Posted by yardena on August 5, 1999, at 14:17:08
In reply to Re: medicament for "no activity depressions", posted by DJ on August 4, 1999, at 8:35:26
I have known that I have snored all my life, and that it was getting worse. I started to become aware of dreams (nightmares) about being under water and unable to come to the surface to breathe. I would wake up with my heart racing and startled. I thought about it and figured it was very likely that I have apnea, so I asked my doctor to refer me to a sleep clinic for a sleep study. The first sleep study determined that I indeed have a serious case of apnea, with my breathing stopping an average of 43 times per hour, and with a significant amount of oxygen desaturation. The second study is to figure out how much air pressure you need for a CPAP--continuous positive airway pressure device. This is the primary form of treatment, although there is also laser surgery, which is not as reliable--ie, it doesn't work for most people, and often is often partly effective. The CPAP is like a fancy fan with a tube connected to it. You wear a small mask over your nose and the cpap blows air into your airway, keeping it open so you can breathe. It takes a lot of getting used to it, and after 8 months, I still cannot say that I LIKE it, but it is definitely a life saver for me.There is no comparison in terms of the quality of my sleep and my ability to function without feeling sleepy all the time. I now cannot fall asleep without the cpap; if I lie down with out it, I wake myself up as soon as the first snore happens. You can get more info on sleep apnea and other sleep disorders at www.sleepedu.net/forums.
> How did you determine you had sleep apnea and what does the treatment consist of???
>
> > . I'm still struggling with the depression, but no longer have the fatigue and constant sleepiness and feeling of having no energy since starting treatment for the apnea.
poster:yardena
thread:9360
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990726/msgs/9641.html