My Life and Sleep Apnea

It sounds inevitable that cpap users would swallow air, especially those with full face masks. But one of the problems of swallowing too much air is a condition called Aerophagia . Aerophagia occurs when a person swallows too much air causing bloating, belching, stomach pain and gas. What causes this condition? Chewing gum Drinking soda drinks Smoking Eating too fast Hysteria And for some wearing a cpap mask Potential reasons for the cpap causing Aerophagia is the air pressure is too great on the machine, if the air doesn’t go to the lungs it goes into the stomach. Of course, that can be fixed by having the setting changed on your machine. Another possible problem is air leaks. Make sure that your mask fits snuggly enough so no air escapes. (I know that isn’t easy)

Ten  things I know about the CPAP mask... My initial encounter with the CPAP machine at a sleep study. It wasn’t a good experience. One of the best devices that now comes with the CPAP machine is a humidifier. The air that blows through the hose tends to become dry,  which in turn dries out your mouth. The humidifier helps with that. Having a  beard  and trying to use the CPAP machine isn’t a good idea. The beard can cause leakage, which is definitely something you don’t want. Make sure to  clean your CPAP machine  if you are able to use it. Germs can build up without proper cleaning. You lose a lot by not being able to sleep. Can you  regain any of it by using a CPAP ? Wearing a mask at night can be uncomfortable, especially during the summer when it is  hot . Learning as much as possible about the CPAP machine before buying it is wise . There are  other things  that can help with your sleep apnea besides using a CPAP. With some folks,...

If you are using a cpap mask then you probably know how hot they can get especially in the summer. Even if you have the air conditioning cranked up high wearing a cpap mask can be uncomfortable in hot weather . You add humidity to that excessive heat and you may have a dangerous problem. With a cpap mask regardless of the weather the sleep apnea patient may feel discomfort from where the cpap mask touches the skin. If you add in the heat and humidity it will only aggravate the problem. There are things that you can do to help alleviate this problem. The first thing is to make sure that your mask is comfortable. The cpap machine and mask have been around quite awhile now and there have been substantial improvement to not only the machine but also the mask. If you don’t feel comfortable with your present mask there are many others to choose from. And of course there are humidifiers that are connected to the cpap machines. They keep the air that is going into your mouth moist whi...

From my experience with the CPAP mask it seems that the fit and the comfortability is very important if not the most important thing (although getting used to the air blowing into your face also takes time to get used to).   In my situation I had to have a full face mask because I couldn’t sleep with my mouth closed. I tried just covering my nose but it wasn't long before the air was rushing out my mouth which was a strange sensation.   Of course with the full face mask I had problems also such as the air escaping from the side of the mask, or the mask was so tight that it gave me headaches.   You might want to consider a hybrid CPAP mask . The hybrid mask has a combination of the best features in all the other types of mask.   One of best things about this mask is the adjustability of it which helps stop the air leakage and also makes it more comfortable to wear. Another feature is the addition of nasal air pillows which go into your nostrils. It also has ...

When I first was diagnosed with sleep apnea I really didn’t know anything about the disorder let alone the treatments. I had heard a little from a friend about the cpap but not much. My friend had a difficult time with it and gave up on it. Like a lot of people it was just too uncomfortable for him. if you have read my blog before you know that I had pretty much the same experience with it. I thought that wearing the cpap was making matters worse rather than better. Looking back I don’t know if that is entirely correct. High expectations I don’t know why I had such high expectations about the cpap machine. My friend had given me his horror story of the trying to use the cpap but still I thought that I could make the adjustment. For some reason I though that the adjustment would literally be over night! I would instantly fall asleep and feel fantastic the following day. As a matter of fact at the first sleep clinic that I went to they showed me a video about this guy who had sleep...

As the years go by and you struggle with the lack of rest you get because of the sleep apnea, you have to wonder if you will ever recover the sleep that you lost . I know I do. On a past post I have written about sleep debt and how your body’s loss of sleep builds up over the years. You have to wonder if that debt can ever really be paid off, especially if you are getting older. I’m 51 and it is something that I consider. I know of all the terrible things that sleep apnea; can do to your body like heart disease , high blood pressure, addiction and other health issues. The question is can you catch up on the sleep that you have been losing? Usually when sleep debt is mentioned it is referred to someone not sleeping very well for a few days or weeks. When compared to the loss of someone who has sleep apnea the number of sleeping hours lost isn’t that great. If you have cut back on sleep for a week, a few good nights sleep can usually get you back on track. Of cours...

There had to be a point where you knew something was wrong. You were tired in the morning, even on the mornings where you could sleep in you were still tired. Or maybe your short term memory wasn’t as good as it used to be. You never felt rested but you just couldn’t figure what the problem was. What was your first sign of sleep apnea ? Although blockage of the airway is the common thread among sleep apnea patients, how you first become diagnosed varies greatly. It used to be before sleep apnea became known that people with OSA just lived with it or tried things like sleeping pills (which make matters worse). But today sleep apnea is widely known there shouldn’t be any problem being diagnosed. Unfortunately there are still many people out there that don’t know that they have sleep apnea. They may think that they just have insomnia or some other problem, dismissing the idea that they could have sleep apnea. I could be that they are leery about sleep apnea because of the horror stori...

When I first read about the use of a chin strap to help with Sleep apnea I was skeptical. I sleep with my mouth open and I can’t believe that just by using a chin strap your sleep apnea would go away. But for some people I guess it does work. The idea is quite simple; the sleep apnea patient has a strap around the top of their head and around the chin. This keeps the mouth closed forcing the patient to breathe through their nose. One of the first sleep studies that I went on I used a chin strap with the cpap mask. The reason why I did that was because the sleep lab didn’t have any full face masks and I am a mouth breather. It didn’t work. The feel of the strap around my head was very uncomfortable and I just couldn’t get used to breathing through my nose. I suppose that I could make the adjustment to breathing through my nose but it would certainly take a long time. But from what I read many people find relief from sleep apnea just using the chin strap without the cpap machine. ...

I know the last time that I had a cpap mask on there was a considerable amount of air leakage going on. I know that there are many different types of masks out there and I should be more particular with the one I wear. The last sleep study that I went on the first thing that the sleep tech said to me was that most guys who use cpap masks don’t have beards because the fit isn’t snug enough. IS that true? I can’t believe that with all the manufacturers out there that they haven’t developed a mask for guys with beards. Right now I don’t know anyone that uses a cpap so I can’t ask anyone, but if you use a cpap and have a beard I would like to know if you have any problems. The last cpap mask that I used didn’t fit my face very well. I did have a beard at the time but I didn’t think that it was a factor. I tried to rig it by using tape where I though the air was escaping. That was difficult because the tape was getting entangled with my beard and in the morning it was painful to pul...

Well I have another appointment set up in about 3 weeks to see another doctor about my sleep apnea. I was referred to by the doctor who handles my meniere’s disease. I am a little hesitant to give it another try considering all the trouble that I have had in the past with sleep studies and cpap and bipap. But I am going to try again . I really have to because of my age and my family’s history with heart disease it doesn’t make sense not to try to do something. I thought about going to a dentist but from what I have read dental devices are mostly for folks who have mild apnea. I don’t have mild apnea, from the past sleep studies I fall in the severe category. I can’t remember how many times I woke up every hour but the number was high. My meniere’s doctor asked how long ago it was since I had a sleep study. I told him it was last October. He wanted me to get a copy of the result and bring it to my sleep apnea doctor. As I remember the sleep study was a bit of a bust because I had a ...

I turned fifty-one in January and I felt like I was a lot older than that. Not only do I have the problems with sleep apnea, I also have Meniere’s disease . I also blog about my Meniere’s disease; which I started at the same time as the sleep apnea blog. Right now my meniere’s is getting better; at least it seems that it is getting better. I haven’t had any attacks lately, so that’s good. And I am finding myself under the same stress as millions of Americans in that my job may be ending soon. So even without sleep apnea I probably wouldn’t get much rest. I think that I am at a turning point where I have to do something about not getting enough rest. I have been able to get by without a lot of sleep for many years. It’s been difficult with the illnesses and that fact that I am a father of a seven year old son. But now I am starting to worry about my heart and whether it can last at least for another 15 years so I can see my son graduate from college. My own father died when I was 19,...

After my first sleep study I was told that I slept with my mouth open all night. I already knew that and so did my wife. Apparently the significance of that was that I would need a full face mask with my cpap machine. The next sleep study was scheduled and this time I would be fitted for a cpap. There was a little mix up at the sleep clinic because when I arrived they didn’t have a full face mask just one that covered over the nose. The mask was put on and the machine started. The technician told me that I had to keep my mouth shut or the air would blow out of my mouth. How was I supposed to do that? I tried to sleep but the thought of just breathing through my nose was unnatural to me. I keep opening my mouth and the weird sensation of the air leaving my mouth occurred. The technician was getting irritated with me. He came into the room carrying what looked like a strap. He wrapped the strap under my jaw and over my head. He assured me that this would help me keep my mouth. It ...

When you are given the okay from a doctor to use a cpap machine someone will come to your house to help setup it up. They will go over how the mask is placed over your face and how to start the machine. If you have a humidifier they will instruct you on the water amount to fill it with. But one of the most important things that they will show you is how to clean it and how often. You will need a cleanser (not one that’s harsh), water and a damp towel. Unplug the machine first Undo the mask and hose from the machine Wipe down the outside of the machine Clean the mask with a mild cleanser, gently wiping the inside and outside of the mask. Also check for any tears that may occur in the mask Inspect the hoses and then run water through them. Of all the parts on a cpap this probably needs to be cleaned the most. If you have a humidifier, fill the water according the specifications in the user’s manual. As for how often to clean, once again check the user’s manual.

Five things to know about sleep apnea 1. There are two types of sleep apnea, central sleep apnea, mainly caused by heart attacks or strokes, and obtrusive sleep apnea which is much more common. Obtrusive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the back of the throat due to enlarged uvula or enlarged tonsils or anything blocking your airway. 2. You actually stop breathing while you are sleeping. The lack of oxygen that you receive will panic your body and make you wake up. 3. Losing weight isn't the only way to stop sleep apnea. You can be thin and still have a problem with sleeping. Although most doctors will tell you that losing weight will make the sleep apnea less severe. 4. The effect that sleep apnea has on your body can result in high blood pressure and heart disease. 5. There are machines called cpap and bipap that can help in the control of sleep apnea. But they don’t always work for everyone. Feel free to comment and please subscribe to my RSS Feed Thanks