Central Sleep Apnea

[jsewell]

I just had a sleep study last night and learned something new. There are 2 types of sleep apnea, the most common is obstructive sleep apnea. Something is blocking your throat, like extra large tonsils, adenoids, just extra tissue in the way of breathing at night.
The other type is central sleep apnea, this is where the brain is not sending a signal to you to breathe.
It seems i have both. My main symptom is just being tired all the time, falling asleep at the drop of a hat all day long, waking with a headache and more. The one that got me to a doctor is the being tired , really exhausted all day.
One of the causes of central sleep apnea is some damage to the cervical spine , I think that is my cause. I did break my neck a few years ago and it is put back together , but my head is way forward (possibly causing the obstruction) and i get all kinds of nerve feelings related to my cervical spine too. Just wanted to bring this up in case anyone finds themselves needing a sleep study or help with sleep. It also causes the symptom, of not being able to get back to sleep when woken up at night.
Judy

[Maria]

Do you go back to your doctor to see what can be done to treat either of the reasons it's thought you have sleep apnea? I hope there is something that can be done to help you so you don't feel tired all the time and/or fall asleep at the drop of the hat. BTW when you fall asleep do you stay asleep or is it for short periods? If you sleep a lot during the day can you still sleep at night regular night's sleep?

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I have a follow up apt with the pulmonologist who ordered the study on March 8th. The tech. thought i would probably come back to the sleep lab for another night where i am fitted with a mask and one type of maching. There are cpap, bipap and a newer one which name leaves me.
The central apnea , which is the less common one, Is the brain not sending a signal to the body to breathe. I would think it is the diaphragm muscle and i do have known damage to that . I had an EMG on the diaphragm a few years ago. It can also be an injury to the nerves of the cervical spine and i surely could have that as well. But there is treatment , i just hope i can adjust to wearing a goofy looking mask.

[Maria]

Well if helps the breathing... hope you can adjust as well! Currently I have a nightguard in my mouth at night (re grinding teeth) and lately have been wearing on both feet my splints each night for my tendonitis. They immobilize my feet. I don't find them too uncomfortable but a pain to get up with when I "gotta go" 3-4 x/night to the bathroom!

Oddly I can fall asleep while half sitting/reclining in the living room to watch TV tho come into the bedroom to actually rest my back/body and sleep and I have a much more difficult time getting comfortable let alone sleeping!

Good luck with the upcoming pulmonology appt. and I hope the mask will be a very minimal hardly noticable one!

[jsewell]

I had my pulmonary apt on Friday. So he has faxed the order for the CPAP machine so the company that sets them up should be calling me soon. I hope on Monday, i am ready to be an awake person.
The doctor told me some of the stuff from the study, but i am picking up a copy on Monday. Anyway i am in the severe category. I stopped breathing an average of 58 times an hour. I never got into REM sleep and snored loudly and also , which worries me the most , have atrial fibrillation . I also desaturate to 85%. He said the a fib should go away with the treatment.
I know i have the feeling of my heart fluttering , i thought it was palpatations. I'm not sure i understand the difference. I will have to ask a doctor about this. Also whether i should get that checked out.
It does explain why i have been not able to do anything but take naps that turn into bed time. Basically just sleep.
Can't wait to get my CPAP!
judy

[Maria]

Good luck w/that and I hope it makes a marked improvement for you re wakefullness and energy level! Keep us posted!

[jsewell]

I have had 2 night with the cpap machine. Yesterday i still was tired and fell asleep from 4-8 in the afternoon/evening. today i was out and about, but driving was still difficult as i was too sleepy. Not sure if this is working, but i must give it more time to see
judy

[jsewell]

Now with almost 2 weeks of cpap i have to say it is not working for me. My sleep is still screwed up, i am tired and falling asleep all the time. I loose half my day or more to sleep. You are supposed to get less than5 events of apnea per hour per night. Mine has been in the upper teens or higher. Last night it was 28. Not good. I am thinking the obstructive ones are being helped and the neuro ones are not. There is a different much more expensive machine for the neuro type, but i figure the cheapest type was approved by my insurance company.
I do have an apt for my pulmonologist tomorrow afternoon so i will see what he thinks is going on.
I am so disappointed at this point though.
Maria maybe you need to sleep in your recliner . I did that for awhile when i had my hip replacement, lots of folks report doing that with a knee replacement as well.
judy

[Magpie]

I am rather new to this site, and this is to be my 1st post, so go easy on me!

I am a 27-year-old female, diagnosed with central sleep apnea 3 years ago, after having several operations on my brain and spinal cord. I have since been fitted with a bipap to wear at night, and I do have to wear it or I think my pulmonologist would absolutely go crazy! Every appointment I have with her, she stresses how important it is for me to wear the mask, and how severe my case of central sleep apnea is. She is the only reason why I have been so faithful with wearing mine every night, because honestly, I don't feel any better, any more wide awake, any feeling of being rested, after nights that I wear the bipap as opposed to nights without it. Her explanation for this is that the situation is so severe and went by for years unnoticed before it was caught..? This explanation really doesn't help explain it, and it is beyond frustrating because it is a daily problem for me, something that I struggle with constantly!!

I would love to hear if your doctor has something to offer you for this, as I am always searching for answers!

Margaret

[jsewell]

Margaret,
I just had my second sleep study last night using only the ASV machine. It is called Adaptive Sevo;Ventilation, and is the newest in the line of machines. It is specifically for people with central apnea. So when i used it last night , i had No apnea's. So it works for me. I will see my pulmonologist on May 25th to get the results but the tech did tell me what i shared. I used some sort of face mask and still have pain in the bridge of my nose and much redness. At home i have been using the nasal pillows. They are much more comfortable , but not many people are able to use them with this machine as it blows much higher concentrations of air is what i have read. You can be sure if i get that machine i will be trying very hard to use my nasal pillows.
Ask your doc about this, it may help you. I was still tired with the cpap .
Judy

[mmglobal]

Magpie, what does your doctor say are the consequences of sleeping without the mask?

Mark