Sleep apnea - can you buy alarms for stopping breathing

suki1001

lostinrates wrote: »

That's interesting. Where I am the first study the do is done at home with some sort of equipment you wear (I know because I have to do it at some point, but I don't have sleep apnea) so one might have thought if they could do it that way where you are it wouldn't really interfere and could provide answers more quickly.

All I know is he has to go to a sleep clinic to do the tests, it's the accuracy of the results they want to check - we don't actually know officially if he has it.

lostinrates

suki1001 wrote: »

All I know is he has to go to a sleep clinic to do the tests, it's the accuracy of the results they want to check - we don't actually know officially if he has it.

Yes, in my area this is what they do, the at home thing, then the sleep clinic. (They have raised that I might have sleep apnea, I know I do not, which is why I know the local protocol because I have agreed to do the at home test but not sleep clinic!:o)

I can quite see that for someone already suffering sleep clinic might be a terrible strain, but if they could at least maybe tick some boxes with the at home stuff it might help ease your poor mother's mind at the very least, but perhaps get a more definitive idea of the diagnosis.

It might be worth asking if this first step is available. Thats all I was thinking.

suki1001

lostinrates wrote: »

Yes, in my area this is what they do, the at home thing, then the sleep clinic. (They have raised that I might have sleep apnea, I know I do not, which is why I know the local protocol because I have agreed to do the at home test but not sleep clinic!:o)

I can quite see that for someone already suffering sleep clinic might be a terrible strain, but if they could at least maybe tick some boxes with the at home stuff it might help ease your poor mother's mind at the very least, but perhaps get a more definitive idea of the diagnosis.

It might be worth asking if this first step is available. Thats all I was thinking.

I'm certain because of the distress it's causing, if there was the option, they'd offer it, but I don't think it's the case. They know how badly my mum is reacting to it. She's had 3 dr's appointments in 3 days.

Shame really though. Thanks - hope you get yours sorted

flea72

Did your mum notice he stopped breathing before apnoea was suggested, or did his Dr suggest it as one of the many things that could be attributed to your dad feeling tired?

As already said, you dont die from apnoea, as your body automatically wakes you up and you start beathing again. I have apnoea and my tests showed i stopped breathing every 10seconds, so i was pretty frazzled during the day. Within a week of being diagnosed and put onto cpap, i was back to my normal self, energywise. So it can be easily treated

Theres no point doing the sleep study until medication is settled, because it may have an effect on readings. They dont just look at airflow, but heart rate, bp, etc. if the medication could be affecting any of these, then you would get some false readings

suki1001

flea72 wrote: »

Did your mum notice he stopped breathing before apnoea was suggested, or did his Dr suggest it as one of the many things that could be attributed to your dad feeling tired?

As already said, you dont die from apnoea, as your body automatically wakes you up and you start beathing again. I have apnoea and my tests showed i stopped breathing every 10seconds, so i was pretty frazzled during the day. Within a week of being diagnosed and put onto cpap, i was back to my normal self, energywise. So it can be easily treated

Theres no point doing the sleep study until medication is settled, because it may have an effect on readings. They dont just look at airflow, but heart rate, bp, etc. if the medication could be affecting any of these, then you would get some false readings

I've no idea which came first. However, tests showed an enlarged heart, irregular heartbeat and fluid on the lungs, he has diabetes too (not sure which one), so I think all of those things were a worry. It's quite possible, that even if she was told the sleep apnea wasn't a problem, that she would equate the others things as something that would stop him breathing.

The only other thing is because of her anxiety, that even if she is assured about the sleep apnea, she will just move onto something else to be anxious about - hence worrying about whether the cancer has come back. That is tricky, because I can't reassure and say - it's okay you're just run down, you're very tired - you've had little sleep, because the only thing that will put her mind at rest is the tests. She's has had panic attacks recently and coupled with being told everything was okay and then not being, I don't blame her for feeling that way, but she is one hellishly frightened woman. Even counselling doesn't seem to have helped - it's awful. Doesn't help my step dad either.

Dunroamin

lostinrates wrote: »

That's interesting. Where I am the first study the do is done at home with some sort of equipment you wear (I know because I have to do it at some point, but I don't have sleep apnea) so one might have thought if they could do it that way where you are it wouldn't really interfere and could provide answers more quickly.

That sounds like the sort of sleep test that you do at home to establish what happens to your oxygen saturation when you sleep - I believe the sleep apnoea test is different.

geoffky

The test is done at the sleep clinic with the aid of cameras and all wired up. Then oxygen measurement is done at home over a period ..Positive pressure masks are used...
The difference for people who go on the machine at home is life changing for some...My dad has one..