| | myLot Discussions| My husband is FINALLY getting treated for sleep apnea! | | Yep, he saw a doctor and had a sleep study done last Friday! YIPPEEEEEEE!!!During the sleep study, his sleep apnea reared it's ugly head as high as it could manage. They put a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) on him and the sleep apnea AND the snoring stopped completely. Now, we're just waiting for him to get his own CPAP equipment.He's had this condition most of his life but it has been getting worse. I've been trying to convince him (okay, okay, nagging him) to get tested and treated because, not only would I be able to get better sleep but he would, also. I've tried to make this stubborn man understand the health risks of sleep apnea but it wasn't until I moved out of the bedroom that he took me seriously.He has a malformation in the back of his throat which would require surgery to correct but he's not ready for that. The thing with that is, it causes him to have an extremely sensitive gag reflex. I can tell you, first-hand, that it is NOT pleasant living with someone who gags on a daily basis. Unfortunately, he would rather gag than get this problem corrected.But, at least his sleep apnea is being treated. It's a... | |
| | Obesity & Sleep Aphea. | | All my life I have weight issues. At first I was too thin, then in my early 20's. I began gaining weight. It was also about the time I started having trouble sleeping. It was rare for me to get 5 hours of sleep, most ot the time it was much less. Years went by and I continued to gain weight. I was active, walking, swimming, working out in gyms. I went on diet after diet. Still I gained. At age 55 I went in for a sleep study and I was told I had Sleep Aphea. My breathing would go dangerously shallow, putting me at risk of not waking up again. I was also waking up some 90 times a night, and I never reached ram sleep. (The deepest sleep that we all need.) I now sleep with the aid of CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure). The first few months of using the CPAP I lost 40 lbs. I was astounded. My doctor told me that when you don't get enough sleep, weight gain is one of the side affects. I highly suggest anyone who has obesity problem, you should consider having a sleep study done. You probably have sleep aphea. Most medical insurance will cover the cost of this test with little out of pocket expense for you. | |
| | Writing a hand out to explain a sleep test. | | I am writing a handout for our patients at the sleep center where I work. I have been struggling with it. I was wondering if you guys could read it and let me know it there was enough information on it so you know what is going to happen the night of the sleep study. What is a Polysomnogram (PSG)? A PSG is a diagnostic test during which a number of physiologic variables are measured and recorded while you sleep. Each test may vary depending on the individual case, and some of the measurements taken may include: electrodes on the face, head, chest and leg. There will also be an monitor attached to one of your fingers to measure your oxygen concentration in your blood.You may ask how can I sleep with all these things on me? Surprisingly, most people sleep very well. The body sensors are applied so that you can turn and move during your sleep. Generally, you will not be aware that you are wearing the devices after they have been on for a short time. Our staff tries to make the environment as comfortable and as similar as possible to your home surroundings. Remember that this is not a “test” but a procedure recording the physiologic activities of the body during your... | |
| | "Sticking with sleep apnea treatment cuts BP" | | NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research suggests that people who suffer from the nighttime breathing disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, who also have high blood pressure could benefit from good compliance with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment.
Obstructive sleep apnea, which is linked to high blood pressure and other heart conditions, is a common problem in which people stop breathing for short periods during sleep. It occurs when soft tissues in the back of the throat collapses, temporarily block the airway.throat collapses, temporarily block the airway.
With CPAP, a special face mask is worn that continuously blows air into the throat, preventing the tissues from collapsing.
In a study reported in the journal Chest, doctors from Spain monitored changes in blood pressure in 55 patients who were treated with CPAP and followed for 24 months. On average, CPAP was used for 5.3 hours each day.
Dr. Francisco Campos-Rodriguez and colleagues, from Valme University Hospital in Sevilla found that while long-term CPAP therapy reduced blood pressure modestly in the whole group, patients who initially had higher blood pressure and good CPAP compliance achieved achieved... | |
| | News for Snorers: Testing for Apnea in Your Own Bed | | People whose doctors suspect they suffer from sleep apnea may be able to find out without costly overnight sessions in a sleep lab. University of British Columbia researchers report in the Annals of Internal Medicine that the condition, which causes repeated breathing lapses and has been associated with a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating, can be identified as effectively using simple tests in the doctor's office and at home. The tests measure snoring episodes, systemic hypertension, and blood-oxygen levels, for example. The study looked at two groups: One received a lab-based, two-overnight diagnosis known as polysomnography, or PSG; the other submitted to a series of screens that quickly measure the probability of having moderate to severe sleep apnea. Treatment of the condition with continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machines, which blow air into the mouth to keep breathing passages open. | |
| | ALS - Part 5 | | No cure has yet been found for ALS. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug treatment for the disease: Riluzole (Rilutek). Riluzole is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons by decreasing the release of glutamate. Clinical trials with ALS patients showed that riluzole prolongs survival by several months, mainly in those with difficulty swallowing. The drug also extends the time before a patient needs ventilation support. Riluzole does not reverse the damage already done to motor neurons, and patients taking the drug must be monitored for liver damage and other possible side effects. However, this first disease-specific therapy offers hope that the progression of ALS may one day be slowed by new medications or combinations of drugs.Other treatments for ALS are designed to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients. This supportive care is best provided by multidisciplinary teams of health care professionals such as physicians; pharmacists; physical, occupational, and speech therapists; nutritionists; social workers; and home care and hospice nurses. Working with patients and caregivers, these teams can design an... | |
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