Now that I have sleep apnea, I am sensitive about ignoring it because I know the dangers.
My sister-inlaw thinks she has apnea, ny brother says she snores and stops breathing for long periods of time only to gasp awake. scares him. She is always sleepy and has fallen asleep driving and sitting at lights. She isn't sure she has apnea but complains about memory, confusion and always being tired.
She is resisting because she fears the apnea machine, I was prodding her on the other side on how much its worth the aggravation. She has recently has some health trouble, some high blood pressure issues that are flaring up, and i have to wonder.
the resistant family memeber
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the resistant family memeber
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Sounds like a textbook case of moderate to severe Sleep Apnea.
There's a fairly recent item on this forum titled "Bad News" with a few horror stories of people who ignored their sleep apnea or were not diagnosed, and then died.
She should at least see a doctor and get diagnosed, and educate herself rather than just ignoring it. Could be a matter of life and death.
I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. When I learned about CPAP, I initially reacted badly to the idea of sleeping with a mask & machine every night for the rest of my life. I was also embarrassed that my fiancee would have to live with this too. I felt like I would be less attractive to her with all this apparatus.
But what turned me around was this:
1. The difference between my first sleep study (to diagnose sleep apnea) and the second one (for cpap titration). During the first study, I stopped breathing on average once every 3 minutes for an average of 15 seconds each time. I never got to stage 3 or 4 sleep. During the second study, wearing the CPAP mask, I *NEVER* stopped breathing, and spent a normal amount of time in each of the 4 stages of sleep.
2. The day after the second sleep study, despite sleeping only 6 hours, I felt so energetic and well-rested. I didn't have my usual afternoon drowsiness, and didn't need nearly as much coffee (especially after lunch). I have rarely felt that way in the past 5 years.
Sure, I'm not keen on the idea of sleeping with a mask & machine. But I'm pretty keen on (1) staying alive and (2) the energy I feel when I get a restful sleep, which is impossible when you continually stop breathing!!!
And my fiancee has been amazing and totally supportive. Turns out, she wants me to live, too! (and is happy that my snoring won't be a problem anymore)
There's a fairly recent item on this forum titled "Bad News" with a few horror stories of people who ignored their sleep apnea or were not diagnosed, and then died.
She should at least see a doctor and get diagnosed, and educate herself rather than just ignoring it. Could be a matter of life and death.
I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. When I learned about CPAP, I initially reacted badly to the idea of sleeping with a mask & machine every night for the rest of my life. I was also embarrassed that my fiancee would have to live with this too. I felt like I would be less attractive to her with all this apparatus.
But what turned me around was this:
1. The difference between my first sleep study (to diagnose sleep apnea) and the second one (for cpap titration). During the first study, I stopped breathing on average once every 3 minutes for an average of 15 seconds each time. I never got to stage 3 or 4 sleep. During the second study, wearing the CPAP mask, I *NEVER* stopped breathing, and spent a normal amount of time in each of the 4 stages of sleep.
2. The day after the second sleep study, despite sleeping only 6 hours, I felt so energetic and well-rested. I didn't have my usual afternoon drowsiness, and didn't need nearly as much coffee (especially after lunch). I have rarely felt that way in the past 5 years.
Sure, I'm not keen on the idea of sleeping with a mask & machine. But I'm pretty keen on (1) staying alive and (2) the energy I feel when I get a restful sleep, which is impossible when you continually stop breathing!!!
And my fiancee has been amazing and totally supportive. Turns out, she wants me to live, too! (and is happy that my snoring won't be a problem anymore)
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Hi Dave. I empathize with you. I have a brother very much in the same situation.
He snores very loudly. He is depressed. He always complains about a lack of energy. I only learned a few weeks ago (after I was telling him about my OSA and xpap experience, which began April 23rd) that he, in fact, had a PSG about a year ago. He was titrated and got an xpap machine from the VA. He tells me he only used it a few nights and put it away.
He won't tell me what machine, mask, or what pressure he was titrated at. He has his usual explanation for why this won't work for him, namely that he has a unique condition (in this case, he can't exhale) which means to him it is useless and he is justified in ignoring reality.
He has this approach to most of his physical and mental issues. I feel really bad for him, but I don't think he is ever likely to change his ways. I hope your sister-in-law is ultimately more flexible.
Mike
He snores very loudly. He is depressed. He always complains about a lack of energy. I only learned a few weeks ago (after I was telling him about my OSA and xpap experience, which began April 23rd) that he, in fact, had a PSG about a year ago. He was titrated and got an xpap machine from the VA. He tells me he only used it a few nights and put it away.
He won't tell me what machine, mask, or what pressure he was titrated at. He has his usual explanation for why this won't work for him, namely that he has a unique condition (in this case, he can't exhale) which means to him it is useless and he is justified in ignoring reality.
He has this approach to most of his physical and mental issues. I feel really bad for him, but I don't think he is ever likely to change his ways. I hope your sister-in-law is ultimately more flexible.
Mike
3 posts
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