Newbie with questions

[SleepySmiley]

Hello to all!

I have been perusing the forums for a couple of weeks now and I have a few questions.

First off, I have been diagnosed with Mild Sleep Apnea. My first sleep study showed 16 obstructive, 49 hypopneas for an average of 10 disruptions per hour. I am going this Friday, July 24th for my second study to determine mask and titration.

Questions:
1. I am currently sleeping in a recliner. Helps with my apnea and loose jointed issues that I have. In the sleep study, I had the head of the bed propped up to match my current sleeping environment. I anticipate that I will sleep the same way during my second study. Here is the question: If at some point, I actually am physically able to sleep lying down in a bed, will that affect the amount of pressure that is needed?

2. I have looked all over, what does DME stand for?

3. I have trouble breathing on windy days. You know how babies/toddlers gasp for breath when exposed to wind?? Well, I do that as an adult. I don't know what this is called or if it even has a term. My concern is, if I have trouble breathing on a windy day, how am I going to breath with air being shot up my nose/mouth??

That is all that comes to mind right now. I would appreciate any info that you all can provide!

Thanks!

[Yoda]

Welcome Sleepy Smiley!

DME stands for Durable Medical Equipment. It is the name for the businesses that provide medical equipment (your cpap stuff).

I don't know about your other questions. Perhaps one of the experienced folks on the board will come along and answer.

Good luck!

[harry33]

question 2
probably not although some have less apnea when sleeping in a chair so remind your apnea people

[PST]

As to question #1, one of my symptoms was that I would sit up and sleep in a sitting position for half an hour at a time, without fully awakening and without remembering the incident in the morning. I asked my sleep specialist about it and he explained that it is easier to breath while upright or partially upright than lying down. Now, he may have been talking only about people in my weight class, but he said that I was sitting up to get help in my effort to pull air through a partially closed pharynx by enlisting gravity to help me move my diaphragm. He went on to explain that one reason sleep apnea is typically worse when lying on the back than on a side is the force required to hoist a big pile of belly fat straight up in the air with every breath. He put it more kindly, but I got the picture. In addition, he advised me to sleep on my side, as he said that the air pressure he prescribed would not be sufficient to completely prevent apneic events while on my back. So if all that information is accurate, perhaps you will need more pressure if you go to a fully prone position for sleeping. I'd certainly ask.

Question #3 is one I haven't heard before. Many people get used to the air pressure. I sure have. You know the pleasant, dreamy feeling of drifting in and out of sleep you get in the morning if you don't have to get up right away? At first, I would rip the mask off at first consciousness so I could enjoy that without the CPAP. Now, I find myself lying in bed in the morning with the mask on, as natural as can be, not really sensing the increased pressure. I didn't think CPAP could become so easy to ignore, but it did. I hope you experience the same.

My only theory about why you find you have trouble breathing in the wind is pretty far-fetched, but here goes. Because of Bernoulli's principle, air pressure is diminished perpendicular to the direction of air flow. So if air is blowing across you mouth or nostrils, it should have the effect of sucking air out, making it slightly more difficult to inhale. I can't quite believe this is an adequate explanation, but like someone who helpfully gives a stranger street directions without actually being sure of the way, I'm giving it my questionable best shot.

[Muse-Inc]

Question 1: Talk to your sleep doc as to whether you should be titrated reclining.

I sleep propped up (thanks to chronic sinus/allergy congestion) but was tested lying flat on my back and on my side.

[SleepySmiley]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. Looking forward to this most interesting adventure!