I've tried CPAP but it hasn't helped my sleep apnea. I can't really ever sleep more than 2-3 hours. What other options do I have? There are pills and there's surgery. I'd rather do the pills but now a days everything is a pill and I think it's more about the money than actually being able to treat anything. Plus I take a lot of other pills and I worry that a new one will throw off the balance.
Has anyone talking about CPAP tried surgery and had it fail?
What should I do...CPAP doesn't help with my sleep apnea
9 posts
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TBguy4
Sleep Apnea
I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea a few years ago. It was a pain to try to get used to the mask, and machine, and trying stuff. My doc said my option was surgery too. But he said it may or may not work-so maybe I would be able to sleep without the machine, or maybe I would still need the machine but at a lower pressure-it might not eliminate the apnea episodes.
Since the surgery would have cost an arm and a leg, I toughed it out with the machine, and lost a few pounds and got a super mask system. Guess you need to really communicate with your doctor about your particular condition.
Hope this helps!
TBguy4
Since the surgery would have cost an arm and a leg, I toughed it out with the machine, and lost a few pounds and got a super mask system. Guess you need to really communicate with your doctor about your particular condition.
Hope this helps!
TBguy4
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cut-up
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SleepyCurt2
Sleep Apnea
I don't think there are really any pills out there that would effectively treat sleep apnea since it is a mechanical blockage of your airway. I've heard from a lot of people that the surgery is not that effective nor does it last that long.
I would fight it out with the machine. It might take months... Keep trying different masks, perhaps the pressure is not set high enough on your machine, or some other "issue". When I started I fought with the machine for weeks. First, I'd try and go to sleep with the machine on, that took weeks. Then it was weeks before I slept all night with it on. Once I got used to it, I can't sleep without it.
I would fight it out with the machine. It might take months... Keep trying different masks, perhaps the pressure is not set high enough on your machine, or some other "issue". When I started I fought with the machine for weeks. First, I'd try and go to sleep with the machine on, that took weeks. Then it was weeks before I slept all night with it on. Once I got used to it, I can't sleep without it.
Hi Lance TL,
Here is my post to Lana in another subject but the same problem.
Do not give up and don't be discouraged. I started on CPAP on July 20th and it has taken me a very long time to go through the whole night. I have ripped that mask off so many times, I have lost count. I am a nose breather but sometimes my mouth would drop open and I would choke and feel like my mouth was the desert and high noon.
Just like Titrator says, it takes time and patience and it will work if you stick with it. I finally got a chin strap and used it last night and I slept through the whole night. I felt very rested this a.m. Now I am waiting for the Swift Nasal Pillow System (which Titrator has already has and loves) because the less on my face, the better.
These boards help newbies like us a lot and they have such helpful hints and are so supportive of what we are going through because they have gone through the same thing. When I was first diagnosed, I didn't know who to talk to because people who do not suffer from this do not really understand what we have to go through. It was so depressing but since I found these boards, it helps to know that I am not alone and if I need help, someone out there is there for me with helpful suggestions and support.
Stay with it and it might get better really soon or it might be later. Anyway you look at it, you have to conquer this (our new bed buddies as I call them), as the alternative is too dangerous to your health.
My best to you and hope you gets lotsa zzzzzzzzz soon.
Judy
Here is my post to Lana in another subject but the same problem.
Do not give up and don't be discouraged. I started on CPAP on July 20th and it has taken me a very long time to go through the whole night. I have ripped that mask off so many times, I have lost count. I am a nose breather but sometimes my mouth would drop open and I would choke and feel like my mouth was the desert and high noon.
Just like Titrator says, it takes time and patience and it will work if you stick with it. I finally got a chin strap and used it last night and I slept through the whole night. I felt very rested this a.m. Now I am waiting for the Swift Nasal Pillow System (which Titrator has already has and loves) because the less on my face, the better.
These boards help newbies like us a lot and they have such helpful hints and are so supportive of what we are going through because they have gone through the same thing. When I was first diagnosed, I didn't know who to talk to because people who do not suffer from this do not really understand what we have to go through. It was so depressing but since I found these boards, it helps to know that I am not alone and if I need help, someone out there is there for me with helpful suggestions and support.
Stay with it and it might get better really soon or it might be later. Anyway you look at it, you have to conquer this (our new bed buddies as I call them), as the alternative is too dangerous to your health.
My best to you and hope you gets lotsa zzzzzzzzz soon.
Judy
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trish_johnson
don't give up
Hey there,
Everyone is right.....don't give up.
There are several reason's it may not seem to be working for you.
It is possible that your pressure is not high enough. Many times people will take off their mask after an hour or so or at some point in the night saying they feel like they are not getting enough air. Or many times they don't know they've even taken it off until they wake up to use the restroom or in the morning. Or they leave it on, but don't feel much better than they did before.
You may indeed need your air pressure increased...........don't worry about not being able to go to sleep with SO MUCH PRESSURE! There should be a"ramp" button on your CPAP. (ask your DME provider or sleep tech) It is a simple concept.........CPAP starts out low and increases gradually over a set amount of time allowing you to go to sleep. You can hit the button as many times as you need in a night.....you probably won't need it at all pretty soon.
OR you could need a humidifier............if you suffer from nasal congestion, this will no doubt make it difficult to breathe through your nose. Your mouth will automatacally open or you will pull the mask off in your sleep.
IT'S A DEFENSE! The humidifier adds moisture to your nasal passages and this REALLY helps keep the "HONKER" open! I recommend the heated humidier........( sometimes insurance will balk, but have the Doctor fight for you! THAT IS PART OF THIER JOB TOO) (MY OPINION ANYWAY)
If you use a heated or even a regular one watch for condensation in the hose. Usually you can put the heat on 1-3 and it works great. More in the winter for all those with the heat cranked up! This will help anyone that has bloody noses too! THAT AIR BLOWING CAN SOMETIMES DRY YOU OUT! If you have a lot of condensation build up....also called rainout......you might get shot with droplets of water up your nose.....YIKES! Just simply turn your heat down.
Sorry to all of you for being so long winded about this!
By the way I'm a CPAP user and a Registerd Polysomnographic Technologist (aka..sleep tech)
I've been in the field for 15+ years and given patient instruction on CPAP......BUT WHEN I HAD TO WEAR ONE....OH BOY...IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT EXPERINCE! I can now understand where my patient's are coming from! Good Luck to all of you on your road to feeling rested and refreshed!
hope I haven't over done it!
Trish
Everyone is right.....don't give up.
There are several reason's it may not seem to be working for you.
It is possible that your pressure is not high enough. Many times people will take off their mask after an hour or so or at some point in the night saying they feel like they are not getting enough air. Or many times they don't know they've even taken it off until they wake up to use the restroom or in the morning. Or they leave it on, but don't feel much better than they did before.
You may indeed need your air pressure increased...........don't worry about not being able to go to sleep with SO MUCH PRESSURE! There should be a"ramp" button on your CPAP. (ask your DME provider or sleep tech) It is a simple concept.........CPAP starts out low and increases gradually over a set amount of time allowing you to go to sleep. You can hit the button as many times as you need in a night.....you probably won't need it at all pretty soon.
OR you could need a humidifier............if you suffer from nasal congestion, this will no doubt make it difficult to breathe through your nose. Your mouth will automatacally open or you will pull the mask off in your sleep.
IT'S A DEFENSE! The humidifier adds moisture to your nasal passages and this REALLY helps keep the "HONKER" open! I recommend the heated humidier........( sometimes insurance will balk, but have the Doctor fight for you! THAT IS PART OF THIER JOB TOO) (MY OPINION ANYWAY)
If you use a heated or even a regular one watch for condensation in the hose. Usually you can put the heat on 1-3 and it works great. More in the winter for all those with the heat cranked up! This will help anyone that has bloody noses too! THAT AIR BLOWING CAN SOMETIMES DRY YOU OUT! If you have a lot of condensation build up....also called rainout......you might get shot with droplets of water up your nose.....YIKES! Just simply turn your heat down.
Sorry to all of you for being so long winded about this!
By the way I'm a CPAP user and a Registerd Polysomnographic Technologist (aka..sleep tech)
I've been in the field for 15+ years and given patient instruction on CPAP......BUT WHEN I HAD TO WEAR ONE....OH BOY...IT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT EXPERINCE! I can now understand where my patient's are coming from! Good Luck to all of you on your road to feeling rested and refreshed!
hope I haven't over done it!
Trish
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rested gal
- Posts: 12883
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
questions
Lance, what machine do you have (brand/model), what mask, what is your prescribed pressure, do you have a heated humidifier, and how long have you been using the machine? I'm not a doctor or health care professional of any kind, but that kind of information might help others give you some suggestions.
DO NOT OPT FOR THE UPP SURGERY! I was diagnosed with severe OSA in July of 2001. During the sleep study, even with CPAP, I had >140RDIs/hour (only 20RDIs/hour are needed to be diagnosed with OSA). The ENT Specialist recommended I undergo UPP surgery as CPAP alone would not be effective. I underwent UPP surgery in September of 2001, with the state's best ENT specialist. The suregry is done on an "out-patient" basis and takes but an hour...unless you were me! I went in for surgery at 11AM on a Thursday...my wife was informed at 2PM that "there had been complications" and that I may not live. I was in ICU on a respirator, my heart had stopped twice post-surgery, and I went into pulmonary edema. Resuscitation on both occasions brought me back, but I did not awake until Friday night at 6PM! I remained in ICU on a respirator until Tuesday, was discharged Thursday morning...a week later. Upon getting home, I tried to eat the same foods I had the day before at the hospital, but found it extremely painful. I called teh doctor to be informed they had me on morphine for the pain and that it would likely hurt for 2-3 weeks more as significant tissue had been removed. Well, long story short, surgery wa seffective for 3 months, then teh symptoms reappeared, I had a nother sleep study and it was WORSE than pre-surgery, and now I am on a CPAP set at its maximumof 20. BUT, it is working and I feel absolutely great...the key is getting a good mask fit (I use the Sleepnet IQ mask with a BREAS CPAP and humidifier), and watch your weight!
If anyone is considering the surgery, do so as an absolute last resort, research it carefully as pulmonary edema is a very, very common complication for OSA patients, but anesthesiologists and surgeons do not take heed of it, AND have your will and DNR paperwork ready...just in case.
If anyone is considering the surgery, do so as an absolute last resort, research it carefully as pulmonary edema is a very, very common complication for OSA patients, but anesthesiologists and surgeons do not take heed of it, AND have your will and DNR paperwork ready...just in case.
AJH32714
9 posts
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