Sleep Apnea & Mental Health

[Rabbit54]

I called the sleep lab to find out what machine they are planning to give me but the tech has to call me back on Monday. Bummer, but all in all this process has gone very smooth and quick so i can be patient a few more days.

Do all machines record noon to noon? Is there a way to change that? I go to sleep at 4am so noon cutoff will split my sleep sessions. I am already annoyed that my jawbone fitness band resets the day at midnight when I'm still at work lol.

Question - i am a crazy cat lady and my 2 furbabies sleep with us. Anyone have suggestions on cat reactions to the cpap? I will be sad if they are as afraid of it as they are the vacuum.

One more question - and yes it is important to me - i do not want a machine and hoses hanging off my bed or sitting on my nightstand. Hubby and i work very hard to have a nice home and I'm particular about clutter and a put together house. So my plan is to use my nightstand drawer and when i wake up, clean the equipment and close the drawer. Will most cpap work this way or do they need to be out in the open?

[Julie]

Why would they have to be in the open? No they don't.

Be careful about cats puncturing the hose... my cats are only afraid of things when (if I were to) I let the machine blow air at them... but each is different and it may take a while til they adjust, or at least move up in the bed.

What is a jawbone fitness band? Are you referring to a chin strap to keep your jaw closed when using cpap because you mouth breathe?

[BlackSpinner]

My cat fell in love with the warm hose and I ended up with 1000 small holes in it so I made a cover for the new one. The sound of the cpap machine is much quieter then an airconditioning unit or regular fan. The cat still sleeps beside my head on his little furry blanket and the dog at my feet.

Many people do what you want to do with their machine, keep it out of sight and danger during the day.

The hour of change over depends on the machine brand and not all are adjustable.

[Jay Aitchsee]

Do all machines record noon to noon? Is there a way to change that? I go to sleep at 4am so noon cutoff will split my sleep sessions. I am already annoyed that my jawbone fitness band resets the day at midnight when I'm still at work lol.

Clocks of ResMed machines are settable some other brands are not. ResMed (the only type I'm really familiar with) "days" are noon to noon. What some ResMed owners do is simply set the time a few hours ahead or behind so that their sleep periods won't be split by the noon change, so if you're going to bed at five AM, the machine thinks it's 10 PM, for example.

[Rabbit54]

Jawbone is like a fitbit it counts my steps during the day

[SleepyEyes21]

Hi Rabbit - yes, cpap machines are surprisingly quieter than most imagine, and the newer ones are as BlackSpinner described. The hose that goes from your machine to your mask comes in different lengths, but the most standard length (I believe) is a six-foot hose. A lot of cpap'ers use hose covers (usually made of a fleece material) to help prevent something that is called "rain-out." "Rain-out" is a term we use to describe a build up of condensation in the cpap hose; rain-out or condensation can be bothersome because it can travel through the cpap hose, towards the mask, and spray water droplets into your face when you least expect it

You can buy cpap hose covers on the internet or you can make your own like BlackSpinner and many others do. If you sew or know someone who does, they are not hard to make at all. Having a cover will help ensure that your cats won't puncture the hose, and everyone can sleep more soundly

[chunkyfrog]

My DME asked if I wanted my Airsense10 Autoset For Her set on standard or daylight.
I asked them to split the difference; so it is a half hour off, either way, depending on the season.
It makes sense that if you get a Resmed machine, the time can be advanced
to a time appropriate to your schedule. Or not. In either case, split sessions will be combined,
so you would only show a half day on the first day of treatment.

[ChicagoGranny]

Don't worry, I am not going to stop my treatment for mental illness. That is something I will work on for the rest of my life.

Maybe not.

Go here, http://doctorstevenpark.com/ , and search for PTSD and then for depression. Dr. Park references many studies linking depression and sleep apnea, and PTSD and sleep apnea.

I have more than one friend who was able to give up all SSRIs, anti-anxiety medications, and mental health counseling after they started using CPAP.

[Rabbit54]

Wow that sounds too good to be true! I will be paying close attention to changes and would be thrilled to limit my therapy to non-medicinal practices. I also want to lose this weight! Here's to hope! !

[BlackSpinner]

Wow that sounds too good to be true! I will be paying close attention to changes and would be thrilled to limit my therapy to non-medicinal practices. I also want to lose this weight! Here's to hope! !

It can take a year or two. A lot of rebuilding may have to be done for the organs. Also do it with the assistance of your medical providers, carefully and slowly. That is why I suggested the journal.

[RipSnorter]

Rabbit54,

Welcome to the forum.

Your line of thinking is very similar to my own. As a child I had severe allergies (always the snotty kid). As a teenager I had massive TMJ issues (read opening jaw resulting in sounds like a shotgun). Massive snorer the whole way through. In my late 20s the TMJ came back big time and was told for the first time it was due to teeth grinding in my sleep.

18 months ago Blood pressure skyrocketing, got tested - AHI of 76. Started CPAp treatment and have been lucky for it to have an immediate effect (AHI even now with a bad head cold is still under 5.

And then there's the mental health issues - it's no surprise that a lack of effective sleep will inhibit ones ability to cope with things. Likewise the reactions from old tired and grumpy doesn't always exactly elicit the best responses(or at least in my case). Over the past year I have been diagnosed with complex grief (think of this as a cross between PTSD grief and depression).

Like you I suspect I never breathed well when sleeping. The problem with this is that you don't realise this is the case. I would be really interested to see how many people on this site have had TMJ issues. In my case I think the teeth grinding probably started with the complex grief and the rest was just an effect from that.

I can only hope more health professionals now are able to help their patients to connect the dots.

[stepyou]

I think this is the first time I've read a situation somewhat similar to mine! I've had depression for about 7 years and was only diagnosed with UARS this year when I went to the orthodonist to look at correcting my overbite. Turns out I have a tiny airway. I think tiredness and not being able to have the energy to have a 'normal' life compared to others is always going to have the ability to cause mental health problems. I have been having pyschotherapy that has definitely improved my depression and I like the idea that my therapy will be a constant support while I have CPAP and eventually jaw surgery.

I've only had my CPAP for three days but my cat has completely freaked out. She normally sleeps on my floor on a hot pipe under the floorboard but this is near the hose so she has not returned yet. I'm going to wait a couple of weeks and see if she gets over it..!

[ChicagoGranny]

I think this is the first time I've read a situation somewhat similar to mine!

Untreated sleep apnea and mental health problems are very common.

The most common manifestations of UARS are severe chronic fatigue and exhaustion (not sleepiness), anxiety/depression, headaches, nasal congestion, TMJ problems, cold hands/feet, low blood pressure, diarrhea/constipation/bloating, frequent nighttime urination, and hypothyroidism. The typical exam findings include a high arched hard palate, narrow dental arches, crooked teeth, bite problems, head forward posture, and a relatively large tongue (due to a small mouth).

http://doctorstevenpark.com/why-uars-is ... leep-apnea

[stepyou]

I think this is the first time I've read a situation somewhat similar to mine!

Untreated sleep apnea and mental health problems are very common.

Yes, I know and wish my GP had thought about it when I was first diagnosed with depression! The way Rabbit54 explained her situation really resounded with me though in a way that I had yet to read. I have also had therapy for my depression and have massively improved but been left with tiredness. I have also had problems with too many teeth for the size of my mouth (although that was not linked to any sleep problems at the time) I'm also not sure if it is just the sleep clinic I go to, but the waiting room is largely men and much older than me whereas Rabbit54 is a young woman too!

[ChicagoGranny]

too many teeth for the size of my mouth

It's usually the other way around - too little mouth for a normal amount (32) of teeth.

For a variety of reasons, our jaws are underdeveloped leaving too little space for teeth and too little space for a normal airway.