Not sure if this is a taboo topic around here but..

Do we have any stoners out here with OSA?

I've been 'experimenting' with it and I have to say my AHI has been consistently <1.00 and I'm having the best sleep quality of my life.

What I've noticed is that it helps me relax a lot more and be able to 'tolerate' the higher pressures that I seem to be needing. I'm at APAP (16-20 with a ramp at 13).

The other day I even had an AHI of 0.00!!

Has it occurred to you that weed will relax your throat along with everything else, probably explaining your high pressure needs? The kind that could theoretically even lead to centrals in future?

Julie wrote:Has it occurred to you that weed will relax your throat along with everything else, probably explaining your high pressure needs? The kind that could theoretically even lead to centrals in future?

I don't know what it is doing, all I can tell you is that with it: I can withstand a pressures as high as 16 (maybe even more).. and without it I can probably withstand 13-14 which still leaves me with significant amount of episodes.

A pressure of >16 leaves me with almost perfectly treated AHI #s

Opinions vary on the usefulness of weed.
It may not be as much think as you help it is.

You don't get it - you very likely wouldn't need such high pressures if your airway was more open naturally... you're helping to keep it closed!

Julie wrote:You don't get it - you very likely wouldn't need such high pressures if your airway was more open naturally... you're helping to keep it closed!

Well I've been fiddling around with my regimen for a year now and nothing has worked better.

How would I open my airway more naturally? Please do tell. I'm open.

Julie wrote:You don't get it - you very likely wouldn't need such high pressures if your airway was more open naturally... you're helping to keep it closed!

I think the poster is saying that things got better with weed. Your comments sound like a preconception that weed is bad and therefore must be causing a problem.

CapnLoki wrote:

Julie wrote:You don't get it - you very likely wouldn't need such high pressures if your airway was more open naturally... you're helping to keep it closed!

I think the poster is saying that things got better with weed. Your comments sound like a preconception that weed is bad and therefore must be causing a problem.

Thank you. Yes.

I tried CPAP alone for 6 months and my numbers were still lacking (as well as quality of sleep).

But post-weed: I've never felt better in my life! I can't even believe my numbers when I load it up in the morning. I feel like I've finally got to a point where I'm like ah HA! This is where I want to be with my sleep quality.

I don't want to start a whole is weed bad for you ethics thread.. just wanted to see if the community has had experience with this..

I'm not anti-weed - that's not my point... which is that I believe it very likely that given the chance of e.g. weeks (purely a guess from here) your airway tissue might revert to a state of naturally being tighter - more retracted into itself and leaving a larger space for air to enter... of course it's speculation, but it was my first thought on reading your first note. Anything's possible though, and if you feel better now, all I can say is watch out for a creeping need to raise pressures even higher. And also keep in mind that AHI is not everything... maybe see what Sleepyhead thinks.

Julie wrote:I'm not anti-weed! That's not my point... which is that I believe it very likely that given the chance of e.g. weeks (purely a guess from here) your airway tissue might revert to a state of naturally being tighter - more retracted into itself and leaving a larger space for air to enter... of course it's speculation, but it was my first thought on reading your first note. Anything's possible though, and if you feel better now, all I can say is watch out for a creeping need to raise pressures even higher.

I mean to be fair, even I'm surprised I have been needing such a high pressure. I'm a SKINNY GUY! You would never guess.

If you're alluding to maybe surgical intervention.. we've all heard bad outcomes from those.

?? I don't even know in what context - on which 'side' - you're talking about surgery. Not my thing at all. Just suggesting you think about what you're doing - yes you feel terrific now - and where it might go in future.

This post is not anti-weed, but have you tried a prescription sleep drug such as zolpidem?
(Ambien)

It may not be muscle relaxant properties, it may be that the weed is promoting a less deep sleep. Or a more deep sleep. Or its making sleepyhead high. Or your machine is getting wasted.

The point being ... I don't think anyone really could possibly know the answer to your question with correct certainty.

Nor with the Ambien . Sleep aid are strictly contraindicated with untreated sleep apnea, yet my pulmanologist says take one if needed as being on a pap eliminates that contraindication. Please note: he did not say "eliminates the risk". Because nobody knows.

You might be risking death for that good sleep. Or not.

RonS wrote:This post is not anti-weed, but have you tried a prescription sleep drug such as zolpidem?
(Ambien)

It may not be muscle relaxant properties, it may be that the weed is promoting a less deep sleep. Or a more deep sleep. Or its making sleepyhead high. Or your machine is getting wasted.

The point being ... I don't think anyone really could possibly know the answer to your question with correct certainty.

Nor with the Ambien . Sleep aid are strictly contraindicated with untreated sleep apnea, yet my pulmanologist says take one if needed as being on a pap eliminates that contraindication. Please note: he did not say "eliminates the risk". Because nobody knows.

You might be risking death for that good sleep. Or not.

Yes I have tried various sleep meds with no success, Ambien included.

RonS wrote:This post is not anti-weed, but have you tried a prescription sleep drug such as zolpidem?
...
You might be risking death for that good sleep. Or not.

Because Ambien is perfectly safe
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/20 ... death-rate

Just a suggestion. Take some time and don't look at your numbers, but journal how you feel for a while then go back and fill in the numbers. Good way to see if our perception of the success of our treatment is being influenced by our numbers. I have no idea if weed can negatively impact the quality of sleep (sleep stages) like alcohol or not. That would be my main thing to look into. As one with lung disease, smoking anything isn't an option for me, but if I thought medical MJ in another form could benefit me, I'd try it. At your pressures, you might find a bi-level machine easier to tolerate and thus help some of your sleep issues and the need for sleep aids.