I just completed 2 sleep studies and now I go back for my very own CPAP machine. Supposedly, once you begin using the mask, you can really tell the next day because your not as drowsy and willing to eat bad food (Like I do when I'm tired).

Does anyone have any experience with sleep apnea?

Thanks,

kelli

Kelli -

My dad has sleep apnea and the CPAP has really helped - quite a contraption to go over your head at night, but he's sleeping better than he has in years.

I've was diagnosed with sleep apnea nine years ago and have been using a C-pap since. I'm on continous flow at 13. I've used about every type of mask imaginable (full face, partial, nose pillows, etc.) but my current favorite is the Comfort Curve Nasal Interface...way less cumbersome and obstrusive...I can actually read with it on...not that I do, but I could!

Having the C-pap has indeed made me way less tired. I am very religious about using it...even for a short nap. When we travel, it goes along. I'm so used to it, I just would not be able to sleep right without it!

I don't feel my sleep apnea has ever affected my eating. It may be true for others, not me. I'm hoping by losing weight, I'll be able to quit using a C-pap at some point.

You should see a real change in your ability to sleep well....you will notice a difference in how you feel. Good luck with your new system!

pam

My dad and my sons all use CPAPs. My sons are both overweight and hope that by losing weight they will be able to stop using it. But they also both say that they take it with them if they travel because they definitely notice an improvement in energy level because they sleep better with it. It did take both of them awhile to get used to using one, though...especially the one who always slept on his stomach before.

Emily

I have also been diagnosed with sleep apnea. I currently use the cflex heater/humidifier cpap at a 7. I do believe that my weight is a (THE) key factor in my apnea because I can hardly use my machine now that I've lost some weight. The air blows so hard that it is actually hard to breathe with it on. I am going to get it ramped down, and I'll let you know how it goes!

sleeping with cpap took a bit of getting used to - ask for a few days' worth of ambien - but it really does help with fatigue due to lack of quality sleep!

Good luck!!

C pap thats itI'm going to have a sleep study done but I also had another test done where they send you home with a clip for your finger allnite and then give you the results so I was told i would have to use this machine cpap doing and after surgery I was really scared so this is normal for overweight people please help me understand

Well i must say that i have a little different experience then the rest of you. I am currently 335 pounds and have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. I use a cpap machine set at 19cm of water pressure, which really bothers me. i have been using the cpap for about two years now and it really bothers me. I use a full face mask becuase i do not breath out of my nose. I have been getting side effects such as my teeth bleeding and hurting when i wake up. My sleep apnea is the reason why i am attempting to get the lab band surgery. I would like to get off of it, but if not then i would at least like to lower the pressure substantially. Becuae my need is so high (19) it is critical that i lose weight, otherwise i could be heading towards a tracheostomy in the near future. Has anyone had any experiences like mine. Are you guys getting the surgery to get off the cpap? I was told by my doctor that it would drastically help me. I am just trying to see if i will get financed for it .

I was diagnosed with apnea & got a cpap about 2 yrs ago. I don't remember what setting it's on. It makes a BIG difference. But I get lazy & don't feel like cleaning it every day & so sometimes I don't use it. I don't breathe through my nose normally when I sleep, but I found that I can when I use the nasal pillows. I guess the pressure keeps the nostrils open.

I also use a cpap machine , I sleep better, have experienced no heartburn at night since using it, do not get up so many times at night to go to the loo, but I absolutely hate the thing. Could anyone tell me at what weight you can or actually have come off it?

I am avery nervous person, and between the band and the cpap m/c I feel my nerves are really frazzled.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in October and was started on cpap. I definitely slept better, but the mask and occasional leaks would wake me up. It did not make me feel as energized as I had hoped it would before I got it, but I was less tired during the day.

I was banded on 1/4/06 and had lost 19.7 pounds on the 2 week pre-op diet. I had used the cpap religiously up to this point. I noticed after surgery that the air was irritating my nasal cavity, so I pulled it off one night and I have never put it back on. My sleep quality was no different. I asked my husband about snoring, and he stated that he had not been hearing me snore. WOW! Prior to the weight loss and surgery, if I took the mask off, he would wake me up and tell me to put it on because of the snoring. I am going to keep the machine for a while longer just in case, but I plan to let the DME company have it back before too long due to the monthly rental cost. I had no idea that it was going to be such an ongoing expense!

Wat exactly is sleep apnea? I have RLS, Restless Leg Syndrome, that's aggravating enough.

Apnea is when you stop breathing. There are actually 2 types of sleep apnea: obstructive and central. Most of us fatties have obstructive sleep apnea where our airway becomes occluded when we relax into sleep. The cpap machine blows air continuouly to keep the airway open. Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not tell your body to breath. I actually had one or two episodes of central apnea when I had my sleep study. You mentioned RLS. During my sleep study, when they put me on the cpap machine I started having a few episodes of RLS, which I did not have prior to having the machine applied. Kinda crazy, uh?

i'm with wanabealoser. Almost the same situation. I had my cpap for about 2 months, did not get used to it at all, and then since surgery it was very annoying and i would pull it off all night and not sleep. I too am not snoring like i was and i have lost 2o pounds to this point. I also was amazed with the on-going expense. Wow. Criss

my husband has sleep apnea. he would scare me to death before he got his apnea machine. now he sleeps 100% better. im the one snoring now. :notagree

I was diagnosed with apnea too. I started with a nose mask (set on 11) less than a week before my lapband surgery. I have yet to sleep all night with it as it does irritate me when the mask leaks or pushes on my nose or cheeks. However, it was important to have during recovery and I can tell I have gotten good sleep. Without the CPAP gave 30 occurances per hour. That means I'm being woken from a deep sleep every other minute.

I was referred to a good CPAP company that will work with me until we find a maks that best suits me - no charge. Which is important as I think it would take a lot of trial and error to get it right. They told me to expect it to take at least three weeks before I was comfortable with sleeping with the mask on.

If your pressure is too high, I would suggest contacting the doctor that ordered the CPAP for you and tell them of your problems. I too have had a hard time keeping my mouth shut when I sleep. I got a chin strap in the hospital but goodness, just how much can a person ignore when trying to sleep?? Bleeding teeth? Hm.. that kind of makes sense. It seems to me that it would really dry out your gums and teeth to have air blowing in your mouth all night.

I keep thinking about that stats I saw during a lapband presentation by my surgeon, which showed that over 90% of those who lose a substantial amount of weight are cured of sleep apnea.

When I took the test I woke up 147 times in 5 hours....basically every third breathe! When you suffer from Apnea, it is impossible to get enough deep REM sleep because your body has to force itself awake enough to clear the airway by shifting or moving the muscles (all done sub-conciously) They sent me home with a CPAP machine that day...and I truly HATED it for several weeks. My wife said I looked like Darth Vader with the stupid mask on...but I grew to really love it and how I feel after a good night's sleep. I've used it for two years now. I'd love to tell you that I'm never hungry becuase I sleep better...but I still had the band placed in October! If you promise yourself that you're willing to try it for a few months even if you don't like it....once you're used to it you'll LOVE it!

Jon