Falling out of Chair? (Bed)

I am in desperate need of some. I am not sure if this will show the time but it is now 0435 on Christmas Day. I am at my inlaws and have just awoken from my son crying. As I lay half concious under the christmas tree, train components and presents half opened and scattered. My mask is on the floor beside me and my head is up against the rocking chair. I have fallen off the couch/recliner combo again. I now have a massive headache and as for last night during family gathering, I fell asleep at the table. Everyone thought it was so funny they took pictures. I was so embarrased. I am used to it by now. Some of my wife's extended family, still does not understand my problem, nor do they care. All they see is their beautiful Fiona with a Shreck.....

OK I am new here and I will have machine and details posted as soon as possible, I use a Something and Parker with an ambient Tracker, I know it has some software thing the TECH told me about when I got it. I am using a setting of 10% with a humidifier of 2 out of 4, Full face mask (Some conmfort thing?) With headgear. The facemask feels good and is comfortable.

About me: I am 28yr Old father of 3 boys with a bun in the over. My trade is a Police Officer. I am currently on Temporary Total Disablility due to an injury to my back. I am now 6'0" and 400lbs the last 75 gained within this year. My Chief is very concerned for me. AS of March 2006 I had Open Heart Surgery for a AAA (Thorasic Aneurism of the Aorta i was 26 ouch!) Which I was lucky to have survived, and then get back on the force a year later. I have High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Depression, Migraines, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, and Sleep Apnea Man I hope that is all. I am much too young to feel this darn old.....

I want to be here for my kids, And I want to get better so when I do and can get back on the force, I can be an asset instead of a liability. I want to be able to kick (censored) like I used to as a rookie, Not wheeze out after a half a block of a foot persuit.

I am in desperate need of a Christmas Miracle......
God Bless and Sorry for this being so long.

OK I was browsing the site and noticed the name of my machine.......... Fisher and Paykel

Nice to meet you and Merry Christmas.

Any idea of what your AHI is running (while on the machine), and how your leak rate is?

Oh and has the missing mask been a habit lately?

need_sum_sleep wrote:........I have High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Depression, Migraines, Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath, ........[/url]

Are you aware that sleep apnea is often the root cause of each of these conditions? At the very least, if sleep apnea is not the cause, it can make all of these conditions much worse.

In conjunction with regular discussions with your doctors, keep telling members on this forum about the details of your cpap treatment. You have many good, helpful people here who have personally dealt with much of what you are dealing with. They are happy to advise you.

Merry Christmas and God Bless.

Merry Christmas and hopefully a brand new Happy New Year!!!

You can congratulate yourself for finding this forum!! It has so much good information that you could read for a couple of days nonstop just by reading back threads!!

While at your inlaws are you using your cpap? How long do you plan on being there? If at all possible use your cpap at your inlaws -- I realize if you didn't pack you can't use it but if you took it don't let embarrasment stop you from putting the mask on.

Sleep apnea as Rooster said leads to a whole host of other health issues. You are far too young to leave your kids without a father. If you don't want to do it for yourself -- tell yourself you are doing it for them and use the cpap everynight and whenever sleeping!!

Some models of cpaps only record compliance data -- which is all most DME's are concerned about. Other cpaps record nightly events as they pertain to your sleep apnea such as pressure, snores, obstructions, and other useful info. We will need to know what Fisher and Paykel model you have to know if you have a data capapble machine or just a compliance model.

Please click on the our collective wisdom yellow light bulb and read the threads there. Also, the cpap faq red question mark has lots of good info that will answer many of your questions.

Please let us know what pressure you are at. Any other details you might be able to give us will help us in answering your questions.

You might do a search of sleep apnea on the internet and find out about the many health problems you may encounter if you are not compliant --hopefully that will scare you enough to want to use your machine whenever sleeping -- yes, even for naps.

Keep coming back here for support -- we understand your frustrations, nervousness, and your fears. Many of us have had to overcome some very real obstacles before feeling better, others have felt better immediately.

Important thing to remember is to hang in there!!!

Need-sum-sleep,

Hope your holiday has been pleasant with no more headers off the chair.

Your remaining excessive sleepiness seems to be a big issue in your life. If a medical workup doesn't reveal a cause, nor does a review of your medications, your cpap therapy could be ineffective. Has your doctor recommended another sleep study now that you're pretty comfortable using the machine and mask?

By the way, many would feel Fiona was the lucky one to end up with someone so goodhearted as Shrek.

Kathy

You really seem to be going through some stuff...

I'm no doc, but I come from a family that has genetic issues with obesity -- all of my uncles on mom's side are over 500# and I have a brother that is getting there himself -- for me, with constant fighting, I typically hang around 250 and get real nervous when I get over that...

What I've found that works the best and makes me feel the best is some form of the carb-control lifestyle. There are a number of versions out there, from Atkins, Sugar Busters, the Zone, South Beach, etc., etc., etc. All are modifications of the diet the doc will use on you once you actually get adult onset diabetes, so I figure that it is best to get on it now on my own so I can still have some freedom.

The first couple of weeks are sort of tough as you train yourself away from anything "white" -- pasta, bread, anything made with flour, sugar, etc., and onto protein, eggs, cheese, meat, un-starchy veggies, etc. After the first couple of weeks, it gets natural and you find all sorts of ways to stick with it, and typically (especially in guys) the weight rolls right of.

Good food control, good sleep, and some time with the wife will make most men more healthy in short order, and I've seen the low-carb lifestyle drop some of my bad health readings, such as high blood pressure, triglycerides, etc. I'm 50 and my blood pressure runs 128/75, even at 260 on a 5'10" frame...

Keep us posted, and we'll help see ya through this life-crisis. Better days ahead!

Hi Sum, and welcome to the message board.

I'm sure it's very frustrating to have others (like at the family holiday gathering) not understand OSA and even make fun of what you're going through.

I agree with Kathy:
[quote="kteague']By the way, many would feel Fiona was the lucky one to end up with someone so goodhearted as Shrek. [/quote]

need_sum_sleep wrote:I know it has some software thing the TECH told me about when I got it.

Your machine cannot record detailed data. At best, even if there is software for it, all it would show is "compliance" (hours of use.) Nothing about AHI or leaks, etc., as far as I know. And those are the important things to get data on, if a person is interested in monitoring their own treatment with software.

I don't think any of the Fisher & Paykel cpap machines can record full data. I've heard they are coming out with an autopap that will record more than just "compliance", but in their straight cpap machines (which are all they produce right now) they record only hours of use.

If it were me, I'd be going back to the doctor requesting a prescription to change my machine to an autopap. That would mean getting a different brand of machine since F&P doesn't have an autopap out there yet. I'd get either the Respironics M series Auto with A-Flex, or the Puritan Bennett 420E autopap. And I'd get the software to monitor my own treatment -- EncoreViewer for the Respironics machine, or Silverlining for the PB machine.

need_sum_sleep wrote:I am using a setting of 10%

That's probably your cpap pressure. 10 cm H2O. CPAP pressure is measured in water pressure...how hard the machine has to blow to raise a column of water 10 centimeters. 10 cm is a moderate pressure...not considered particularly high, so if that's what can keep your airway open, you're lucky. The higher the pressure a person has to use, the more chance of mask leaks and aerophagia (bloated belly from air inadvertently getting swallowed and/or pushed down the wrong way.)

need_sum_sleep wrote:Full face mask (Some conmfort thing?) With headgear. The facemask feels good and is comfortable.

Again, you're lucky. The mask is usually the most difficult part of the puzzle to "get right" -- that it be comfortable enough to actually sleep with it on. Since you say it's a Full Face mask, you don't have to worry about treatment air escaping out the mouth, like some who wear masks that don't cover both the mouth and nose together have to consider. You can get your treatment whether you breathe through nose or mouth.

Kudos to you for using your machine/mask even when taking a nap -- I guess that's why (a nap) you were on the couch/recliner before you ended up on the floor.

cflame asked a very good question:

cflame1 wrote:Oh and has the missing mask been a habit lately?

Did your mask just get knocked off when you fell off the couch? Or do you often wake up with the mask off in your bed at home, and not recall taking it off during the night?

How long have you been using CPAP?

glfredrick offered some great advice about how to work on the weight problem. OSA can sap a person of the energy it might take to exercise, but what you eat is entirely up to you. I guess you're also practicing good "sleep hygiene" -- going to bed at a decent hour to give yourself plenty of sleep time with the cpap machine.

Good luck, sum. You're trying hard, and you will get the treatment going in your favor. You're obviously determined. And you've come to the right place for as much help as we all can give you! Keep posting and letting us know how it's going.

Welcome to the forum Officer Sleep.....You have found a great place for support and information -- as the previous posters have already indicated!!!!

I really can't add much to what has already been said......

I'm struggling with weight as well -- glfredrick offered some very good advice on methods.
If you don't have diabetes yet, man, you need to get that weight off before it "gets you"......
It already got me, so besides the high blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep apnea amongst others, that was added to the mix.

Now -- that said, since I've been on the xPAP I've got my weight down 30 (back up 10 and then down 2 more, so I'm really down 22) and still have 30+ more to go; my blood pressure is to a level now that the doc is considering taking me off of the meds.....I'm still not feeling absolutely great, but little steps (Which is to say, don't expect miracles!!!)!!! I know I feel better and I know my other issues are improving.....

RG is right in that you should try to get the doc to write you a machine specific script for a machine that collects all data!!! It's very important for your own monitoring to have a machine that can provide you more than just compliance data!!!!!
Because the DME's get the same money for a straight CPAP at the low end as they do for the higher end CPAP or Auto CPAP they will always try to pawn off the low end machine because they make more profit from it. You're dealing with your health here, not their profits, so don't settle for low end. Get your doc to write you a specific script. Mine actually specified the make and model on my script because my DME was whining about having to provide a high end machine. Because my DME doesn't carry the mask that works for me (Headrest), I'm getting ready to ask the doc to write a mask specific script to force them to order it (after which I'll ask her to change it back to "patient preference")!!!

My most important advice would be -- Stick with it. You'll get it wired and start experiencing the benefits!!!!
Most of us have gone through a lot of what you are experiencing -- even the family deal (me always being "class clown" -- hey they can make fun of me all they want. I really don't give a s***. They might make fun of someone who's feelings might be hurt!!!!)...
Keep at it man and you'll be chasing down those bad guys again before you know it!!!!!! (Oh -- and thanks for your service to your community!!!!)

Keep us up on how you're doing......
Take care
cheers
goose

You know, even though I am a Police Officer by trade, and most people hate me for my job. (I wrote them a ticket or harass people on the highway, or wasn't there in time to help a loved one, Or there was this one cop who.... yeah yeah I have heard them all) I am still a compassionate man. I am fighting tears right now because I need help so bad and now I can talk to people who know where I am coming from. I will try and clear some things up here with questions some of you had.
OK main thing I see so far... When I decided to fill out a worker's compensation claim the City I worked for decided my services were no longer needed/required. I DO have an attorney, However, I have no insurance. I was lucky enough to fall in a charity program to get the poor little used machine I have now. I figured anything was better than nothing. The machine is a Fisher and Praykel Sleep Style 200 with Ambient Tracking Plus. I recieved a full faced F & P FlexiFit432. Now, I do wear a Goatee, but it does not affect my mask. Too much. When I fisrt put it on I get a small leak at the bottom. However, when I lean back it seals good with no leaks at all.

My mask hates me. Soon after I do fall into a slumber, it decides to leap off my face. The hasp is still connected, so I know it came off all at once. Other than that it's comfy and does not bother me. My wife took some video of me sleeping before my study. I was snoring loud, Head back, mouth open and I would pick my head up, and bob it around, move it in a cirlce, then gasp for more air. I would stop breathing for up to and longer than 15 seconds then gasp.

Falling out of my chair. This has happened a lot, even before I took my test. The only difference is I sleep walk at home. I fall asleep and wake up on the toilet. (No where else) I have fallen off it into the wall in front of me. I have fallen sideways into the bathtub. In my chair I have fallen on the floor, into the dresser by my recliner. And this is almost an every night occurence now. I am thinking of rigging some sort of "seatbelt" to keep me seated. I'm just worried I might just undo it, Or panic some night when I unconsiously try to have a one man falling down contest again.

After the first of the year, I have a Weight loss coach and I am going to hit the ground running, well walking. I have to get shots in my back and am still going through Physical Therapy for my injury.

God Bless you all for your help and input

Greetings nss:

About the only thing I can do is welcome you and offer some encouragement. Like you I chose the some profession and was able to have a very enjoyable and interesting 30 yr. career, been retired 11 yrs. 12/31. I have been on the hose, as therapy, since 10/06 the climb has been mostly uphill but is now at a place where it is producing results. I am still learning, reading and digesting what is said here. As you can tell there are very well educated, knowing and helpful people here. From my experience w/cpap, I would say practice using the mask while relaxing, research for "pur-sleep", try and stay off of sleep aids and keep seeking that miracle. I read your post to late for a Christmas miracle but I will be praying that things get better for you as the New Year begins. PM me if you need/want to talk.

Blessings and Happy New Year

Fred

need_sum_sleep wrote:I have no insurance. I was lucky enough to fall in a charity program to get the poor little used machine I have now. I figured anything was better than nothing. The machine is a Fisher and Praykel Sleep Style 200 with Ambient Tracking Plus.

Doesn't matter if it's a used machine. As long as it works, you can get good treatment. I used an even more basic (no humidifier) borrowed machine my first several months. It would still be treating me fine even if I had never decided to get another machine.

There's nothing wrong with a machine with no bells and whistles. CPAP air is CPAP air is CPAP air.... If the pressure of 10 is keeping the soft tissues in your throat from collapsing while you sleep, that's what matters.

It's easier to tweak our own treatment if we have software that shows detailed data -- shows leak rate and shows the overnight AHI (how many apneas and hypopneas are still sneaking through despite treatment.) But even without ANY data at all from a machine, people can work on their treatment effectively.

There was a study once -- of people who had been diagnosed with OSA through a sleep study, and who were given plain cpap machines and told to adjust their own pressure. Purpose of the study was to see if people could arrive at an effective pressure on their own -- with no titration in the sleep lab. They did. They went by how they "felt" and with input from their bed partners... "You're still snoring" (an indication pressure needed to be raised some more) or "You weren't snoring."

This link goes to an abstract of the study:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... /167/5/716

This link goes to a PDF of the entire study:
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/reprint/167/5/716


So, you can get excellent treatment with the machine you have. Unlike the people in the study, you already have the benefit of having had the pressure titrated for you in a sleep lab. You might, or might not, want to adjust the pressure up another cm or two after you get your "keeping the mask on" and "staying in bed" issues resolved.

More so than the machine, the mask is the real key to being able to "do" this kind of treatment. And in your case, keeping the mask on all night. Not to mention, keeping yourself in the bed.

Unlike others who are searching and searching for a mask they can even use, you've already found that right off the bat. You've got the hard part behind you. Figuring out a way to keep it on, and figuring out a way to stay in bed... you're working on those things now.

Perhaps adding a homemade strap around the mask might help. Or fashioning your own headgear for it.

Check out the discussions about ways to hold the main air hose up out of the way. Sometimes the weight of the air hose sliding or hanging off the bed tugs a mask or its headgear out of place:
LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

Even if CPAP is doing its part of the job perfectly, there can always be other health problems that can wear a person down, make them feel exhausted. That's great you're going to be working on the weight issue which has probably been contributing to a lot of the health problems you've been facing.

Your goals for the New Year sound like:

1. Getting the cpap mask to stay ON.
2. Getting the weight to come OFF.

Both take time, so don't get discouraged...just keep working on those two things. You handled life theatening situations in your work for years. You're capable of handling this one, too. You're already taking the right steps.

Hang in there Sum! You have come to the right place. I am also a newbie and have found more useful advice here in this forum than I found anywhere else since I started treatment. This is an incredibly well informed group of people that is willing to share their knowledge and experience with us neophytes.

When I started this I thought it would be easy - WRONG! My struggle has been to find the correct mask. I am on number 4 or 5 now and this may be the keeper. I am finally starting to sleep all night. You will get there too. I have no pearls of wisdom, just wanted to offer support. Don't give up.

Pat

[quote="need_sum_sleep"]You know, even though I am a Police Officer by trade, and most people hate me for my job. (I wrote them a ticket or harass people on the highway, or wasn't there in time to help a loved one, Or there was this one cop who.... yeah yeah I have heard them all) I am still a compassionate man. I am fighting tears right now because I need help so bad and now I can talk to people who know where I am coming from. I will try and clear some things up here with questions some of you had.
OK main thing I see so far... When I decided to fill out a worker's compensation claim the City I worked for decided my services were no longer needed/required. I DO have an attorney, However, I have no insurance. I was lucky enough to fall in a charity program to get the poor little used machine I have now. I figured anything was better than nothing. The machine is a Fisher and Praykel Sleep Style 200 with Ambient Tracking Plus. I recieved a full faced F & P FlexiFit432. Now, I do wear a Goatee, but it does not affect my mask. Too much. When I fisrt put it on I get a small leak at the bottom. However, when I lean back it seals good with no leaks at all.

My mask hates me. Soon after I do fall into a slumber, it decides to leap off my face. The hasp is still connected, so I know it came off all at once. Other than that it's comfy and does not bother me. My wife took some video of me sleeping before my study. I was snoring loud, Head back, mouth open and I would pick my head up, and bob it around, move it in a cirlce, then gasp for more air. I would stop breathing for up to and longer than 15 seconds then gasp.

Falling out of my chair. This has happened a lot, even before I took my test. The only difference is I sleep walk at home. I fall asleep and wake up on the toilet. (No where else) I have fallen off it into the wall in front of me. I have fallen sideways into the bathtub. In my chair I have fallen on the floor, into the dresser by my recliner. And this is almost an every night occurence now. I am thinking of rigging some sort of "seatbelt" to keep me seated. I'm just worried I might just undo it, Or panic some night when I unconsiously try to have a one man falling down contest again.

After the first of the year, I have a Weight loss coach and I am going to hit the ground running, well walking. I have to get shots in my back and am still going through Physical Therapy for my injury.

God Bless you all for your help and input

Hi. you said you sleepwalk, and I'm wondering if you don't have some version of some similar condition going on, along with your apnea, that could be fixed. Have you had a referral to a neurologist - that would be a logical step at this point for you to try, as there are many variations of sleepwalking that are not well known (or common) but do affect many people who don't realize there may be help available.