New Apnea Treatment Needed

Sheep1234 wrote:
Wow, I've only had positive reactions when I've spoken about my sleep apnea! All of a sudden, everyone knows someone who's on the hose. I've had people comment the difference in me since getting my machine, so I think most people believe that the therapy works.

There you go, 'They lived happily ever after'. See, I told you, it works! Sheep1234, we need to hear this more often. Family openness and mutual support is critical to OSA recovery and any other disease for that matter. Maybe the 'Compliance' statistics wouldn't be so lousy!!

SG

OK SG, here's another happily.... Birthday this month, dash out to tag office to renew car tag, get in line, put out paperwork & realize I forgot to get car inspected *sigh*. Back to car, dash over to the inspection site I've used for yrs, new young guy working. We chat as he's checking the car. Turns out he's a vet and several lodge buddies gather at the inspection place every morning to chat. He remarks that when he retires he's not getting up until after 10 AM. I say that when ya reach that age, sleep often changes and you're awake willingly or not. Somehow the conversation rolls along and I say I have sleep apnea and wear a mask attached to a machine that ensures my airways stay open when I sleep. Looking shocked, he annouces he's 4 wks into CPAP! I ask which machine...he's not sure. We agree that our sleep in the PSG is the best we'd had in ages! I tell him to come here and investigate and strongly suggest he try to upgrade to an APAP asap when he mentions some ongoing 'things' that are are often symptoms of apnea; that tradeup can usually be done within the first 30 days. I told him there's other vets here on TriCare Prime who can give him some tips on how to deal with them most effectively. I hope he comes, nice guy. Amazing how many folks I'm running into who need a sleep study or are on CPAP therapy...I'm now thinking of getting some cards with ww.cpap.com and the forum addy to handout 'cause this is such an incredible place to learn, get your therapy squared away and comfortable, and get your questions answered....and buy equipment at great prices!

Same here, only positive reactions.
My neighbour down stairs (I will sleep without wife before I sleep without my cpap), people at work, seems like everyone knows someone who has it or could use it (Have to tell mom/dad/uncle about that right away!!!) People have commented how much better I look and asked why.

rooster wrote:Based on my personal experience, I would agree that, in general, most severe OSA patients are compliant.

The ones that weren't compliant are already dead.

I agree. Unfortunately, it there is no joke in this. From my own experience, I am certain my grandfather had obstructive sleep apnea. Of course it was not diagnosed or treated at the time. He died fairly young (early 60s). Would you be surprised to hear that he died in his sleep? They never did an autopsy. But he had heart problems for years.

There is reams of documentation that untreated sleep apnea leads to severe cardiovascular problems (such as, congestive heart failure, heart attacks or stroke). I certainly know that my recent bout with very bad sleep caused my blood pressure to skyrocket. And it does nasty things to my blood sugar.

Managing my sleep apnea is a key part of my life continuation plan.

SuperGeeky wrote:Rooster, you know what you get when a OSA Patient survives strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, car accidents and obesity??

An Alzheimer Patient....

Morbid, yes. But true. My mother died, 29 October 2009. An Alzheimer's patient. After years of congestive heart failure, TIAs and etc. Cholesterol meds, pain meds (for the pain caused by insufficient oxygen) -- but she wasn't obese. So therefore, she couldn't have had apnea.

What may have been untreated apnea made of my Mom doesn't bear thinking of.

And may the Higher Powers grant the same as what she suffered to those who refused to see.

JohnBFisher wrote:......There is reams of documentation that untreated sleep apnea leads to severe cardiovascular problems (such as, congestive heart failure, heart attacks or stroke). I certainly know that my recent bout with very bad sleep caused my blood pressure to skyrocket. And it does nasty things to my blood sugar.

.........

That can't be true John. If it were true, sleep apnea screening (by questionnaire) would be a routine part of medical physicals just like blood-sugar levels, blood pressure, blood lipids, etc.

If you read the web site it is very specific that it treats mild to moderate OSA only.
Dr Zhou was also a surgeon originally in China. The Oriental medical approach is different from the Western medical mind set and they combine both in their hospitals. It can be very effective for chronic issues.
The biggest problem I can see with the approach is the same problem as with cpap compliance - it requires patient participation. It is not a quick, no thinking and passive approach. Like all Oriental medicine it requires you to DO something too. It probably won't do well except for the kind of person who wants to take charge of their personal health.

I asked on my Pacemaker Club forum how many people there had sleep apnea because of the connection between sleep apnea and heart problems. I ran into one person from this site there!