Mild Sleep apnea and Hypoxemia

Yes, burrowing under the covers in winter (and knowing you'll still get plenty of oxygen) is wonderful!

I had no trouble adjusting to the CPAP machine -- I was just so glad to be able to breathe easily! I used to have regular nightmares where I was trying to squeeze through a tight space. I almost never have those nightmares now.

If you embrace the CPAP you will feel exceptionally better and for me it got better after losing the weight.

My story - I was diagnosed with life threatening sleep apnea about a year before I ever thought about WLS. It was so bad that I had to get a pacemaker because I was flatline for 8 seconds during my sleep study. Once I got my CPAP I felt 100% better because I could finally sleep. Just make sure you're comfortable with the mask (I used the full mask - I hated the nose mask).

It was actually my pulminologist who first discussed WLS with me. I ultimately became his case study because he was trying to prove that in some cases you could completely eliminate sleep apnea just by losing weight.

After I had the DS, they kept adjusting the CPAP pressure until I finally had another sleep study to prove I no longer had sleep apnea. Ultimately the cardiologist removed my pacemaker.

I don't snore anymore and I generally get 6-7 hours of straight sleep every night.

That's why you'll need to make sure you click with the home health person assisting you. Mine was great as she let me try a full face mask and nasal plugs (I sort of insisted, as she knew I'd hate those). I landed on the nasal gel bubble mask vs. those or gel masks. I had very few leaks and found it very comfortable. Everyone is different - literally (face structure), not just preference. So make sure they assess your face and recommend a few types to try. They should be very willing to work with you to get you perfectly fitted.

I do hope I can get off the machine one day, but I'd say that is only 20% likely given my current data and my being only about 5 pounds over optimal weight (I could declare goal, as I'm well below targets that all my doctors have set). They are hoping that last 5 will do it.

Thank you for al the info. I am getting my machine tomorrow. I really hope this works since I am tired of being tired and not feeling well. My family thinks its an issue of the fact that I might feel so lousy that I don't know how I feel and that when I start to feel better, I will realize how lousy I felt. I am not sure if this is true but is it possible to forget what it feels like to feel good?

Fingers crossed !!

ok got the machine... I went with the nose mask because I dont think I am a mouth breather. The guy from the Home Health care company was realy nice and he said not to worry about it .. that I have a month to try it out and if I decide that I need the full mask, they will come back and switch it out. It really was pretty easy. I hope to fall asleep tonight. Since I sleep on my side and my stomach, I pretty much think I breathe mostly through my nose. Oh well.. I will give it a shot !

Did I read that you got the swift nasal plugs? I got those and couldn't tolerate them for a night. And keep in mind, I love the machine and tolerate it well. How high are your pressures. I was told by my therapist that pressures over 12 pound don't work well with nasal plugs (this is a different therapist from the one who allowed me to try the plugs - as that was years ago). I like the nasal mask, bubble vs. gel versions. If you are not tolerating it call immediately. They likely can't give you two masks to try at a time unfortunately. Keep trying, it's worth it.

HI ScaleSkater,

It is getting a little better. I was able to have it on for 3.5 hours last night so Im tolerating it better. I have what they call the Wisp Mask which is a over the nose mask. IM not sure if it is a gel or a bubble. I want to thank you for being so responsive and sharing all this info

I am going to try to have it on all night. Apparantly I had one total obstructive apnea during those 3 hours among some other hypoapneas and one clear airway apnea

I can't remember if I tried that, but it looks like a good mask and it does get good reviews. That is a bubble mask - fyi. Bubble as the air pressure forms the seal with the material vs. the gel in the mask. If the mask isn't leaking, then keep going. If it is shooting out at your eyes or something, then call the cpap folks. Good luck at a full night.

Oxygen saturation levels below 90% are considered harmful. Usually, treatment is directed at correcting the apnea, which will in turn prevent hypoxemia Telldunkin.