sleeping w/o my pappy

The past two nights I have slept so good and without my bipap machine. I feel like I can breathe better and deeper and can even sleep on my side and only pee maybe one time during the night. For so many years I have peed almost every hour on the hour during the night it prevented me from getting a good nights sleep. My bipap machine was great when I was using it. I am going to try again not to use it tonight and see how I do. Not going to get rid of it just yet.                                                  Annie

I know what you mean, Annie.  This last stay in the hospital, I left my CPAP at home and although I didn't sleep, due to all the fevers I was having, it prompted me to try sleeping without it when I got home.  I have to confess I did sleep well.  However, I am not ready to give it up just yet,  I have been helped a great deal by that nasty thing for the past 3 years.  But I sure am looking forward to kissing it goodbye! Hope you are well and happy!

Hi Susanne,

You sound like you are doing so much better and I am so relived you are doing better.

You know what they say You Cant Keep A Good Woman down. My pappy has been my friend and helped me soo much. So for now until I am sure I dont need it, it will stay by my bedside table.                                      Annie

Hey Annie,

Before you give up the "pappy" please call your Dr. and ask them to do another tritration study just to be sure that you aren't having apnea events. From what I understand, we may not always be able to tell what our blood oxygenation level is ... the titration study would quanitify that, so that you'd know for sure that you are getting sufficient oxygen.

Sleep well my friend,

Barb

Thanks for the info Barb. Is this a blood test? I usally can tell when I am having lots of apnea spells because in the morning I will wake up with headaches so I feel the headaches are due to lack of oxygen.                                            Annie

Annie -

A titration study is when they check the necessary air pressure to keep your airway open to ensure that you can breath in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. The headaches are caused from too much carbon dioxide in your blood system. The titration study is done as part of the "sleep study" which monitors brain waves, muscle tension, eye movement, respiration, oxygen level in the blood and audio monitoring. (for snoring, gasping, etc.) The second kind of polysomnography test is a home monitoring test. A Sleep Technologist hooks you up to all the electrodes and shows you on how to record your sleep with a computerized polysomnograph that you take home and return in the morning. You just want to be sure that you don't need the bi-pap before you "ditch" it.

Also, I'm not sure if you know this, but there a two different kinds of sleep apnea, that together end up with 3 different categories ...

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome is what many obese people suffer from. With this you have many episodes of upper airway obstruction that happen while you are sleeping, usually causing the blood oxygen saturation to drop. The airway can become obstructed at one or more sites. The upper airway can be obstructed by excess tissue in the airway, large tonsils, a large tongue and usually includes the airway muscles relaxing and collapsing when asleep. Another site of obstruction can be the nasal passages. Sometimes the structure of the jaw and airway can be a factor in sleep apnea. So, it's possible loose weight and still have a "structural" problem. I have friends that are slim and have sleep apnea.

There is also Central Sleep Apnea. With this your body "forgets" to breathe. Central Sleep Apnea is not as common as OSA and apparently is harder to diagnose. They think that this type of sleep apnea it is due to some neuromuscular problem and that the diaphram isn't "cued" to cause in you exhale and inhale.

Some people, like me have a combination of Obstructive and Central sleep apnea ... They call this Mixed Sleep Apnea.

Remember that the side effects of untreated sleep apnea are really dangerous ... the lack of oxygen and build up of carbon dioxide can lead to stroke or heart attack.

So ... Long story ... basically, call the doc and see what they say.

Barb

Barb- Thank you for all the info about the CPap machines & different types of sleep apnea, I just went thru the sleep studies & the resp. therapist is coming to my home Sept.4th with another guy to set me up with my CPap machine & the doc has ordered oxygen for me to hook up to mask at night because my levels drop to 75% when asleep. This is very new to me. Only had test done because she wants to see if I'm healthy enough to go thru WLS. I've been referred but have not made initial appt yet. Waiting for my primary doc to finish giving me all the tests locally. She said then I can go to my 1st meeting with WLS surgeon with all my test results in hand. I've got alot of serious health issues & need this weight off & soon. I was shocked to discover I now require oxygen at night! I had a clear chest xray in 2000 prior to a major operation. Doc made me quit smoking before he would operate to help chances of not rejecting cadaver part used in my surgery. All went well, I quit, had surgery & all went well. I never smoked again. Yet in 2003 I was diagnosed with COPD-emphysema. Now the sleep apnea & oxygen at night! I'm alarmed at the steady progression of the air problem even after I quit! I learned a valuable lesson, but a touch late, that after you put that last cig out.......the effects continue & have lasting effects. I started smoking in 1967, at 12 years old. Snitched a pack while babysitting. Thought it was cool. I got by all those years without problems, till in 2003 it snuck up & bit me in the butt! I hope alot of smokers read this. Nobody loved smoking more than me. After all this.....I still think about wanting one every so often. Isn't that crazy? But I take it a day at a time, 4 years later it still has a tiny controll some where in the back of my mind. I wonder how I will ever sleep with this mask over my face? Doc gave me sleeping pill & pill to relax me both test nights. I tried on all 3 mask styles. I wanted one that fits up the nostrils but I couldn't blow the air back out nose against force of air blowing in. Mask that only covers nose didn't work because even with chin strap my mouth kept opening up. So in the end I'm forced to use larger mask covering mouth & nose but it straps around head 2x & it pushes down hard on bridge of my nose. I understand I have got to use it & hook the oxygen up to the mask but how do they expect us to really sleep with all that on our face? I really have my doubts but will try my best. ~Debbie~

Debbie -

I'm sorry to hear that you had such a hard time with the masks. I'm glad that they diagnosed the sleep apnea. It's a dangerous thing if not treated. Try not to beat yourself up. The low oxygenation could be related to the interuptions in breathing. Of course, a 75% oxygen saturation is very low, but honestly I'm sure that you'll feel much better once you start using the CPAP regularly and also have the oxygen concentrator.

You should know that there are a bunch of different manufacturers of masks ... I think that Fisher & Paykel make some that are ultra soft. Talk to your respritory therapist. They will work with you to find a mask that works for you. My mother didn't use hers for a couple of years because she couldn't stand the masks. I urged her to have another titration study ... she though that the didn't need it anymore because she's lost about 60 lbs. At any rate, with her oxygen saturation down in the low 80's, she definitely needs it and needs to be able to tolerate it, so we worked with the respiratory therapist and they found a mask that would work well for her ... she's clostrophobic, so you can imagine the challenge.

Ask the respiratory therapist if you might be able to try a bi-pap. They work a little differntly, but still make sure that you get the oxygen you need. Basically, they quit forcing the air back as you exhale and for the air back for you to inhale, Maybe that would work for you. Just a thought.

I also have issues with my mouth opening. It's actually not that uncommon. There are some things that they can do to help that too.

Please feel free to contact me any time.

I wish you all the best.

Barb

Dear Barb- When you mentioned your mom being clostrophobic, I can relate. I am very clostrophobic but didn't add it to my message because I had no idea how to spell it! *ha ha*  Anything covering my nose gives me a fit. But the big mask I've chosen covers mouth & nose. I'm able to breath regularly while sleeping & I tend to inhale thru nose & exhale thru mouth so this mask accomodates that. It tends to force my bottom lip inward though & I kept lifting it & arranging it on my face during 2nd sleep study. But after I fell asleep, under the meds I told you about, I think I slept thru the night from midnight til the therapist woke me up at 6am. I felt pretty good which surprised me! I tend to hold my breath & my mouth will be closed til the pressure builds & I kind of "blow" out my mouth all at once. Silly isn't it?  I'll let you know how things go & thanks so much for sharing with me. All this is very new to me & you've been so kind. I'm hopeful that after my gastric bypass & some weight falls off, maybe I won't need this machine anymore. ~Debbie~

Debbie -

I look forward to hearing of your progress. Please do stay in touch.

All the best,

Barb