believe us even after I taped him snoring!! A sound machine and earplugs didn't help. I had to go to bed before him to get some sleep! Then, I woke up around 2am one night because of the snoring. As I was lying in bed, knowing that it would now be impossible to fall back asleep, I suddenly realized that had had stopped breathing! I knew then that I had to lay down the law and force him to go to the doctor and ask for a sleep study. I got the tape recorder out and taped it. This next morning I told him, let him listen to the recording and then I said if you aren't going to call the doctor I will. His PCP was unsympathetic. His excuse for my husband is that many people snore and don't have sleep apnea!! Wait - what??? The next thing to do was a trip to the ENT doctor. In the meantime, I had obtained the name of a sleep specialist and made the appointment. I went with him and took along my IPhone so she could hear what I was talking about. After meeting with her, the sleep study was scheduled. He went in from 9pm to 5am and he was not a happy camper!! When he got home that morning I asked how it went. He told me that he didn't sleep at all because of the wires, the noises, people checking on him, etc. I said I'm sure you slept but the sleep study will tell us. We went to the follow up appointment the next week. The doctor gave us a copy of the report. Yes, my husband has sleep apnea and, oh, by the way, he stopped breathing 86 times in an hour!! I'm not going to lie, he absolutely hates the CPAP machine but he now knows that he needs to use it. Although he says he doesn't feel any different using the CPAP, I definitely can tell that he is sleeping better and his disposition is better - he isn't as crabby and moody! Sleep Apnea is a serious health issue. Now, as a spouse of a CPAP user, I was told that the CPAP is practically whisper quiet. It definitely isn't. I need to use earplugs but at least the bed doesn't shake from all that snoring! Good luck to both you and your husband!!

I am glad that your DH is getting the help he needs. But regarding the loud CPAP machine - I suggest you contact the equipment supplier because you should not be having to wear earplugs because of the noise. Perhaps something is wrong with the machine, and I'd certainly call the supplier and tell them about it.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

My husband has been using a c-pap for 17 months. I have been surprised by his diligent use of the machine, but know it is because he can tell a big difference in how it makes him feel.

His machine is extremely quiet; I have to listen very carefully to even hear it running during the night. The issue I have, are the many noises from the mask, when it has moved on his face, due to his body movements during the night. I feel I push him as much now to fix the mask, as I pushed him to roll over with his snoring. Both of our daughters hear the air noises from his displaced mask in their bedrooms, with their door shut, but the leaky mask NEVER wakes my husband. My friend says she wakes up immediately when her mask moves. My oldest daughter just completed a sleep study last week, and said she knew immediately when her mask slipped during the night.

I used to think my husband's snoring noises were the most annoying thing to hear in the night, but then the c-pap came into our bedroom, and I am amazed at the many sounds created from that mask leaking air! On my own, I can go to bed and sleep for 8 straight hours, but any noise in the bedroom, or the house, will wake me. My husband's sleep has definitely improved, but my sleep quality is suffering.

Twice in the last 17 months, I have actually saved my husband from very serious low blood sugar episodes. Both times I woke up suddenly, and realized I smelled heavy sweat, and found him drenched, pillow and sheets soaking wet. His blood sugar rarely drops at night, but if it does, he usually wakes up on his own. With the help of the steady air pressure from the c-pap, he was resting so easy both times, he wasn't going to wake up on his own. If one of our girls hadn't been here to help me during the last episode, I would have had to call an ambulance, it was that bad.

Vivian · ‎03-11-2010

My best friend, who lives alone, had been complaining to me about not being able to get up in the morning because she was so exhausted. She finally had a sleep study done and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. She has tried the cpap and some other contraption and cannot get used to any of it. She already has heart valve problems and I do worry about her.

I live 3,000 miles away from her now, since she lives near her children in CA and I live in NY, so there's not much I can do except try to convince her to do more. Her son is an anesthesiologist and I've begged her to talk to him about this, and other health problems she has, but she says she doesn't want to bother him. I think the real reason is that she and her orthopedist daughter-in-law detest each other and she's afraid her son won't provide help because of his nasty wife. She doesn't want to open herself up to that hurt. I offered to call her son. I've known him all his life, but she gave me a resounding NO. I just hope the next time I speak to him it won't be bad news.