Got tested for sleep apnea last night

[fastfire]

Test came out no SA.
Sleep on my side don't snore, I'm 5'8" 155lbs 56 years old not overweight. When I got to the sleep center at the VA they said I don't look like a canadate for sleep apnea. There is another kind of SA where the brain doesn't send the signal to breath and I think that's what I have.
I haven't had a good nights sleep for several years now. I just thought I was getting old.
When having coffee with other members here 2 of them have SA and described the symptoms, that got me thinking about my waking up gasping for air and heart racing and not feeling like you got a good nights rest.
I'd like to start using a CPAP to see if my symptoms will subside but need a prescription to get one.
I'm at a loss what to do.

[fastfire]

Test came out no SA.
Sleep on my side don't snore, I'm 5'8" 155lbs 56 years old not overweight. When I got to the sleep center at the VA they said I don't look like a canadate for sleep apnea. There is another kind of SA where the brain doesn't send the signal to breath and I think that's what I have.
I haven't had a good nights sleep for several years now. I just thought I was getting old.
When having coffee with other members here 2 of them have SA and described the symptoms, that got me thinking about my waking up gasping for air and heart racing and not feeling like you got a good nights rest.
I'd like to start using a CPAP to see if my symptoms will subside but need a prescription to get one.
I'm at a loss what to do. My memory the last year has gotten really really bad.

[Wickyd]

Look at those people that you know that have Sleep Apnea . I bet they might have a spare cpap you could try
You would just need to get a mask ,try Amazon .com
Did they put a cpap on you when went for your test.Did you sleep better?

[fastfire]

They fitted me for one if I need it during the night but did not use one.

[JWFilips]

Wow You just described my problems exactly Same symptoms ...& Doctors says I'm not a candidate for SA 150 Lb 5"5" but I'm up about 5 times a night
sometimes if I sleep on my back I wake gasping to breath ( sometimes jumping right out of bed gasping!) Heart pounding and in the past 4 years extensive memory loss ( attributed that to 2 X Lyme Disease 2006 /2008)
They do want to do some tests However SA testing is not covered in my Health insurance & can't afford $2000 for the first tests Guess I will have to take my chances with death ( not fun) Just wondering if others out there are in the same boat. Great Post: Thank You

[Wickyd]

I thought they made a monitor that would detect a pause in breathing and would nudge you in some way to get you breathing again.
I just read they make them for babies and surgery patients.
http://www.examiner.com/review/for-s...-piece-of-mind

[sidecarmike]

Get a second opinion. SA is nothing to play with. Using a machine that is adjusted improperly can actually create apneas and you can die. If you get a diagnosis of Apnea and can't afford a machine, PM me. I have a spare I'll give you for the cost of shipping. But don't use a machine unless a specialist tells you to do so and gives you the settings to use.
The "you have to be overweight to have it" myth is just that. I was diagnosed at 6ft and 175 pounds.

[fastfire]

Your episodes are way more frequent than mine but the same, mine are getting more frequent the last few weeks.

[TreeKiller]

Another classic symptom is. Do you have to go to the bathroom during the night? When you have SA it causes the brain to have the kidneys draw off fluid and you have to go.

[tomme boy]

I have it. When I was tested, I stopped breathing for 45 sec at a time. They only got about 3 hours of data out of me and they said that was enough to show I had it. I lost my job 3 years ago and have not been able to use the machine since about 6 months before that. The insurance I'm on will not cover it. I had an eye issue at the time that I tore the outer layer of my left eye. The machine was so strong that it would dry out my eyes and when that happened I would end up tearing the lens again. I missed a lot of work because I could not see. If you can't see, how are you supposed to work? Anyway, make sure the settings are for you. They can be easily changed on most units.

I need to get something done as right now, I am biting my tongue to wake myself up so I take a breath. Sucks!

[fastfire]

Once in a while but not every night.

Another classic symptom is. Do you have to go to the bathroom during the night? When you have SA it causes the brain to have the kidneys draw off fluid and you have to go.

[Old School Big Bore]

My machine is OLD, practically steam powered, and no longer puts out the CFM I need, but when I try to get a new Rx, guess what? Preexisting condition. I'm gonna open that sucker up and look for the crank-it-up knob.

[SciFiJim]

Test came out no SA.
Sleep on my side don't snore, I'm 5'8" 155lbs 56 years old not overweight. When I got to the sleep center at the VA they said I don't look like a canadate for sleep apnea. There is another kind of SA where the brain doesn't send the signal to breath and I think that's what I have.
I haven't had a good nights sleep for several years now. I just thought I was getting old.
When having coffee with other members here 2 of them have SA and described the symptoms, that got me thinking about my waking up gasping for air and heart racing and not feeling like you got a good nights rest.
I'd like to start using a CPAP to see if my symptoms will subside but need a prescription to get one.
I'm at a loss what to do. My memory the last year has gotten really really bad.

Absolutely get a second opinion! If your insurance won't cover it, save up or sell something to pay for it yourself. Your health is YOUR responsibility, not someone whose only interest is in making sure THEY don't have to pay for it.

I have used a CPAP nightly for 12 years now. I've worn out two machines. I would fight someone it they tried to take it away.

The last sleep test I had was done at home. When I picked up the equipment at the lab, they showed me how to hook it up (pretty easy). It was supposed to be two nights with a CPAP and two nights without. I couldn't sleep without the CPAP. I would wake up gasping and choking within minutes of falling asleep. After the test, I took the recording equipment back to the lab for evaluation.

[SciFiJim]

I have it. When I was tested, I stopped breathing for 45 sec at a time. They only got about 3 hours of data out of me and they said that was enough to show I had it. I lost my job 3 years ago and have not been able to use the machine since about 6 months before that. The insurance I'm on will not cover it. I had an eye issue at the time that I tore the outer layer of my left eye. The machine was so strong that it would dry out my eyes and when that happened I would end up tearing the lens again. I missed a lot of work because I could not see. If you can't see, how are you supposed to work? Anyway, make sure the settings are for you. They can be easily changed on most units.

I need to get something done as right now, I am biting my tongue to wake myself up so I take a breath. Sucks!

If the air discharge was what was drying out your eyes, there are different types of discharge methods, including a tube that runs back along the tube from the machine. If the mask is leaking, there are many different types and sizes including some that just fit into your nostrils (Nose pillows?) and some that cover nose and mouth. Your doctor should work with you to get the best fit that will work for your situation.

[rondog]

I have severe sleep apnea, but I'm also very overweight. I've been through at least two sleep studies, maybe three, not sure. But I have it bad.

I've been using a CPAP since 1998, and it's my best friend! Anyone that tries to take it away is in for a gunfight. No snoring, no snorting, it's my personal supercharger. I also have nose/sinus issues that makes breathing difficult at times, and the machine just pushes air right in.

Takes a little getting used to but it'll change your life! And once you're used to it you won't be able to do without it.

Message to everyone - if any doctor suggests surgery for sleep apnea, RUN AWAY!!! I can't remember the name of the procedure, but they used a laser and cut the back end off my upper palate and removed the uvula. This was THE MOST MISERABLE procedure I've ever had! Recovery was horrible, the pain was indescribable, and it took years to get over it. I still have swallowing problems at times. It made the apnea and snoring worse too.

[Bonz]

+3 on getting a second opinion… I have had severe sleep apnea for years and have been using a CPAP for almost 8 years now. Unfortunately my heart was damaged before I got my CPAP. My oxygen level would drop to a critical low while sleeping, never new that until I had my sleep study. Problem is you can't just buy a CPAP, you need a prescription because its a medical device. When they test you with a CPAP, they try different pressures to give you just enough pressure to keep your airways open but not too much that would cause a breathing problem. I still have my original CPAP and a new one now. Neither of them let you adjust the pressure, its all computer adjustments and you need a special electrical device to communicate with the CPAP machine. In my opinion, this is nothing to goof around with, like trying someone else's CPAP. Please get another opinion and good luck to you !

[Muskyhunter1]

Yup I know what you are talking about. I have been on a CPAP for about 5 years. It is truly a love hate relationship. It is a fact of life and I do feel much better in the morning. In my moose hunting gang we are 4 members out of 6 have been diagnosed. We got a sign we put up in front of our tent stating "Camp Apnea". The Gennie runs all night long.

Good luck my friend.

[toddrod]

You can buy them second hand on craigslist and you can find how to program them if you read one of the sleep apnea forums. Program the pressure between 5 to 8 and try it out.

[farmerjim]

You need a different kind of CPAP if you have the central nervous system type of sleep apnea. It monitors and learn your breathing rate, then if you don't take a breath it goes to full pressure to fill your lungs then drops to let you exhale. I have both the restrictive and the CNS types of apnea. If I hold my breath, my machine will breath for me. Otherwise it acts like a regular bipap. Some doctors will give you the script to buy online. You can buy gray market machines for about $0.15 on the dollar.

[fastfire]

I just woke up, as every morning I feel a pressure in my chest and have more rapid breathing than normal for a few minutes and have a bit of a headache, it's the same every morning now and getting worse.
The doctor is supposed to contact me about the sleep test I took night before last that was negative.