Health condition

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
boz88
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Health condition

Post by boz88 » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:01 am

Hello all, I was diagnosed with sever sleep apnea quite some time ago. I was advised that the splint mouth guard from my dentist is not good for sever and should only be treated for patients with mild to moderate. I disregarded that and went ahead with it, i refuse to use the CPAP machine. Its been just over a year now, at first it seemed to work ok, i was still tired here and there, but i was able to get through a full days work without falling asleep. My health problem right now is im getting really bad pinching headaches, verbal fluency or putting words together i struggle with, sometimes lethargic and no motivation, i feel really down cause i have no idea whats wrong with me, its got me really concerned i have never felt like this, and i am getting BLOOD shot eyes like never seen before not all the time but occasionally.

Now i take anabolic steroids, i want to know do i point the finger at the steroids? Keep in mind i have always felt good on steroids. Its only come on last couple months, Or has my sleep apnea condition gotten that bad, i have to use the CPAP machine?

I was thinking of getting an MRI scan on my head, but costs money and i may be wasting my money, if the symptoms im suggesting are all sleep apnea or my steroid use?
Last edited by boz88 on Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Julie
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Re: Health condition

Post by Julie » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:09 am

Two separate things, though related in terms of cardiac problems...

Anabolic steroids are deadly - and I'm not a fussy old person, but someone who's spent my life in teaching hospitals. They will kill you, no question, whatever you're taking them for. They were a fad with weight lifters and olympic athletes years ago, but have since been stopped by most because they're so dangerous (and don't forget some of the people they've killed are/were young, very fit, otherwise health conscious athletes - of which I will guess you're not one). So that's one thing you really need to deal with, as in see your doctor immediately (not kidding!) as you're having serious symptoms. The eyes alone are a big red flag.

Apnea is another story, also dangerous if untreated as you are flirting with strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, a whole lot of things, and if you've been on steroids as well, you're playing Russian roulette with yourself on a very accelerated basis. You first need to get off the steroids, and be tested however your doctor sees fit with whatever exams he/she tells you to have. You need to find out what your health status is once you've been off the steroids, and only then should you address the apnea as testing and treatment could well be skewed by the steroids.

Get a new sleep study if your MD agrees, and follow through with whatever is recommended, but don't confuse the two issues for now as it's pointless and won't help get you in shape. Please see someone now re the steroids and see someone about apnea. An MRI will not help you right now (it's inappropriate), only delay things.
Last edited by Julie on Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

boz88
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Re: Health condition

Post by boz88 » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:21 am

Julie wrote:Two separate things, though related in terms of cardiac problems...

Anabolic steroids are deadly - and I'm not a fussy old person, but someone who's spent my life in teaching hospitals. They will kill you, no question, whatever you're taking them for. They were a fad with weight lifters and olympic athletes years ago, but have since been stopped by most because they're so dangerous (and don't forget they've killed some of those young, very fit, otherwise health conscious athletes - of which I will guess you're not one). So that's one thing you really need to deal with, as in see your doctor immediately (not kidding!) as you're having serious symptoms. The eyes alone are a big red flag.

Apnea is another story, also dangerous if untreated as you are flirting with strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, a whole lot of things, and if you've been on steroids as well, you're playing Russian roulette with yourself on a very accelerated basis. You first need to get off the steroids, and be tested however your doctor sees fit with whatever exams he/she tells you to have. Then address the apnea separately.

DO get a new sleep study and follow through with whatever is recommended, but don't confuse the two issues for now as it's pointless and won't help get you in shape. Please see someone now re the steroids and see someone about apnea. An MRI will not help you right now, only delay things.
Thanks for your input julie, thats all well in good. I know these compounds that i put into my system like the back of my hand, i dont mean to sound arrogant, but i have made it my life. Not once have i ever felt like this from taking it.
I use my steroids for Hormone replacement therapy also cause i have done damage to my hormones in my younger days, so for me to come off is also a deadly mix. The depression i fall into is much worse than most can comprehend, before i make the decision of coming off. Im sure people on the same HRT like me, the doctors dont just say ok come off. I may have to eliminate everything from my body i realise that to diagnose the problem.
Last edited by boz88 on Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Julie
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Re: Health condition

Post by Julie » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:23 am

I do get that you think you know about steroids - work with your doctor to get off them now, then talk about apnea. You don't necessarily realize all the consequences of the steroids, educated as you might be on them, or recognize the symptoms in yourself because of your state of mind. You cannot sort out which symptoms are from which condition all by yourself as some may well overlap. The depression may well be related to apnea, but is just as likely tied up with your hormones, physical condition at this stage of your life following all the steroids and won't necessarily disappear 'just' by being treated for apnea.

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Pugsy
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Re: Health condition

Post by Pugsy » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:43 am

boz88 wrote: Or has my sleep apnea condition gotten that bad, i have to use the CPAP machine?
I think you answered your own question.
boz88 wrote:I was diagnosed with sever sleep apnea quite some time ago. I was advised that the splint mouth guard from my dentist is not good for sever and should only be treated for patients with mild to moderate. I disregarded that and went ahead with it, i refuse to use the CPAP machine.
It was bad enough to use a CPAP machine back when you were first diagnosed. It's unlikely that things reversed themselves but very likely they got worse.

If you are unwilling or unable to get off the hormones...at least see a doctor about getting the sleep apnea condition treated.

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BlackSpinner
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Re: Health condition

Post by BlackSpinner » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:48 am

First step is to get your cpap therapy working. It is quite possible a lot of your symptoms are due to that. Sleep apnea starts to destroy your body a little bit at the time from the inside out. Fatigue is just one minor symptom.

When you get your cpap therapy dialled in start dealing with your addictions to steroids. Medications/drugs act different on a body that is getting good sleep.

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bwexler
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Re: Health condition

Post by bwexler » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:38 am

As Jullie said you are playing Russian Roulette with 2 rounds in the revolver.
You need to work on both problems as soon as possible.

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boz88
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Re: Health condition

Post by boz88 » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:00 pm

Used my cpap last night i am beginning the journey of adjusting to it again.

Overall do i blame the steroids or are these symptons all apnea related?

library lady
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Re: Health condition

Post by library lady » Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:26 pm

I don't think we here are the ones to ask that question of; you need to get the answer from your doctor. You do need to treat your apnea with cpap, but it sounds like your problems are coming from both steroid use and apnea. There could be some cardiac or other issues too. I suggest seeing your doctor ASAP.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Health condition

Post by chunkyfrog » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:02 pm

Note:if your mask is over a few months old, there are newer styles out now.
Some are so much nicer than the ones I started with.
Sometimes the silicone deteriorates even in storage.

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