The Sleep Apnea Test and Treatment Encouragement Thread!

[circular]

Cir, gathering studies back to 1990-2012 on CPAP's cognitive benefit is very likely to not substantiate any benefit because only in this past ~6 years has CPAP been redesigned for better tolerability. As you know, even the current technology may be too burdensome. Insurances consider one to be compliant is the CPAP is used about half the time, which is ridiculously low to gain improvement. So looking forward this fall for the publication of Orsario's NYU study of sleep apnea & AD, to answer the question which came first?

Good points Katie!

[KatieS]

Here's another study for us to watch if CPAP can improve sleep apnea's associated decrease in GABA (the neurochemical calming brakes) and increased glutamate.

[Daymoo]

My in-home test.




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circular, do you remember what test you used?

Thanks!

[KatieS]

My in-home test.




..

circular, do you remember what test you used?

Thanks!

Thanks Daymoo for resurrecting this thread. IMHO every aging E4 should be tested, particularly with a small jaw, larger tonsils, larger neck, etc...as the majority of old Swedish women had sleep apnea. Treatment has been a lifesaver for me, and I didn't even realize that I had symptoms (husband mentioned that I snored at his sleep apnea appointment). Of all my supplements and interventions, sleep apnea treatment has brought the most cognitive benefits.

[circular]

My in-home test.




..

circular, do you remember what test you used?

Thanks!

Sorry I don’t. Something prescribed by a doctor for initial results. I was then promoted to a full sleep study based on the home study results. It may have been that my insurance required the home study as a first step.

[mike]

My dad recently died of AD. He was a professor at a major medical school. He worked into his 70s. He exercised. He ate well. Didn't drink or smoke.

I have memories from childhood of how loudly he snored... He finally got a CPAP, but too late.

[Plumster]

Thank you so much for this thread! I had my dentist make me an apnea device last month, as I've had trouble sleeping for a while and suspected apnea. I saw a sleep doctor last summer who basically told me that I did not have apnea because I was not an obese man. I am a 49-year old woman, 5'4, 112 lbs, bmi 18-19, and don't snore but with recently emerging bruxism and tooth enamel destruction. The dental apnea device has really helped! I sleep much better, but it kind of forces you to breathe out of your mouth and I still have afternoon and evening fatigue. The device was not covered by my insurance and cost me $800, everything included, which is steep but felt urgent enough for to me to do. I have an appointment with a different sleep doctor on Monday who will hopefully give me a sleep study so that I know what is truly happening. The first one refused to give me a sleep study, referring me to cognitive therapy instead, which I declined. A holistic dentist, Dr. Steven Park, has sources online that made me really consider sleep apnea for me, that it's not dependent on gender or weight or snoring: https://doctorstevenpark.com/sleep-apne ... e-syndrome

[mike]

I had my dentist make me an apnea device last month, as I've had trouble sleeping for a while and suspected apnea.

I started out with an oral device, and it did help some. The lady that put it in said that CPAPs are almost always better if you can tolerate them. Even without snoring, you can stop breathing for a period. Your body has to wake you up to get you to breath, knocking you out of deep sleep. These can be either from physical obstructions, or it could by a short circuit in the brain. CPAPs can measure these episodes, and hopefully make them fewer.

[Plumster]

I started out with an oral device, and it did help some. The lady that put it in said that CPAPs are almost always better if you can tolerate them. Even without snoring, you can stop breathing for a period. Your body has to wake you up to get you to breath, knocking you out of deep sleep. These can be either from physical obstructions, or it could by a short circuit in the brain. CPAPs can measure these episodes, and hopefully make them fewer.

Good to know. I'm hoping the next sleep doctor will be more helpful. I will report back after my sleep study.

[KatieS]

Thank you so much for this thread! I had my dentist make me an apnea device last month, as I've had trouble sleeping for a while and suspected apnea. I saw a sleep doctor last summer who basically told me that I did not have apnea because I was not an obese man. I am a 49-year old woman, 5'4, 112 lbs, bmi 18-19, and don't snore but with recently emerging bruxism and tooth enamel destruction. The dental apnea device has really helped! I sleep much better, but it kind of forces you to breathe out of your mouth and I still have afternoon and evening fatigue. The device was not covered by my insurance and cost me $800, everything included, which is steep but felt urgent enough for to me to do. I have an appointment with a different sleep doctor on Monday who will hopefully give me a sleep study so that I know what is truly happening. The first one refused to give me a sleep study, referring me to cognitive therapy instead, which I declined. A holistic dentist, Dr. Steven Park, has sources online that made me really consider sleep apnea for me, that it's not dependent on gender or weight or snoring: https://doctorstevenpark.com/sleep-apne ... e-syndrome

Plumster, I have posted multiple studies confirming that having Apoe4 predisposes us towards sleep apnea without the stereotypical features of neck size and weight. In retrospect, I had chipped teeth dues to bruxism and several urinations during the night, only a few months of afternoon fatigue. Fortunately all my symptoms resolved with CPAP. If you are still experiencing afternoon fatigue, I suspect the apnea is not fully controlled. Like Mike mentioned, on the machine, you have daily feedback as to your number of apneas, etc...The machines are silent now and you can even purchase mask-free products (although the nasal or nasal pillow masks are quite comfortable). Since I've been on CPAP for 7 years, please feel free to PM me with any questions.