Newly Diagnosed Sleep Apnea

HI
FOLLOWING SURG, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SLEEP APNEA. I AM NOW AT ALMOST 10 WEEKS POST-OP AND MY RECOVERY HAS BEEN SLOW. I STILL SPEND MUCH OF MY TIME IN NAPLAND. MY ENERGY LEVEL VARIES FROM NEGLIGIBLE TO OCCASSIONAL BURSTS OF ENERGY THAT LAST A FEW HOURS AND ARE FOLLOWED BY NEED TO REST FOR REMAINDER OF THE DAY AND SOMETIMES THE NEXT DAY. I'VE HAD TO CANCEL MANY THINGS I WANTED TO DO, ATTEND, READ, THINK ABOUT SINCE I AM SOOOO TIRED MUCH OF THE TIME. I AM STILL HOME RECOVERING AND BESIDES NAPS, I AM ABLE TO DO NOT MUCH MORE THAN WATCH TV.
I AM WAITING FOR MY SLEEP APNEA MACHINE AND HOPE IT HELPS.
ANYONE ELSE WITH SLEEP APNEA OR SLOOOOW RECOVERY?
RAYZEL

They told me I had sleep apnea, because I snored so badly while I was out during surgery and my oxygen levels dropped dramatically. I am having trouble sleeping now. I have mixed emotions about going for a sleep study and getting a C-pap machine. My husband has sleep apnea...even though he has NO risk factors...and hated the C-pap....he opted for more surgery on his turbinades instead! It helped, but he still has problems. I hope the machine helps you feel better.

I had sleep apnea diagnosed over a year ago (with a sleep study), and the MD would have liked me on a C-PAP, but I am sort of claustrophobic, so we put it off to see if losing weight would help. It has probably helped some, but after surgery, every time I dozed off, I stopped breathing, so I had to get a machine while I was in the hospital. Now the sleep MD wants to do another study and put me on a machine. I'm not crazy about it, but using the C-PAP wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. So I'll do that in January and see how it goes.

I've learned that even with losing weight and getting to an weight appropriate for my height I can still have sleep apnea - some people just do! Rats! Oh well, as Miss Emily Littella used to say, "if it isn't one thing, it's always another!"

Hi Rayzel,

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is being diagnosed more often because it can present with so many different symptoms. Drs. are recognizing symptoms as possibly being related to OSA and many more patients are being tested and treated.

My DH has OSA and has been using CPAP successfully for around 4 years now. We both sleep much better; he because his OSA is being treated, and me because I no longer have his snoring to listen to !

With OSA, even though you think you are sleeping, you are not getting the restorative sleep that we all need, and that is most likely why you feel so tired all the time. CPAP is an extremely effective and often the first line of treatment, but there are also other options that may be available to you. You can discuss all your options with your physician.

Best wishes and s

There can be many causes for sleep apnea. If it is obstructive it often means the soft tissue in your neck collapses when you sleep causing snoring noises. Treatment can often be attempting to loose weight, surgery to remove extra soft tissue, or CPAP. It stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and acts like a pneumatic splint to keep your airways open thus allowing you to reach REM sleep. Which is restfull sleep. You may not ever reach this level of sleep and therefore you are tired all the time and have difficulty concentrating. Give the machine a chance as it can greatly improve your life once you start getting restful sleep. I often instruct my patients to wear it while watching TV to help get used to it. It can be somewhat claustrophobic for some as there is a mask with head gear that you wear on your face. But for most this is not a problem. The surgeries tend to be a bit radical and are usually a last resort. Sometimes they don't help solve the problem at all. The other type of apnea is central sleep apnea and that is when the brain does not give the proper signal to breathe. Be positive and give the CPAP a good chance. In my experience I have seen the machine save marriages (loud snoring), and give people a new lease on life! Best of luck to you!

rayzel, how I can relate to your tired all the time feeling! My dr suspects sleep apnea because of my snoring, weight, frequent waking, and lack of energy. I have not had testing yet but he did give me a prescription for Provigil. This is a drug developed for people with narcolepsy but which has proven to help people with other conditions as well. It has made a world of difference for me. Now instead of just dragging through work and leaving early, then dozing off in a chair and dropping into bed at 9:30., I can actually have a life! They have told me I can continue to take it post-hyst so prehaps it could help you as well. I'm not a dr just a fellow sufferer but I thought I'd let you know whats helping me. I also use a humidifier at night it seems to help a little bit! Good Luck!!

HI SISTERS AND THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT.
MY DOCTOR HAS NOW FAXED MY SLEEP STUDY RESULTS TO THE MEDICAL SUPPLY COMPANY AND THE NEXT CHALLENGE IS GETTING APPROVAL FROM MY INSURANCE CO. THE MEDICAL SUPPLY CO THINKS THIS WILL BE FAST AND THAT I WILL HAVE A WORKING MACHINE AT HOME BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
MY GYN HAS RELEASED ME--NO MORE EXAMS FOR 6 MONTHS!--AND MY PULMONOLOGIST IS NOW IN CHARGE OF WHEN I RETURN TO WORK.
I HOPE THE MACHINE AT HOME GIVES ME THE SAME ENERGY LEVEL I HAD DURING THE SECOND SLEEP STUDY WHEN THEY TESTED ME ON IT. THE MODEL THE HOME EQUIPMENT HAS IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ONE I TRIED AT THE SLEEEP CENTER, BUT THEY TELL ME IT SHOULD GIVE THE SAME RESULTS.
IF NOT, THEN MAYBE A HANDSOME PRINCE WILL SHOW UP....
RAYZEL

Wonderful Rayzel...you will soon be on your way to restful sleep. A couple of tips for you. Remember that what ever your air conditions are in your room is what is blowing at you. If you find it causes a bit of irritation trying adding humidity. If it is still irritating try a heated humidifier. Just let your pulmonologist know, they may already have humidity ordered. Sometimes it is best to keep it simple though. The less equipment, the less to care for and clean. If you've had studies without the machine, and with, you already have experienced a good nights sleep. More is on the way and before know time, you will have the energy to find prince charming!

I had OSA and opted to have surgery, UVPPP. My OSA was caused by a genetic defect and the surgery was a success. I did not have a difficult recovery.

Heres hoping for a restful nights sleep for you.