Rats-I have sleep apnea

[hbananas]

I so wanted to avoid a CPAP machine.   I have an appointment Friday afternoon to see my MS specialist neurologist and his psychologist for additional testing and to go over my new MRIs, SSER, and the like.  Now I get to go back the same night and do another sleep study to see how well a machine helps.  When I had my first appointment, he asked what symptom I had that bothered me most.  I said the weird paresthesias.  I had just decided this week to change my answer to fatigue, and now I know why.

So I don't know yet if I have MS, but I do know one reason why I'm so darned tired.

My doctor has published a study showing 49% of 102 of his MS patients had sleep disorders.  Obstructive sleep apnea affected 26% of the MS patients he studied, and many others had other sleep problems, like restless leg syndrome.  The study says something like 2-5% of the general population has OSA.  My dad had it, but he was seeeeeriously overweight.  I'm overweight, but nothing like he was.

So, at least I get out of handing out candy to the trick-or-treaters, and that means I won't have the Snickers bars in the house at all this year.  Guess I'd better take the witch off the door and stop looking halloween-friendly, because hubby doesn't want to do it, which is fine by me.

[pennst8r]

I was diagnosed with OSA in March. It took a while but I have made friends with my BiPAP (CPAP didn't work for me). Since I have bad sinuses causing me to mouth breathe, I have to wear a full face mask (wow, how sexy is that!). I have finally made friends with it. The full face masks tend to leak quite a bit, making it sound as though your face is passing gas;)!!!!!! Fortunately my DH thinks its hysterical!

For you girls who still have to worry about pregnancy, the full face mask seems a great method of natural birth control, lol!!!

But seriously, it really is worth the adjustment...you feel better, get more sleep and may very well lower your blood pressure!

Penn

[Quixotic1]

That's exactly what I asked my mom's to do when they told me about irregular breathing in the kids.  Brilliant!

[GrannyJo6]

I feind I sleep SO much better with the CPAP machine! Actually it is because my husband uses one! He's not 100% compliant, though! I can usually shame him into using it by sleeping on the couch for a night! OOPS! I actually recorded him snoring and the long pauses and took it with me when I went to the doctor with him for his annual. Husband knew. I had him listen to it first. The doc thought that was uproariously funny, but listened to it and declared hubby was going to a sleep study!

[Quixotic1]

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE:


FIRINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES


MANAGEMENT

[Quixotic1]

NOTICE TO ALL EMPLOYEES

It has come to our attention that employees who die while on the job are failing to lie down.  This is unacceptable!  It has become impossible to distinguish our dead employees from the natural movements of other employees who are doing their jobs.

In the future any employee found dead in the upright position will be removed from the payroll immediately!!

MANAGMENT

[hbananas]

It was 26% of all the MS patients in the study who had OSA.  49% have some sleep disorder or another, which includes those with OSA.

Yeah, I will have to learn to love it.  Especially since fixing OSA helps blood pressure, blood sugar, cardiac risk, and keeps you from getting fired for passing out at your desk.  At my seasonal government job, which I'll return to in January or February, we have very versatile workstations.  When I started to doze off, I'd just raise my whole desk up and work standing.  At my current temp job, I put my keyboard and mouse on top of a couple of copier paper cases sitting on my desk.  Not quite as good, but it serves the same purpose.

My favorite sleep disturbance is usually stationary at my feet, but she does like to use my husband and me as ramps to get in the window at the head of our bed.

[Quixotic1]

Well, your doc's findings support the other studies that have found serious sleep disturbances in about 50% of MS sufferers.  The cpap apparatuses look horrendus, but, I do suppose Mary Kay is right.  If you feel better, the discomfort would be well worth it.

In your doctors study.  Did 29% of all MS people have OSA or was it 29% of just the ones with seep disturbances?

I think my sleep disturbances have four legs and fuzzy whiskers and chase each other across my chest all night!

Quix

[mary_kay]

Isn't that night in the sleep lab a trip!?  All those wires, etc.  I too have apnea. I was diagnosed about 8 years ago.  I also have RLS and take meds for that.  My cpap machine is my best friend.  I don't go anywhere overnight without it.  I think you will find it does make for a much more peaceful night's sleep.  I think that's why I was so alarmed when my fatigue got so much worse.  It is actually what started me on this path of paying attention to other symptoms and ...etc.
Learn to love your cpap!  Yeah...it looks a bit funny, but it's worth it.  Please let me know how things go.
Mary Kay