Sleep Apnea

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:08 pm

Well, I guess I have it.

My wife has been complaining about my snoring...says it's more like choking at times.

I had a look at the symptoms:

Loud, frequent snoring
The pattern of snoring is associated with episodes of silence that may last from 10 seconds to as long as a minute or more. The end of an apnoea episode is often associated with loud snores, gasps, moans, and mumblings. Not everyone who snores has apnoea, by any means, and not everyone with apnoea necessarily snores (though most do). This is probably the best and most obvious indicator.
Your bedmate indicates that you periodically stop breathing during your sleep, or gasp for breath
Excessive daytime sleepiness/fatigue:
Falling asleep when you don't intend to. This could be almost anytime you are sitting down, such as during a lecture, while watching TV, while sitting at a desk, and even while driving a car. Ask yourself, "Did I used to be able to (read, drive, watch TV) for longer periods of time without falling asleep?" If the answer is yes, you may have sleep apnoea or another sleep disorder. Even if you don't literally fall asleep, excessive fatigue (that is, you got plenty of sleep and you're still really tired) could be an indicator.
Unrefreshing sleep with feelings of grogginess, dullness, morning headaches, severe dryness of the mouth.
Body movements often accompany the awakenings at the end of each apnoea episode, and this, together with the loud snoring, will disrupt the bed partner's sleep and often cause her/him to move to a separate bed or room.

That's pretty much me.

Then, on another site, I saw this as a possible cause:

"Drinking alcohol before sleeping"

Shit, mvscal...how am I going to beat this mofo? Seriously...if I can't have "a beer before sleeping", then I'm simply fucked. Nice knowing y'all.

Considering the fact that my dad and my father-in-law both suffer(ed) from this, I'm betting it's pretty commonplace.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:22 pm

My dad suffers from it, as do I. At least you found a good woman who can tolerate it.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 1:25 pm

I didn't snore when my wife and I first began sleeping together. In fact, we rarely slept. But it's definitely happening now...so her tolerating it isn't really the issue.

Wolfman · Post by **Wolfman** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:13 pm

MrsO has figured out that for some reason
my snoring in her ear when I'm on my side
facing her is the worst--and she just gives me
the elbow and I roll over in my "sleep" onto
my left side---problem solved ???
I'm dreaming- so I must still be getting my
REM (or is it U-2) sleep, which is what you are
supposed to need !

Bizzarofelice · Post by **Bizzarofelice** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:37 pm

Doctor can fix this if your insurance will pay for it.

Cuda · Post by **Cuda** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 2:42 pm

A bottle of sleeping pills should do the trick

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:10 pm

I have a collegue that has it bad. Sleeps with some sort of machine hooked to him. A little over a decade ago he was fit, stocky, SF officer and now he is a tub of lard. My wife can't imagine that when I first met him he was built like a brick shit house.

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:17 pm

Bizzarofelice wrote:Doctor can fix this if your insurance will pay for it.

Fuck! There goes my premiums again!!

Sincerely,

Jimmy Meds

Uncle Fester · Post by **Uncle Fester** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 3:28 pm

Sleep apnea?

You need to stop watching soccer.

That shit will kill ya.

Terry in Crapchester · Thu Apr 27, 2006 4:24 pm

I have it, PSU.

If you think you have it, first thing to do is go to your primary care physician. You can then get a referral to a Sleep Disorders Clinic, where they will monitor your sleep and determine for certain whether you have it.

If you have it, the first method they'll try to do is get you a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine. You have to wear that when you sleep. Basically, it blows air into your airway to keep your airway open while you sleep. If that doesn't work, the next option is surgical removal of the soft palate.

I tried the CPAP but discontinued it because it tended to cause bronchitis in my case. I would probably qualify for my insurance picking up the tab for surgical removal of the soft palate at this point, but I've delayed doing that for a few reasons.

What I've been doing lately is sleeping on my stomach, as the airway is more likely to stay open in that position. Of course, one does tend to roll over in one's sleep.

For me, the most serious effect is that it leaves me constantly fatigued. I've been known to crash at most inappropriate times -- sometimes at work and even on occasion behind the wheel.

So it's not something to laugh about. There were also some reports that it contributed to Reggie White's death.

Good luck.

Headhunter · Post by **Headhunter** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:09 pm

Try some breathe-right strips. Add to that the Breathe Right throat spray (save 'em clones... I'm not reading them). They help to moisturize your throat and relaxe your throat muscles (seriously, I'm not reading them). The strips open your airways in the nostril and begin to retrain you to breathe through your nose at night. They've helped me almost eliminate snoring, and I feel much more rested when I wake up.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:12 pm

I just sleep on my stomach or side. If not, I snore and the wife kicks me until I roll over.

One time, I kicked her back.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:14 pm

Where's AP? I thought he found the cure for snoring, but then it flew out the window of his car into the Grand Canyon. Maybe he remembers it though?

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:55 pm

Snoring is one thing...actually, it's nothing much. Robbing your body of significant oxygen it needs while you sleep is quite another.

Avoiding alcohol before sleeping - totally impossible, my friends. That's some bullshit only muslims or mormons or Krishnas would do to themselves - and most of them probably don't.

Headhunter · Post by **Headhunter** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 5:59 pm

PSUFAN wrote:Snoring is one thing...actually, it's nothing much. Robbing your body of significant oxygen it needs while you sleep is quite another.

Pussy!

Sin,

WhatsMyName · Post by **WhatsMyName** » Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:09 pm

LMAO!! That is so fucked!

smackaholic · Post by **smackaholic** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:10 am

reggie white suffered from the same affliction as most apnea sufferers. he was a fat bastard. so skip the doctor visit and go for a run instead.

Diego in Seattle · Post by **Diego in Seattle** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:27 am

smackaholic wrote:reggie white suffered from the same affliction as most apnea sufferers. he was a fat bastard. so skip the doctor visit and go for a run instead.

Uh.....yeah.

Sincerely,
Jim Fixx

lk_pick1 · Post by **lk_pick1** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:53 pm

Terry in Crapchester wrote:I have it, PSU.

If you think you have it, first thing to do is go to your primary care physician. You can then get a referral to a Sleep Disorders Clinic, where they will monitor your sleep and determine for certain whether you have it.

If you have it, the first method they'll try to do is get you a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine. You have to wear that when you sleep. Basically, it blows air into your airway to keep your airway open while you sleep. If that doesn't work, the next option is surgical removal of the soft palate.

I tried the CPAP but discontinued it because it tended to cause bronchitis in my case. I would probably qualify for my insurance picking up the tab for surgical removal of the soft palate at this point, but I've delayed doing that for a few reasons.

What I've been doing lately is sleeping on my stomach, as the airway is more likely to stay open in that position. Of course, one does tend to roll over in one's sleep.
For me, the most serious effect is that it leaves me constantly fatigued. I've been known to crash at most inappropriate times -- sometimes at work and even on occasion behind the wheel. So it's not something to laugh about. There were also some reports that it contributed to Reggie White's death.

Good luck.

My significant other has it. He sleeps with a body pillow to his back to keep him on his side.

CPAP did the same thing to him, so he doesn't use it any more.

Whoever said that about weight gain, it does play a big factor. The more we exercise, the less difficult the snoring is to deal with.

I describe it as a suicide victim staring at an oncoming train.

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 1:23 pm

my dad is an all-time snorer (and maybe i am too--though i've never had gf's complain about it....possibly out of compassion i admit). i think he's got it.

he snores like a chainsaw. we;ve gone on a couple trips together over the last couple years and slept in the same hotel room.....and it's hard to bear. thank god for ipod and valerian root tabs....or i would never have been able to sleep.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 1:32 pm

My dad snored like crazy. I remember being on family trips, and I always would be woken up by him rattling and choking. He recently was tested for sleep apnea, though, and the doc said he didn't have it. He's lost a lot of weight in recent years, and he's snoring hardly at all. I think if you're not getting enough oxygen, regardless of whether there is a diagnosis of something or not, then you're probably suffering from something similar.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 1:36 pm

PSUFAN wrote:I didn't snore when my wife and I first began sleeping together. In fact, we rarely slept. But it's definitely happening now...so her tolerating it isn't really the issue.

It's obviously time for an upgrade.

Or...

And I haven't had an alcoholic beverage in over a year and I still get my regular 3 hours sleep at night. No Problem.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 1:40 pm

Over the past few days, I have forced myself to try to get better sleep, and I am feeling much better. 3 hours a night can't be enough...why do you do that?

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 2:07 pm

Lots of caffiene the next day. I usually make it all up on the weekends. And I have to avoid alcohol because of the drugs for my arthritis.

Alcohol and excessive sunlight. No wonder I don't have a life.

Luther · Post by **Luther** » Sat Apr 29, 2006 2:46 pm

Years ago I went through one of those sleep studies. My doc suspected it was apnea, so I was scheduled. Weird deal...you go in around 9 PM or so, and this guy hooks electrodes all over your body. I mean a bundle of them.

You get your old little room that has a camera that records your movements too. I wake up the next morning and the tech. said that I didn't have apnea, but that I was a world class snorer. I get sent to this other doctor and he said that I had a deviated septum and had burrs in my nasal passages. I mainly wanted to end the snoring as I had just got married at the time. I agree to the surgery and that was one PAINFUL experience. Plus, it didn't work.

For many years I slept similiar hours as Diogenes did. I got more than he did, but not that much during the work week. I'd sleep sound for 4 hours, and then boom...time to go.

After I retired, it got substantially better though. Before I left on that middle east trip I stopped drinking from Jan. to basically April 1. It took a couple of weeks for my body to adjust to not having a few whiskeys under my belt at night, but overall, I slept a lot better. Hell, I couldn't even make it to the 11 PM news, where as before I was watching Leno easily at night. Right now, I'm about half way. I have the alcohol, but I can make it to the news...but I can't make it to the Leno hours. I sleep probably 5-6.5 hrs. now, and I feel pretty good.

I still have a bunch of ambien left over from the trip, but they don't help that much. I can get to sleep pronto, but it doesn't extend the hours of my sleep for some reason. I just keep them in the medicine cabinet...

My wife is totally opposite. She needs close to 10 hours for her to feel rested.

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