Quote:
Originally Posted by CZZ74
Hi - forgive me if I already posted this- but i am going for the sleep test. first they are sending a machine to my home. the one that goes on your finger to measure oxygen thru the night and then I go to the hospital to spend the night.I'm sure i will end up having to sleep with a mask I am awake every hour thru the night. they think i have obstructive sleep apnea. my sweet lab(dog) barks like crazy and wakes me up when i am gasping for air or when I'm not breathing i don't know which? but she is exhausted all day too! I try to find some humor through all of this. I swear my dear doggy goes through everything I do. . she is even lame in one leg now. My sister has been staying with me to help until they stop the blackouts. However they do not think the sleep apnea is causing the blackouts as it causes and increase in blood pressure. so i am confused. i think who ever explained there 6 day hospital stay and the autonomic nervous system has it right about high/low and no control. thank you all so so much. I will let you know what happens. dc
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Hi. Depending on insurance, be advised there is a much more comfortable alternative to the C-PAP mask, where the first 3 letters of the acronym (I'm spacing on the fourth) stand for "Constant Pressure Airway . . ." That's right, constant air pressure, same on the out breath, same on the in breath.
Much more comfortable is the BiPAP machine with two pressures: one to inhale, one to exhale. Add to that soft "nasal pillows" that are held in place by
comfortable headgear - my favorite brand is the ResMed "Swift LT" - and it's nothing to worry about.
But at least the last time I look, in order to get the BiPAP who have to first fail the C-PAP. How do you fail it? Simple, a week after you have it you tell your doctor the truth: you can't stand the C-PAP, it drives you crazy, you rip it off in the middle of the night, etc., and you need to schedule an another appointment to discuss alternatives. I don't recall if it requires another sleep study or not, but be that as it may, the BiPAP is quite liveable.
Not that I would wish it on someone in their 20s with an active social life.
Mike