Eggasperated Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 OH has just been diagnosed with this, he is waiting for his CPAP machine. Wondering if he is going to look and sound like Darth Vader . At the moment he is travelling quite a bit with work, just hoping his appointment doesn't come for when he is away as I'll be quite glad to get this sorted as, when he is at home, he's so tired - thought it was jet lag a lot of the time but apparently not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Leia Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 OH was diagnosed with this 10 years ago. The CPAP machine really works well - for most people. Unfortunately, he couldn't tolerate the mask. As his apnoea was due to having a very short jaw, he finished up having surgery to have both jaws moved forward 15mm Apnoea score dropped from 50/hour to 3-4/hour. Success, but not a pleasant (8 hour) operation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 That operation sounds quite frightening Princess , glad it had a positive outcome. I'm feeling a bit guilty as I've been less than sympathetic when I've been rushing round all week and OH comes home at the weekend and falls asleep all the time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 I am pretty sure that my OH has this, he has always been a poor sleeper even when he was a child, but he definitely stops breathing for short periods at night, and always looks and feels tired. He is an overweight smoker too so that doesn't help. He won't go to the doctors though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Ditto (re OH being overweight, a heavy snorer and stopping breathing at night)...but afte six years of nagging/gentle persuasion he finally went to the go and has just been referred to a sleep clinic. His first appointment isn't till march but it will be interesting to find out if he actually has it. I hope everything works out with the machine etc, keep us posted? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Leia Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 His problem with it was that the tiredness alway hit mid afternoon. He travels a lot and it got to the point where he'd have to avoid driving at certain times just to be safe. One thing we were told is that you can have OSA without any snoring being evident - they don't necessarily go together. Anyone with a size 16 or above collar is quite likely to have it to some extent. He was 40 when it was diagnosed, the operation isn't normally done on anyone over 50 as there aren't so many benefits - CPAP is the normal route as it does work so well, but the machines can be hard to use and disruptive. It's difficult - living with it without treatment puts a huge strain on the cardiovascular system and is potentially life threatening. It's also technically reportable to the DVLA, who can remove a driving licence if you have it but aren't having treatment. It's definately not a condition to be taken lightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 My mother has had this for years and now has tablets before bed time to relax her I guess. She always used to choke and felt she couldn't breathe. This used to happen soon after she had drifted off to sleep. Eventually after my poor dad yelled yearghhh! very loudly one night - she used to grab hold of anything in panic she decided to seek help. She was wired up and had the best night of sleep ever. But it doesn't matter - the device will still show anything if there's a problem. There was and hence the tablets. She has tried to be clever and reduce the amount by breaking up her tablets but anything less than 1 tablet doesn't work - and then she complains it didn't work (she's in her mid 80's now and still as stubborn and still won't take her full meds!!!). I think it is something that manifests itself differently in people. My mum didn't snore and wasn't overweight. Good luck to your hubby and hope it all goes well for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted February 27, 2014 Author Share Posted February 27, 2014 OH is off to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary to collect an APAP machine today, he keeps this for 5 days and it records the pressure he needs to relieve his symptoms - then he should be given his CPAP machine set to that pressure. I'm stupidly excited . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 Fingers crossed for him (and you!) . Sounds like a horrible condition . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarrisonFamily Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 On holiday last year an elderly couple in the tent next to us asked if I felt tired all the time - not really I said but why....Well apparently the night before I would do one loud snore few little ones the nothing for a few minutes, he even timed them, he suggested I see a doctor as he thought I had sleep apnoea......I think it was the polite way of saying be quiet....I was a little embarrassed but did giggle alot....especially as no-one not even my husband has mentioned I snore.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 i hAve to say since losing weight OH and I have stopped snoring. I apparently sounded like a warthog on heat (quote from my lovely son) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 On holiday last year an elderly couple in the tent next to us asked if I felt tired all the time - not really I said but why....Well apparently the night before I would do one loud snore few little ones the nothing for a few minutes, he even timed them, he suggested I see a doctor as he thought I had sleep apnoea......I think it was the polite way of saying be quiet....I was a little embarrassed but did giggle alot....especially as no-one not even my husband has mentioned I snore.... Perhaps he was just being tactful, but this is exactly what my sister was doing - I shared a room with her on a spa break, and noticed these long silences in between the snores. She was constantly tired, and I suspected sleep apnoea but she still took a lot of persuading to see her GP about it. Sleep apnoea is often undetected and can have really severe consequences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 27, 2014 Share Posted February 27, 2014 My ex has this (or had it when we were together) but has always refused to accept that there's anything amiss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 Well that was an interesting first night . As it was our wedding anniversary we had been out to dinner so by the time OH got around to setting everything up he was already too tired - luckily I'd had the presence of mind to get a multi-socket outlet for him but unfortunately in the process of plugging it in he managed to turn off his alarm clock so there was lots of swearing whilst he reset that . Then he said he couldn't remember how to fit the mask, "were there any instructions in the bag" I said, "no" he said ( there were I found them this morning). Eventually he got it all set up and went to sleep, I actually found the noise quite therapeutic; anyway 4 hours later he ripped the whole thing off, declared it no good, making him dry, couldn't sleep . Interestly enough I then couldn't sleep because of the silence . This morning he admitted he HAD slept but took it off because his face was sore and he thinks he had the mask on too tightly. We shall persevere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Sounds very romantic . Hope he perseveres - sounds like my OH, if it won't work first time round, just give up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Leia Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 There is a lot of useful info regarding sleep apnoea here http://www.britishsnoring.co.uk/? including on-line tests to help you decide whether you may have it or not. I doesn't replace a consultation, obviously, but might help in making a decision whether to investigate further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 I have now read the manual and found the data stored from last night, OH used the machine for 3.9 hours and had an average AHI (basically the number of times he stopped breathing each hour) of 1.8 compared to 19 without the machine. Sounds good to me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggasperated Posted March 4, 2014 Author Share Posted March 4, 2014 Today OH goes back to the ERI for them to download the data on the APAP so he can be given his own CPAP machine. I wonder whether the data will show that Friday night he threw the mask across the room and went and slept downstairs; Saturday he wore it all night but the face cushion had become separate from the mask so the air was blowing a gale across the bedroom and not doing him any good ; Sunday he went into complete melt down said he wasn't wearing it, didn't care if he was never able to drive again, wish he'd never been to the doctors etc; but last night he did actually manage 4 hours however after getting up to go to the bathroom couldn't get it to work properly again . The machine should also show that I now look like the walking dead as I've had so little sleep over the last 5 nights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
