About 10 years ago I asked my doctor to order a sleep study. Being a respiratory therapist I was quite sure I needed one done. She told me to keep a sleep journal for 1 month. I was amazed that I was actually falling asleep more than I thought I was. Brought it to this so called MD and she said that I had normal sleep habits and the only thing she thought was that I took naps because of depression. I knew I wasn't depressed. She said a neurologist would laugh at her if she sent me for a referral. So, I guess she got sick of my increased sleepiness complaints so she put me on Ritalin. ritalin is a miracle drug for staying awake during the day!!!
6 months ago I had unctrollable Hypertension, by this time I am with a new MD and he continued with my Ritalin. Ritalin can cause increased BP, so, he ordered the sleep study to show a score of 60. Not exactly a score for depression. I do not mind the cpap as I thought I would. Leaving it on for about 5 hours a night. Still sleepy during day.
Sorry for being such a motor mouth, but, here our my questions:
1) Has anyone ever tried the sleep apnea pillows?
2) Would you prefer to stay on Ritalin and be awake?
3) No Ritalin and use mask and not be awake, and possible decrease in BP, no guarantee.
Here is the most important question:
4) Is sleep apnea really that big a deal, as I am sure other generations have had this problem and never used cpap or never even had a diagnosis?
5)Sleep apnea has become extremely prevalent the last few years, if it was such a big deal, and can be life threatening, but, noone ever really dies from it?
OK, I guess that is it, Thanks for listening
respiratory therapist using cpap
6 posts
• Page 1 of 1
"5)Sleep apnea has become extremely prevalent the last few years, if it was such a big deal, and can be life threatening, but, noone ever really dies from it?"
Errr, can you remember the Reggie White headlines from a little while back (what was it, December of last year???)? He's merely the latest high-profile-ex-superstar-athelete to die from OSA complications. While OSA may not kill you outright, it WILL take its toll on your body and can cause a whole host of related conditions that CAN kill, such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, etc. This most definitely IS a life-threatening condition.
As for taking the Ritalin for daytime sleepiness and using CPAP therapy, my experience has been that after finding the right combination of CPAP unit (for me a PB 420E), humidifier and mask (again, for me, the Ultra Mirage FF mask), it took about 2 weeks for my daytime energy levels to start rising and for the nodding off at work to cease. There are some folks who, like me, see almost immediate results, but there are some who take longer. Remember, for most of us, this is not a condition that has happened overnight and it may take up to 6 months or so to pay off the accumulated sleep debt. But hang in there!
This therapy WORKS!
Errr, can you remember the Reggie White headlines from a little while back (what was it, December of last year???)? He's merely the latest high-profile-ex-superstar-athelete to die from OSA complications. While OSA may not kill you outright, it WILL take its toll on your body and can cause a whole host of related conditions that CAN kill, such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, etc. This most definitely IS a life-threatening condition.
As for taking the Ritalin for daytime sleepiness and using CPAP therapy, my experience has been that after finding the right combination of CPAP unit (for me a PB 420E), humidifier and mask (again, for me, the Ultra Mirage FF mask), it took about 2 weeks for my daytime energy levels to start rising and for the nodding off at work to cease. There are some folks who, like me, see almost immediate results, but there are some who take longer. Remember, for most of us, this is not a condition that has happened overnight and it may take up to 6 months or so to pay off the accumulated sleep debt. But hang in there!
This therapy WORKS!
_________________
| Mask: Ultra Mirage™ Full Face CPAP Mask with Headgear |
| Additional Comments: APAP, 8-14 cm H2O. |
This therapy WORKS!!!
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Here is a response to a post on another board regarding a child who was on ritalin and told by his doctor that the behavioral problems may be caused by bad sleep:
Tonsil removal improves kids behavior problems NEW YORK, Apr 19 (Reuters Health) Children, like adults, can develop a condition called sleep apnea, which causes them to repeatedly stop breathing for brief periods during sleep. Behavioral and emotional problems such as learning disabilities, attention disorders, and hyperactivity have been reported in kids with sleep apnea.
Read the entire story here: http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/20 ... in010.html
Tonsil removal improves kids behavior problems NEW YORK, Apr 19 (Reuters Health) Children, like adults, can develop a condition called sleep apnea, which causes them to repeatedly stop breathing for brief periods during sleep. Behavioral and emotional problems such as learning disabilities, attention disorders, and hyperactivity have been reported in kids with sleep apnea.
Read the entire story here: http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/20 ... in010.html
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
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IWannaSleep
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:34 am
- Location: Florida
- Contact:
Oops, Login required the story sounded interesting though. Thanks for sharing.wading thru the muck! wrote:
...Read the entire story here: http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/20 ... in010.html
Ron
9 cm h2o
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Sorry about that... Here is the entire text of the article:
Tonsil removal improves kids behavior problems
NEW YORK, Apr 19 (Reuters Health) -- For children who have a particular breathing problem during sleep, removing their tonsils and adenoids not only helps them sleep better, but can also improve problem behaviors, according to a preliminary study.
Children, like adults, can develop a condition called sleep apnea, which causes them to repeatedly stop breathing for brief periods during sleep. Symptoms include snoring, choking, gasping, difficulty breathing, restless sleep, and frequent waking. The problem can be cured by removing the tonsils and the adenoids, which are located at the upper part of the back of the throat.
Behavioral and emotional problems such as learning disabilities, attention disorders, and hyperactivity have been reported in kids with sleep apnea. A team of researchers led by Dr. Nira A. Goldstein, of the University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, set out to see if treating the sleep apnea also treated the emotional problems.
Goldstein and colleagues had the parents of 36 children ages 2 to 18 years complete a behavior questionnaire before the children had surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids. Fifteen of the parents completed the questionnaire again 3 months later.
Before their surgery, 10 of the 36 children were scored as having some type of behavior problems. Three were anxious, depressed, or withdrawn, and nine were aggressive or destructive, according to their parents.
Three months after their surgery, the average problem score for the children was significantly lower than it had been, especially for those who'd shown signs of being anxious, depressed, or withdrawn, Goldstein's group found.
Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that treating sleep apnea in children by removing the tonsils and adenoids does improve the kids' abnormal behavior. But as their study only involved a small number of patients, they call for further research into the relationship between sleep apnea and behavior problems in children.
SOURCE: Archives of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery 2000;126:494-498.
Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Tonsil removal improves kids behavior problems
NEW YORK, Apr 19 (Reuters Health) -- For children who have a particular breathing problem during sleep, removing their tonsils and adenoids not only helps them sleep better, but can also improve problem behaviors, according to a preliminary study.
Children, like adults, can develop a condition called sleep apnea, which causes them to repeatedly stop breathing for brief periods during sleep. Symptoms include snoring, choking, gasping, difficulty breathing, restless sleep, and frequent waking. The problem can be cured by removing the tonsils and the adenoids, which are located at the upper part of the back of the throat.
Behavioral and emotional problems such as learning disabilities, attention disorders, and hyperactivity have been reported in kids with sleep apnea. A team of researchers led by Dr. Nira A. Goldstein, of the University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, set out to see if treating the sleep apnea also treated the emotional problems.
Goldstein and colleagues had the parents of 36 children ages 2 to 18 years complete a behavior questionnaire before the children had surgery to remove their tonsils and adenoids. Fifteen of the parents completed the questionnaire again 3 months later.
Before their surgery, 10 of the 36 children were scored as having some type of behavior problems. Three were anxious, depressed, or withdrawn, and nine were aggressive or destructive, according to their parents.
Three months after their surgery, the average problem score for the children was significantly lower than it had been, especially for those who'd shown signs of being anxious, depressed, or withdrawn, Goldstein's group found.
Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that treating sleep apnea in children by removing the tonsils and adenoids does improve the kids' abnormal behavior. But as their study only involved a small number of patients, they call for further research into the relationship between sleep apnea and behavior problems in children.
SOURCE: Archives of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery 2000;126:494-498.
Copyright © 2000 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
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DCTom
6 posts
• Page 1 of 1