What can exacerbate apneas

[johanlon]

Regarding meds and effects on breathing, the manufacturer's sites for blood pressure and cholesterol meds such as quinapril and metoprolol both ask that doctor be informed if patient has sleep apnea. Their related side effects listed have not been an issue for my wife when awake, so hence not likely a problem while sleeping. For example, quinapril can cause throat tissue to thicken in some patients, but our problem is an abundance of CA's not OA's.  Thanks WW

What about food additives?  Preservatives in baked goods will affect my wife's heart rate. Has anyone here correlated breathing issue with any gastronomical preferences?

What about stress?  Has a really, really bad day (emotional or physical) been observed to affect breathing patterns during sleep?

The origin of these questions lies in the observation that my wife's data shows some days with high levels, but others with low.  However, my own data over time is rather uniform.

Thanks
JO

[ajack]

any meds that can suppress the central nervous system can induce more cenral apnea. Opiates, sleepers etc.
New user pressure induced clear airways CA are common, these will normally subside within 12 weeks.

if you put up some sleepyhead charts, the forum will give their opinions.

[kiwii]

Sleeping position can affect it too. For me, sleeping on my back quadruples AHI. Many people tuck their chin downward which can be problematic.

I've also noticed that being really over-tired makes me more prone to higher AHI.

Not to be argumentative, but rather to stimulate inquisitive thinking, I question the idea of preservatives in baked goods raising your wife's heart rate. Just a matter of visualizing/expecting that they would raise the heart rate can raise the heart rate. If her heart rate does actually rise when eating store-bought baked goods, it could be for some other ingredient (or reason) besides the preservatives. I'm just sayin'.

But, yeah, there can be a correlation between breathing and acid reflux, for instance. Some of that can be due to gastronomical preferences, as well as timing.

As for stress, I believe it can affect a person's restfulness during sleep. I've noticed bunches of comments to people that are having an increase in events during the time that they are awake (myself included), and there is even a name for it - I think it is Sleep Wake Junk, or something like that. However I also think it very likely that the stress will affect a person's dreams and make them more fitful, and perhaps even cry out in their sleep. Maybe it depends on the type of stress. Certainly if it is ptsd, then I believe it will probably affect a person's breathing.

[johanlon]

Thanks, your comments are quite useful. I can believe sleep position is very relevant. My wife is a consistent side sleeper. Chin tuck? will check on that...

Preservatives etc are real in her case- body very sensitive; have blind tested that over years. Doc tells us that he has had to change Rx supplier to deal with seemingly minor things like food coloring used by a pill manufacturer.

To keep on topic, the relevant thing here is which of these myriad issues affects sleep!

Thanks and sleep well,

JO

[kiwii]

...to deal with seemingly minor things like food coloring used by a pill manufacturer.

Now that's one that has got to affect sleep. My son is very sensitive to food coloring; as a kid he would be hyperactive if he ever got ahold of some (which was rare, thank goodness). There is no way something like that wouldn't affect a person's sleep, assuming they were sensitive to it. Although I suppose if your children are exposed to it all of the time, you would probably think that sort of behavior is normal. It isn't.

You may be interested to read about cervical collars to prevent chin tucking. Some here swear by them. I think there is a link in my signature to the wiki Mask Primer which tells about it, including how to size.

[Phill]

"Sleeping position can affect it too. For me, sleeping on my back quadruples AHI. Many people tuck their chin downward which can be problematic".

This has come up frequently, give you a sleep test which gives you a disturbed nights sleep, to a certain extent forcing you to sleep on your back, then from the test results they say hey! you have a high AHI.

Is this what passes for medical diagnosis in the 21st. century? more suited to leeches and blood letting.

[trish6hundred]

Hi johanlon,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Good luck to you and your wife with CPAP therapy.

[Marillion]

I find what affects my AHI score the most is being exhausted or having a hot shower before bed.  Alcohol to a lesser extent can also exacerbate the scores for some people.  I can have a beer or two without much ill effect but I have never tried going to bed drunk for years...I can't imagine it would help my AHI score either!

Having an overly soft pillow can also cause problems since it encourages chin tucking and a greater chance of obstructive apneas.