I recently went through a sleep study, and it seems as though I’m going to have to begin using a CPAP machine. I’d like to hear what some of you think of them (i.e. how easy it is to adjust to sleeping with one, how much of a difference it has made, etc.).

when i first got my cpap machine it was a blessing ….but here latley i will go to bed as normal mask on nice and comfie then i awake to find that my mask isnt on my face …so i put the mask on again just to awake that ive taking it off again ..im really at a loss i love my mask but im removing it without knowing plez help

Even if i take a ten minute nap i have to use my cpap machine.

I am an enlisted navy personnel, an E-3, AD for 1.5 yr now. I was on LIMDU and medical board for 4 months before I was returned to duty by my military psychiatrist. After RTD, I undergone a sea duty screening and was found to be "assignment limited." In addition to that, my psychiatrist also recommended an administrative discharge. I was diagnosed to have been suffering from Depression, Anxiety, Psyhcoses and Somatization disorder. Right now, my command admin is waiting to receive the PERS 40BB direction about my separation for them to start the discharge process. Before my military psychiatrist made the recommendation, he referred me to a Sleep Study Doctor for my insomnia, and the result came out lately; I have an obstructive sleep apnea. With this result, I don’t know how will my treatment program with the sleep medicine will continue. I still have 3 more sessions with my sleep medicine doctor to complete, but it might not happen anymore as the discharge order may come out anytime in the next few days. Right now I am using a CPAP machine as part of the treatment. Also my military neurologist referred me to a civilian clinic to undergo physical therapy and rehab for my chronic dizziness and unresolve vertigo. I also have on going consults with hearing loss and tinitus with a civilian doctor as per referral by my neurologust. I know all of this will be stopped once the admin discharge comes to the fore. I am thinking of consulting my military PCM about the latest findings and my current treatment programs. I don’t know if he could make it to put me in LIMDU or Medboard due to the new medical findings. And if he would do so, would it prevent the decision of the PERS 40BB to administratively discharged me? Are there other ways to have my treatment and consult completed using tricare insurance after the discharge? I shall greatly appreciate any information you will share. Thank you!

sleep apnea cpap machine with face mask can’t breathe nose has deveated septum
been to ENT dr hence the diagnosis of the septum. sleep study confirmed OSA
(husband) throat closes and deveated septum can’t breathe with or without mask, what to do? sleep dr not helpful.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a couple years ago. I was doing well on the CPAP machine in the beginning, but lately it seems like its not putting out air as powerfully as it did in the beginning. Although I told my doctor that I believe the problem is the machine, he says that I still need to be "retested" since its been a while since I was diagnosed. I have a new insurance, well, a Health Savings Account with a ,500 deductible awaiting. Retesting will cost a minimum of a few thousand dollars. I wanted to try to purchase the machine myself online, but you need a prescription to purchase one. Is there a way around this? Also, I once heard someone mention they were using a CPAP machine but were unable to get use to wearing it at night. Instead, they were fitting with some type of "dental device" that they insert during the night to keep their airway open. They said they haven’t used their CPAP machine since. Has anyone ever heard of such a device? Do you know what the name of it is?

I have severe obstructive sleep apnea. And I’ve had two surgeries to try to correct this problem in the past year with little success. I’ve had my upper and lower jaw broken and moved forward, and my tonsils removed all within a year. I’m not overweight and I eat a very healthy diet with almost no caffeine. I’ve had no improvement with the CPAP machine (which in my opinion is always leaking and waking me up) and have tried 4 different masks so far. After my last surgery, while in the hospital recovering I had continued apnea episodes. Plus, having insomnia has got me so sleep deprived I can’t think straight. I’m scared of getting into relationships because of being tired all the time, and I even blame myself for missing out on most of my son’s life due to this. I’m depressed, can’t work anymore and don’t know what to do? My doctor will not prescribe a sleep medicine for me probably due to the apnea.

I was just diagnosed this week with sleep apnea and have to go in to the sleep lab in a couple of weeks to get a setting for a CPAP machine. My question is about aquiring the machine itself. Do I aquire one myself or does the sleep lab send a catalogue or "provide" (at my insurance company’s expense) a CPAP machine?

Well, i dont really much about it, but my mom just recently left to visit her grandmother, and my dad has sleep apnea. she told me to sleep with him to make sure he is alright, and im 16 so doing so would be kind of awkward, and i move around alot when im trying to sleep, so i wouldnt want to prevent him from falling asleep. so can anything bad happen if my dad isnt being watched when he sleeps? he has a CPAP machine btw

After a sleep study monday night ,it was determined that I have obstructive sleep apnea. In a one hour period I had 117 episoids. I was givin a cpap machine today and was wondering for those of you who have had sever apnea who have tried the cpap how much of a difference has it made in how you feel and what were your symptoms prior to the cpap and how are they now. Thanks!!!

I am looking for the nappi code for a cpap machine and mask that is used for the treatment of sleep apnea. the medical aid needs that code. do someone know where I can find this?

He specifically said I had hypoxia, not apnea. I understand that a CPAP machine helps to keep airways open. My problem specifically is I breathe extremely shallow at night and my blood oxygen levels drop. I fail to see how a CPAP machine will help me with my problem since being able to breathe isn’t the problem, but how deep I draw my breath. Can anyone educate me on how a CPAP machine will help me with sleep hypoxia? I don’t have much faith in my doctor as he seems disinterested in me, putting his head in his hands, looking at my shoes while sitting in a chair and leaning up against a desk.

i have a neice that has sleep apnea and she doesn’t want to use the cpap machine. what can we do.

One of my co-workers heard about a new device on the radio one day, but could not remember what it was called. I have tried the CPAP machine and the oral appliance. I found out I have a deviated septum and plan to get that fixed, but thought I’d check out what is new in treating sleep apnea.

i know i have severe sleep apnea because i had a mono which gave me a bad case of tonsillitis and i was trying to figure out why i couldn’t sleep for the past month, so can i call my regualr doctor as an emergency to get a cpap machine or do i have to wait until i schedule a sleep study?

I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea in October 2003. I have been using a CPAP machine ever since. I started out at an air pressure of 9, but over time ended up at a pressure of 14. Back in January of this year (2007), I began following a steady exercise program and lost fifteen pounds. My doctor had me re-evaluated through another sleep study, and my pressure was reduced to the original pressure of 9. I am sleeping better and feeling better. I view my sleep apnea as being a result of my overweight body, and because I was able to lower my pressure through exercise and weight loss, is it possible to "cure" my sleep apnea if I keep on exercising and losing weight?
I didn’t think about it before, but there a probably people reading my question who don’t know what sleep apnea is, much less what a CPAP is. Here are a couple a links: http://www.sleepdisorderchannel.com/osa/

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/snoring/cpap.cfm

Yes, I still have my tonsils. The doctor I see for my sleep apnea has not mentioned my tonsils as being part of the problem. He mostly centers on weight loss and is happy whenever I report any amount of loss. He’s very encouraging.

How many of you use, or know someone who uses a CPAP machine at night to help them breathe and not to snore?

I am very curious about this, since CPAPs save lives all over the world. I think we all need more education on CPAP machines, and we need to spread the word that if people snore or stop breathing at night, they should have a sleep study done.

Sleep Apnea causes high blood pressure, can cause strokes and heart attacks. It sometimes makes people have heartburn at night, and makes them sleepy during the day. People can become forgetful or irritated. This is just a short list of all the damage that having untreated sleep apnea can cause.

I have moderate obstructive and central sleep apnea. My blood oxygen levels according to sleep study dropped down to 60. I tried the CPAP machine for a couple of months and finally gave up. And I can’t sleep with that dental appliance either. BTW I am tall and very thin, medically I would be considerated underweight.

I am looking to buy a pulse oxyimeter with alarm that would wake me when my oxygen gets too low, like below 80. Do you think this would work? Where is a good place to buy one?
Thanks.

I know I have sleep apnea. I snore so loud and I have excessive fatigue to the point that I have to sleep more than 12 hours a day. It also runs in my family. I just got a CPAP machine from someone. How dangerous would it be for me to use it? Educated responses only.
Monica- I asked for educated responses only. I am also in the health profession and that doesn’t mean I know everything about everything. CPAP machines are not by prescription only, otherwise you could not buy them anywhere. And If you aren’t even aware that they are for sleep apnea, I am not quite sure how you managed to become a nurse.
Davisk- pneumothorax is not a "hole in the lungs". I have studied cardiorespiratory care. I am also well aware that too much O2 can be dangerous. Also, there are no H2O levels on this machine. Are you meaning O2 levels? And finally, it is not gross. Obviously I am not stupid enough to use another person’s mask! lol.

How many of you out there in Yahooland have sleep apnea? Do you use a CPAP machine? If so, which kind of mask do you prefer? Did you have an adjustment period in getting used to the machine? Does it help you ??? If so, in what way?

I am 43 year old male, and am feeling overall poorly. I am strong and all that, but I just feel weak and tired, and I have difficulty getting good sleep. I recently was diagnosed with sleep apnea and am using the CPAP machine, but I still wake up tired and cant maintain my sleep through the night. I still drag through the day with tiredness, weakness, and depression. A friend suggested a series of tests his naturepathic doctor took him through including hormone levels check, hair, and spittle test…but he didnt know what the other tests available to determine chemistry and nutritional deficiencys might be. Wondering if anyone could advise me on what tests to have my doctor adminster.

I was recently diagnosed with “severe sleep apnea”. I do not snore, nor toss and turn at night. I don’t have asthma. The doctor said that I stop breathing very frequently and wants me to sleep with a cpap machine. I’m not over weight, and I’m healthy. However, I do have HUGE tonsils. I’m wondering if getting them removed will help. I do actually have a consultation with a throat doctor in a few days, but I’m just wondering if it will help. Also, I initially went to the doctor because I get a head ache in the same spot of my head EVERYDAY. Does anybody have a GOOD explanation of why that is? Is it because of the sleep apnea? Also, is there anything that I can do to prevent having sleep apnea?

I was recently diagnosed with “severe sleep apnea”. I do not snore, nor toss and turn at night. I don’t have asthma. The doctor said that I stop breathing very frequently and wants me to sleep with a cpap machine. I’m not over weight, and I’m healthy. However, I do have HUGE tonsils. I’m wondering if getting them removed will help. I do actually have a consultation with a throat doctor in a few days, but I’m just wondering if it will help. Also, I initially went to the doctor because I get a head ache in the same spot of my head EVERYDAY. Does anybody have a GOOD explanation of why that is? Is it because of the sleep apnea? Also, is there anything that I can do to prevent having sleep apnea?

Just a couple weeks ago I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. I got the cpap machine and have adjusted pretty well to it. My question for those who have apnea and have the cpap machines, how long does it take before you really start feeling differently from the use of cpap? I mean I have felt better since using it. Before the cpap machine on a scale of 1-10 , 1 being completely exhausted 10 being energized I always felt like a 1, but now i feel maybe a 6-7. Does it just take time for you to get use to it and to feel more and more energized throughout the day?
I have been wearing it just a week so far.

Over the counter, nonprescription product please. Can not mix with Coumadin. I’m trying to find something other than the Breath Right strip for my husband before I put a pillow over his head. Even if I go to bed before him, his snoring wakes me up. I don’t want him to always sleep in another room. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
-to use for now until he gets the CPAP machine….