Sleep Apnea?

self ^ | November 23, 2001 | Auggy

[auggy]

Does anyone have this problem? In my sleep, I bite my tongue. Hard. Bleeding hard. I have ruined many pillow cases with large areas of blood soaked pillow cases. My tongue looks like raw hamburger meat, at times. I tested positive for sleep apnea. I woke an average of 49 times per hour, from lack of oxygen, or unable to breath. I use a breathing machine with a chin strap to help my problem. It helps,but it isn't a 100%. I woke this morning at 3:30 AM and immediately took the pillow case off to soak the stain. I have been up ,since, then. Afraid to go back to sleep. I have been tested for epilepsy. This started in 1990. It has progressively gotten worse.

[Justa]

I'm pretty sure I have this too but I developed my own device to avoid it before getting the diagnosis. It's a big relief because I was having heart pains from it due to the medication I take for my back which boosts my blood pressure. I read this condition causes a buildup of CO2 in the body during sleep which stresses vital organs and can lead to a host of medical problems. I sleep more efficiently now and will often wake up to the sound of breathing thru my nose. The trick imo is to not have to breath thru the mouth since its more easily restricted than the nasal passages.

[Charles Henrickson]

One thing that helped me is I learned to sleep on my side.

Sleeping on my side I snore less and have fewer breathing stoppages than I do sleeping on my back. Of course, that's without CPAP. With CPAP, it doesn't matter--I can sleep on my back or on my side.

[prisoner6]

What is it like when you are up suddenly, trying to breath? Aren't you terrified?

Oh the first few times >YEARS AGO< were kinda scarey. Now I'm used to it. I can't yell because I can't get my diaphram to move.

The worst I can remember was when I ran along the upstairs hall without breathing. I started to pass out near the top of the stairs and collapsed. As I fell I hit something and that started me breathing again. Just kinda sat there for awhile afterward, afraid to go back to sleep.

That does remind me of something though. Usually after an attack I am VERY tired/exhausted/sleepy.

But like I said, I'm so used to it now it doens't bother me...much.

prisoner6

[pcpa]

I had obstructive sleep apnea and can tell anyone who is serious about the matter a great deal. If it is not a neurological sleep apnea issue it can probably be corrected. The issue is then a mechanical issue that occurrs between the nose and the base of the neck. I had nasal septal reconstruction and uvuloplasty which corrected the problem initially until advancing age and then 10 years later had to have maximal and mandibal advancement along with a tightening of the glotis which corrected the problem completely.

The problem can be corrected in many cases and I will tell you with absolute certainty it will kill you if you do not have it corrected. The decrease in oxygen saturation your body is subjected to will eventually cause heart failure issues and along the way you will loose your quality of life as we..

If anyone wants to know more please FRmail me. I will be happy to pass along any information that I have regarding this very serious problem

[LostThread]

definitely more info than I need to know...*sigh*..

[withteeth]

"Just kinda sat there for awhile afterward, afraid to go back to sleep."

I've been there! Just about. Once I was about to go to the hospital, but it was 4 a.m. and what was I going to do, turn myself over for tests at 4 a.m.?
I was going to die if I went back to sleep.
Going to sleep is trusting to god, that's true for us all, but that night I was so scared it was funny...It sank into me how I didn't have any choice but to go to sleep! HaHa!! Greatest act of Christian Faith in my life, that night when I finally went back to sleep. That's when I read Psalms 1 through 10, while sipping at a bottle of beer. I ended up feeling really really good, and it wasn't so much the beer as the scripture, I swear. Isn't that funny? I knew I had to lay myself down to sleep and pray the Lord my soul to keep. Faith, faith.
Ever since then when I wake up in the morning my first thought is thank you Jesus, another day, thanks. I'm 40, extremely thin, and they say I have a useless thyroid.
I am terrified of business meetings because whenever I start to nod I bellow. It's freaking embarrassing. I feel like I'm nuts.

[withteeth]

Thanks for starting this discussion, Auggy.

[Maurice Tift]

Afraid to go back to sleep

I know the feeling. After throat surgery and nasal surgery (to fix my broken nose), I am now completely cured and sleep very deeply. It's something I don't even think about anymore. Don't lose hope. Even though one doctor tells you that there is nothing he can do, there is often another doctor who can do something.

[johnny7]

Take a shot or two before you go to sleep.

It works for me. If your wife snores, use the pillow.

[breakem]

walking has been the key for me. Changes my appetite and better nutrition. It's as if my body doesn't want to waste the workout by overeating. The toughest part for me is starting. After three days, I'm on track. Good luck!

[cyn]

Take care, pris -- I know you're a tough burgher, but I do hope & pray you get relief!

[LadyDoc]

. I live in an area where sinus is a problem year round.

Vacuum the rug daily, use a Hepa filter air filter (good ones about $300)and keep the windows shut.

I have a patient who turns her air conditioner in the bedroom on for two hours a night and uses that to filter her air (it has a "fan only" mode). A humidifier or dehumidifier to keep the humidity to 30-50 percent also helps. so do antihistamines like benadryl at bedtime. Or cortisone nose spray (flonase, Nasalcort etc).