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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
        
(Message started by: helpless23 on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:19am)

Title: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by helpless23 on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:19am

I can't take it anymore!!!!!

Ken has sleep apnia and whenever he falls asleep before I do, he twitches and punches like clockwork every 10 seconds and I can't sleep!

I'm at my wits end! He's been for the sleep tests, they say he has severe sleep apnia - he went for the machine but he couldn't breathe with it on!

So now where are we? Back at square 1 and I don't know what to do! It's way past my bedtime and I'm exhausted!!!!!

Any answers to this problem? I need some sort of solution...

Any help would be great!
Thanks guys!

Much Love,
Toni

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by ClusterChuck on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:27am

I am about as far from a Doctor as there can be, but I wonder if it would help him to have O² on all night at a low flow rate with the canula (or whatever they call that nose thingy) ?

Chuck

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by helpless23 on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:47am

Hey Chuckypoo!

Where the heck have you been? I message you and you don't answer!

O2 again. That was as hard to get as Varapamil was!

I honestly don't know what else to do. He's up right now with me because he can't breath. It's defiintely allergy related I think.

But the wierd thing about it is that it ONLY happens in our bedroom. Now I just got rid of our comforter and bought a hypo allergenic filled comforter, new pillows - vacuumed and cleaned everything in there and I never open the windows (allergy season and pollen).

We are both dumbfounded what could be doing this.

Now I'm not sure if it's the sleep apnia that's making him twitch or the allergies. But on the other hand, in the winter time, he still twitches and coughs, but not as bad.

So we're up waiting for his head to clear up. What a great weekend.

I DON'T KNOW! I'M JUST SO FRUSTRATED. And I told him that he has to see a Dr. and his reply was "Yeah, why..so it can be the same as it was trying to find something to help my CH?".

Some stupid Dr. has discouraged him to a point where he thinks that they are all like that. I guess it's to be expected.

Oh well.

At least he's PF. I am thankful for that.

SSDD as the saying goes - and ain't that the truth! :P

Much Love,
Toni

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by UN_SOLVED on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:48am

I have a machine called a "MobilAir V" that 'produces it's on O2'. It's a big, bulky thing that the docs prescribed for me to sleep with. It delivers from 1 - 5 lpm of O2 and came with a 30' air line and a small nose canula. It is much more comfortable than an actual CPAP machine. Maybe a machine like this would provide some relief ??

Unsolved

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by ClusterChuck on Apr 11^th, 2004, 1:05am

Toni, darling, I sometimes leave my MSN Messenger on when I am away from my puter. And other times, I am dancing.

Sure wish I had a better dance partner!

I miss chatting with ya! But should we be discussing this with HIM up and reading over your shoulder? He might find out about us!

Chuck

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by helpless23 on Apr 11^th, 2004, 1:21am

LOL

HIM? LOL You mean KEN?! The love of my life?

Oh Chuck - I'm sorry that you're dancing so much. I wish I had the cure for this fucking beast! (Pardon the Francais)

I know, I see you on MSN all the time you tease! I say hello and to see how you're doing, and I never get an answer!

YOu're dillusional, so you must be on SOME KIND of medication - therefore, I will forgive you and still give you lots of PF hugs and pecks!

You're a sweetie pie!

Oh, BTW, I JUST ordered the Ionic Breeze thing from Sharper Image for "HIM" (LOL) We will see how that works. It's supposed to be kick ass!

Now Chuck, get to bed dammit. It's past your bedtime! :o

Much Love!
Toni

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by ClusterChuck on Apr 11^th, 2004, 1:42am

DAMN!!!! JUST what I need!!! To get yelled at by ANOTHER wimmin!!! Sheesh!!!

Chuck

PS: YOU get some sleep, gal! Ya gots a big meal to prepare for tomorrow! Sign out, and git yer butt to bed!

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by Mikey on Apr 11^th, 2004, 2:52am

Toni, sorry to say, but sleep apnea can cause the twitches, and punches that are going on, but if he has severe apnea most Docs will order O² for a patient with apnea that bad, of course to be used with a CPAP machine.

I use both, a CPAP machine for severe apnea, and O² for it, as well as Hypoxemia.

Chuck may have something there with the nasal canula, he could try that a few nights and just see if it helps. As for the (Not being able to breath with the CPAP machine mask on)......How long has he had the machine? How long has it been since a sleep study was done?

The machine mask takes a lot of getting use to, a lot of people i've talked too, and this goes for myself as well, when the machine is farely new to a patient, we generally find it hard to get used to the CPAP pressure.

I find that if ya leave it on for a good while, you finally will get used to it.......you won't suffocate, because the machine is actually pushing positive PRESSURE into your airway, and if you were to add O² with it, then that's even more assurance against suffocation.

So, talk to your Doc about the twitches, and the O² if need be.

Mikey, ;;D

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by wsnyder on Apr 11^th, 2004, 4:06am

When I first used the CPAP I didn't have much trouble getting used to it except if the mask allowed air to blow into my eyes. Once that was tweaked, all went well for awhile.

After another sleep study the doc raised the pressure and I started feeling like a blown up baloon. I couldn't stand the thing. I was taking it off in the night and didn't even know it. I finally convinced the doc to lower the pressure some but she won't go back to where it was in the beginning so there is still some struggle but, well, it is a bit better.

Masks are really important too. Some work and some don't. Some seal well, most don't.

Bill

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by Woobie on Apr 11^th, 2004, 9:04am

YO! Toni - girlfriend......

Sleep on the couch!!!!!

OR - you could do what I do - and WORK NIGHTS. Sleep when he's UP and work when he's sleeping. It's only my days off that I suffer ;;D

That's all I got fer ya! I hope this helps.

Solidarity homey
tina

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by Opus on Apr 11^th, 2004, 11:27am

Toni,
There are two things he can try. First is get those breath right nasal strips, they got me through the two years that I couldn't get a CPaP. Second, he needs to sleep propped up high, a recliner will work. After bouts with the beast I can fall asleep like this and I usually suffer no apnea. Because I use a Cpap if I fall asleep without it I wake my self up from the snoring. This doesn't happen sleeping almost sitting up.

Opus/Paul

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by helpless23 on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:26pm

LOL@
thanks for the advice, but I HATE sleeping without my hubby! He usually gets up and sleeps on the couch! I hate that! hehe

As for the Breathe Right nasal strips, they really work?
I have a coupon for them, was thinking about buying them but was skeptical! Thanks. I will try it.

It's not so much the snoring that I can't deal with, it's the twitching. It's so wierd! Then he denies it and says "But I can't breathe!!!" I feel for him, I really do - but then again, the less sleep I get, the less good I can do for everyone in the house!

Thanks for all the help guys! The CPAP machine is just out of the question for him. He tried it at the Sleep Center and just couldn't do it. He walked out of there at 2AM.

I'll try the strips!
Happy Easter by the way to everyone!

Much Love,
Toni

on 04/11/04 at 09:04:15, Woobie wrote:

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by Rock_Lobster on Apr 11^th, 2004, 12:40pm

I snore/twitch like a sumanubizitch on a flat bed. Wake up like I just went to sleep... tired... groggy... need about 8 more hours of sleep... with a wife ready to stab me.

Solution... I sleep in a sweet Laz-E-Boy, locked in the mostly-upright position... with an airline-sized pillow under my neck. Still snore a little, but sleep like a baby.

Now I get a full-nights rest in about 5 hours. Wake without an alarm clock. Kick-ass in the morning.

Works for some, not for others. Honestly, I can no longer sleep in a flat bed after 3 years of sleeping upright.

ps.... the strips did not do anything for me. The trick seems to be keeping your sinuses open (ie a shot of Afrin before going to sleep) and keeping your mouth shut (hard to do... look up 'Chin Up Strip' on Amazon... essentially duct-tape for you mouth... I am going to try them soon just for grins)

Rock

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by Charlie on Apr 11^th, 2004, 6:13pm

Keep looking here. Lotta good advice. For me, it sounds like a treatable thing. Bear in mind that 99% of MDs really want to help. Just a suggestion: Maybe you should mention the sleep apnea separate from the clusters. Keeping things simple might work.

Also, getting O2 shouldn't be that difficult. It seems that most others here don't have too that much trouble.

I'd bet that it has nothing to do with allergies too.

Good luck folks.

Charlie

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by bobkip on Apr 12^th, 2004, 3:43am

Toni,
If you've already ordered the Ionic Breeze, send it back. It had the lowest rating by Consumers Reports of the dozen or so that they tested and is one of the most expensive. Go to your local Home Depot, Lowes or WalMart and get one that works.
Ken has my sympathy with the apnea gear. I made it thru about 3 hours and could not stand it any longer. Man/woman is just not designed to sleep with ill fitting masks on face and cursed machines roaring in his/her ear.
And.... SLEEP ON THE COUCH.
Kip

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by echo on Apr 12^th, 2004, 9:20am

The machine and I argued constantly. Eyes dried out, nose got blisters from the masks.

I went the surgery route. It worked, apnea gone.

Before the surgery I just moved to another room.

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by helpless23 on Apr 12^th, 2004, 10:59am

That sucks though!

I'm not going to sleep without my husband! No way! We have only been married for 3 years! I just thought there was a simplier solution to this, that's why I posted for some help.

He won't go the surgery route - I've already mentioned it to him. He does sneak out during the night and sleep on the couch - but that sucks.

Oh well. We've controlled the beast - I guess we will get through this too!

Thanks for all of the support everyone! I appreciate you listening to me bitch! It was late, I was frustrated and tired and .... well.... just thanks.

Much Love,
Toni

Title: Re: HELP! SLEEP APNIA IS KILLING ME!
Post by Rock_Lobster on Apr 12^th, 2004, 12:23pm

Earplugs.
Rope.

Rock.