Your opinion please

[skittles]

I know that my husband has been suffering from sleep apnea for years, but he has never gotten a sleep study.

About 5 years ago he was dx with congestive heart failure, which is unfortunately a side effect of OSA. I know that his OSA caused this --I am not a doctor, but there are some things you just feel in your bones and know.

I have an extra ffm and I want him to start using it.

What do you think of self-dx of OSA?? Do you think it will hurt him in any way to try it??

How do I know that he has it?? Because I have slept beside this man for 36 years and have heard him snore so loud the kids upstairs could hear him - I have heard him gasp for breath, and I have laid my hand on his chest and not felt any movement.

Like so many of us, we never heard about OSA, even when I told him to talk to his doctor about his snoring, he never did. Now, when I started snoring, he went with me to the doctor, and of course I was dx with severe OSA.

Your opinions on this would help greatly. He is game to try, but I just wanted to get more opinions on self dx.

Thanks

Skittles

[BeanMeScot]

If you have a data capable machine, it will do the diagnosis. Do you have an APAP? Since you won't know what pressure he would need, it is easier with an APAP since it will pick the right pressure.

[Bluebonnet_Gal]

I don't have any advice to offer, but I will be very intersted in the replies you receive. At some point in the not too distant future, I want to acquire a back-up xPAP (hopefully an Auto PAP). At that time I want to try to get a mask to fit my husband and encourage him to use it for a night so we can get an idea at home (without a sleep study) if he has OSA and if so, how severe. If severe, at that point I would begin to educate him on the health issues involved and encourage him to have a sleep study and get professional help. His snoring is fairly loud and faily severe. While I can't say I've noticed him stop breathing in his sleep, I have heard him "snort" before resuming snoring after a quiet period. During those periods, I suspect he stops breathing.

Interested in the replies you will receive!

[Gerald]

You're about to do what I did with my honey. It's a loving way of trying to extend his life.

I'd suggest that you purchase a SPO-7500 recording oximeter....so that you can get a print-out of his O2 uptake each night. Lack of O2 is what caused the congestive heart failure.

Also....you must have an Auto CPAP machine that has a card reader with software. That software will give you a print-out showing his apneas, hypopneas, and snores.

With the two print-outs side by side......oximeter report.....and CPAP report.......you can slowly sneak up on his best pressure settings......and find that sweet spot of perfect pressures.

I'd suggest a Respironics M-Series Auto CPAP with AFLEX and integrated humidifier....along with Respironics "Viewer" software.

An auto CPAP and an oximeter.....both with software.......are your fundamental tools.

Gerald

[jnk]

. . . What do you think of self-dx of OSA?? . . .

You may benefit from reading rested gal's post in the following link and the link at the bottom of that post, which gives more of her story:

viewtopic/t37680/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=37 ... y+#p326412

[Wulfman]

Hi Skittles.

Are you still using the HC233 CPAP? I honestly think you could titrate him with a data-capable CPAP, but unfortunately your machine isn't. YOU could buy a "spare" machine with your prescription (APAP or CPAP)......if you get my drift......
Your doctor could also prescribe an overnight pulse-oximetry test for him, too. (should be "free")

Hopefully, he'll be agreeable to it......but if he is, I wouldn't hesitate a second to do what you're asking about.

Den

[track]

My daughter was concerned about the possibilities I had sleep apnea...but I refused to get a sleep study. I was sleeping in the guest bedroom because my wife couldn't sleep with my snoring. My daughter came on this site and asked question and then found an apap machine on craig's list and purchased it for me as a christmas present. That was over 2 years ago. I could count on 2 fingers the number of days since the machine was given to me that I have failed to use it....I had the stomach flu those 2 days. I don't snore anymore and immediately moved back into the master bedroom after I was given the machine. Life is good.
If you have any questions on how I started out after I got the machine or titrated myself..... feel free to ask or PM me.

[nomoore]

I see nothing wrong with doing this as long as you are SURE he has sleep apnea. Actually I plan on doing the same with my dad. He has had sleep apnea for years and it is VERY obvious since he often sleeps in the living room and snores loudly, until he stops breathing. I don't think I would do it without an APAP though. I'm sure it's possible with any fully data capable machine but I'm sure it would be a lot harder to get the pressure in the ballpark initially.

If you hear him gasping for air fairly often that is a sure sign he has apnea bad enough to need treatment. An apnea is basically when you stop breathing for ten or more seconds. There is an oxygen level component to the diagnosis also but if he's gasping for air you know his oxygen level is too low. Hold your breath for 10 seconds and pay attention when you start breathing again. You're not really gasping are you? It takes more than that to need to GASP for air. He's probably having apneas a lot more often than just when you hear him gasp.

If he snores that loudly it's a pretty sure sign that it is obstructive sleep apnea, easily treatable by CPAP. I say go for it, especially if you have an APAP.

[skittles]

Thanks for all the help guys -- I knew I would get good advise from you.

I am going to check into another machine for him - I figured it could not do any harm, but just wanted some opinions.

Thanks again

Skittles