Quote:
Originally Posted by ronster
It depends on the CPAP device you get as some are progressive in reaching your maximum air pressure to keep your air passage open. You can set the device to reach max pressure up to ten minutes and typically by that time you and your spouse are asleep. The mask you select can also have an affect on how you sleep depending on whether you select a full mask, that covers your nose or a pillow mask that has soft inserts that sit on the nostril opening. Pillow masks are typically lighter, smaller and less intrusive. The hardest part is dealing with the hose and how it comes out of the mask either over your head or out of the bottom of the mask. I just switched from a pillow mask that had the hose coming out the top and over my head to one that comes out of the bottom of the pillows and is on a swivel. The new mask is much more comfortable and easier to deal with.
There are different types of sleep apnea the most common being the type where your tongue relaxes and falls back in your throat sealing the air passage off and the worst type is the deterioration of the throat muscles so they collapse when you relax into sleep. You need to find out which you have. Losing weight will not have any affect on the second type and may have some effect on the first but not always.
I cannot urge you strongly enough to start addressing your apnea issue quickly as the long term effect of lack of oxygen and carbon dioxide buildup in the body has a severe effect on health of internal organs, has been linked to heart disease, stroke and severe brain damage as illustrated by tabs.
You will also see a change in personality and more positive outlook on life as you begin to get the quality of sleep that you need to be a functioning human being.
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Thanks for all that. Trust me, I'm on this big time. I can't see my Doc soon enough to get started in dealing with the machine or O2...which ever works best. The folks at the med supply said a lot of people do fine on just Oxygen. At least I'd like to try that since it's all rental equipment.
I do also appreciate the advice on the mask as I have concerns about that. I see (on the web) so many different masks made and would not have a clue where to start. I want to start feeling good again and get my wife off my case about napping in the daytime and snoring and..... The day after being on O2 all night at the sleep clinic I felt 15 years younger and more positive than I have in a long time. What a difference.
I appreciate all the input I'm getting on this topic. This forum is the best place on earth....except for PARF
