I Am the Ultimate Newbie

Oh dear, have I actually met my match? I thought I was the "ultimate" worrier, but I think I have a serious competitor in you Frank!

Like Julie says it may just be jet leg. I have another thought too -- since you've obviously been reading and educating yourself about sleep apnea, are you stressed about sleeping now? People sometimes come onto the forum pretty distressed when they know they have apnea but they don't yet have their machine. Just a thought.

You're in beautiful Hawaii -- try to take it in and relax knowing you've got your first appointment scheduled and you're taking care of things (I say knowing how well I handled my diagnosis. )

Aloha (pun intended -- look below at the name of the cpap mask I use)

Frank,

While it is likely you probably need CPAP, I hope you don't for the same reason we hope someone doesn't need glasses or a hearing aid. It's a little like wearing glasses or a hearing aid, except not nearly as convenient. That said, if it works out you do need CPAP, you'll be in good company.

According to one sleep tech at my first sleep study, there are a few things you can do before-hand to determine whether you're a good candidate for a sleep study:
1. Use good sleep hygiene. Try to wind down your day for at least half an hour before going to bed. No heavy exercise. No double chocolate latte's. No horror films. Just relax, brush your teeth, do a calm sleep routine and go to bed. Keep a pad and pencil on your nightstand.
2. Just before going to bed after you've been sitting up in bed for a few minutes, perhaps reading, check your temperature and your blood pressure. Write the time, date, and the readings down.
3. In the morning before you even get up, before you do anything else, check your blood pressure and your temperature. If you have a spouse or sleeping partner, ask them to do it for you so your results aren't skewed by moving around to get equipment. Write the time, date, and the readings down. It helps to have an digital automated pressure cuff so your readings are unimpeachable.
4. If you can get hold of a recording oximeter, record your oximetry for the whole night. They're fairly inexpensive now. Save the readings on your computer every morning when you wake up.

Keep records of this for a few days, maybe a week. A day or two aren't enough data. If you see that your temperature is consistently a little higher in the morning, than it is when you get in bed at night, that's one symptom that can indicate the need for a sleep study. If your blood pressure is consistently a little higher in the morning upon waking than it is when you get in bed at night, that's a second symptom that can indicate the need for a sleep study. Another thing to look for is if you go to bed relatively dry and wake up sweating profusely. If your oximetry has numerous low readings throughout the night, that's fairly conclusive evidence that you need a sleep study.

It's important not to panic if you think you do have sleep apnea. You've lived with it this long. I'm guessing you can cope a little longer, until you get things figured out. Welcome and good luck.

Thanks DreamDiver and kaiasgram.

I had extra anxiety again this morning since I woke up at 5:30am, and on my stomach I could sense my heart rate was higher than normal. It calmed right down in a couple of mins. I was so nervous I couldn't get back to sleep.

This is supposed to be my Hawaii vacation and I'm stressed. This sucks. My wife says I should stop worrying but I can't. I even thought about going the the local sleep center here and doing the study (opening this Fri) but they said it takes a week for the Dr. to analyze the results, so what's the point? If the tech says "yah you got it pretty bad" it's just going to make it worse.

Now, every night I go to sleep here in paradise on the Big Island I wonder how many times I'm going to wake up from lack of oxygen and the stresses on me.

I think I've had this for many years, but now knowing what it likely is I'm freaked out. When I was in my 20's this wouldn't have bothered me a bit...very strange how your outlook changes...

Frank, you are so where I was at when I got diagnosed but didn't yet have my machine. I really feel for you. By any chance do you have the option of sleeping semi propped up in a recliner chair? For some people apnea is positional, with more events occurring when lying supine. Obviously there's no way for you to know if you're one of those people, but would it give you just a little peace of mind if you were trying to minimize the events while you're waiting to get tested and diagnosed?

Hang in there, it's going to be ok.

KG

kaiasgram wrote:Frank, you are so where I was at when I got diagnosed but didn't yet have my machine. I really feel for you. By any chance do you have the option of sleeping semi propped up in a recliner chair? For some people apnea is positional, with more events occurring when lying supine. Obviously there's no way for you to know if you're one of those people, but would it give you just a little peace of mind if you were trying to minimize the events while you're waiting to get tested and diagnosed?

Hang in there, it's going to be ok.

KG

I agree with kaiasgram. Hang in there. If you can't sleep in a recliner, sleep on your side. We've been where you are. You're going to get where we are. Take solace in that, and enjoy your vacation. You can do this. No worries.

Thanks once again KG and DreamDiver for spending your valuable time on me, the basket case.

No way could I sleep in a recliner, unfortunately. I'm a very picky sleeper and absolutely cannot sleep sitting up. Even propping my head up with pillows is not bearable. I've been struggling to stay on my side and I think it hasn't made a difference as I'm still getting up a few times, at like 1 or 2 am, then 4 or 5, etc. I was so blissful when I was ignorant and thinking I was just a super light sleeper with an enlarged prostate, having to get up to go to the bathroom. Now, when I wake up, I'm instantly thinking about my heart rate and the swelling in my throat. It's hard to get back to sleep with this on my mind.

One good thing is I'm at least getting enough quality sleep as I haven't been overly tired during the day.

I feel encouraged that there is something I can do about it, but fearful about how I am going to tolerate this CPAP , being so picky. I mean, even leaving my watch on I can't sleep! What am I going to do with a freaking mask on my face blowing air down my throat! But I know if I want to be healthy I need to conquer this.

But the best thing I have right now is your knowledge, experience, and encouragement, knowing that you've been thru this and have been able to overcome it all. You are really helping me...

Frank

Frank, I have to cut all the labels out of my clothes and I can't stand to have a turtleneck sweater gripping my neck or any article of clothing touching my chin. I have a soft spot for you. And I'm here to tell you that you can be a basket case but still somehow be able to adapt -- you really, really can. You are going to be OK, even if takes some hard work. I know very well the spot you're in, where you're afraid to sleep without the machine and afraid of trying to sleep with it. Please trust that you'll make it through to the sleep study and getting set up with whatever treatment you need. You will, you will.

kaiasgram wrote:Frank, I have to cut all the labels out of my clothes and I can't stand to have a turtleneck sweater gripping my neck or any article of clothing touching my chin. I have a soft spot for you. And I'm here to tell you that you can be a basket case but still somehow be able to adapt -- you really, really can. You are going to be OK, even if takes some hard work. I know very well the spot you're in, where you're afraid to sleep without the machine and afraid of trying to sleep with it. Please trust that you'll make it through to the sleep study and getting set up with whatever treatment you need. You will, you will.

Ok, this is a very un-guy-like thing for me to say, but - you deserve a big hug.

I'll probably head off to sleep in an hour or so, feeling anxiety for how it's going to go tonight.

This, along with the tropical storm we had (it was actually pretty wimpy) is a bit of a hassle

KG - thank you SO much for your responses. It's helping me thru this stage more than you know.

Frank

Hug received and appreciated. Check your PM inbox in a minute or two.

I have now been thru many nights of being jarred awake almost hourly. My DW is trying to convince me it's nighttime panic attacks but when I awaken my throat feels swollen, almost like allergic swelling. It's not itchy or sore and the swelling subsides almost immediately when I wake up. That to me is a strong sign of OSA

I must have a lot of excess throat tissue...I'm not overweight and I don't have a short thick neck. This came on very rapidly - I used to wake up in the morning with some swelling but it was minor and it didn't jolt me awake many times a night. How can this happen overnight?

I am actually in Hawaii on a so-called vacation and I had to get a sleep study set up here because no way can I survive this night after night until I get home on the 11th. My study is tomorrow night (Sat). I assure they are going to see my first apnea after an hour and come in and slap a CPAP on me as its that bad. They are sleepcenterhawaii.com and I hope they know what they are doing.

I have to get thru this trip and get home and buy one of these and hope I can tolerate it.

Worst vacation ever. Can I have a do-over?

An update.

Had my sleep study. Slept awful, only 219 mins of actual sleep time. Wires were so short, I couldn't turn on my side to sleep. Very nervous about an invalid study due to not enough sleep time. My tech was very understanding, though.

Bottom line: "There was evidence of mild REM-related sleep disordered breathing present". Overall AHI was 3.8, which is good. During supine REM sleep AHI was up to 8.9. "Recommend CPAP titration". I went to a different sleep doctor than the one who did the study (long story) and he said CPAP is not necessary. He said I could try some of the dental devices, and try sleeping exclusively on my side, which would be tough. I am looking at ApneaRX.

I visited an ENT today and he said I've got a pretty large uvula and tongue, as well as a deviated septum. And, my jaw apparently doesn't stick out enough. So there you have it.

The ENT said I might still benefit from CPAP, since I am tired on many days, have high BP, etc. But apparently it's not crucial.

So, I get different recommendations depending on who I talk to.