Sleep apnea

[Lala81]

5 minutes ago, Heartlander said:

I will be going US for business and leisure trip almost whole of this December, so naturally taking my CPAP machine along. I am even thinking of using the machine during flights. I checked the ANA website, can do as the ac outlet at each passenger seat is rated for CPAP machine use. But it has a very short list of approved CPAP machines and unfortunately Philips Dreamstation is not one of them. Has anyone used this machine during flight before? I looked through the user manual, and it is actually stated in page 30 to be suitable onboard commercial airplane inside passenger cabin quoting some radio frequency energy standard, so chances to be approved is quite high. But it is quite tedious to submit request as need to enter all the flights details that I intend to use it on. Now still mulling over this option.

DreamStation_CPAP_User_Manual.pdf

Never saw anyone use it on a flight. ha

[Heartlander]

44 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

I learnt to sleep with my mouth closed. But recently I've been waking up with a very dry throat. Super dry and my AQI been climbing up to average of 6 over 30 days, 5 over 1 week.

I recently realised i don't leak anymore air when i open my mouth which it used to do. I've no idea why even though the machine and mask are working.

I've increased the minimum pressure of my machine to 9cm h20. hopefully that has some improvement.

With the mask properly applied, I have to consciously put in effort to open my mouth as could feel a rush of air whenever I open my mouth, much like air escaping from vacuum seal and pressure trying to seal it. Is it your mask has a tear elsewhere where the seal has been compromised already?

Beside dry throat, I also have another bad experience in that at times I will feel my eye having blurry vision. Subsequently I came to realised that it happened when I forgot to top up the water into the humidifier container and it ran dry. Not sure 100% if that is the case. And since young I am always conscious my tear duct is quite big as will secrete tears when I am nervous, so I am sure it has got something to do with it as air is being pump along this structure.

 

[Heartlander]

4 minutes ago, Lala81 said:

Never saw anyone use it on a flight. ha

But I believe it is common enough for ANA to dedicate  few pages on its website to this. 

After being diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, I am getting conscious of my snoring condition whenever I on long flights. Used to enjoy taking flights, especially taking naps, but at times wonder why people throw me certain looks after awhile. Then subsequently I concluded must be my snoring triggering them. So nowadays became not so enjoyable taking long flights as scare to take naps and ganna dirty looks again. Thus the interest to use it on flights. Anyway from what I read, the noise generated by the machine is easily drowned out by the white noise onboard.

 

[Lala81]

7 minutes ago, Heartlander said:

With the mask properly applied, I have to consciously put in effort to open my mouth as could feel a rush of air whenever I open my mouth, much like air escaping from vacuum seal and pressure trying to seal it. Is it your mask has a tear elsewhere where the seal has been compromised already?

Beside dry throat, I also have another bad experience in that at times I will feel my eye having blurry vision. Subsequently I came to realised that it happened when I forgot to top up the water into the humidifier container and it ran dry. Not sure 100% if that is the case. And since young I am always conscious my tear duct is quite big as will secrete tears when I am nervous, so I am sure it has got something to do with it as air is being pump along this structure.

 

Nope. I thought so too. but the mask is functioning as per normal. Anyway my entire mask parts all been swapped out already due to wear and tear over the last 2 years. The parts are all fairly new.
I still have pressure in my nose as per normal, But just my mouth opening no longer affects me. And because of that i started drooling again and having dry mouth, which after i initially got used to the nasal mask, have not had this issue.

Your problem i think i know what it is...
Look at the orientation of the small tube connector, it usually vents air upwards to our eyes. So your eyes are probably dry. I tilt the tube connector downwards (ie jam the main tube between the mattress and the headboard) so that the tube runs down to me, then the air vents downards. Not to my eyes/face.

 

[Lala81]

I stopped using the humidifier. Maybe i should restart it. 
I've gained about 3kg from my previous weight, so that's probably the main cause. Don't think it's equipment.

[Heartlander]

1 hour ago, Lala81 said:

Your problem i think i know what it is...

Look at the orientation of the small tube connector, it usually vents air upwards to our eyes. So your eyes are probably dry. I tilt the tube connector downwards (ie jam the main tube between the mattress and the headboard) so that the tube runs down to me, then the air vents downards. Not to my eyes/face.

 

Thanks for the pointer. Will take a look later when using the machine.

I have been skipping using the machine once in awhile because I fell asleep before putting on the mask. Sometimes abit tired thought can relax rest awhile on bad first, ended up falling asleep haha.

[Heartlander]

Finally have the ops done recently. 

All along I was told by the specialists in SGH and research online that the surgery options are not much use for those with severe OSA. But I persisted anyway to explore it as my snoring is really getting out of hand. My objective then was to simply reduce snoring so that I can canoe to Ubin and camp overnight without waking up the whole jungle.

Eventually I was seen by this A/P in SGH ENT clinic and underwent a endoscopy procedure to ascertain that there is indeed severe blockage in my nose and throat area, and that the surgery would definitely benefit me. Suppose to go for the surgery last year but delayed by Covid-19 till recently.

My surgery included:

1) Inferior Turbinate Reduction 

2) Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

3) UPPP with removal of Uvula

4) Tongue Base Coblation

Decided to go for single ward as covered under insurance. Can claim full so nothing to worry about financially.

As I could tolerate pain very well, so I thought it would be manageable. But the reality was that the first 2 days were horrible. The onset of pain from the moment I regained consciously was the most excruciating pain ever experienced. Literally was shocked by the amount of pain in the throat area, worsened by a fat plastic tube inserted into my right nostril that reached to my throat to prevent the air passage from narrowing and collapsing due to cut in that area. After being wheeled into a high dependency ward, there was really sort of buyer remorse as keep blaming myself why I had put myself through this suffering. Just living a few years lesser without this surgery seems a much better option then haha. And the plastic tube kept being pushed out of my nose twice and the resident doctor had to push it back, eventually he wised up to taped the tube ending to my nose and mouth area so that it cannot be dislodge by my effort to try to swallow salvia.

And I was asked to sip water to moist the operated throat. So I tried to get water from the nurse and guessed what, whatever I sucked in back-flow out through my nose, due to the stupid tube in my nose. But I persevere and continued to try, with a container on my lap sipping really slowly. It was really uncomfortable to go through this with drips being dispensed and monitoring probes on my body.

But situation improved much the following day after the specialist recommended to remove the plastic tube. I could drink water slowly without the back flow, and generally the only pain is now from the throat area. Painful but tolerable. And I was put on liquid diet for a day before proceeding to soft diet. And it kept improving during the 6 nights stay. The single ward was comfortable with nurses coming round to give medicine and check parameters regularly, and definitely contributed to my fast recovery as I was able to rest very well everyday in the controlled environment.

Since then, I can definitely breath better as from nose down to throat is now all clear. My snoring seems to have gone completely if I am to sleep sideway, would be doing audio recording to confirm that. The feeling is like having a turbo engine with increased air intake haha.

Despite the extreme pain on first 2 days after the surgery, I would think it is worth it for the benefits it can bring. It is like giving my old body a refurbished set of engine to run faster and more efficiently. I know the improvement will have diminished effect over the years, but with proper diet and exercise it can certainly be prolonged. Hopefully I can be well enough after awhile to wean off the cpap machine haha.

So if you have severe OSA and been bothered by the heavy snoring that turned your social life upside down, do consider this surgical option. It might not be able to cure your OSA, but at least you will not be affecting those around you with your condition. Hope my sharing is helpful to those with similar issues.

[mersaylee]

Happy camping...

[Wind30]

nice to hear the op helped. 

my sleep quality is not so good these days. wake up easily but fall back asleep easily too...

[13177]

If the surgery outweigh the long term benefit, no choice but have to go through that super painful dark period. 😅 Good that your OSA problem is solved. 👍

Edited August 30, 2020 by 13177

[Heartlander]

8 minutes ago, 13177 said:

If the surgery outweigh the long term benefit, no choice but have to go through that super painful dark period. 😅 Good that your OSA problem is solved. 👍

Should be improved only for now. Need to exercise and diet, hopefully can solve it in a few or 2.

[Gnahp]

I started to use CPAP machine since August 2018

my AHI (Apnoea Hypopnea Index) are consistently around 2.5 every night for the past two years (sleep clinic result was 57)

other than some consumables replacement, the CPAP machine working flawlessly

 

 

[13177]

40 minutes ago, Wind30 said:

nice to hear the op helped. 

my sleep quality is not so good these days. wake up easily but fall back asleep easily too...

If can fall back asleep easily then would not get so stress after waking up easily. 😅 It is the stress part that after walking up and hard to fall back asleep?! 

[13177]

30 minutes ago, Heartlander said:

Should be improved only for now. Need to exercise and diet, hopefully can solve it in a few or 2.

What diet and exercise did the doctor recommended to do?

[Heartlander]

34 minutes ago, 13177 said:

What diet and exercise did the doctor recommended to do?

Nothing specific, just general advice.

[Heartlander]

50 minutes ago, Phang said:

I started to use CPAP machine since August 2018

my AHI (Apnoea Hypopnea Index) are consistently around 2.5 every night for the past two years (sleep clinic result was 57)

other than some consumables replacement, the CPAP machine working flawlessly

 

Your AHI has dropped to 2.5 is because of support from the cpap machine. Without the  machine, the AHI will shoot back to 5x. The cpap machine by itself cannot cure OSA.

I am hoping my surgery would result in less stress to my heart thus lower my HBP readings. My hope is that with more efforts put into diet and exercise, i can be weaned off the cpap machine completely jn future. The immiediate benefit is that when i take short nap in office, at least not going to attract attention from colleagues. Very embarrasing one.

[Volvobrick]

Sounds like engine intake porting and polishing job!

 

[Lala81]

9 hours ago, Phang said:

I started to use CPAP machine since August 2018

my AHI (Apnoea Hypopnea Index) are consistently around 2.5 every night for the past two years (sleep clinic result was 57)

other than some consumables replacement, the CPAP machine working flawlessly

 

 

I dont really look at ahi anymore. 

My sleep worsened somewhat. But that's probably the extra 3-4kg I've put on since my op. 

But recently found a simple way to improve my drooling and mouth breathing when sleeping. Just stick a strip of micropore tape across the middle of the mouth (like a Hitler moustache). 

Still got good days and bad days.