Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea

While I have not personally been diagnosed with sleep apnea, I know many who have. I also work closely with a physician who treats sleep apnea. One of the first things that he recommends is weight loss. (if the sufferer is overweight) Secondly, he starts by attempting to treat the problem with an oral device that fits onto the teeth/gums. Many find this uncomfortable and will not wear the oral device. If so, he then recommends either CPAP or BIPAP breathing machinges. The CPAP is a continuous positive airway pressure machine. When you breathe in, it then blows air in to keep the airway open (not allowing your tongue and palate to fall back and block your airway and cause apnea.) Many find it hard to exhale against this machine and preper the BIPAP machine instead. It works by applying positive airway pressure when you breathe in, and then withdrawing it when you need to exhale. It is more comfortable for most people. These machines are attached via a lightweight hose that is connected to a facemask that that the wearer straps to their head at night when sleeping. Those who wear them swear that they sleep like a baby for the first time in years and feel so much better the next day...as they haven't been awakeend millions of times during the night due to apnea episodes! Please do get treated if you suffer from sleep apnea, because untreated sleep apnea can lead to many problems...not the least of which is heart problems!

My husband was diagnosed last fall with severe sleep apnea. He stops breathing an average of 111 per hour. Anything more than 11 per hour is considered severe by his doctor. He had 2 different sleep tests to determine this including an overnight sleep study. He is overweight and was told that was a factor as well. He has managed to loose about 30 pounds since being diagnosed. He was also prescribed a CPAP machine. With the machine, he still stops breathing but its not as severe. I know weight loss is important (if you are overweight) as well as getting on a schedule and keeping to it--sleep the same time (or as close to it) each night or day (my hubby works night shift). And to help him sleep, we also put up room darkening curtains (and might have to do blinds as well) and keep the room dark and cool.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 8 years ago and was put on a CPAP. What a world of difference. I quit having the horrible dreams of drowning and suffocating. I woke up refreshed and stopped falling asleep at work; I could focus and for the first time in years I didn't feel like I had my head stuck in a bucket of oatmeal. Over the last year I started noticing I was experiencing some of the same symptoms so I had a second overnight sleep study done. This time the doctor put me on a bipap. I am still trying to get used to the new machine, it is definitely quieter but the change in air pressure is very disconcerting. While it is true that being overweight can lead to sleep apnea, there have been studies that found this condition runs in families and may be hereditary. My 80 pound aunt was on a CPAP for a few years before she passed away. My cousin and two of my brothers also use CPAPs. I have a sister and a couple more brothers who probably have sleep apnea also -- they definitely exhibit many of the symptoms. Some of us are overweight and some are not. One brother is going to be having surgery to try to correct his apnea, so it appears his condition is not due to weight. The best thing if you think you have sleep apnea is to see your doctor and discuss having the sleep study done.

I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea last year after I took a sleep study. They told me that I had stopped breathing over 150 times during the six hour test. The doctor put me on a CPAP machine. I still wake up several times during the night, but not nearly as much as I was before I started using the machine.