SLEEP AIDS AND MUSCLE RELAXERS ARE A NO NO WITH APNEA

Sleep aids are the worse thing to take if you have sleep apnea. Muscle relaxers are another one you shouldn't take. Sleep aids taken by someone who has sleep apnea can cause that person to not ever wake up. Have your doctor call the following number  and ask for Dr. Robert Westlake. He is the chairman for the Sleep Apnea center . It's long distance but it is better to know what you can and can not take to to be safe. 1-315-492-5011 . It is the number for Community  General Hoslpital in Syracuse, New York. You will get the main switch board and just tell them the name of the doctor you want to speak to at the Sleep Center. good luck

ps: I have sleep apnea and I use no C -Pap at all . The idiots who did the test never did the second part of where  they hook you up to the machine

geeeeeeeeeewow...that's scary...
I've been having to take max strength unisom 2 & 3 per night they are 50mg per capsule.
that's just to fall asleep...and throughout the night I still wake up a gazillion times
and by morning I feel as though i've never went to sleep. Which makes for a Sucky work day!

Last Tuesday night I went in for the first part of my sleep study the next morning the person observing me said that I defiently have apnea...Well a couple of days later I get a phone call
for Melissa and she tells me that I stop breathing 17 times per night while sleeping...
"YAWN".....No wonder I'm exhusted and sleepy all of the time!!

Tomorrow Night 1/20/09 I have to return to the sleep center for the 2nd night of my
sleep study...

I actually just had my second study with the cpap done.. that is rough to get used to. I've never taken any sleep aids, as it turns out it would have been a big mistake with my level of apnea.


-James
Blogging my way down from 694lbs!
www.fawkem.com - Check out the blog

I have severe sleep apnea diagnosed 2 years ago (stopped breathing 21 times in an hour during the testing) I was actually NOT breathing more than I was breathing in that hour, anyways my MD knows that I have sleep apnea (I have a CPap) and he still gave me Vicodine and Lorazapan, and actually told me if I need one of them to help me sleep to keep taking the Loraz. So check w/ your own doc and make sure they know all your issues and they can make the best choice for you.    Good Luck   Linda

I take both...and I'm still alive...

Maria

I've seen a few pulmonary specialists over the 25 years that I've known I've had sleep apnea.  All of them have told me that it would be very dangerous for me to take any sleep aids.  I don't know if this is true or not, because I've taken a few things over the years, due to pain related to arthritis and various surgical procedures, and they didn't seem to have any negative effect on my sleep pattern.

When I had my VBG 17 years ago, I was told that I had to be entubated while I was still awake, due to my sleep apnea.  Now, that was really fun!    But I've had other surgery since, and was able to tolerate general anaesthesia just fine.

So, who's to say?

OK Sparkies...Here's the deal.
WHY would the SLEEP CENTERS give you a SLEEPING PILL on both nights if they were THAT dangerous? Everyone that takes any kind of narcotic or tranquilizer or muscle relaxer should also be educated about them and know they do indeed slow our respiratory rate. However, some folks have had apnea for years and years and have been taking these meds for years and years as well.The opinion of the safety of these combinations is as a mixed bag as is the fact Bari Doc's all over the USA have their own idea of who should be on what diet if any before surgery and what and when they should eat and or do after surgery as well as who uses pain pumps, belly brace bands after, who allows soda, caffiene,
etc.... so I suppose there is no right or wrong. I also hear of a wide variety of numbers and results and what is being called severe and what's moderate.BOTTOM LINE.............THESE BOARDS ARE FOR 
OPINIONS AND OUR STORIES. We should all ask our doctor what he or she wants us to do, what's best for us, and then in a perfect world we should follow their orders.
I for one am going to take my Soma, as it's been at least an hour since my Tramadol's and Gabapentin's and I am going to go visit Mr. CPAP!
Goodnight