RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
(11-15-2015, 12:25 PM)sonicboom Wrote: (11-14-2015, 11:02 PM)Stiffdoc Wrote: I have examined many people over my career whose lives were severely shortened by untreated OSA.
This statement, standing alone, is about all anyone needs to know about whether this is all worth the hassle, fight, and discomfort to try and adapt to and stick with xpap therapy as a first line defense to OSA. I suppose for some people surgery is an option but if I recall another post by stiffdoc, surgery, even if successful initially, rarely is a permanent solution and some people find themsleves back on xpap anyway. Please stick with it.
It depends on the surgery.
Not to sound like a broken record but I wanted to repost what I previously wrote on this board regarding the success rates of the MMA.
""A meta-analysis by Holty and Guilleminault [5] pooled 53 reports describing 22 unique patient populations (627 patients), and found that the mean AHI decreased from 63.9/hr to 9.5/hr, with a pooled surgical success rate of 86%. Overall, 43.2% were cured (AHI < 5), with a 66.7% cure rate for those with a preoperative AHI < 30/hr. Long-term surgical success was maintained at 44 months. Predictors of surgical success included younger age, lower BMI, lower preoperative AHI, and greater degree of maxillary advancement. Quality of life measures, excessive daytime sleepiness, and blood pressure were noted to be significantly improved as well.""
To get the link, google "Maxillomandibular Advancement Surgery
A Permanent Solution for OSA". Because it qualifies as a commercial link, I can't post it directly.
By the way, I realize that a 9.5 AHI may not sound wonderful. But keep in mind, that MMA surgery as the OP pointed out is done as a last resort solution many times. So going from an average 63.9 AHI to 9.5 AHI is darned good when looked at it in that context.
Comments in response to previous post:
Just so folks understand, I am not advocating surgery for this person and yes, cpap should always be the treatment of first resort. But I wanted to point out that the statistics for surgery may not be as bleak as people think it is as it depends on the procedure. And obviously if you have tried everything else to no avail, this is the best option.
Back to regularly scheduled programming.
49er
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
I made myself wear mask last night for 9 hours. Worst night of sleep I have ever had. I might have drifted off a total of an hour here and there. It was like someone waking you up for 9 hours every time you dose off. Took mask off and slept for 5 hours, but had to get up.
My machine said .5 events per hour, which I think is good, but is it only good because I never really slept?
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
(11-16-2015, 11:00 AM)I_will_never_sleep_again Wrote: I made myself wear mask last night for 9 hours. Worst night of sleep I have ever had. I might have drifted off a total of an hour here and there. It was like someone waking you up for 9 hours every time you dose off. Took mask off and slept for 5 hours, but had to get up.
My machine said .5 events per hour, which I think is good, but is it only good because I never really slept?
Hi there, I just finished my 7 day titration and I skipped a night. I'm doing fairly well, but getting used to CPAP was VERY difficult for me as well....I feel for you.
I saw my Dr. and I was a mess. He gave me a small dose of Remeron and it helped me to get through this. I am starting to ween off the Remeron and it was a very useful tool for me to adapt.
You are not alone....you will get through this!
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
(11-16-2015, 03:45 PM)linn Wrote: (11-16-2015, 11:00 AM)I_will_never_sleep_again Wrote: I made myself wear mask last night for 9 hours. Worst night of sleep I have ever had. I might have drifted off a total of an hour here and there. It was like someone waking you up for 9 hours every time you dose off. Took mask off and slept for 5 hours, but had to get up.
My machine said .5 events per hour, which I think is good, but is it only good because I never really slept?
Hi there, I just finished my 7 day titration and I skipped a night. I'm doing fairly well, but getting used to CPAP was VERY difficult for me as well....I feel for you.
I saw my Dr. and I was a mess. He gave me a small dose of Remeron and it helped me to get through this. I am starting to ween off the Remeron and it was a very useful tool for me to adapt.
You are not alone....you will get through this!
What is Remeron and why did he give you it?
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
(11-16-2015, 03:49 PM)Weird Tolkienish Figure Wrote: (11-16-2015, 03:45 PM)linn Wrote: (11-16-2015, 11:00 AM)I_will_never_sleep_again Wrote: I made myself wear mask last night for 9 hours. Worst night of sleep I have ever had. I might have drifted off a total of an hour here and there. It was like someone waking you up for 9 hours every time you dose off. Took mask off and slept for 5 hours, but had to get up.
My machine said .5 events per hour, which I think is good, but is it only good because I never really slept?
Hi there, I just finished my 7 day titration and I skipped a night. I'm doing fairly well, but getting used to CPAP was VERY difficult for me as well....I feel for you.
I saw my Dr. and I was a mess. He gave me a small dose of Remeron and it helped me to get through this. I am starting to ween off the Remeron and it was a very useful tool for me to adapt.
You are not alone....you will get through this!
What is Remeron and why did he give you it?
My respirologist gave it to me because I was crying my eyes out from sleep deprivation...I was a mess! Remeron is an antidepressant and it helps you sleep. I only took 15mg and I was a bit of a Zombie the next day.
The Remeron really made the difference for me - might not be for everyone. After I had a successful night of sleep, it really built up my confidence and helped alleviate my anxiety.
I'm still a little freaked out - but I'm adapting much better. I'm down to 7.5mg Remeron at night.
Feel free to ask me anything...hope you get some sleep soon.
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
(11-16-2015, 11:00 AM)I_will_never_sleep_again Wrote: I made myself wear mask last night for 9 hours. Worst night of sleep I have ever had. I might have drifted off a total of an hour here and there. It was like someone waking you up for 9 hours every time you dose off.
But if that's what it takes to save your life, that's what it takes. Each night will now get better than the night before.
Quote:Took mask off and slept for 5 hours, but had to get up.
Those five hours made the previous nine a wasted effort. Now you have to start over again trying to acclimate.
Quote:My machine said .5 events per hour, which I think is good, but is it only good because I never really slept?
It makes no difference what happened during those nine hours because we know that during the five hours you experienced a large number of events that ruined any chance you have of getting any quality sleep.
Any feeling you have about the five being better than the nine is purely psychological.
The fact that you went the nine means you are capable of adapting. You should congratulate yourself because now you finally know that you can do it!
Sleepster
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
Went to my Dr. today. I told him about all by troubles. He said at my sleep study that in the first hour I slept I had 47 apneas and my oxygen dropped to the low 70's.
He now prescribed me a BIPAP machine. I sure hope this works.
Since now I will be able to exhale, If I just get the right mask now, I think I have a chance of adapting. Sounds like I have no choice.
I got a wakeup call today. And I am giving up alcohol totally and will work on shedding the 40 extra pounds I am carrying around.
I will always have this machine next to my bed to remind me why I have to do this.
11-19-2015, 07:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-19-2015, 07:15 PM by linn.)
RE: how does anyone sleep with these masks
(11-19-2015, 07:11 PM)I_will_never_sleep_again Wrote: Went to my Dr. today. I told him about all by troubles. He said at my sleep study that in the first hour I slept I had 47 apneas and my oxygen dropped to the low 70's.
He now prescribed me a BIPAP machine. I sure hope this works.
Since now I will be able to exhale, If I just get the right mask now, I think I have a chance of adapting. Sounds like I have no choice.
I got a wakeup call today. And I am giving up alcohol totally and will work on shedding the 40 extra pounds I am carrying around.
I will always have this machine next to my bed to remind me why I have to do this.
You have a great attitude - you can do this!
|