Sleep apnea anyone?

[Tailgate]

Retired first of year and so did my Dr. Like my new Doc very much. He's been very methodical in treating my high BP and now going down checklist of other things.
Since I'm a snorer, have the high BP and carry some extra pounds, I just did the sleep apnea test. Did the 'ambulatory' machine-at-home test rather than the sleep at the lab type last night and turned the machine in this morning. Will be a couple of weeks before results come back.
Anyone have experience with sleep apnea?

btw, since retirement, had cataracts removed, lost 18 pounds, using personal trainer, walking 2-3 miles a day.. heart stress test is normal, feel pretty damn good at 63 after years of high stress job and not exactly taking care of ME.

Feel very blessed to be retired along with my DW.

 

[razztazz]

May of 2013 I did the sleep test. I did the home machine in order to determine IF I needed to spend a night at the hospital for the bigger test. Spent a night in the hospital all wired up. Insomnia is one of my problems so they just barely got enough data on me. I would have liked a few more hours of breathing... or not... to be recorded.

Upshot: very very minor case of apnea. Actually a zero on a scale of zero to infinity. Most insurance won't get involved unless you score at least... I think they said... a "5". This was after several yrs of waking up GASPING for air praying to catch my breath before I died.

Better upshot: My apnea (which was NOT common "obstructive" snorer type. I would just stop breathing) was being cause by... wait for it..... excessive exercise.

So I cranked back on the Incredible Hulk routine and since May of 2013 nary an incident of nighttime gasping or daytime vague feeling of shortness of breath. Just a couple low grade borderline incidents directly associated with gilding the exercise lily

My records showed that three weeks prior to the sleep study I had hurt my shoulder and back and had skipped most workouts for 3 whole weeks. I was recovering and hence the non-gasping sleep in the hospital.

 

[savory]

Daughter had sleep apnea. Very large tonsils were expected and after they removed, problem was solved.

 

[woodguy00]

I've been on CPAP for about ten years. I hated the mask at first but very quickly got used to it as I saw the difference it was making in my daytime alertness. Amazing difference - no longer a coffee addict trying to make it through the day.

 

[RunningBum]

Better upshot: My apnea (which was NOT common "obstructive" snorer type. I would just stop breathing) was being cause by... wait for it..... excessive exercise.

Was this specifically from weights, or any kind of exercise? I wake up gasping if I sleep on my back, and I exercise a lot, but it's almost all running. I'm thinking the tonsil issue davef's daughter had is more likely. If I sleep on my side or stomach I'm apparently fine. I think this only started about 10 years ago. When I had surgery a couple years ago they asked if I'd ever been told I have apnea, and I said no but I thought I might. Nothing else came of that discussion and they never mentioned problems during surgery.

 

[Alan]

Retired first of year and so did my Dr. Like my new Doc very much. He's been very methodical in treating my high BP and now going down checklist of other things.
Since I'm a snorer, have the high BP and carry some extra pounds, I just did the sleep apnea test. Did the 'ambulatory' machine-at-home test rather than the sleep at the lab type last night and turned the machine in this morning. Will be a couple of weeks before results come back.
Anyone have experience with sleep apnea?

btw, since retirement, had cataracts removed, lost 18 pounds, using personal trainer, walking 2-3 miles a day.. heart stress test is normal, feel pretty damn good at 63 after years of high stress job and not exactly taking care of ME.

Feel very blessed to be retired along with my DW.

Losing 40lbs cured my sleep apnea 12 years ago. Keep up the good work on your weight loss and maybe that will help.

 

[razztazz]

Was this specifically from weights, or any kind of exercise? I wake up gasping if I sleep on my back, and I exercise a lot, but it's almost all running. I'm thinking the tonsil issue davef's daughter had is more likely. If I sleep on my side or stomach I'm apparently fine. I think this only started about 10 years ago. When I had surgery a couple years ago they asked if I'd ever been told I have apnea, and I said no but I thought I might. Nothing else came of that discussion and they never mentioned problems during surgery.

Actually it was both. Excessive Aerobic exercise nearly killed me and doctors came up with all kinds of rococo bizzaro diagnoses (excuses). Had every heart test in the book. All clear as far as function. I did notice that the longer I DID NOT exercise (by that time I couldn't exert AT ALL so I couldn't exercise. Used to get short of breath just sitting at the computer) the better my breathing got.

After about 18 months I was seeing a cardiologist who recommended specifically ANAEROBIC workouts not aerobics. Starting slowly and building up from there my breathing/ability to exert improved. But then I got all OCD with pushups...pushups...pushups... like I'm Jack La F%*^$#! Lanne or something (400-500 in 15 mins). Eventually I was getting short of breath again and gasping at night ... and yes... I did notice it was very much more likely to happen while lying on my back.

HINT: During the period of Seeing doctors who specialized in shoulder shrugs, one doc put it this way, and it does sort of make sense altho without pinpointing the cause/cure: Afters seeing my heart function tests were normal he said it was "physiological, not physical".

Even today, if I do even a slight aerobic workout on a stationary bike and keep my heart rate at say, 115 and below... I start getting that shortness of breath feeling and high-ish resting heart rates. I will never do ongoing steady-state aerobic workouts ever again. It does seem to have altered my "machinery". I do interval type exercises when I workout. Mostly sets of pushups but also squats. And I never mow the lawn (takes about an hour with a manual push mower) or shovel snow and THEN workout. I am 56 now. I think if I spend an hour shoveling snow or mowing the lawn I can count that as a workout.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I've been on CPAP for about ten years. I hated the mask at first but very quickly got used to it as I saw the difference it was making in my daytime alertness. Amazing difference - no longer a coffee addict trying to make it through the day.

+1 (except the coffee, which I still drink a lot of but it's decaf after the first two cups)

I went through several different masks until I found the one the works for me. Now I can't imagine trying to sleep without the machine. I've dozed off a couple of times late at night without it and I just feel like carp.

Losing weight would likely help, but that's not always true of everyone so I hear.

Best of luck. If you find you need one and you have a hard time adjusting to it, hang in there. It's worth it.

 

[springnr]

razz, walking is good enough for me so I'm not really qualified to comment, but wondered have you looked at any of Meffetone's work? I didn't see it off hand, but remember he does have some thoughts on breathing/breathing muscles/imbalance.

Phil Maffetone - Fit But Unhealthy

 

[razztazz]

In fact I have looked at Meffetone's stuff. That's what motivated me to get the smaller, cheaper stationary bike to replace the $1200.00 gym quality bike I used to have.

While he seems a little vague on just how much exercise to get my own thinking based on experience and reading other sports medicine type data is: We don't need that much exercise. Not the way everybody thinks. So, he's on to something.

In my own personal case, my right knee gets quite sore and I can feel something rubbing in there even after 5 mins of easy peddling on a bike, so I'd avoid the bike most of the time just on that. My own make-up has always, going back to childhood, responded better to short, intense infrequent exercise doses. And that is how I always felt best.

I was hornswoggled like pretty much everybody else in those intervening years with the aerobics and "doing more is better" no matter what it is you're doing. When younger.... hey not a problem. We're all Superman. As age crept in, and especially as I had actually harmed myself it seems, ... no more Superman. Less to work with. Surrendering gracefully the things of youth and just needing enough upper body strength to not be the guy on the commercial who "fell down and can't get up".

 

[springnr]

Sprints are great! Good for you too, even that quivering exhausted blob part.

 

[Kaufmanrider]

Retired first of year and so did my Dr. Like my new Doc very much. He's been very methodical in treating my high BP and now going down checklist of other things.
Since I'm a snorer, have the high BP and carry some extra pounds, I just did the sleep apnea test. Did the 'ambulatory' machine-at-home test rather than the sleep at the lab type last night and turned the machine in this morning. Will be a couple of weeks before results come back.
Anyone have experience with sleep apnea?

I retired in January. Did a sleep study overnight in March as my wife told me it was time to address my snoring and keeping her up at night. Since I was retired I had no excuses regarding an overnight study and traveling with a machine if I had one. I am slim, run 3-5 miles 4-5 times a week, not your average sleep apnea type. I scored a 19, they told me I have 19 episodes per hour, normal is 4 and below. I was considered moderate. Insurance approved a machine and I have been using it since March. It took a few weeks to get the hose and mask in the right position at night to sleep soundly. I have a ResMed with nose pillows instead of a full mask. They only cover my nostrils. I have a follow up next week, but looking at my readings on the machine I am averaging 2.7 episodes per hour, under the normal of 4. The first month of so I was still tired during the day, but now I feel more refreshed upon waking and more alert throughout the day. Someone told me it was my body catching up on many years of lost sleep. I do know my wife is happy she can sleep soundly all night. So if momma is happy, I am happy to wear the mask.

 

[ERhoosier]

... I did the home machine in order to determine IF I needed to spend a night at the hospital for the bigger test. Spent a night in the hospital all wired up. Insomnia is one of my problems so they just barely got enough data on me. I would have liked a few more hours of breathing... or not... to be recorded....

From what I understand, the home tests are getting much better so it is more commonly recommended now by docs (& insurance co's). In-hospital tests are much more $$$$, and too many folks can't get enough quality sleep to get enough data.

 

[razztazz]

From what I understand, the home tests are getting much better so it is more commonly recommended now by docs (& insurance co's). In-hospital tests are much more $$$$, and too many folks can't get enough quality sleep to get enough data.

That's the way I figured it. I guess they thought spending a little up front with the home test first saves money overall compared to just sending everybody to the hospital overnight based on essentially little more than their own description of what appears to be happening while they sleep.

 

[nun]

Losing 40lbs cured my sleep apnea 12 years ago. Keep up the good work on your weight loss and maybe that will help.

Losing 10lbs did it for me.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I did the sleep study at a lab overnight and have severe sleep apnea. I adjusted to the mask very quickly since I feel so much better with it.

 

[ls99]

Some years ago doc suggested I may have sleep apnea. Went for a sleep lab. A horrible experience.

The various gizmos put on me were really annoying to my senses ans sensibilities. I tried to sleep, the place was noisy. Smelled bad, like to much cleaning fluids in everything. I kept pushing the pulse monitor off my finger as it was pinching annoyingly. The nurse kept coming in to put it back on.

Then they turned on the air pump. The awful racket it made sure made it impossible to fall asleep. After an hour or so of this garbage, i got up took off all the crap, called DW to come get me.

My guess is that anyone who can go to sleep in a miserable environment like that is either fully exhausted or is a real deep sleeper.

I was outta there.

 

[Kaufmanrider]

Some years ago doc suggested I may have sleep apnea. Went for a sleep lab. A horrible experience.

The various gizmos put on me were really annoying to my senses ans sensibilities. I tried to sleep, the place was noisy. Smelled bad, like to much cleaning fluids in everything. I kept pushing the pulse monitor off my finger as it was pinching annoyingly. The nurse kept coming in to put it back on.

Then they turned on the air pump. The awful racket it made sure made it impossible to fall asleep. After an hour or so of this garbage, i got up took off all the crap, called DW to come get me.

My guess is that anyone who can go to sleep in a miserable environment like that is either fully exhausted or is a real deep sleeper.

I was outta there.

Interesting, my sleep study was in a room within a medical complex set up like a hotel room. Flat Screen TV, King size bed, attached bathroom, etc. Quiet. Two rooms-studies going on, one technician set up in an adjacent room monitoring us via computer set up. No one else in the building. The hardest part was sitting still while they put all the wires on.

 

[Tailgate]

Update... OP here with results. It took about 5 weeks to get back in for the results appointment. They are a very busy place.

My score was a 16.7. That's the # of apnea events each hour. So I go to the Medi Equip place tomorrow to be fitted for the machine. Hope to start with the nose pillows vs the Darth Vader mask. I'll try anything to feel more energy and less tired in the mornings.

 

[whittonm]

I used to fall asleep driving and in meetings. Feel much better after sleep apnea diagnosis and Cpap therapy. Have used Cpap for 16 years.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Tailgate]

I used to fall asleep driving and in meetings. Feel much better after sleep apnea diagnosis and Cpap therapy. Have used Cpap for 16 years.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

Thanks .. Need the encouragement!

 

[robertf57]

I know this may not apply to you, but the majority of obstructive sleep apnea sufferers are overweight. A good proportion will correct their OSA with weight loss. My twin brother used the Darth Vader mask for years but finally decided he wasn't happy with his appearance and lost 40 lbs. No more snoring and a good sleep study so he is off the machine.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I had 72 events per hour. I actually like the mask better then nose ones. The doc said that the worse you have it the quicker you adapt because you feel so much better. It has really changed my life. If you wear it 5 hours a night you are in full compliance according to insurance/medical guidelines. Sometimes I can wear it longer & sometimes 5 is the max. I have learned not to fight with it. If I am at 5 hours & can't fall back to sleep I remove it.

 

[Tailgate]

I know this may not apply to you, but the majority of obstructive sleep apnea sufferers are overweight.

I do fall in that group..have lost a few pounds but could certainly stand to lose a few more.

 

[Tailgate]

I had 72 events per hour. I actually like the mask better then nose ones. The doc said that the worse you have it the quicker you adapt because you feel so much better. It has really changed my life. If you wear it 5 hours a night you are in full compliance according to insurance/medical guidelines. Sometimes I can wear it longer & sometimes 5 is the max. I have learned not to fight with it. If I am at 5 hours & can't fall back to sleep I remove it.

I wanted the least invasive possible and that seems to be the nose pillows. I'll certainly know more after a couple of nights.
How long did it take for you to feel better? I've heard that some people feel the difference after the first night.