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Now it's sleep apnea, what's next?

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Posted 1/17/2011 5:39 PM (GMT -8)
Hey Fam's & Friends!

Well I'm not sure I mentioned it here or not but I had one of those sleep over sleep apnea tests 2 weeks ago. I guess it takes 2 weeks to tally up the score or what ever they have to do, at least it took my doc that long! My apt was at 3:30pm today and I finally saw the doc at 4:45pm but as everyone here knows> That ain't nuttin new! As he entered the room his head was shaking from side to side and his first words are it's bad pete!

OK doc, how bad is it in laymans terms please? He told me that I averaged 66.8 apneas an hour with my longest being 25 seconds. This means that I stopped breathing an average of 66 or 67 times an hour with the longest I stopped breathing for was 25 seconds. Then he said that my lowest saturated oxegen was 85% which I guess is pretty bad cause he circled it w/ his blue pen!

I must say I pretty much knew I've had this for a while. My wife has been telling me to go see a doc for a while now. She hates it when I stop breathing and wake her up w/ a big snort! White Beard also gave me a pretty firm warning a while ago. I e-mailed him just prior to writing here w/ the written results I asked the doc to give me so he can translate them to me. He knows all about the technical aspects of this stuff!

So the doc told me that this is very serious and he needs to get me in ASAP for another sleep over except the schedule for his sleep facillity is completely filled up for about a month! Of course there are lots of cancelations on these kinds of tests, thats how I managed to get mine on the 30th of December which was schedules for Feb 2nd! This was real;ly cool cause it was on the last day and last years paid deductable and already paid for except $50.00. This next time it will cost $500. I think! Oh Crap!!! More $$$ I can't aford! My well shut down two days before Christmas when my two boys were home on leave and NO WATER!!!! That cost me $1,000.+ Merry Christmas everyone!! I haven't been posting much here because there really hasn't been much good going on  in Peteworld lately. Infact it's been pretty poopy here!  I did post a couple days ago about my quiting smoking and my lawyer screwing me real good on SSD. All just wonderful Fig~tree'ing news!

BUT! There's always tomorrow right? Who knows, maybe things will get better and the sun will shine & it will be 80 degrees and the fish will start biting again in Peteworld and everyone will be dancing and eating cake!!! Ya just never know, Do Y'all???

Love all of Yuze Gize!

Big Clusterhugs and all that Junk!

Your Buddy and Friend>

Pittyful Pete 

Posted 1/17/2011 9:02 PM (GMT -8)
Folks we have another Hose Head among us! Wecome to the CPAP adventure Pete!  May the wind always fill your mask,  and your apneas always be low!

 

Good Luck to YOU!

 

White Beard

Posted 1/18/2011 9:36 AM (GMT -8)
This sleep apnea thing sucks, that's for sure Pete. But not breathing sucks even more so please just go with it. We are selfish here and want you around to tell us your fishing stories. Please do take care and keep up with those deep breaths. It will be OK.

Lee
Posted 1/18/2011 10:53 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks Paula, W/B & Lee! What are ya gonna do right? Gotta keep breathing if yuze wants to go fishin> Right Lee? Big Hugs for you too Paula, your concern touched me! W/B, What can I say? Thanks so much for all the info and encouragememt you sent me in your e-mail! You Da Man! The Lone Ranger> Masked Man!!
Now I have to go see my primary doc, seems there's something going on in my throat and my tong??? They are bothe sore w/ white yucky stuff on & in them!! I want to "Nip it in the Bud Ang" before I end up sick!!!
Gotta Go> Zip~Boom~Bam!!!
Thanks again,
Pete> or maybe "Tonto?"
Posted 1/18/2011 11:07 AM (GMT -8)
I totally know how you feel Pete, I too have sleep apnea. I was diagnosed 2 years ago. I noticed I was ALWAYS tired no matter how long I slept. I could sleep for 24 hours if given the chance, and often awoke with headaches. I found out I stopped breathing 30-40 times every hour. My body wasn't even TRYING to make me breathe, which is called something but I cannot recall what. That is SCARY. The chart showed that after sleeping for 8 hours I was only actually getting 30 minutes of actual good SLEEP. No wonder I felt crappy.

So now with the CPAP, I sleep GREAT, well, the only thing stopping me now is the pain.

I'm so glad you got it figured out, there is nothing that can be done to help you if you don't sleep well. I've also realized that in the winter months, during colds, I turn up the attached humidifier on my cpap and it really clears out my sinuses and keep them clear. So that's a plus.
Posted 1/18/2011 11:27 AM (GMT -8)
Wow, that's some scary stuff Pete! I'm thinkin we gotta get you breathin at night! I wonder if those things you will have to wear are uncomfortable? They look kind of scary. I hope they can get you all fixed up with a machine so that you start sleeping better and then start feeling better. Take care and as always...love ya lots!
Posted 1/18/2011 8:01 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Pete,

I'm a "hose head" too! I've developed sleep apnea after I started prednisone 2 1/2 years ago because I gained a lot of weight around my face and neck. I've had the CPAP for over a year now and use it every night....as you say, you've got to keep breathing if you want to go fishing! There are lots of us who have to use CPAPs, especially those of us who have reached a "certain age", so please don't feel like you're alone here.

Good luck with everything!
JoAnn
Posted 1/18/2011 8:32 PM (GMT -8)
It looks like there are a few of us Hose Heads here on the forum. Now JoAnn what are you  saying about reaching a  "certain age" smile wink you are only as old as you feel ok that was not a good way  of putting that, but you know what I mean!  Anyway allot of the opoid pain medications can cause central apneas, so that can always be a factor too! Along with any upper spinal cord injuries, and a whole host of different things.  I have used all the machines, I was started off on CPAP then went to CPAP with supplemental O2 then BiPAP with O2 and then finally after a year and a half, and on my sixth full in house sleep study they finally got my diagnoses and treatment right, I have complex sleep apnea, and I use the ASV machine with Oxygen. So just as a heads up Pete, that is why it is important to get copies of your sleep studies to find out what kind of apneas your having, because if your having allot of Central apneas, the only machine that will adequately treat them is the ASV machine. And unfortunately allot of doctors do not know how to treat central apneas, and most insurance companies will not pay for one until you fail with using CPAP and BiPAP that is why it is so important to keep on them if your treatment isn't helping you!

 

 Oh yes you know those light that straps around your head and it sits on your forehead? Well I use the fit life full face mask that covers the entire face from just above the eye brows to just below the lower lip, and then I put on my lite and I sit in bed and read. I am sure I look like an alien because I also have my hoody on because I like the room cold.  But it makes it easier to ajust to wearing your mask and using your machine, put it on and read or watch TV with it on,  It help allot in the begining so you can adjust to it easier. Then if you want to fall asleep you can, because you already are wearing you mask and have your machine on. That is why I still do it that way.

 

 White Beard

 

Posted 1/19/2011 3:04 AM (GMT -8)
Are these machines noisy? I mean is my wife gonna to have to listen to Darth Vader all night now instead of Porky Pig snorting and snoring??????
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