CPAPtalk.com

Jwong:
The tissues which obstruct breathing in OSA can be difficult and expensive to identify and locate.
They are often DANGEROUS, painful, and expensive to remove, and tend to GROW BACK.
Cpap is non-invasive, safe, and relatively inexpensive to use.
Until safe alternatives can be developed and adopted, air is the best we have at present.
Unless you are willing to get into therapy NOW, you will likely not be around when/if the next best thing is available.

jwong wrote:Is CPAP really just a "therapy" machine? Shouldn't you find out what is the
root cause of your breathing problem?

The root causes are known. Except in some limited cases, there are no good fixes. Thus, CPAP therapy.

ChicagoGranny wrote:

jwong wrote:Is CPAP really just a "therapy" machine? Shouldn't you find out what is the
root cause of your breathing problem?

The root causes are known. Except in some limited cases, there are no good fixes. Thus, CPAP therapy.

The Root Cause is your body was built to be defective, from day 1 you started dying of something. All we can do is find methods to slow down the process. If we plan right one day all the parts will wear out the same day, and we will slip off peacefully. Last time I looked in the mirror I still had three good parts, I'm trying to repair the rest. Jim

jwong wrote:Is CPAP really just a "therapy" machine? Shouldn't you find out what is the
root cause of your breathing problem?

yes, it is, just like glasses are a therapy machine.

the root cause in that case would be a misshappen eyeball.

with sleep apnea, it's poor throat geometry caused by genetics.

palerider wrote:throat geometry

I like that expression. Will start using it. Thanks.

I like "airway architecture", myself *smile*.

Architecture makes me think of this stuck in the throat,

Geometry makes me think of this stuck in the throat,

ChicagoGranny wrote:Geometry makes me think of this stuck in the throat,

I think I take a pill that shape, at least it feels like it. Your other picture could lead to a cure if we could force the tube that holds the rolled up blueprints down our defective airways. Jim

jwong wrote:Is CPAP really just a "therapy" machine? Shouldn't you find out what is the
root cause of your breathing problem?

Moderate-to-severe OSA is not generally considered reversible, unless something like recent sudden weight gain or sudden growth of a tumor caused it. Then the physical issue may be able to be corrected before the brain and nervous system rewire themselves to compensate for the effect bad breathing can have on sleep. Otherwise, the gradual progression of untreated OSA cannot be rolled back. That is because full-blown severe OSA is a coping mechanism of the body that, in a sense, sacrifices breathing in order to get sleep. The nervous system becomes less and less sensitive to airway closures and no longer wakes up the person who has stopped breathing until air gasses get messed up and a shot of panic juice shocks the person awake. It is a lack of sensitivity in the airway that sets in, and the person's nervous system can't be rewired to make the airway sensitive to changes as it once was. So once OSA has progressed, fixing the initial "cause," even if it could be traced, would not be enough to reverse the condition. Fortunately, though, proper use of PAP makes the consequences of all that completely ignorable, once treatment is optimized at least.

Goofproof wrote:Your other picture could lead to a cure if we could force the tube that holds the rolled up blueprints down our defective airways.

It's available. Simple, easy, cheap, travels well.

ChicagoGranny wrote:

Goofproof wrote:Your other picture could lead to a cure if we could force the tube that holds the rolled up blueprints down our defective airways.

It's available. Simple, easy, cheap, travels well.

Mine must really be bad, it took them 20 minutes to tube me in the OR for my ByPass, that's how I found out I had Sleep Apnea. I don't think the Rubber one would work, call Roto-Rooter! Jim

Goofproof wrote:Roto-Rooter!

ChicagoGranny wrote:

. wrote:Your other picture could lead to a cure if we could force the tube that holds the rolled up blueprints down our defective airways.

It's available. Simple, easy, cheap, travels well.

the anesthesiologist used one of those on me after my recent surgery... I didn't even realize it was there till the nurse pulled it out after I'd come around in recovery.

Can someone give me some tips? I too am suffering badly.

I have sleep apnea, pacemaker, high blood pressure, possibly vision loss.
All my doctors tell me they can't isolate what is wrong with me because symptoms are
multi crossed. All they do is refer me to other specialist because it is not their department. It is to the point where I don't want to goto anymore doctors, I see
the bills even with insurance. The bills; the doctors charges are huge!

I've been out of work for a year. And I too like the first post person need the sleep
apnea cpap therapy machine for life. I can hold out just a little with savings,
but my situation is not good.

Would you risk everything for surgery if you were in my shoes? I fear I may need
a risky surgery, like surgery for heart failure. Even those surgeries have risks!
I just fear that even with surgery my condition may not be fixed.

Appreciate any help you can give. Thank you