Comments on: My Next Medical Challenge

By: Wendy Dedek

Wendy Dedek — Sun, 02 May 2010 06:50:04 +0000

I am a frequent reader of your blog posts. I liked the recent one and other posts on your blog so much that I have subscribed to the blog’s RSS feed in Thunderbird. Even thinking of stealing some ideas and put them to work. Keep all the good work going by posting more informative posts. Thank you. Time well spent on this post.

By: Leftfield

Leftfield — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:12:36 +0000

I’ve done about three or four nights in the sleep lab for obstructive sleep apnea testing, and it always seems to me like I didn’t sleep much, but
the machines tell a different story.

I’ve been on the CPAP machine for about a year now, after trying it a few years ago and not being able to stick with it. This time I’m using a mask with “nasal pillows” instead of the full nose and mouth coverage. Unfortunately I have not noticed any increase in daytime energy or similar effects, but on the good side, my wife is not driven out of the room by my snoring anymore.

Good luck.

By: Malcolm, FCD

Malcolm, FCD — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:19:02 +0000

I too have been diagnosed with moderate to severe OAS, and hope to be fitted with a CPAP machine shortly. And I’m not obese either. I’ve heard mixed reports about soft-tissue reconstruction surgery: my brother-in-law who is a doctor tells me it is often successful because its so painful it prevents you from getting to sleep! A respiratory specialist I’ve consulted suggested that this type of surgery can also reduce the efficacy of subsequently applied CPAP.

By: John Scanlon

John Scanlon — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:09:17 +0000

I had a sleep study at home recently… and then had to go through it again because of equipment failure. My stats were pretty similar to yours, and I’ve been annoying conferees with my snoring for decades. For me, weight is not the issue but I have ‘enormous’ tonsils, according to my doctor (and that probably explains the nagging cough I’ve had all my life). Given that, I’m surprised that they’re pushing CPAP at me when surgery seems more likely to actually cure the condition.
This reminds me that makers of photocopiers are really in the toner business; a surgeon’s a tradesman (and tonsillectomies are recorded from Roman times), but CPAP is a whole industry, with patents in force.

By: Troy Britain

Troy Britain — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:33:35 +0000

The assumption throughout was that patients would have obstructive airway syndrome (OAS) treatable with mechanical aids, to wit, a CPAP machine or one of the close variants with somewhat more capability.

My dad (who is in his mid 60′s) suffers from OAS and has a CPAP machine, the problem is getting him to use the darn thing. He falls asleep at the drop of a hat and as soon as he does he starts snorting and gasping. It’s very worrying.

OAS also has implications beyond the direct sleep-disorder thing: increased risks of heart disease, hypertension, arrhythmias, diabetes, obesity, and erectile dysfunction.

Dad has had two “minor” heart attacks, hypertension (which he takes meds for) and is definitely overweight (a condition that I have unfortunately inherited, or at least the metabolic tendency).

My wife tells me that I snore and occasionally do the apnea thing but I have a long way to go to get as bad as my father.

Good luck.

By: Austringer

Austringer — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:10:15 +0000

Nobody’s mentioned surgery yet. I’m assuming that the downside is that it is surgery. The upside being that one’s respiration isn’t dependent upon a bunch of mechanical gear that will be utterly useless when away from power supplies of one sort or another. Hmmm, I may need to take that up specifically with my physician.

By: Karst

Karst — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:01:47 +0000

I had the same sleep apnea tests and found it nearly impossible to sleep. They called me in for a re-test with the CPAP gear, which proved totally impossible.

So I had surgery on the upper airway, removing tonsils and uvula and reconstruction of the soft palate. That seems to have taken care of the problem, more or less, as long as I sleep with an extra pillow to get the angle right, and sleep on my side. It also helps that I have lost a bunch of weight (40 lbs) since then.

Good luck.

By: Austringer

Austringer — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:34:07 +0000

I’m about 15 pounds over the recommended BMI for my height, so I guess I’m obese by a very narrow interpretation of obese. It is, however, a stable weight for me. If I were to have a serious go at reducing that 15 pounds, I’d need a managed diet, I think.

Snoring is something that is common in the family, but I don’t think anyone else has had a diagnosis of sleep apnea or hypopnea.

By: fusilier

fusilier — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:10:58 +0000

Odd.

My Beloved and Darling Wife has sleep apnea, and the most common risk factor is weight. Unless you’ve been seriously Photoshopping your pics, you don’t fit that group. The next most common risk factor is positive family history. Do you have any? (She does.)

Her CPAP machine changed her outlook considerably; more energy during the daytime, etc.

Good luck!

fusilier
James 2:24

By: Thony C.

Thony C. — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:34:51 +0000

Been there done that! I have been sleeping with a CPAP for four years now and it’s great. I too didn’t think I would be able to sleep in the sleep lab after being wired up and was quite surprised that I actually slept quite well. I too have to get up in the night to micturate but I mentioned this in advance and they gave me a urine flask to pee into. By the time you do your second visit it’s much easier because you know what’s coming although the first time with the mask is a unique experience. Welcome to the club ;)