Sleep Apnea Treatment

Question by : How can I get used to a CPAP machine?
I just started usuing a CPAP machine for sleep apnea and I can’t fall asleep. I have a nasal mask but don’t like the presure on my face. I just laid awake and laid awake until I gave up and came out to the computer. Would using a sleeping pill help? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Best answer:

Answer by JayXKay
Ask your doctor before you start using sleeping pills, But yeah, i would take a sleeping pill if i were you.

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Question by : sleep apnea my hubby is 53 and he stops breathing 98 times in a hour at the sleep study he has a cpap machine?
he does not use the cpap mask all the time he will fall asleep and not put it on till 2 am or so he jumps up during the night several times with leg spasms and if he drinks 4 oz of tonic water he has less leg spasms he complains of chest pain a lot and he is an insulin diabetic his numbers are most of the time 2 or 300 for his sugar 2 years ago he had 17 iskcemic episodes hope i spelled it right and we found out he has 2 carotid arteries blocked 98% and 99% he was also diagnosed with copd onset anyway now he has an enlarged prostate but wont go for the checkup to see what,s going on there how dangerous is he really living ? i try to tell him he wont make it to 55 he just laughs about it cant seem to make him understand its not a joke he is going to die if he don,t start taking this seriously am i right?

Best answer:

Answer by PRINTS
Maybe he’s a little dizzy from the lack of oxygen from that arterial blockage going to the brain!! You already know he needs to get in and be taken care of. Have they checked the other arteries that lead to the heart? Blockages don’t just stay in one place. He would need an MRI or whatever REAL test is done, not just the office checks that don’t show everything. Those sort of things can slip by if you don’t have a dedicated doctor. My dad went in and found out he had severe blockage in the arteries around the heart. He also had diabetes and did not know his sugar numbers were very high. He would put up with the pains in the chest and just take the medication that would help alleviate them as they happened. His doctor did not do what he needed to. If your husband does not want to do anything about this, is is in danger. You can’t force him, but hopefully he cares about everyone and wants to be around.

Find a really good heart doctor to start with and have his arteries really checked. If he is not taking this seriously, then he probably won’t change his diet, but he needs to cut down on all sugar and STARCHES, carbohydrates. The diabetic diet is a very healthy diet, but people who simply want to be healthy should eat a lot of raw/fresh fruits and vegetables. That should not be only considered a diet for sick people. He needs to stop eating all foods that cause inflammation (carbohyrates). I hope he takes this seriously and you have a doctor who won’t put up with lack of cooperation. If not, shop around until you find one – and very soon!

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Question by Henry W: I have been on a CPAP machine now for 11 weeks for my severe sleep apnea….?
my blood pressure is down and my headaches are down but I still have:

1. mental fatigue

will this get better in time……..???

Best answer:

Answer by catiators
Potentially. Mental fatigue is often caused by lack of class IV sleep. You don’t heal well without the deepest stage of sleep. So if you are able to progress into the deeper stages of sleep with the cpap, you will get better. If something else is causing your mental fatigue, you may need to consider other avenues of treatment.

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Question by david l. t: If you have Sleep Apnea, where do 17 cm rate on a CPAP machine?

Best answer:

Answer by lalaland…123
i believe 17 is for the inspiratory pressure. (IPAP) but i think that’s a little too high. usually the expiratory pressure (EPAP) is the lower number. it’s like PEEP for obstructive sleep apnea. is that what the doctor ordered?

oh sorry… the guy below is correct — i mistook CPAP for BiPAP

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Question by : What do you do about Rashes from Apnea Machine?
My father wants to know if anybody has suffered from skin rashes from using an Apnea machine. Does anybody know what to use?? or what to do? He has to sleep with it everynight, and has been using it for years. It is around the face where the straps go and his nose is very dry and a little rashy..any advice would help, thank you.

And he does not have insurance, so we are trying to find something from the pharmacy..

Best answer:

Answer by Jerry
The skin issue is probably not be a true rash, but rather annoyed by the friction of the straps rubbing against it. That happened to me as I was starting CPAP use. A few ideas:

Try hydrocortisone cream or spray to calm the irritated skin.

Try loosening the straps a bit. If your father sleeps on his side, the pressure of his face against the pillow can keep the face mask in place without being so tight.

Try routing the tube down to the mask from above his forehead instead of up from below. This will lessen the amount of air flow around his nose and help prevent drying out.

Make sure the equipment is cleaned daily, especially the parts that come in contact with the skin.

See how long it has been since your father replaced the nose piece.

Soak the water tray in white vinegar every so often. Make sure it is rinsed and dried daily.

Best of luck.

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