Posts: 3,035
Threads: 201
Joined: Aug 2006
All sleep apnea sufferers snore, but not all snorers have apnea. The difference is if the snorer actually stops breathing in and out. If your bed mate quits breathing at night, get them to a sleep specialist. It could save a life.
Devany, if you don't like the sound of your husbands C-PAP there are many different models out there, ask his neurologist to find a quieter one when he gets a replacement. Good sleep specialists say they treat the sleeping couple, not just the one with apnea. Personally I think getting the C-PAP saved our marriage (not to mention my husband's life)!
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
My cpap unit is whisper quite.
If you want to spend butt loads of money, get a sleep study done and pay full price for you machine and mask.
It will set you back 1,500 - 3,000 bucks depending on your insurance copay etc,
I bought mine on criagslist for 400 bucks and have never looked back. You have to figure out how to set the pressure. I downloaded the therapist setup manual online.
Posts: 1,243
Threads: 55
Joined: Feb 2008
Carol,
It is not the noise of the machine that bothers me, it is that he is so uncomfortable with it and while he does believe that he his getting excellent quality of sleep with it (when he can actually sleep), he wakes up at least 10 times a night to adjust it and eventually tears it off and throws it. He has been using it for three months now, has had numerous masks (getting a new one tomorrow) and adjustments. When he wakes up there is often the sound of velcro popping or he turns the lights on and wakes me up. He has spent many nights in the guest room and neither of us like that arrangement. His doctor obviously does not fall into the category you mentioned. He is not a neurologist though, he is a Pulmonolgist. He has met me once. Yesterday Wes went there again and this time he told him that he needs to deprive himself of sleep in order to sleep better. So, I go to bed at 9 and he has to stay up till midnight or later, takes Ambien and still only gets 5 hours of sleep. I think I am the one that needs the Ambien!
He did not enter the sleep study because he was snoring, he rarely snored. His dentist sent him in because he had teeth pulled for his braces when he was young and the dentist told him that many people like him have Apnea.
I am glad that your husband has had such a positive experience. That gives hope. I was at lunch with 5 girlfriends on Friday (all 50 something) and two of the women use a CPAP themselves and three were married to men who do. It seems like such a high number of people are given these machines. You have to wonder what people did before them!
quote:
Originally posted by csgray
All sleep apnea sufferers snore, but not all snorers have apnea. The difference is if the snorer actually stops breathing in and out. If your bed mate quits breathing at night, get them to a sleep specialist. It could save a life.
Devany, if you don't like the sound of your husbands C-PAP there are many different models out there, ask his neurologist to find a quieter one when he gets a replacement. Good sleep specialists say they treat the sleeping couple, not just the one with apnea. Personally I think getting the C-PAP saved our marriage (not to mention my husband's life)!
Carol
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
Devany Vickery-Davidson
East Bay Potters
www.eastbaypotters.com
Devany,
When I was trying to learn all about cpap usage etc. I read many stories about people going through many masks before they finding the right one.
The many stories I read had a common take away message, and that was just to keep tring and tweaking the system till you get it right.
Your husband seems to be a believer and I'm sure he'll eventually get it down.
I think I got lucky on the 1st mask. It is the Swift Mirage II.
I still went through times of ripping it off, but I eventually got used to it.
I have no doubt that the cpap not only increased the quality of life but saved mine.
Posts: 3,035
Threads: 201
Joined: Aug 2006
Devany,
You wanted to know what people did before c-paps, according to our neurologist: they died 10 to 15 years early from heart damage. Apnea is made worse by obesity but lack of sleep is also tied to weight gain (especially in men). We were lucky and got excellent support during the adjustment phase. We also have a pretty nifty battery set up for the frequent power outages we experience here. At this point my husband has rewired his brain so he just will not sleep without the cpap. Good luck getting things worked out, the support here on island for cpap users is iffy at best so if you can resolve things while you are still on the mainland, it would be better.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Posts: 1,243
Threads: 55
Joined: Feb 2008
Thanks Carol,
He is at the Respiratory company now changing out his mask again. We REALLY hope to have the kinks worked out by the time we get to the island, but we only have 20 more days. We own the machine and the mask (which they have been allowing him to exchange for different styles)thanks to our insurance company. But I was concerned that there might not be too much support in Hilo for him. When it does work, he feels like he sleeps 100% better and when he does not use it, he has really wierd dreams now. It is just so frustrating getting the right fit and adjustments. What type of mask does your husband wear?
quote:
Originally posted by csgray
Devany,
You wanted to know what people did before c-paps, according to our neurologist: they died 10 to 15 years early from heart damage. Apnea is made worse by obesity but lack of sleep is also tied to weight gain (especially in men). We were lucky and got excellent support during the adjustment phase. We also have a pretty nifty battery set up for the frequent power outages we experience here. At this point my husband has rewired his brain so he just will not sleep without the cpap. Good luck getting things worked out, the support here on island for cpap users is iffy at best so if you can resolve things while you are still on the mainland, it would be better.
Carol
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
Devany Vickery-Davidson
East Bay Potters
www.eastbaypotters.com
Posts: 1,243
Threads: 55
Joined: Feb 2008
Thanks for the support and good news that even if you have ripped off your mask, you do find a way to cope eventually. His have leaked air (making a high pitched squeeky sound) and blown air on me (like sitting in front of a fan)several times. He has done the styles that cover his mouth and nose and some that just cover his nose and then others that have baffles. The only kind he has not tried are the nose bud style... but then he would have to wear a chin strap to keep from breathing out of his mouth. His machine has a humidifyer but he still has to use gel and special toothpaste to keep moisture in his mouth too. Last night I got all of 2 hours sleep. No fun. He got 4 hours of "quality sleep" which is considered a victory.
quote:
Originally posted by esnap
Devany,
When I was trying to learn all about cpap usage etc. I read many stories about people going through many masks before they finding the right one.
The many stories I read had a common take away message, and that was just to keep tring and tweaking the system till you get it right.
Your husband seems to be a believer and I'm sure he'll eventually get it down.
I think I got lucky on the 1st mask. It is the Swift Mirage II.
I still went through times of ripping it off, but I eventually got used to it.
I have no doubt that the cpap not only increased the quality of life but saved mine.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
Devany Vickery-Davidson
East Bay Potters
www.eastbaypotters.com
The dreams he has are only because he is not used to being in R.E.M. sleep.
This is the mask I use, I love it
http://shop.talkaboutsleep.com/?action=item.display&category=nasal-pillows-masks&page=10161
Posts: 1,243
Threads: 55
Joined: Feb 2008
He has the wierd dreams when he does not have his machine on. This is one of the things that makes him want to keep using it. It is the only time he actually gets great sleep. Unfortunately, he only gets a few hours a night at this point if he is lucky. He got a new mask today and hence we try again!
Do you have a Dr. on the island that you like???
quote:
Originally posted by esnap
The dreams he has are only because he is not used to being in R.E.M. sleep.
This is the mask I use, I love it
http://shop.talkaboutsleep.com/?action=item.display&category=nasal-pillows-masks&page=10161
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
Devany Vickery-Davidson
East Bay Potters
www.eastbaypotters.com
Posts: 551
Threads: 61
Joined: Oct 2004
3 days now and no snoring still. What a gift for Christmas. No more SLEEP ON YOUR SIDE! or elbow in the side in the middle of the night. yeah
Aloha Wyatt
"Yearn to understand first and to be understood second."
-- Beca Lewis Allen
"Yearn to understand first and to be understood second."
-- Beca Lewis Allen
|
