Anyone here have Sleep Apnea?

crazystepr

crazystepr

Cathlete
I've been struggling with this for about two years now. Did the whole sleep center study thing, got the Darth Vader mask, but still...no relief. I get sick at the drop of a hat since I never sleep, can barely keep up with Cathe's workouts anymore and have the most debilitating aches and pains.

According to my sleep study, I have no REM cycle when I sleep. I stop breathing a minimum 32 times per hour when I'm asleep so I never get into a deep "slumber" since I wake up every time I stop breathing. I have bought every gimmick on the market to help me sleep (and stop snoring--my SO is ready to kill me).

Does anyone have any advice? I'm beyond desperate. I have to start sleeping. I am dizzy all the time, get the most horrendous migraines, and am always sick since my immune system in shot from not sleeping. I am contemplating surgery. On what? I don't know. What will it do? I have no idea. Will it help? Who knows. But I'm at my wits end. My body is screaming with exhaustion. Any advice/ideas would be so greatly appreciated.

Allison
 
Allison, this sounds terrible! Are you at an ideal body weight? What would the surgery entail? Why is this happening now? A close friend of mine has sleep apnea, not to your extent, but of course it was bothering him. He seemed to have significant improvement w/ an Rx nasal spray. I can find out what it is called...I know he doesn't want to do that forever.
Good luck to you, I can't imagine~
 
Hi Allison,

I really don't have any advice but I can share my brother's story. He went to the sleep center and told him he stopped breathing 90 times in one hour. His doctor called him immediately. He started wearing the mask and improved quickly. He did have to go back to the sleep center to "set" the machine so it would work the best for his breathing problems. He also has to go back in a few months for a routine check-up. You may want a second opinion.(did you have problems using the mask or may be it was not "set" right for your breathing) I know a few other people who use the mask but they are all men, I don't know if there is a difference. One thing I do know is my brother is a new man. He would start is day with coffee and end with the energy drinks and usually fall asleep at the drop of a hat, early. Now he can't believe how much energy he has. I really hope you can beat this thing, we all know how hard it is to function on just one night of poor sleep.

Hope this helped
Diane
 
Thanks for responding, guys. I 5'4 and 114 lbs. That's what's so weird. Usually you hear about this problem occurring with overweight, middle-aged men.

The mask is not working because I inevitably rip it off in the middle of the night. I've tried everything except glueing it to my face. I don't get more than an hour with the thing on before I take it off--and I have no recollection of doing so.

I just appreciate your responding. I'll keep working with the mask to see if I adapt to it better (I've had it for only 3 months). Part of the problem is psychological--sleeping next to my SO with that thing on my face is beyond humiliating.
 
I'm no shrink, but the reason you may be taking it off in your sleep is because you are embarrassed to wear it. Can you try sleeping separately for awhile to see if things change? I know that may not be the easiest thing to do but if the snoring continues it will probably end up that way anyway. A close friend of mine, her husband has sleep apnea. She was always sleeping with her kids because she was not getting enough sleep (his snoring was just too loud). Her husband is not overweight (neither is my brother). Her biggest concern with her husband was his health (It took her along time to convince her husband to see a doctor). Sleep apnea is bad for your heart and of course lack of sleep causes many problems at work and with driving. I really hope you find some answers soon!

Just my 2 cents
Diane
 
Allison, a good friend of mine had the surgery for sleep apnea. It's essentially a "Roto Rooter" procedure that reduces the amount of tissue in the back of your throat from up near your sinuses on down. It really helped him but it isn't for everyone.

Since you are so small and this is affecting your live so profoundly I too would suggest a second opinion.

Good luck!
 
Hi Allison,

My Husband has Sleep Apnea and also is not overweight,young and in great physical condition. It runs in his family. He also has had alot of struggles with the wearing of the mask and it took him about 4 different mask styles until he found one that worked for him. Some masks are quieter than others and depending on your bone structure will fit differently. He still doen't enjoy having to wear it but he has built up a tolerance that went from not wearing it at all the first 2 months after diagnosis and set up to being able to sleep with it on for about 6-7 hours a night , with that being said, last night he went to sleep with it on and woke up with it off today with no recollection of it coming off, so don't be so hard on yourself , it takes alot of time for you and your partner to adjust. Good luck

Cynthia
 
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