Author Topic: Sleep Apnea (Read 4435 times)

Vladimir · « **on:** July 08, 2012, 10:00:34 AM »

Does anyone here use a sleep apnea breathing machine?

Roman55 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 08, 2012, 01:11:04 PM »

Yes and I'm anxious to hear of more experiences and alternative cures to this problem.
I understand those things can make one more miserable than if they had not used it.

Roman55 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 08, 2012, 01:12:16 PM »

Quote from: Vladimir

Does anyone here use a sleep apnea breathing machine?

I misspoke- in answer to your question I don't use one, but knew someone who did. Not fun.

Vladimir · « **Reply #3 on:** July 08, 2012, 04:54:27 PM »

I have heavy sleep apnea and have used a breathing machine every night for about a month now. I've only taken brief daytime naps without it.

Several years ago, I made a habit of getting up very early in the morning, but these past few years I noticed myself getting more and more tired in the morning and being unable to wake up as early as I liked. At someone's recommendation I went into a few overnight sleep studies and tested positive for sleep apnea.

The first night I used the breathing machine, it was almost miraculous. I only had about 4 hours of sleep and I felt better rested than nights that I would get 7-8 hours. My experience with it so far has been mixed - the machine does not guarantee a good night's rest but only gives the sleeper a "fair chance" at one.

I haven't thought about alternative cures, but for sleep apnea, it doesn't seem like there can be any. The breathing machine doesn't function on a chemical level, all it does is pump air into the breather's nose to ensure that he receives enough oxygen during the night and doesn't wake up from choking and cessation of breath. The cause of sleep apnea is not chemical, but physical. So short of surgery, if it is even possible, what sort of alternate cure could there be?

As to making the apnea worse, it doesn't seem likely. All the machine does is ensure continued breathing. There are cases of people becoming psychologically dependent on the machine who "cannot" sleep without it. The technician in one of the sleep studies told me that occasionally when someone's insurance plan changes and the new one no longer covers the breathing machine, they will need to go to an overnight sleep study without the machine to show that they are in physical need of the machine, without which they cannot function, but they end up being unable to sleep long enough to gather sufficient data since they cannot fall asleep without the machine.

This seems to be a problem in the mind, and not with the machine. Without the machine, at worse, it would seem that I would revert to having restless sleep and tired mornings.

Of course, I am also concerned about becoming dependent on the machine. It doesn't seem like something one could drag to a monastery or seminary.

Roman55 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 08, 2012, 05:10:33 PM »

That is quite interesting. I shared a house with someone who had sleep apnea. I didn't dare cook a late night anything as they would awake, believing they were being pummeled with this aroma rammed into their nostrils.

I wonder sometimes if I have sleep apnea, but can't afford, yet, to get myself checked out. I'm always tired.... have been for over 30 yrs. Yet, I'm told to get B12 shots as "that is what I'm lacking". I've wondered how it is we've come to have so many "doctors" who've never gone to med school seem to "know what ales ya and what will fix you up" I"m not against good advise, but I've got an overflowing medicine cabinet because of people with 'good advice'. I just wish after being out of bed for two hours; having slept for 8, that I didn't feel like going back to bed to sleep for another 8!