What to do while waiting?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:35 am

I got addicted to sleeping pills due to withdrawl from SSRI medication. Was put back on the medicine because I thought I was having strokes or heartattacks. Without going into much history (Yet), after a few days with serious dizzy spells and feeling like all the power in my body was about to be drained (Is this normal for sleep apnea?) I saw a doctor. MRI showed all was good. I had blood work. All OK. I'm over-weight but my lab work comes back clean every time. I don't know if that's because of my powerlifting schedule and diet or something else...age maybe...33.

I was referred to an ENT who said my tongue was big and my airways narrow. He referred me to a GP specializing in sleep. He took my history. I snore loud according to my wife. I also stop breathing according to my wife. The doctor said I should get tested. Problem is, that won't be until July 22nd. Even after that, all the data gets sent to another specialist which takes up to 2 weeks. Then I see the doctor again. Whether I get a prescription or not I'm looking at waiting a whole 2 months before anything happens. What should I do in the meantime?

I've switched my powerlifting routine and diet to a weightloss routine (Small changes) and diet (Big changes). The last few days my shoulder muscles all the way up to my neck feel like they are so exhausted as though I've been holding something in my arms all day and I'm just feeling the burn. Saw a chiropractor today (Also does massages) and helped a bit. He mentioned that my muscles were extremely tense (Again, I'm wondering if this is due to fatigue).

I live in Japan, although I'm not Japanese. The medical world works a little differently here. The quake/tsunami have done a lot to disrupt quite a few of the things we normally take for granted. I'm still on medicine. If I try to nap during the day, without medicine, there are times when I catch myself not breathing. I get a ZAP sometimes that wakes me up. It's like a flash bang of white light or something and I wake up scared. I've gotten somewhat use to it so I go back and try to nap more, only to have the same zaps hit me again and again. I am fatigued most of the day. This has impacted my powerlifting dramatically. BUT more serious is my work. I work in a business where I give long speeches to big crowds. Stopping is not an option. I've come close to collapsing a few times but powered through.

That's a bit long for a first post...hope someone can give me a bit of advice on what to do. I'm thinking about calling around to other hospitals and seeing if there's a way to get in sooner. It's as though it's taking it's toll on me more in the last few months due to increased stress.

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 5:46 am

try getting on a cancellation list.

try not sleeping on your back.

try sleeping in a recliner

cowlypso · Post by **cowlypso** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:02 am

I'm not sure if this helps, but most sleep labs in the U.S. are similarly backed up. My doctor's first available appointment is now probably the end of August or early September.

I agree with getting on their cancellation list. That's the only way I got in as soon as I did. My first appointment with the doctor was scheduled for 3 months out, then I got in after about a week on a cancellation. My second sleep study was scheduled about 3 weeks out, and I got in within the week due to a cancellation.

AndyCelt · Post by **AndyCelt** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:06 am

I would definitely be calling to other hospitals, sleep clinics, etc. and see if anyone can see you sooner. Also ask if you can take any spots open from cancellations from the hospital your are currently talking with.

That is very frustrating when you are in a situation of thinking you know what is going on and being unable to do anything about it. I wish you luck finding an earlier appointment.

Sheriff Buford · Post by **Sheriff Buford** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:17 am

First off - welcome to 'Obama-care'.

I don't know how your finances are, but if it was me.... I'd look to buy a used cpap machine,....buy a mask and set the pressure at 12 cm H2O. I may start a riot on this website, but you are in charge of your care and it appears to me you have the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Sheriff

synonymous · Post by **synonymous** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:33 am

Sheriff Buford wrote:First off - welcome to 'Obama-care'.

I don't know how your finances are, but if it was me.... I'd look to buy a used cpap machine,....buy a mask and set the pressure at 12 cm H2O. I may start a riot on this website, but you are in charge of your care and it appears to me you have the symptoms of sleep apnea.

Sheriff

I'm not in the U.S. I'm in Japan. No Obama-care. We do have National Healthcare though.

I will ask about a cancellation list. The hospital apparently only does 1 a week. I'm looking at a few specialty centers. Apparently, at the end when the machine is given out, it's about 50 bucks a month. That normal?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:23 am

Sheriff Buford wrote: I'd look to buy a used cpap machine,....buy a mask and set the pressure at 12 cm H2O.

You did not comment on this great piece of advice, synonymous. Buy a used machine and get started. 12 cm is a little high. Try something lower to start with, then you can move up as you get skilled at keeping the mask from leaking. Move up only if you don't feel better.

To purchase, try secondwindcpap . com. They will ship to Japan, and their prices are excellent.

nanwilson · Post by **nanwilson** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 9:49 am

I had to wait almost a year to get my results and machine.........so I spent the time getting myself educated......I think I read every post on this site .

Sireneh · Post by **Sireneh** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:04 am

I think I can understand how you are feeling about the wait. I didn't think I'd survive all the time in between appointments - almost exactly as you described (I'm in Canada.) That whole ZAP thing is a little worrisome, however. Was it Paxil you were using?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 1:55 pm

synonymous guested wrote:I get a ZAP sometimes that wakes me up. It's like a flash bang of white light or something and I wake up scared.

Unsettling but harmless.

An excerpt near the bottom of an "Exploding Head Syndrome" article:
"brain zaps," which can occur during withdrawal from certain antidepressant medications.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2273870_control ... drome.html

________________________

Another, a "visual sleep start," replaces the crack with a blinding flash of light, also coming from inside your noggin or your eyes.
http://www.discovery.com/area/skinnyon/ ... nnyon.html

snardo · Post by **snardo** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:23 pm

If you're hesitant to get a second-hand machine to start (not a bad idea), another idea would be to try a chin strap. I have long suspected that a chin strap all by itself would go a long way toward helping my relatively mild apnea (for naps and such especially), but as I already have a machine, I haven't investigated further.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 2:45 pm

That's not a bad suggestion, snardo. For some people with OSA, just keeping the chin from dropping down might keep their tongue from lolling back and might keep the airway open, but I'll bet those people are few and far between no matter how "mild" the diagnosis. "Mild" sleep apnea, in and of itself, wouldn't be a very good indication that "just a chin strap" might help prevent apneas, I don't think.

However, if a person combined using a chin strap with sleeping more or less upright in a recliner and not letting the head tilt forward and down toward the chest... that might go a longer way toward helping a non-machine using OSA sufferer than a chin strap alone.

There are a lot of tissues in the oral cavity and throat that can collapse together during the relaxation of sleep for people who have sleep apnea, no matter how "mild" the diagnosis was. There are plenty of places the collapse can happen that have little to do with keeping the jaw up.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:44 pm

I am trying to come of Depromel (not sure what the American brand is called but it's not Paxil) I'm also on the lowest dosage. I've tried to cut it out completely but I think the stress of that and not sleeping properly have caused more severe anxiett attacks. The zaps are common for withdrawal but I've never heard of it during use with naps. It sucks! Last night I tried sleeping more upright and on my back. I'm not sure if my snoring was any better, my wife hasn't gotten back to me on that. I left for work earlier. I'm feeling a bit better but still tired. I'll have to wait and see as the day goes on.

Getting on a cancellation list is apparently a no no. As in the hospital doesn't have one. They only do a couple patients at a time and only once a week. I'm looking into some sleep centers to see if I can get in earlier.

TimBear · Post by **TimBear** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:23 pm

Guest wrote:I am trying to come of Depromel (not sure what the American brand is called but it's not Paxil) I'm also on the lowest dosage. I've tried to cut it out completely but I think the stress of that and not sleeping properly have caused more severe anxiett attacks. The zaps are common for withdrawal but I've never heard of it during use with naps. It sucks! Last night I tried sleeping more upright and on my back. I'm not sure if my snoring was any better, my wife hasn't gotten back to me on that. I left for work earlier. I'm feeling a bit better but still tired. I'll have to wait and see as the day goes on.

Getting on a cancellation list is apparently a no no. As in the hospital doesn't have one. They only do a couple patients at a time and only once a week. I'm looking into some sleep centers to see if I can get in earlier.

Depromel is known as Luvox in the US. The generic name is Fluvoxamine and is one of the first SSRI antidepressants that even predates Prozac. Many of the newer antidepressants are not yet approved in Japan.

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:27 pm

While I was waiting for my sleep studies, I switched my morning baby aspirin to bedtime, as my heart was under more stress at night.

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