Sleep Apnea Treatment

Question by sweetonme9602: my daughter has obstructive apnea what is it?
i am having a really bad week for those who have seen my questions know what i mean i just found out today my daughter has obstructive apnea she had a sleep study done she doesnt stop breathing when she sleeps but when she does go to sleep she is really uncomfortable due to enlarged tonsills getting in the way of her airway anyone know what this is and what i can do for her?

Best answer:

Answer by SportsChic
Get her tonsils taken out. people have it done every day. that will solve her problem.

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Question by lpdunit107: Please explain Sleep Apnea?
I have it. I use a Bipap and it works great. I’m a changed man.
I understand that the Bipap suplies air pressure to keep the passages open. Ok, what I dont know is they told me after my sleep test that I stopped breathing alot, while sleeping. So bad in fact they wanted to hospitalize me until they could get a bipap delivered to me at home. So how does air pressure from the Bipap start me breathing again?

Also I travel alot and bought a used Cpap so that my Bipap didn’t get broke on the road. It seem to work for me just as well as the Bipap. Is this ok or should I stick with the Bipap.In fact it seems to work better for me. I have less trouble breathing with it and my wife says I seem to fidget less.

One more thing. Bipap. Two air pressures? Why and how does this benefit? I know it works but my Dr never seems to have the time to explain fully. Thanks

Best answer:

Answer by Mary
There are two types os SA obstructive and central. Most common is obstructive. In OSA, there is an obstruction in the airway (different places in different people). During the night, the obstruction occurs and the air can not get in the lung. Your body is attempting to breathe but the air is not getting through. The pap (ie Cpap or bipap) splints open the airway so the air with the oxygen gets into the lungs. Now cpap is the most common treatment for OSA. It is a single pressure to splint the airway open. Bipap is 2 pressures, one to breathe in and a lower one to breathe out. It causes you to take bigger breathes, So it is used when people retain CO2 or when your pressures are higher (ie greater than 14), or you can not tolerate the cpap. CPap and bipap (S) does not breathe for you. You breathe on your own. On the other hand Bipap ST has a timed backup. It takes a breath for you every so many seconds if you do not. It is more like a ventilator. It is used for people with neuromuscular diseases and central apnea.

So I would not use a CPAP if a Bipap was prescribed. There is a reason that you needed it. They are hard to get through the insurance. I have been on bipap for 9 years now. I was a CO2 retainer and was hospitalized. I am a new person. I even went back to school and became a resp therapist. My MD, felt like I was doing better and could go to cpap. I told him that I had the bipap and it was working well. My bipap broke after 7 1/2 years and I borrowed a friends cpap who was not using it for a few days until my new one came. My symptoms returned. I set the pressures to match. I would buy a backup bipap. if I was you. I travel a fair amount and never had a problem. I carry a back up mask, tubing, and an extension cord. I have not had a problem. There are sites that auction cpap. I bought a used bipap with 20 hours on it for under 400 dollars less the price of a cpap. Best wishes. Feel free to email me if you have more questions. I highly recommend the site. www.sleepnet.com

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Question by RP: I have been told I may have sleep apnea by my wife. Dont have insurance but need to get CPAP machine. Advice?
I cannot afford test (heard it was like $ 1500.00 each time and you have to do it twice). I found some websites that offered CPAP machine and mask for little cost but how do I get a prescription without being tested? Someone told me they do home tests that are cheaper but how do I get one? I did find a site, 1800CPAP . com that has a doctor that answers sleep questions but I still need a prescription to buy their CPAP. Does anyone know how I can get a home sleep test?

Best answer:

Answer by dylstar7
I hsve sleep apnea
I was diagnosed in a sleep test by the Beverly Hills Sleep Center
which my medi-medi paid for
getting the machine is the simple part
it’s the settings that do the treatment
try losing some weight and exercising some
it is possible to put sleep apnea into remission indefinitely
I see the machines on craigslist.com all the time

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Question by Amanda H: What does sleep apnea have to do with someone who just wont wake up in the morning.?
I have a VERY VERY hard time waking my husband up in the morning,. He doesn’t hear the alarm, kids, dog, phone…ANYTHING. People keep telling him to go get tested for sleep apnea, now under certain circumstances I would understand why you may go get tested for that, but my husband has been like this ALL his life, ever sense he was little. I have heard some pretty funny stories about when he was little and wouldn’t wake up. So I don’t understand why he would have sleep apnea now when he has been like this all his life.

Best answer:

Answer by kelsey
He may have had apnea all of his life. My 6 yr old son just got his tonsils out and one of the reasons was because he has apnea. Does your husband snore, gasp for air or stop breathing? Being very hard to wake up is one of the symptoms since people with apnea are constantly waking up all night, but don’t remember it. He may be hard to wake up because he is soooo tired. Apnea is serious. It reduces your life span. It puts pressure on your heart and other organs. Your body is deprived of oxygen when you are not breathing properly. If in doubt, have him get checked.
here is a site with more info:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/SleepApnea/SleepApnea_WhatIs.html

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Question by Popcicle: Too tired to function/live life? I’ve tried everything. Ideas?
First of all, there are a couple of things to factor in… I have been battling depression ever since I can remember but it is not as bad as it used to be(I know this can make you tired). Also, I have moderate sleep apnea and have a c-pap machine but have not been able to use it successfully. I just can’t get used to it. I’ve had it for over 5 years, tried every different mask, herbal sedatives and everything you can imagine. I know the fact that I get poor sleep is a major contributor. I’ve tried mouth devices and the surgery is not an option, obviously making me feel helpless to treating it. I’ve been evaluated by countless doctors. Blood tests and cat-scans show that I don’t have a thyroid disorder. I have been given all kinds of herbal supplements that if taken regularly, prove to slightly improve my energy but not significantly. I’ve been on every wakefullness medication that hasn’t worked, even abused medications that weren’t meant for wakefullness like adderall, which makes me crazy and extremely irritable.They all make my body ache like a 90 year old(I’m 21). I have completely changed my diet, thinking that I might be allergic to gluten but that barely made a difference and I couldn’t afford it(I’m a college student, barely able to manage 2 classes). I’ve tried quick fixes to get through the day like strong ginseng tea but everything that gives me enough energy to get through the day also causes me to crash so hard that I can’t move for the next two days. Ironically, I think I’m allergic to caffeine(it causes throwing up and diarrhea). I practice every common thing that I know to improve energy-drinking a lot of water, vitamins known to improve vitality, exercise(when I can), even expensive shoes that provide special support, you name it. I had trouble sleeping and waking at the same time as the other kids in high school. I worked with disabilities to knock off my first hour class because I couldn’t stay awake in class, or even drive to school without nodding off but I could still function, have friends, and get through most of the day. It’s gotten worse since then. I’m in college and I can’t even make it to once-a-week, nighttime classes. I certainly can’t hold a job and extra things like hanging out with or even contacting friends is to physically exerting. I have a small window of time in each day of a couple hours where I am awake. It’s hard to go out to do things like grocery shop. If I can’t make it back in time, my mind slows down and I become incoherent. When this happens I have trouble making it home. For example, I’ll wake up in another city, my groceries spoiled because I fell asleep and missed my stop. It’s not just my body, it’s my mind. I can’t remember anything or organize my thoughts. Often I will miss things because I think I am in yesterday or tomorrow. My room and hands are covered in notes reminding me to do things like “take a shower, go to bank, eat dinner”. Because I can’t sustain myself, I am paying for college in all loans and my mom(who is strapped for money and has other children to raise) is paying for all of this out of pocket and we have no insurance. She is constantly coming up with new things it could be and looking into new treatments that she can’t afford. I know that I have a duty to my mom and everyone pulling for me to keep trying but sometimes I wish that they would just stop. I am a passionate person and don’t want to be part of something I can’t participate in. Ideas?

Best answer:

Answer by PEACE
This may be too simple of an answer but i can’t seem to accomplish most of anything unless I take -timed release mega B vitamins.
They give me incredible energy.
They might work for you too.
Also Bee Pollen works too.

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