Anyone here have it? or deal with it.

My doctor suggested i go and get tested for it, been on a diet and exercise and still not dropping weight, which is one of the common signs of sleep apmea. plus sleeping at least 8 hours and still feel like crap, which i think is more from working crazy hours and fishing all hours of the night and not having a set schedule.

and i snore loud a lot, to the point were my gf goes in the other room.

have to go for a survey and questions and then the sleep test sometime in the next few weeks.

wondering if anyone here has it, how they dealt with it, remedies etc.

Thanks.

here's some tips for you to consider
whether you have sleep Apnea or not

you cannot drink alcohol close to bedtime
because then your passing out more than going to sleep
and BEER is the absolute worse alcoholic beverage
because it takes the longest to digest than anything else

if your (trying to) digesting food while your sleeping
you'll have a very difficult time of it...
because digesting food is very energy consuming
the equivalent of having sex.... thus sleep is ruined

you can hug an extra pillow close to your chest in bed
and keep your mouth closed or prevent your jaw muscles
from completely relaxing ...then your jaw drops down
and the snoring starts...

coffee will keep you up or i should say caffeine
which is found in soda and all chocolate
so drop the caffeinated soda and chocolate
especially several hours before bedtime...

My dad had it, think it was due to an old football injury to his nose they corrected with surgery.
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here's some tips for you to consider
whether you have sleep Apnea or not

you cannot drink alcohol close to bedtime
because then your passing out more than going to sleep
and BEER is the absolute worse alcoholic beverage
because it takes the longest to digest than anything else

if your (trying to) digesting food while your sleeping
you'll have a very difficult time of it...
because digesting food is very energy consuming
the equivalent of having sex.... thus sleep is ruined

you can hug an extra pillow close to your chest in bed
and keep your mouth closed or prevent your jaw muscles
from completely relaxing ...then your jaw drops down
and the snoring starts...

coffee will keep you up or i should say caffeine
which is found in soda and all chocolate
so drop the caffeinated soda and chocolate
especially several hours before bedtime...

Raven, I dont drink at all, not that I ever had an issue with booze, just over it, maybe a beer or two at a cookout but working at an irish pub in my eraly 20s i did plenty of drinking.

Only one coffee a day when i wake up, no soda or tea at all either.

Try not to eat any where close to bed time.

One thing that might be causing it is I have TMJ, really bad, to the point my jaw clicks every time i chew or yawn. Thats my main factor right now.

never had any trauam to my jaw, from injuries.

I dont have a high arch in the roof of my mouth which is another common factor.

Well have to see what the survey says and the questions, maybe weed some other issues out.

I do. Severe apnea , had sleep study and surgery. Didn't work, my breathing is actually worse. Only thing that helps me and the wife sleep is thr cpap machine.
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I do. Severe apnea , had sleep study and surgery. Didn't work, my breathing is actually worse. Only thing that helps me and the wife sleep is thr cpap machine.
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have to talk to you while were on cutty about it.

We'll talk all about it ;)

There are different forms of sleep Apnea as well as different severities. Get the sleep study done and find out what you have.

I have mild obstructive. I hated the Cpap, I use the Pure Sleep mouth guard, and it works for me. It pulls my lower jaw forward and allows me to breathe through my nose. No more snoring, and getting good rem sleep every night. It does not work for everybody though.

Have u tried those breath right strips? They help with snoring
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Have u tried those breath right strips? They help with snoring
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Yeah tried those, all brands of them, even tried using more than one a couple times, still snore
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Had moderate apnea when I wasin my late 20's. Opted for surgery- UPPP. Worked well for a while until I gained lotsa weight in my late 30's. Snoring again now but apnea not a real issue. Do the study and see what the docs say.

Here is a video of a UPPP surgery:

UPPP Sleep Apnea Surgery (Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) - YouTube (http://youtu.be/obEKNl8oqrg)

I have it as well. Just started with the cpap. Doc said its not about weight but the back/roof of mouth, nose, and nasal structures. Went from 75 apneas and horrendous snoring, to none of either. When I did the 2nd overnight @ the sleep lab and they tried the cpap I woke up saying "wow, is this how a good night sleep feels?" Wifey loves the cpap, right now I am trying different masks or attachments to find the perfect one. Its all individual, don't think I am gonna have to go under the knife. I have been wondering about that mouth piece though.

I have it as well. Take the test and use the machine, your life may very well depend on it.

in late 30's now, early 30's when I did the study/tests. There was no way I was using the Vader mask as I was just getting married, so I dropped some weight. No longer an issue.

Friends father have it and after being married for so may years, the Vader issue is less problematic.

I have used the cpap mask for 14 yrs and cant sleep without it now..

Doctor called today and said sleep apena test was positive, which was what I suspected.

The fact that it was positive answers some questions already, so kind of glad it came back positive, instead of having to wonder what else might be wrong.

Have a follow up visit on the 20th to find out the severity of it and order my cpap machine.

What style mask are you guys using?

I tried the nose only mask and that was odd, could see getting use to it, but was weird, can see the mask that covers the mouth being better for me.

I use the nose mask with no problems although it took a little getting use to..You just have to keep using it and eventually it will be easier..Believe me once using the cpap you will sleep a hell of a lot better at night..I cant sleep without now for any longer than an hour..With it all night long..Stick with it

so after a couple months finally got results/machine, etc

in a 7 hour sleep study, i had 156 eposides, or one every 36 seconds, crazy.

did the second sleep study were you try the different masks, ended up going with the full face mask, couldnt get use to the nose and hated that if you opened your mouth you sounded like peter framptons guitar effects.

after a couple weeks finally got my machine on monday, crazy piece of technology. small, light weight, portable, has a small laptop bag for transport. mine has an SD card which monitors and records your slepping and when you use the machine and the doctor will upload the info and make changes.

what a difference it makes, first night inly slept 4.5 hours with it cause i went fishing, woke up felt great, not tired all day. same thing the next night, last two nights have slept with it 7 to 8 hours, wake up and i feel way better. finally started having dreams again since im getting REM sleep finally.

making some diet and exercise adjustments along with using the machine and hopefully will improve my quality of life and health.

thanks to everyone who replied and pm'ed me about their experiences and suggestions.

so after a couple months finally got results/machine, etc

in a 7 hour sleep study, i had 156 eposides, or one every 36 seconds, crazy.

did the second sleep study were you try the different masks, ended up going with the full face mask, couldnt get use to the nose and hated that if you opened your mouth you sounded like peter framptons guitar effects.

after a couple weeks finally got my machine on monday, crazy piece of technology. small, light weight, portable, has a small laptop bag for transport. mine has an SD card which monitors and records your slepping and when you use the machine and the doctor will upload the info and make changes.

what a difference it makes, first night inly slept 4.5 hours with it cause i went fishing, woke up felt great, not tired all day. same thing the next night, last two nights have slept with it 7 to 8 hours, wake up and i feel way better. finally started having dreams again since im getting REM sleep finally.

making some diet and exercise adjustments along with using the machine and hopefully will improve my quality of life and health.

thanks to everyone who replied and pm'ed me about their experiences and suggestions.

Glad to hear it Chris that's awesome!
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Now you can dream about the big one that got away.

I have minor apnea, the narcolepsy is the main issue for me but still did the study and tried the CPAP.

Just as a confirmation, the weight is the most important factor when it comes to Apnea. It is rare for someone underweight or at a decent weight to really have an issue with it unless their is a weird structural issue due to trauma or birth.

Find your happy medium for sleep time. Not everyone thrives off of 8 hours. I have patients who feel so much better getting 4 hours rather than 7-8.

The other thing is getting to bed at the same time each night and waking up around the same time. You can sleep in of course if you need it but it is IMPERATIVE to go to bed at the same time. You can jump into deep sleep faster and get more rested that way. Also, if you can't go to bed at the same time each day due to work or something like that. Then try to go to bed at the same time on those days (i.e. Monday through Friday go to bed around 9 but Saturday and Sunday you can't do that so you go to bed at 11).

Caffeine may actually make it worse as far as feeling groggy and exhausted. Everyone is different. Caffeine makes me slow but it speeds up my girlfriend. I had a math teacher with sleep apnea and chugged coffee out of desperation and it just did nothing but make his day worse.

If you get up to fish, take a quick nap after with the CPAP or don't go to bed until the normal time. It will knock you off balance a few days if you try otherwise. If you go night fishing, sleep in at home to a cut off point so you can sleep that night. Naps are really hard on the system without CPAP and also mess with cognitive function the rest of the day and can also cause you to have trouble getting back in your nightly rhythm.

Diet wise: If you tend to wake up and feel groggy or notice you are getting a bunch of mucus or phlegm in the morning, cut down on dairy, heavy food, sugars, carbs. Eating Red Kidney Beans (typically I make chili with them and black beans) will help this out as well.

Just be careful not to get hooked into supplements! I'm sure Melatonin has been brought up and it's OK but always start with the minimum dosage to see how it goes. Past that, rely on your lifestyle and diet!

Any other sleep stuff you can ask me, I'd kill to have major apnea over this narcolepsy...

Yeah before i lost 25 pounds I would snore my ass off and wake up from not breathing. After the weight loss I've been fine. I'm still not in great shape by any means but the weight I was at was 100% the problem.
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In my case it's structural issues. No weight problem at all. First surgery failed, I'm in no rush to have it done again.
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In my case it's structural issues. No weight problem at all. First surgery failed, I'm in no rush to have it done again.
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My father had structural issues from breaking his nose playing football decades earlier. Fortunately his surgery was a success. He even had the entire thing video taped for medical students.

-spence

Yeah before i lost 25 pounds I would snore my ass off and wake up from not breathing. After the weight loss I've been fine. I'm still not in great shape by any means but the weight I was at was 100% the problem.
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Yep, when I was fat I used to snore like a bastard.

-spence

How much did all this cost you?

I have minor apnea, the narcolepsy is the main issue for me but still did the study and tried the CPAP.

Just as a confirmation, the weight is the most important factor when it comes to Apnea. It is rare for someone underweight or at a decent weight to really have an issue with it unless their is a weird structural issue due to trauma or birth.

Find your happy medium for sleep time. Not everyone thrives off of 8 hours. I have patients who feel so much better getting 4 hours rather than 7-8.

The other thing is getting to bed at the same time each night and waking up around the same time. You can sleep in of course if you need it but it is IMPERATIVE to go to bed at the same time. You can jump into deep sleep faster and get more rested that way. Also, if you can't go to bed at the same time each day due to work or something like that. Then try to go to bed at the same time on those days (i.e. Monday through Friday go to bed around 9 but Saturday and Sunday you can't do that so you go to bed at 11).

Caffeine may actually make it worse as far as feeling groggy and exhausted. Everyone is different. Caffeine makes me slow but it speeds up my girlfriend. I had a math teacher with sleep apnea and chugged coffee out of desperation and it just did nothing but make his day worse.

If you get up to fish, take a quick nap after with the CPAP or don't go to bed until the normal time. It will knock you off balance a few days if you try otherwise. If you go night fishing, sleep in at home to a cut off point so you can sleep that night. Naps are really hard on the system without CPAP and also mess with cognitive function the rest of the day and can also cause you to have trouble getting back in your nightly rhythm.

Diet wise: If you tend to wake up and feel groggy or notice you are getting a bunch of mucus or phlegm in the morning, cut down on dairy, heavy food, sugars, carbs. Eating Red Kidney Beans (typically I make chili with them and black beans) will help this out as well.

Just be careful not to get hooked into supplements! I'm sure Melatonin has been brought up and it's OK but always start with the minimum dosage to see how it goes. Past that, rely on your lifestyle and diet!

Any other sleep stuff you can ask me, I'd kill to have major apnea over this narcolepsy...

all great info man, hoping that with some decent rest i can help shed some pounds and not have to use the machine.

sleeping at the same time for me is the hardest part, working in the restaurant business, i work odd hours, and they change regularly based on whats going on in the city, scheduling etc.

i feel better with 5 hours of sleep with the cpap, than i have in the last 9-12 months without it.

no supplements, just a good multi vitamin and fish oil.

so far so good, feel better, dont wake up starving, have enough energy to get thru a whole day without napping, and overall feel better, changing the diet is a huge help too, walked 5 miles last week with the dogs, going to slowly ramp up the diet and exercise

How much did all this cost you?

out of pocket my deductible was $485, then the cpap machine rental is $18 a month, cheaper than buying it out right and my insurance company only does the rentals, cause the machines are always upgrading.

Think the total cost was $2,450

besides the follow up doctors appointments which are usual co pay, all the sleep studies (3 in total), a two appointments and the machine were covered.

Should have checked Craigslist, this is the same system as mine....

CPAP ResMed Elite S8 (http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/hab/3229312972.html)

As much as it sucks to sacrifice something you love doing, I would seriously consider not pulling all-nighters. I have made a lot of life-changes in the last year and one thing I have really noticed is that pulling all-nighters REALLY messes me up. I used to do 3-4 a week, but I don't think my body can take the stress anymore. Earlier in the season at the Ditch, I fished something like 16 hrs straight one day/night and then 12 the next day and was completely screwed up in so many ways after. I used to do that weekly during the fall run in Rhody. It was hard for me to come to grips with the fact that i can't go nearly as hard as I used to, and I'm only 29. But I have found other things that give my life balance and I'm much happier/healthier for it.

If you are trying to lose weight, it comes down to diet. I lost 65lbs since Dec. and feel fantastic. My diet consisted of vegetables, fish, nuts, and synthetic protein for 4 months. No dairy, pasta, alcohol(not an issue for you). Yes it sucks, but I am so glad i did it, and now I'm eating more of what I want(actually trying to bulk up a bit). And I know this works because I lost 70 lbs back in '08, but I returned to my unhealthy lifestyle and put it all back on in a few years.

Also, cardio is obviously good for your heart, but you won't see physical results unless you are doing strength training, lifting free-weights, etc. Start out slow. It is frustrating in the beginning because you aren't where you want to be, but if you stick with it you will get the results you are looking for.

Hopefully this is helpful. I didn't have sleep apnea(as far as I know), but I do know I snored like a bastid, didn't have energy, and didn't sleep well... and in general,I felt like absolute dog chit. That has all changed. Good luck....

As much as it sucks to sacrifice something you love doing, I would seriously consider not pulling all-nighters. I have made a lot of life-changes in the last year and one thing I have really noticed is that pulling all-nighters REALLY messes me up. I used to do 3-4 a week, but I don't think my body can take the stress anymore. Earlier in the season at the Ditch, I fished something like 16 hrs straight one day/night and then 12 the next day and was completely screwed up in so many ways after. I used to do that weekly during the fall run in Rhody. It was hard for me to come to grips with the fact that i can't go nearly as hard as I used to, and I'm only 29. But I have found other things that give my life balance and I'm much happier/healthier for it.

If you are trying to lose weight, it comes down to diet. I lost 65lbs since Dec. and feel fantastic. My diet consisted of vegetables, fish, nuts, and synthetic protein for 4 months. No dairy, pasta, alcohol(not an issue for you). Yes it sucks, but I am so glad i did it, and now I'm eating more of what I want(actually trying to bulk up a bit). And I know this works because I lost 70 lbs back in '08, but I returned to my unhealthy lifestyle and put it all back on in a few years.

Also, cardio is obviously good for your heart, but you won't see physical results unless you are doing strength training, lifting free-weights, etc. Start out slow. It is frustrating in the beginning because you aren't where you want to be, but if you stick with it you will get the results you are looking for.

Hopefully this is helpful. I didn't have sleep apnea(as far as I know), but I do know I snored like a bastid, didn't have energy, and didn't sleep well... and in general,I felt like absolute dog chit. That has all changed. Good luck....

Yeah Bart all helpful stuff.

congrats on the weight loss too.

i dont do all nighters anymore, havent in about 4 years, been keeping a better log and put my time in when it makes the most sense based on my findings. they absolutely screw you up big time.

toughest thing for me is the long 14 hour days in the kitchen, then fishing then only sleeping a few hours before i have to do real life stuff, but been choosing my time wisely and getting into more productive fishing with less effort .

I do the same now, fish more efficiently, but when you have macs, pogies, and herring at your feet getting hammered by fish at every stage of the tide it becomes hard to leave....

All nighters are terrible on the body as bart put it. I wish I was able to pull it off but it just kills me for 3 days. In case you guys are interested in studies, night workers and people who work nights and sleep during the day have been found to be prone to developing schizophrenia and other mental issues such as shift workers syndrome. They actually have a high percentage of developing it as well. Not a great thing.

Forget the physical results (seeing this and that disappear and reappear), just keep up with diet, don't do crazy exercise (swimming is king, if you can't do that, then walk, you just want your heart to pump and not beat out of your chest. Walking with a 5 degree incline on a treadmill gives you the same benefits to your bones and body as running around). But who needs a treadmill when you got dogs to walk and a beach for walking?

Keeping a log is an excellent idea as you can see what foods made you feel great and what foods made you feel kind of blah. Always be sure to comment in the journal on how you felt after each meal later on (i.e. what you ate for lunch, comment on how you felt right before you are going to have dinner). I had to do the same thing with both my exercise regiment and food. Its invaluable.

Restaurant business is tough, but even with the crazy scheduling you can still get a sleep habit out of all the chaos. It just takes time to figure out the rhythm on each different night.

Patients of mine who work in restaurants and bars usually are the ones coming to me to help fix their sleep. It's a tough gig but each one manages to get it down one way or another.

Lots of time w/ the surgery, the tissue they remove WILL grow back! They won't tell you that though.

Some folks can loose weight and the problem goes away. In my case when I use to go to these quarterly CPAP meetings at Morse Hospital in Natick, people there would glare at me. I was "skinny" compared to these people there! I carry some extra weight, but am not fat by most people's standards. One guy who spoke told us how he started exercising and his apnea went away! When I was young and very fit, I had the problem of snoring very loudly when on my back. When I got married 21 yrs ago, my wife was the one who told me I wouldn't take a breath for a very long time, cough/choke and start snoring again. I spoke to my doctor about it and have gone for two sleep studies since. I had over 180 episodes in under 7 hr period. When I went to meet w/ my assigned doctor she expected to see some 300+ person and me, LOL.

I used the CPAP for a few months and then it sat in the closet for a number of years and 4 years back, I decided to use it again. I have been using it 90% of the time since then. I did get a new machine which was MUCH quieter than my old one. Masks now are much better than they were before! I use an whole face mask because I open my mouth a lot of times and if I was using just a nose mask, the air would just hiss out and wake up my wife and so forth. :P

I don't use the humidifier because I find that my hoses & mask don't need to be cleaned out (they use to get nasty because stuff loves to grow in heated moist environment!). The dry mouth to me isn't a big deal and I don't even notice it now. My current mask is 2 yrs old along w/ the hose. It looks brand new. NEVER had to clean it - I need some new straps, but that is a regular wear item. YMMV

Bottom line is if you have sleep apnea and you don't take care of it, you will DIE much sooner than you should. I rather live long enough to be a burden to my daughter. LOL. If you are over weight and your BMI is over 30, guess what - you are putting a lot of strain on your body (circulatory system, joints and organs!) and you will DIE from it. I know people who just dropped dead before they were 40-45 yrs old. I had another buddy die at 37 because he neglected his diabetes!! It is not joke. Pills will not save you period. Look at a picture of your kids, wife, or whomever you feel is important to you: how will they feel when you are DEAD because you were STUPID.

Sorry, rant off. Stepping off my soap box now. Please use the CPAP and live to laugh about it.

Peace be with you, my fellow brothers & sisters.

I love mine, the light hiss creates a white noise making it easier to fall asleep.

Hi Ray :wavey:

Not to go off-track but don't go by BMI. It's a very rough outline at best. There is just too much wrong with it. Stick with diet and lifestyle modifications and you will be fine!