My CPAP Treatment Journey

[ChicagoGranny]

If you think it might be serious, I would go with Pugsy's advice.

Might want to talk to the doctor about one of those heart monitors that are worn long term to maybe catch it

These are Holter monitors - http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Condition ... rticle.jsp#

[Heart Jumping]

Yep, I did the holter monitor thing for 48 hours, and it found some "premature atrial and ventricular beats--no serious arrhythmias" was what the test said. Which is exactly what Callysta is saying he has. However from reading about them they can (often) be normal and not a cause for concern. Doctor didn't seem too concerned but suggested a longer holter monitor and stress test could be done if needed. Then I got caught up in other health issues and getting to the bottom of the apnea, which is what I thought was causing them. And likely did cause some of them, no doubt.

Now it looks like I need to see if I can get further tested but if I do I need to come up with some monitor I can put on at night. The one I had I couldn't bathe with and made sleep horrible and that's the last thing I need now, and I can assure you I'm not going to go without a bath for a week .

[Heart Jumping]

On the very positive side, I had a greats nights sleep last night. My first might of sleep with AHI under 1. Slept for 9.5 hours and with no bathroom breaks! And what's more, I didn't do the thing I would usually do if I slept that long, which is wake up needing to go to the bathroom, but ignore it and lay there in discomfort because I'm exhausted and don't want to get up.

How amazing that poor sleep can cause all these other physical issues, and that they can so magically improve with better sleep. No other way to put it.

[WindCpap]

Awesome results. Now for the experiment......

[ChicagoGranny]

suggested a longer holter monitor

Our neighbor had a serious problem for about eight years, before his doctor decided to do a long Holter monitor test. On the fifth day, his heart "did a blip", and he finally had an appropriate diagnosis.

I can assure you I'm not going to go without a bath for a week .

Your friend will like this. He is already sorely complaining as it is.

[Heart Jumping]

Your friend will like this. He is already sorely complaining as it is.

I'm assuming you're joking about something but I've afraid you've lost me.

[Sheffey]

Your friend will like this. He is already sorely complaining as it is.

I'm assuming you're joking about something but I've afraid you've lost me.

One thing I learned about Granny - she enjoys a full range of humor from the extremely obvious to the very subtle.

I did appreciate this one, Granny.

[MarcoSil]

Heart Jumping,

It has been very interesting following your experiences with CPAP and apnea. A lot resonates with me and I think that Pugsy has some very interesting things to say about Centrals as well as other topics.

I have been on CPAP therapy for a few years and a couple of things have made a huge difference for me:
1. Getting an Auto Pap machine and stopped trying to get my sleep doc to talk to me as though I had a brain.
2. A little over a year ago I addressed my nasal congestion problems with an ENT and had my septum straightened and my turbinates cleaned up. This required surgery and a week of discomfort (not pain), but the relief was palpable within a month and progressively improved over the next 6 months. Just be aware that all ENT's are not equal, particularly when it comes to surgery, and it pays to do your due diligence.
3. Fixing the nasal congestion problem resulted in my being able to go from a huge full face mask to a nasal mask.
4. I used the P10 for about 6 months which was a big improvement over other masks, but I fought the same problems you did, the pillows would scrunch up and airflow would be blocked (in and out) and my nostrils would get irritated unless I used some type of lubricant.
5. I switched to the DreamWear nasal mask in October and it is the best mask for me so far.

By the way, I also have occasional irregular heart beats that were diagnosed over 15 years ago as extra beats that feel like skipped beats. It comes and goes, is uncomfortable when it happens but is not an issue of concern according to the Docs (I had a full echo cardiogram in the past year that confirmed this)

Seems to me you are on the right track. Fixing the nasal congestion problem for me was huge, as well as the CPAP therapy.

My only remaining issue has been periodic increases in CA's, but I think that Pugsy's thoughts on this are correct and reassuring.

[Heart Jumping]

Heart Jumping,

It has been very interesting following your experiences with CPAP and apnea. A lot resonates with me and I think that Pugsy has some very interesting things to say about Centrals as well as other topics.

I have been on CPAP therapy for a few years and a couple of things have made a huge difference for me:
1. Getting an Auto Pap machine and stopped trying to get my sleep doc to talk to me as though I had a brain.
2. A little over a year ago I addressed my nasal congestion problems with an ENT and had my septum straightened and my turbinates cleaned up. This required surgery and a week of discomfort (not pain), but the relief was palpable within a month and progressively improved over the next 6 months. Just be aware that all ENT's are not equal, particularly when it comes to surgery, and it pays to do your due diligence.
3. Fixing the nasal congestion problem resulted in my being able to go from a huge full face mask to a nasal mask.
4. I used the P10 for about 6 months which was a big improvement over other masks, but I fought the same problems you did, the pillows would scrunch up and airflow would be blocked (in and out) and my nostrils would get irritated unless I used some type of lubricant.
5. I switched to the DreamWear nasal mask in October and it is the best mask for me so far.

By the way, I also have occasional irregular heart beats that were diagnosed over 15 years ago as extra beats that feel like skipped beats. It comes and goes, is uncomfortable when it happens but is not an issue of concern according to the Docs (I had a full echo cardiogram in the past year that confirmed this)

Seems to me you are on the right track. Fixing the nasal congestion problem for me was huge, as well as the CPAP therapy.

My only remaining issue has been periodic increases in CA's, but I think that Pugsy's thoughts on this are correct and reassuring.

MarcoSil, thanks so much for the post! LOL, I'd have never thought anyone was really following it other than the folks who were kind enough to answer some questions. Related to each of your points:

1. Adjusting to the (exhalation) pressure of my APAP has been the most difficult part for me, though lately all of a sudden after 2 months, it seems to be the easiest it's been. Nonetheless, I saw an ENT last week and now I know why, it seems I may have mild asthma or something along those lines. I'm not too worried about it, I don't have COPD and I can work out without being out of breath. More on that below...

2. Yes, this is what took me to the ENT, and I also mentioned a couple of other issues I've had when I saw her, the difficulty adjusting to the pressure, and some issues with morning cough over the years. In the process I found out that I have a deviated septum with the opening on the right side being so narrow she could not get the tube down it.

3. Good to know you were not in a lot of pain with your procedure, what did it consist of? I am up in the air as far as surgery, she mentioned that different types of surgery may end up being an option. She also mentioned some of the surgeries could eliminate apnea, but it could return, or it might help me to lower the cpap pressure - so I liked that she was giving me accurate info I know to be true on that front. I feel lucky - insofar as I am tolerating and dedicated to using my cpap, so I don't feel as though there is any urgency to deciding, I have some time to try other things she is recommending (inhalers etc.). She also mentioned they could do a study where they put a tube up me while I sleep and watch where the air passages close, to see how much surgery might help, and where it would be needed. Not to crazy about the sound of that test , but it was interesting to hear. Whatever I am told, you can be assured I'll research it, and take your advice on that front to heart. She also commented that it was pretty common for congestion to have a correlation with apnea, which did not surprise me.

5. I love the Dreamware mask. My only real complaint is loud wind noise if I have anything in front of it (pillow or quilt). And I wish it was a little more steady fit. Bu overall I'm thrilled with it.

I am waiting to see a cardiologist to have the heartbeats further looked at, your post makes me hopeful on that front as well.

Thank you again for posting and sharing!

[Okie bipap]

The surgery for a deviated septum is not too bad. When they do it, they will usually insert splints into the nose. These are much better than the old method of packing the cavities with gause. I was able to breath better with the splints in than I could before surgery. I had other things done at the same time in an effort to keep from using CPAP. This was almost 20 years ago, and my ob required me to travel a lot back then. The CPAP machines were much larger then, and more difficult to carry on an airplane. Since I was already carrying a nebulizer for my asthma, I didn't want to try to pack around a large CPAP machine. I started getting symptoms again about six or seven years ago, and was finally tested last year. I have been using a bilevel machine since May, 2015. I would recommend the septiplasty just to make breathing easier all of the time. I didn't realize how hard I was working to breath until after I had my surgery.

[Heart Jumping]

I would recommend the septiplasty just to make breathing easier all of the time.

Thanks for the info and also for giving the surgery a name, I'm reading up on it right now.

[Heart Jumping]

I mentioned this is another thread and it's so amazing to me I have to mention it again, because it just happened again. While I have not yet experienced any great increase in energy, I am noticing something that I can't half believe and I'd be skeptical of if someone else told me about it - I have memories I had forgotten, or at least could no longer easily access, coming back. The endless loss of sleep and oxygen deprivation obviously took its toll, and now some memories are coming back.

The place where it is easiest to spot is phone numbers. I am remembering phones numbers that I have not called in 10, 20, 30 years, and as I am thinking about someone or something they will pop into my head. I just can't get over it.

[chunkyfrog]

SWEEEEEEET!

[Heart Jumping]

SWEEEEEEET!

Sometimes I really wish this forum had a like button as i would give that post a big like .

[MarcoSil]

Heart Jumping,

My surgery was a Septoplasty with bilateral turbinate reduction. The septoplasty fixes the deviation (mine was 70% blocked). The turbinates are some membranes in your nose that basically condition (filter and humidify) the air that you breath. As we age the turbinates (like the rest of our body) can lose shape and become "flabby". The procedure just basically cleans them up and improves their functionality. My Doc made it clear that this would not get rid of the apnea, but it would probably reduce the required pressures and help with my persistent post nasal drip. It did both. Pressures came down from 16+ to about 9. The drip is much better as well.

The surgery lasted all of 25 minutes but requires a general anesthesia. My Doc put a splint in to help the septum heal in place after he straightened it. There was no gauze or other packing. I had to live with it for 1 week and could not breath through my nose at all. I couldn't use my APAP for a month. Like I said, just really uncomfortable but no real pain, and my wife would say that in general I don't tolerate pain well. When the splints were removed, I was amazed at the sensation of being able to breath well through my nose and within 6 months I was able to switch to pillows/nasal masks and get rid of the full face mask.

There have been significant improvements in surgical methods during the past 10 years. My Doc actually used a laser.

If you research the surgery online, you can scare yourself into inaction if you are not careful.