Posted by HenryO on October 29, 2003, at 3:11:46
In reply to any CPAP (sleep apnea treatment) experiences?, posted by craig allen on October 25, 2003, at 15:04:45
My experience with sleep apnea- your results may vary.
I knew I had sleep apnea for several years. I'd wake myself up kicking my legs, which is one way your body wakes you up when you can't breath. Also, I snored like a chainsaw.
Finally got the torturous sleep study. You have to be wired up like telephone switcboard. It is not conducive to sleeping.
You can skip this next paragraph entirely, as it is a resentful digression.
The first lab I went to was uncomfortable and loud. I didn't sleep one minute. I have to have near perfect conditions to sleep or be entirely exhausted. They came in the room at 6:00 AM and declared the study over. (scottsdale north) Then they sent me a huge bill with the diagnosis of "inconclusive due to inadequate data." That made me angry for about two years. I finally in desperation found a different lab. (joh c lincon) All sleep labs are not created equal. I told them that if I didn't fall asleep until 5:00 AM in this foreign environment, then they had to wait until I did. Then let me sleep 'til I woke up. They looked at me and said, "How else would we do it?" They let me sleep half the day.
Back to my apnea. I found out that I stopped breathing over 60 times an hour. That lowers oxygen levels in your brain and it's is bad for your heart. Most significantly for me, you do not get restorative sleep. That is a big component in depression.Now I have the machine. I highly recomend the "nasal pillows" headgear I never even considered the mask. One look tells me I wouldn't sleep a moment with that on my face.
I sleep so much better now. It makes a world of difference in my sleep. I can't take a nap without that machine.
HOWEVER, I felt very little reduction in my depression. For that I rely on meds. But, I'd feel much worse physically if not for the CPAP.
My newest hope is that mild exercise will improve my mood more. But for that to happen one has to have enough energy to feel like getting up to urinate is not overwhelming. And I don't always feel that way.
Often I do though, so it could happen. I sure think about it alot.
On balance I would strongly recomend the study and the machine if needed. If you have any doubts, just ask people if you snore.
Any questions?
poster:HenryO
thread:273165
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031025/msgs/274537.html