Sleep Apnea Treatment

Question by Barney Blake: My best friend has severe sleep apnea, and…?
I’m a nurse, so I’m well aware what sleep apnea is, what causes it, and what the treatments are.
My problem is that my best friend (age 53) has SEVERE sleep apnea, he goes for 30-45 seconds without breathing (while asleep). Its affecting his mood, his lack of feeling rested during the day, his extremities turn pale and/or gray while he sleeps, and one of these days I’m afraid I’m going to find him dead in his apartment.
He has seen a doctor, he’s had multiple sleep studies done, he even owns a C-Pap machine (which he refuses to use).
He had a heart attack 3 years ago, and had cardiac cath with 3 stents placed, and I’m certain that the sleep apnea is doing much additional damage to his already damaged heart.
I’ve BEGGED him to see a doctor, he claims that “all the bloodwork comes back normal”, and his yearly stress test results are always “within normal limits”. Still, I worry for his life, he is my BEST FRIEND, and I don’t know what else to do. I’ve slept over many times, watching him sleep, and when his breathing stops, I often wonder if it’ll start again, I count the seconds, and breathe a sigh of relief when he gasps for another breath.
He’s almost 100 lbs overweight, a former smoker, and bipolar.

Best answer:

Answer by Alexandrea
Your best bet, might be trying to find out why he doesnt use his C-PAP machine. perhaps its discomfort, or the general feeling. See if there are other types of machines, or different models he may be able to use. Ask about different positions that might help. That is a long time for him to go without sleeping. I used to stop breathing at night in my sleep, and wake up tingling. I also realized that it only happened when I felt completely worn out. It may help for him to get a few good nights of sleep, and perhaps when he gets worn out enough, hey may warm up to the use of the CPAP.

Unfortunately, you must know better than many people, that if they refuse to abide by your medical advice, then there is nothing left you can really do, other than continuously urge them into better choices. Perhaps helping your friend lose weight might be a good start to help treat the apnea.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by KrzyMom2: What is the best way to learn Yoga at home?
My aunt thinks Yoga will help my Sleep Apnea symptoms! Willing to give it a try. Are there specific videos or books you’d recommend for me?

Best answer:

Answer by finafoshizzle
go to a yoga studio.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Question by ken7142128: I have sleep apnea. What are the best treatments for this problem and are there any new treatments?

Best answer:

Answer by cyanne2ak
There are several treatments available for sleep apnea. Talk to your physician. Yes, there are new treatments. I suggest you go to a sleep center for treatment. There is a great program in Atlanta, and another in Seattle. As for the “best” treatment, it is very individualized and depends on you.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by Tony L: I have sleep apnea,Is the cpap machine the best way to treat this.It is so hard to get use to this machine.?
Is the cpap machine the only way to treat this condition.

Best answer:

Answer by CharlieTunaGirl
both my parents have this and they both use the cpap machine, it is INCREDIBLY helpful, but it is not the only way to treat it. I am not quite sure what the other ways are, but I know that there are some.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by Philip Craven: What are the best sleep apnea machines?
What should a person diagnosed with sleep apnea use for maximum comfort and breathing improvement?

Best answer:

Answer by Keitha Caba
The best sleep apnea machines for people with this disorder are dependent on the type of condition they have. You would need to consult a healthcare specialist for that.
There are two basic types of sleep apnea machines available today. One is the CPAP machine and the other is the BiPAP machine. The CPAP machine produces a continuous flow of air under a certain pressure that allows the muscles on your throat to open up. The BiPAP machine, on the other hand, simply determines whether there is enough air in the lungs and supplies oxygen as needed. The latter is typically prescribed to people who are obese or otherwise have neuro-muscular conditions.

CPAP machine is the most popular among the two. It is known to help alleviate difficulties in breathing for both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.

To get more information on sleep apnea and possible treatments and machines, you can visit http://getmoresleep.info, this is where I got my own machine and I am very satisfied with it.

What do you think? Answer below!