sleep apnea?

**davidpizzica** · 07-01-2008, 07:26 PM

My cardiologist wants to test me for sleep apnea. This is the last thing I'd thought I'd EVER get! Does anyone have it or could someone give me more info? Oh well, I'll just add it to my growing list of ailments.

**boomersooner** · 07-01-2008, 08:22 PM

I know a lady I used to teach with....her husband was diagnosed with it...she finally got him to go in because of his terrible snoring. He also had high blood pressure and was always tired because he never slept well. Anyhow, he started using the machine at night with great results... he was no longer snoring which made wife happy, his high blood pressure disappeared, and he was no longer so tired he couldn't do anything. I know another man who uses the device with the same conclusion. It is good you are getting tested because it can be dangerous to have.

**caseysmom** · 07-01-2008, 11:59 PM

My 51 year old brother died of heart failure which was most likely made worse by his untreated sleep apnea.

**Medusa** · 07-02-2008, 06:03 AM

David, here are a couple of excellent links for you to peruse. A friend of mine has sleep apnea and she must wear the CPAP device to bed. Her dr. did tell her, however, that, if she loses weight, she more than likely will be rid of the condition and won't have to use the CPAP any more. I'm not casting aspersions on you, my friend, since we've never met in person, so I don't know what your weight is nor am I asking. I'm merely mentioning it in case this is one way in which you could possibly remedy the problem. Good luck and please keep us updated on your health. Lots of prayers will continue for you, my fellow Pittsburgh native.

http://www.sleepapnea.org/

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/...ea_WhatIs.html

**davidpizzica** · 07-02-2008, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by Medusa

David, here are a couple of excellent links for you to peruse. A friend of mine has sleep apnea and she must wear the CPAP device to bed. Her dr. did tell her, however, that, if she loses weight, she more than likely will be rid of the condition and won't have to use the CPAP any more. I'm not casting aspersions on you, my friend, since we've never met in person, so I don't know what your weight is nor am I asking. I'm merely mentioning it in case this is one way in which you could possibly remedy the problem. Good luck and please keep us updated on your health. Lots of prayers will continue for you, my fellow Pittsburgh native.

http://www.sleepapnea.org/

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/...ea_WhatIs.html

Hi Mary, thanks for those links. The top one has a sleep apnea forum/support group which I'm going to join. I'd like to find out a lot about it

**smokey the elder** · 07-02-2008, 07:22 AM

I have a co-worker with it. We drove together to a conference and I noticed he packed this device. Being nosy I asked about it and he said he had sleep apnea. He was quite heavy, and has now lost quite a bit of weight. I wonder if that helped hom out.

**Twisterdog** · 07-03-2008, 11:26 PM

My friend Bob was diagnosed with sleep apnea. He now religiously uses the breathing machine every night, and says it has literally changed his life in so many positive ways. He is no longer tired and grumpy, and has the energy to do the things he wants to do.

I am almost positive my husband has it, too. Horrible snoring, waking very often, sleeping long periods of time (because his sleep quality is horrible), etc. However, he is the most stubborn man in the world, and refuses to go to the sleep clinic to get it checked out.

My advice would be to get tested ASAP and follow the doctor's instructions. If you are like my friend Bob, you will think it was one of the best decisions you ever made. Plus, it could literally save your life.

**RICHARD** · 07-04-2008, 12:46 AM

David,

Have you ever been hit in the nose, broken it or know if you have a deviated septum?

For years I noticed that if I slept on my left side my sinus would get blocked and if I rolled over to my right side it felt like water shifting in my sinus.

I also had this clicking in my septum when I would wrinkle my nose.

MY GF-sometimes I wonder if my snoring killed her- would tell me that it was worse when I was tired or had some drinks beforehand.

Earlier this year I caught the flu and noticed that the left side of my nostril was really sore after I blew my nose. It felt like I had something working it's way out of the skin.

It was a bone chip-probably from the six or seven times I smashed my face doing sports or goofing around- that came thru the skin. As soon as it came out I could breathe. I guess it was lodged in a way that it made my nasal passage narrow on that side, forcing me to sleep with my mouth open!

--------------------

I did try the nasal strips and they helped, but you wake up with gummy crap on your face or your face starts to break out around the nose. The worst part was losing the strip on the pillow.

------------------

You should see an ear, nose and throat specialist too. Sometimes they can relieve the problem bysurgically trimming the soft palate at the the back or your throat.

The procedure is called a Uvuloplatopharyngoplasty!

You-vue-low-pah-lat-o-far-ingo-plasty