I've mentioned before (probably at tedious length) that I have Allergy Issues. Everywhere I move I eventually become sensitive to the local allergens and throw out new symptoms. One thing remains constant, though - the nasal congestion.
This and the related post-nasal drip make sleeping difficult. I can't sleep on my back at all (I wake up in the night feeling that I'm drowning), and during the worst months of allergy season I suffer anxiety dreams all night long that are probably caused by lack of oxygen to the brain.
For a while I considered getting a CPAP machine, but when Barry got his he was told that his nasal allergies had to be under control before the CPAP would do him any good. Clearly, then, that's not the answer.
Several years ago, when Breathe Right strips first came out, I tried them to see if they could hold my nasal passages open even a little farther during the night. Unfortunately, I never managed to make it through until morning with the strip still attached to my nose; the adhesive apparently wasn't strong enough to stay put on my (admittedly rather large) nose when I rolled from side to side in my sleep.
However, recently I was scanning the allergy nostrums in the drug store and noticed that Breathe Right strips now come in Original and two other designs - Extra (with a stronger adhesive) and Advanced (a stiff plastic design). I bought small packages of Extra and Advanced strips and gave them a try. The Advanced also didn't work for me - once again, the adhesive isn't quite up to the task of keeping the strip on my nose - but the Extra model stays in place and does the job.
Do I enjoy scrubbing my nose and sticking an ugly misshapen Band-Aid-like item on it every night (not to mention the fun of peeling it off in the morning)? Not really, but the pleasure of sleeping the night through in peaceful oblivion more than makes up for any temporary annoyance.
"The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to." ~F. Scott Fitzgerald
Showing posts with label Sleep apnea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sleep apnea. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Silent Night (I Hope)
Today is a day of rejoicing here in Arizona - or at least in our bedroom.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Barry has been wearing a CPAP mask for his sleep apnea for about a year and a half. While the machine has definitely reduced his snoring and helped the quality and quantity of his sleep, the mask itself has been a constant source of irritation - rubbing his nose, shooting air into his eyes, and making noises like a heavy surf at Big Sur. Of course the machine was free from the V.A., so Barry has been reluctant to complain for fear it would be taken away and given to some more grovelingly grateful recipient.
Recently, however, the friend who originally suggested the CPAP to Barry mentioned that Medicare pays for a replacement mask every three months. Barry immediately ordered a new mask from the V.A. and it arrived today.
Lo and behold, this mask has a forehead adjustment that the old mask did not. After about ten minutes of fiddling with it, we were able to fit the mask to his face firmly but comfortably. No more pressure on his nose. No more gusts of air on his eyelids. No more (I hope) bitching and moaning about the evil CPAP mask. Because the seal is secure, this mask even makes less noise than the old one! Hallelujah!!
Now if only we could do something about the cat's snoring problem...
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.” ~Anthony Burgess
As I mentioned in an earlier post, Barry has been wearing a CPAP mask for his sleep apnea for about a year and a half. While the machine has definitely reduced his snoring and helped the quality and quantity of his sleep, the mask itself has been a constant source of irritation - rubbing his nose, shooting air into his eyes, and making noises like a heavy surf at Big Sur. Of course the machine was free from the V.A., so Barry has been reluctant to complain for fear it would be taken away and given to some more grovelingly grateful recipient.
Recently, however, the friend who originally suggested the CPAP to Barry mentioned that Medicare pays for a replacement mask every three months. Barry immediately ordered a new mask from the V.A. and it arrived today.
Lo and behold, this mask has a forehead adjustment that the old mask did not. After about ten minutes of fiddling with it, we were able to fit the mask to his face firmly but comfortably. No more pressure on his nose. No more gusts of air on his eyelids. No more (I hope) bitching and moaning about the evil CPAP mask. Because the seal is secure, this mask even makes less noise than the old one! Hallelujah!!
Now if only we could do something about the cat's snoring problem...
“Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.” ~Anthony Burgess
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Breathless in Bed
One of the many things I didn't know about Barry when I first met him was that he has sleep apnea. If you've never slept with someone who occasionally stops breathing, I can assure you that it's very exciting - in a bad way. Fortunately we have a friend with apnea who uses a CPAP machine at night, and about a year and a half ago he convinced Barry to ask for testing at the V.A., where as a veteran Barry would be eligible for a free machine of his own.
The sleep test verified what I already knew - that Barry stops breathing several times every night, and even when he does breathe, his oxygen intake is often restricted. The good news is that the V.A. gave Barry a CPAP. The bad news is that the V.A. gave Barry a CPAP.
As soon as Barry began using the machine his snoring decreased dramatically in volume and frequency. In addition, he stopped having the nightmares about being attacked that had plagued him for most of his life. Apparently they were an unsuccessful attempt by his brain to say, "Danger, Barry! Wake up because we can't breathe!" Using the CPAP he is more refreshed after fewer hours in bed and less likely to need a nap during the day. Barry will never be a morning person, but with the aid of the CPAP he no longer wakes up feeling exhausted and paranoid.
He almost didn't use the machine long enough to realize its benefits. Barry's CPAP came with a "full face" mask (covering both nose and mouth) that looks like this. The masks come in three sizes - small, medium and large - with adjustable forehead and mouth straps, but they have no way to compensate for faces with differing topography. Since Barry has a rather high-bridged nose, the mask rubs there and shoots air onto his eyelids. He wanted to give up on it until I bought a fabric sleep mask he could wear underneath the CPAP mask to shield his eyes and cushion his nose. That helped him initially fall asleep, although if he woke up during the night he usually had to remove the CPAP mask in order to resume his slumber. Eventually his skin started to break out from the sleep mask, but by then he was used to the noise of the machine and his nose was more accustomed to the pressure, so he was able to put up with the air on his eyelids.
The bad news? When Barry snored all night, I knew right away when he stopped breathing and could prod him awake if it went on for more than a few seconds. Now he sometimes breathes so smoothly that all I can hear is the "whoosh" of the air from the machine. Is he still breathing? Has he stopped? Should I poke him and risk an explosion, or leave him alone and trust the CPAP to do its thing? Maybe the real answer is to trust the CPAP and ask my doctor why I'm awake in the middle of the night.
“The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
The sleep test verified what I already knew - that Barry stops breathing several times every night, and even when he does breathe, his oxygen intake is often restricted. The good news is that the V.A. gave Barry a CPAP. The bad news is that the V.A. gave Barry a CPAP.
As soon as Barry began using the machine his snoring decreased dramatically in volume and frequency. In addition, he stopped having the nightmares about being attacked that had plagued him for most of his life. Apparently they were an unsuccessful attempt by his brain to say, "Danger, Barry! Wake up because we can't breathe!" Using the CPAP he is more refreshed after fewer hours in bed and less likely to need a nap during the day. Barry will never be a morning person, but with the aid of the CPAP he no longer wakes up feeling exhausted and paranoid.
He almost didn't use the machine long enough to realize its benefits. Barry's CPAP came with a "full face" mask (covering both nose and mouth) that looks like this. The masks come in three sizes - small, medium and large - with adjustable forehead and mouth straps, but they have no way to compensate for faces with differing topography. Since Barry has a rather high-bridged nose, the mask rubs there and shoots air onto his eyelids. He wanted to give up on it until I bought a fabric sleep mask he could wear underneath the CPAP mask to shield his eyes and cushion his nose. That helped him initially fall asleep, although if he woke up during the night he usually had to remove the CPAP mask in order to resume his slumber. Eventually his skin started to break out from the sleep mask, but by then he was used to the noise of the machine and his nose was more accustomed to the pressure, so he was able to put up with the air on his eyelids.
The bad news? When Barry snored all night, I knew right away when he stopped breathing and could prod him awake if it went on for more than a few seconds. Now he sometimes breathes so smoothly that all I can hear is the "whoosh" of the air from the machine. Is he still breathing? Has he stopped? Should I poke him and risk an explosion, or leave him alone and trust the CPAP to do its thing? Maybe the real answer is to trust the CPAP and ask my doctor why I'm awake in the middle of the night.
“The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
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