Just had my annual check up and doctor is setting me up for an evaluation for sleep apnea. Question for those of you who've been treated. How much better did you feel once you started using your machine? What was the effect on your blood pressure or any other health related issues you had prior to diagnosis? TIA..
Sleep Apnea?
11,386 Views |
84 Replies |
Last: 2 mo ago by KidDoc
Bookmarked to see how folks answer. I don't have answers myself yet, but I was also diagnosed with OSA last month. I elected to go with the dental appliance route instead of CPAP. I got fitted for my device today and should get it in ~4 weeks. Once I start getting good sleep for a change, I'm fully expecting my BP to drop to within normal ranges, my body fat to drop 5 percentage points so I can finally have a six-pack, and to drop 12 strokes off my golf game
MikesFamousJava said:
Bookmarked to see how folks answer. I don't have answers myself yet, but I was also diagnosed with OSA last month. I elected to go with the dental appliance route instead of CPAP. I got fitted for my device today and should get it in ~4 weeks. Once I start getting good sleep for a change, I'm fully expecting my BP to drop to within normal ranges, my body fat to drop 5 percentage points so I can finally have a six-pack, and to drop 12 strokes off my golf game
Let us know how the dental apparatus works …I've read mixed reviews so I'm curious to hear from someone with firsthand experience…
Tried the dental thing and couldn't handle it with my TMJ. I hate every minute I wear my mask, but it's completely changed how I function during the day for the better.
88Warrior said:
Just had my annual check up and doctor is setting me up for an evaluation for sleep apnea. Question for those of you who've been treated. How much better did you feel once you started using your machine? What was the effect on your blood pressure or any other health related issues you had prior to diagnosis? TIA..
I have been using a C-Pap for 3 years. It hasn't improved my blood pressure. But, I sleep much better and feel much more rested in the mornings.
Was diagnosed over 10 years ago. Didn't want the machine because of the hose. Thought it would wrap around my neck, so went with appliance.
Only used it for a few months. Caused intense pain in the jaw and doc on the ship gave me 800 mg motrin like candy. Figured it wasn't worth that.
Didn't use anything for a couple of years after that. Life was getting tough. Falling asleep at friend's houses at 8pm. Always exhausted. My poor wife not sleeping because my lack of breathing kept her awake, so got the machine.
Doctor said it would take a while to get used to it, but keep trying. First few nights, put it on then immediately off. Then on for a few minutes. Then a few weeks of waking up with it off. Then finally, kept it on for four hours. Just like doctor predicted, I felt like a brand new man. Wasn't tired all the time, wife was happy, and haven't woken up dead from the hose strangling me.
I found the full mask worked better for me than just the nose.
I am happy for it. Haven't slept without it in years except when camping.
Didn't monitor BP so can't say on that.
Only used it for a few months. Caused intense pain in the jaw and doc on the ship gave me 800 mg motrin like candy. Figured it wasn't worth that.
Didn't use anything for a couple of years after that. Life was getting tough. Falling asleep at friend's houses at 8pm. Always exhausted. My poor wife not sleeping because my lack of breathing kept her awake, so got the machine.
Doctor said it would take a while to get used to it, but keep trying. First few nights, put it on then immediately off. Then on for a few minutes. Then a few weeks of waking up with it off. Then finally, kept it on for four hours. Just like doctor predicted, I felt like a brand new man. Wasn't tired all the time, wife was happy, and haven't woken up dead from the hose strangling me.
I found the full mask worked better for me than just the nose.
I am happy for it. Haven't slept without it in years except when camping.
Didn't monitor BP so can't say on that.
Copy pasted from an earlier thread.
TL;DR: Do it.
I've talked about this before, but here it is again.
I have always been a loud snorer and it was a running joke in my family that I could fall asleep anywhere anytime because with was always tired. My sister one time thought I was asleep in the passenger seat because I was snoring. She was shocked when she looked over and I was awake reading.
I had my sleep study done back in 2015. It was easily one of the worst nights of sleep I have ever had. Trying to sleep with all that crap on you is terrible. If you get it done, try to make it so you don't have to go into work the next morning.
Turns out I had moderate sleep apnea (shocker). They fitted me for a cpap and I went home for my first night of wonderful sleep. Just kidding. I hated that damn thing. I typically sleep nude, or just in a pair of boxers. I just could not get used to trying to sleep with something strapped to my head. They ended up prescribing me ambien, which worked to an extent. At some point in the night I would always remove the cpap. And the ambien left my all groggy the next morning.
So, they set me up on an oral appliance. I have a slight overbite and cross bite. The appliance (lovingly called my torture device) would pull my bottom jaw into a position where my throat wouldn't close during the night. For once I woke up feeling rested and not exhausted. But, in the two years I wore it I came across a couple issues. Every night while I was sleeping my jaw was fighting the appliance. It led to a lot of jaw pain. I even sprained it one day just from yawning! Also, the fighting of it led to muscles in my jaw getting bigger. My face actually looks a lot different now because my jaw line has changed. Also, my dog was obsessed with my appliance, and actually ended up eating one of them. Those are not cheap to replace.
After two years of the appliance I went into my ENT and told her about everything that had been going on. She took a look and said that it could actually be fixed with surgery. Well, 3 at the same time. So, about 3ish years ago I went in and got my tonsils removed, uvula removed, and a turbinate reduction (pretty much roto rooted my nose). After an AWFUL two week recovery, that first real nights sleep was glorious. I honestly was a little mad at how good I felt. This is what everyone else feels like all the time?! I've lived at a serious disadvantage my whole life! I can sleep 6 hours (I still aim for 8 nightly) and feel better than back when I slept for 11 hours pre sleep study.
Anyways, that ended up being longer than I meant, but we are slow at work and that was kind of fun to type up. Whichever one works best for you, do it. No regerts.
TL;DR: Do it.
I've talked about this before, but here it is again.
I have always been a loud snorer and it was a running joke in my family that I could fall asleep anywhere anytime because with was always tired. My sister one time thought I was asleep in the passenger seat because I was snoring. She was shocked when she looked over and I was awake reading.
I had my sleep study done back in 2015. It was easily one of the worst nights of sleep I have ever had. Trying to sleep with all that crap on you is terrible. If you get it done, try to make it so you don't have to go into work the next morning.
Turns out I had moderate sleep apnea (shocker). They fitted me for a cpap and I went home for my first night of wonderful sleep. Just kidding. I hated that damn thing. I typically sleep nude, or just in a pair of boxers. I just could not get used to trying to sleep with something strapped to my head. They ended up prescribing me ambien, which worked to an extent. At some point in the night I would always remove the cpap. And the ambien left my all groggy the next morning.
So, they set me up on an oral appliance. I have a slight overbite and cross bite. The appliance (lovingly called my torture device) would pull my bottom jaw into a position where my throat wouldn't close during the night. For once I woke up feeling rested and not exhausted. But, in the two years I wore it I came across a couple issues. Every night while I was sleeping my jaw was fighting the appliance. It led to a lot of jaw pain. I even sprained it one day just from yawning! Also, the fighting of it led to muscles in my jaw getting bigger. My face actually looks a lot different now because my jaw line has changed. Also, my dog was obsessed with my appliance, and actually ended up eating one of them. Those are not cheap to replace.
After two years of the appliance I went into my ENT and told her about everything that had been going on. She took a look and said that it could actually be fixed with surgery. Well, 3 at the same time. So, about 3ish years ago I went in and got my tonsils removed, uvula removed, and a turbinate reduction (pretty much roto rooted my nose). After an AWFUL two week recovery, that first real nights sleep was glorious. I honestly was a little mad at how good I felt. This is what everyone else feels like all the time?! I've lived at a serious disadvantage my whole life! I can sleep 6 hours (I still aim for 8 nightly) and feel better than back when I slept for 11 hours pre sleep study.
Anyways, that ended up being longer than I meant, but we are slow at work and that was kind of fun to type up. Whichever one works best for you, do it. No regerts.
Be REALLY careful with the dental device if it is the kind that moves your jaw. Within a couple years it will cause major issues with your teeth moving and more major issues with jaw and neck pain because those muscles are not meant to be in that position.
I tried it. It sort of helped. It ended up breaking two teeth and then led to severe neck and shoulder pain. The device happened to break and I figured out that it was the cause, after having done a bunch of pt because doctors couldn't figure out why I had neck pain. Took about a year to clear up the neck pain.
This was all done through a "Doctor" specializing in this treatment. Having done it, I firmly believe they are complete quacks who are taking advantage of people trying to avoid cpap or weight lose and big time taking advantage of the insurance companies.
I tried it. It sort of helped. It ended up breaking two teeth and then led to severe neck and shoulder pain. The device happened to break and I figured out that it was the cause, after having done a bunch of pt because doctors couldn't figure out why I had neck pain. Took about a year to clear up the neck pain.
This was all done through a "Doctor" specializing in this treatment. Having done it, I firmly believe they are complete quacks who are taking advantage of people trying to avoid cpap or weight lose and big time taking advantage of the insurance companies.
Appreciate the info and personal stories!
the first night i tried the CPAP i woke up the next day feeling like a completely new human being. it was like i was living in black and white and everything was suddenly in color.
several years later, i am used to the machine now to the point that when i try on the odd occasion to nap without it, i feel like i dont breathe well.
several years later, i am used to the machine now to the point that when i try on the odd occasion to nap without it, i feel like i dont breathe well.
Damn. GF has been begging me to get one. She says some nights she can't sleep because i'm not breathing.
I may need to give it a whirl. These posts are making me think twice.
I may need to give it a whirl. These posts are making me think twice.
A lot of the difference in how you feel is where your starting points are. In general, the higher your AHI (number of obstructive events per hour) is, the bigger difference you will notice after you treat it. Also, what is your Epworth Sleepiness Scale? Again, people with a low ESS don't necessarily notice a big difference after starting CPAP or treating sleep apnea otherwise. But if your AHI is at least 15, treating your sleep apnea should improve your overall morbidity and mortality.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Do you get those numbers from doing the overnight sleep test?Kool said:
A lot of the difference in how you feel is where your starting points are. In general, the higher your AHI (number of obstructive events per hour) is, the bigger difference you will notice after you treat it. Also, what is your Epworth Sleepiness Scale? Again, people with a low ESS don't necessarily notice a big difference after starting CPAP or treating sleep apnea otherwise. But if your AHI is at least 15, treating your sleep apnea should improve your overall morbidity and mortality.
ESS is self reported. Go online, answer the questions. STOP-BANG questionnaire predicts likelihood of OSA, also self reported
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
My Dad had apnea before we knew its consequences and effects. We all ignored the loud snoring. He died from a stroke well before his time. I use my machine religiously.
I have had a cpap for close to 10 years. best decision ever.
I snored since high school. Super fit, just have a huge neck causing closer of my breathing pipe.
Never tried the oral appliance.
Advice/ Pros:
1. If you think of your body as a car engine, this is a turbo charger. if forces air into you. I sleep better, I detox better, I recharge.
2. Cleans up a hangover much better.
3. Before I needed 9 hours of sleep. Now need 6 hours of sleep.
Difficulties:
1. It takes a while to get used to. Air is force in your body. So things like talking (air usually going out across vocal cords) takes a lot of effort. Stomach valve isn't used to pressure so you get heartburn or worse. Just takes a while to get used to. For me 1 week, settings where tuned in and I slept through the night. 1 month figured out how best to manage the pipe (could sleep on my back for the first time ever). 6 months got used to everything. Kinda like getting used to contacts.
2. Travel. Got to remember it. Got to pack it. It is free on a plane (medical device). I am about to get a smaller one for travel.
3. Sleep study sucks. In 10 mins I failed. They started on figuring out settings immediately.
4. Funny looks from the wife when you look at her.
Story:
Snored. Wife had enough.
I had the sleep study. It was terrible. felt like I was up the entire night. Either I woke up or they woke me up with changing settings. Just rough. Went home and straight to bed.
Got the machine, worked out hard that day to go to sleep. Went to bed. Woke at 2:00am to vomit coming up. The machine was too strong and overcame my stomach valve. It pressurized my stomach and up comes the food. Stopped for the night. They backed down the pressure the next day over the internet.
pretty smooth since then.
Now it is every night. naps I sleep normal. I won't go back no matter how crazy the thing looks.
I snored since high school. Super fit, just have a huge neck causing closer of my breathing pipe.
Never tried the oral appliance.
Advice/ Pros:
1. If you think of your body as a car engine, this is a turbo charger. if forces air into you. I sleep better, I detox better, I recharge.
2. Cleans up a hangover much better.
3. Before I needed 9 hours of sleep. Now need 6 hours of sleep.
Difficulties:
1. It takes a while to get used to. Air is force in your body. So things like talking (air usually going out across vocal cords) takes a lot of effort. Stomach valve isn't used to pressure so you get heartburn or worse. Just takes a while to get used to. For me 1 week, settings where tuned in and I slept through the night. 1 month figured out how best to manage the pipe (could sleep on my back for the first time ever). 6 months got used to everything. Kinda like getting used to contacts.
2. Travel. Got to remember it. Got to pack it. It is free on a plane (medical device). I am about to get a smaller one for travel.
3. Sleep study sucks. In 10 mins I failed. They started on figuring out settings immediately.
4. Funny looks from the wife when you look at her.
Story:
Snored. Wife had enough.
I had the sleep study. It was terrible. felt like I was up the entire night. Either I woke up or they woke me up with changing settings. Just rough. Went home and straight to bed.
Got the machine, worked out hard that day to go to sleep. Went to bed. Woke at 2:00am to vomit coming up. The machine was too strong and overcame my stomach valve. It pressurized my stomach and up comes the food. Stopped for the night. They backed down the pressure the next day over the internet.
pretty smooth since then.
Now it is every night. naps I sleep normal. I won't go back no matter how crazy the thing looks.
Update: Three weeks in on my ResMed machine and I am sleeping like a baby. Only took a couple of nights to get used to the mask. Prior to I was waking up 3 or 4 times a night now it's maybe once a night to go pee…Feeling much better!
We must have started the same time since last night was my 21st day. Same as you, it took a few days to get used to the mask, but now it's pretty comfortable. I still wake up 3-4 times a night to adjust position, though
It seems to be working well. Now I'm wide awake after about 6-7 hours of sleep and not tired at all during the day. My sleep study showed I was having 35 events per hour. The ResMed is sensing that I'm now having about 1 per hour. The goal was to be less than 5.
It seems to be working well. Now I'm wide awake after about 6-7 hours of sleep and not tired at all during the day. My sleep study showed I was having 35 events per hour. The ResMed is sensing that I'm now having about 1 per hour. The goal was to be less than 5.
TexAg2001 said:
We must have started the same time since last night was my 21st day. Same as you, it took a few days to get used to the mask, but now it's pretty comfortable. I still wake up 3-4 times a night to adjust position, though
It seems to be working well. Now I'm wide awake after about 6-7 hours of sleep and not tired at all during the day. My sleep study showed I was having 35 events per hour. The ResMed is sensing that I'm now having about 1 per hour. The goal was to be less than 5.
That's great news! You were a bit worse than me as my sleep study showed me to be mild to moderate at 14-15 events per hour…like you I'm down to 1/hr. Another thing I wasn't aware of is the effect of apnea on your sense of taste and smell…I started noticing a big improvement in both and started digging around online and found several studies talking about it…
Significantly. I would say borderline life changing.
Sleep better, don't wake up exhausted, spouse don't leave room half the time, blood pressure down, optic nerve pressure down.
I wish I would have been tested 5-10 years ago. So much wasted time.
Sleep better, don't wake up exhausted, spouse don't leave room half the time, blood pressure down, optic nerve pressure down.
I wish I would have been tested 5-10 years ago. So much wasted time.
So what I'm hearing is if you have apnea you have 4 terrible options.
1. Live (and die) with it.
2. Be Darth Vader and be uncomfortable and have to haul all that **** with you everywhere.
3. Get the jaw device and **** up your teeth and jaw.
4. Get surgery and go through all of the recovery.
Looks like option 1 it is.
1. Live (and die) with it.
2. Be Darth Vader and be uncomfortable and have to haul all that **** with you everywhere.
3. Get the jaw device and **** up your teeth and jaw.
4. Get surgery and go through all of the recovery.
Looks like option 1 it is.
AggieKatie2 said:
Check out Inspire option
https://www.inspiresleep.com/
A device that needs to be installed. Make that 5 terrible options.
Cromagnum said:
So what I'm hearing is if you have apnea you have 4 terrible options.
1. Live (and die) with it.
2. Be Darth Vader and be uncomfortable and have to haul all that **** with you everywhere.
3. Get the jaw device and **** up your teeth and jaw.
4. Get surgery and go through all of the recovery.
Looks like option 1 it is.
To each his own…I know the machine has helped me tremendously and only took a couple of nights to get used to.
Speaking (or not speaking) of:AggieKatie2 said:
Check out Inspire option
https://www.inspiresleep.com/
Inspire
I'm now at 72 implanted
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Currently going through option 4. Here's my story:Cromagnum said:
So what I'm hearing is if you have apnea you have 4 terrible options.
1. Live (and die) with it.
2. Be Darth Vader and be uncomfortable and have to haul all that **** with you everywhere.
3. Get the jaw device and **** up your teeth and jaw.
4. Get surgery and go through all of the recovery.
Looks like option 1 it is.
I've always snored for as long as I can remember to when I was a kid. Had a tonsillectomy to remove palatine tonsils and had adenoids removed at 5 and still snore at almost 31. However, in the last six months it has gotten worse with the sudden stop in breathing and almost choking to the point the wife can't sleep because she's worried I won't wake up. I also would randomly fall asleep during the middle of the day, once even while driving thankfully rumble strips woke me up, or be super tired and fall asleep by 7pm on the couch every night.
I finally decided to go to a neurologist who specializes in sleep disorders for a sleep study and it came back as I do not have sleep apnea. No idea how that happened as I'm pretty sure I do. And like everyone here has said, the machine and wires SUCK! My sister recommended I see either another neurologist or an ENT.
I chose ENT. Actually chose the same ENT we took my daughter to two years ago to remove her tonsils and adenoids because she was getting strep every single month. No joke. Since her surgery she's been sick a total of 2-3 times it's been great. Anyway, saw the ENT and he actually found I had a deviated septum which caused restricted airflow in my right nostril, found I had an enlarged tongue (genetic) called macroglosia, and found I had enlarged lingual tonsils restricting my airway in my throat area. I didn't even know lingual tonsils were a thing. These restrictions in airflow are what he mentioned caused me to not get enough oxygen to the brain hence why I would always wake up groggy and with headaches and terrible sleep and depending on how I laid caused the pause in breathing. Everything finally made sense.
He recommended we do a few things but not a cpap right away. He said what's the point of a cpap now if there will still be no room (or very little room) for O2 to go through. So he said let's correct the deviated septum, let's reduce your turbinates in your nose via some vivaer method (you can YouTube this), and let's burn down your lingual tonsils. This will significantly open up your airways. He even said that in most his cases people didn't even need a cpap after these procedures and sleep was much better and issues went away.
Fast forward to yesterday, had my procedure so am 24 hours into recovery. Slept all day yesterday with moderate bleeding into the night. Lighter bleeding today but so far no pain and everything is going well. I do my nasal rinses which helps with the crusted up nostrils. I'm on a rotation of steroids, antibiotics, pain meds, and nasal rinses. Liquid diet so far but will transition to soft foods at dinner. I have a super high pain tolerance and don't get bored easily so recovery so far hasn't been bad. I took off yesterday and today and all next week for work just in case but hopefully recovery keeps going smoothly. I will update here throughout the next few days and weeks after to see if this really did help my issues. Anyways, if anyone has questions feel free to ask. Got nothing to do but TexAgs and watch the lady Ags take the L
Curious to hear about your recovery. I'm 24 hours in and not bad at all so far so curious to see if I'm just in a "honeymoon" phase and it gets worse from here.
I for sure have a deviated septum but not sure about the rest.
Wouldn't hurt to go get the opinion of a neuro and an ENT. I heard about the mouth pieces and there were more horror stories than success stories so never entertained it
Quick update: I am now on day four and recovery so far has been smooth sailing. Stopping the nasal bleeding and changing of gauze yesterday afternoon. Started eating more solid food Saturday with no pain or irritation to throat. So far no pain or discomfort. The most annoying thing right now is just mucus buildup but the nasal saline rinses help. I go back tomorrow for a check up and to remove the nasal tubular bridges they inserted which I think makes the mucus worse. I believe they also pull stitches out of nose but not sure. Either way not a bad recovery at all.
I did an at-home study and got the results back. I'll have a follow up with my PCP. Any thoughts on these results?
Moderate sleep apnea, a few central events but not a concerning amount. Oxygen desaturations not bad. Would try CPAP before considering surgery or oral appliance.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
Thank you. I initiated the sleep apnea discussion with my PCP. Based on our conversation, he seemed like he was a little doubtful that I had sleep apnea, or at least to a degree where we would try to treat it.
Somebody posted here in H&F about sleep apnea possibly being a bigger contributor to cardiac events than we currently know. I am 44 and very good shape, but I do have a pretty extreme family history of premature heart disease. My dad died of a stroke at 63 years old in 2011 and I don't believe he was ever diagnosed with sleep apnea or anything, but thinking back now about how he slept I think it might be possible that he did have it.
Somebody posted here in H&F about sleep apnea possibly being a bigger contributor to cardiac events than we currently know. I am 44 and very good shape, but I do have a pretty extreme family history of premature heart disease. My dad died of a stroke at 63 years old in 2011 and I don't believe he was ever diagnosed with sleep apnea or anything, but thinking back now about how he slept I think it might be possible that he did have it.
Congrats to you for taking the initiative and getting it done. So easy to do at home, right?
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
It was very easy.
Featured Stories
See All
A&M at risk of undercut when undertaking trip to underrated Auburn
by Olin Buchanan
48:02
1d ago
4.2k
5:59
1d ago
2.3k
16:53
1d ago
3.2k