sleep apnea, sleep disorders,sleep tests?

i had apnea of infancy when i was first born and was in the hospital for 3 months. after that i slept on an inclined bed with a monitor for a year. im 22 now and i have always talked and walked in my sleep but it is hard for my bf to sleep with me yelling profanities and screaming. i was wondering if anyone knew if there is a link between the infancy problem and now. I also jerk alot in my sleep and sometimes wake up because i “forget” to breathe. my bf says i talk a few times a night. I just want to know if anyone has any things in common and what the treatments would be

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Sleep Apnea: i used to have it, could it come back? do i still have it and it’s just not active or something?

hola, mmkay when i was little i had sleep apnea and i had to be monitored when i slept. and i guess i dont have it anymore because im not monitored and i dont take any medicines or anything.
what i’d like to know is:

*could sleep apnea come back one night?
*do people usually grow out of it
*is it usually in just babies/kids?
*is there medicines to take if it does/can come back?

Thanks <3

yes im sure it was sleep apnea, one night i stopped breathing and my mother woke up to the sound of me sleeping.

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My 6 month old is on an Apnea Monitor, and has learned how to unplug it at night. Any suggestions?

My 6 month old son wears an Apnea monitor, only when he is sleeping during the night. (He wears it because of the sudden loss of our first son, and because he also has breath holding spells.) During the night, he has started to grab the wires from the electrodes and pull them out. Of course, this sets of the Loose-Lead alarm. The alarms on the Apnea Monitor are VERY loud, and the only way to make them stop is to fix it. My husband and i are having to get up almost every hour to fix him doing this, and loosing much sleep. Since he is old enough to roll around now, he can find a way to get a hold of the wires; it seems to be a game to him. My husband jokingly said to buy a baby straight-jacket, so he cant grab the wires….lol (i dont think they make those). What can i do? He has to stay on the monitor until age 1!

(Okay, for those of you who dont know, and Apnea Monitor monitors his heart and breath rate, and if he stops breathing or his hear rate changes, an alarm goes off.)

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Sleep Apnea - Symptoms and Treatment

Sleep Apnea is a debilitating and oftentimes life-threatening disorder characterized by breathing cessation during slumber. Apnea literally means to stop breathing. In sleep apnea sufferers, breathing can cease for just a few seconds or last for minutes. The first signs of sleep apnea are usually noticed by family members and include snoring and gagging.
Sleep apnea sufferers are usually tired all day, complain of headaches, and wake with sore throats. It reduces the amount of quality sleep the body gets. Quality sleep is needed for the body and brain to recoup from the days activities. The most dangerous symptom is respiration cessation. This symptom can lead to death.
There are two major types of non-surgical treatments for the symptoms of sleep apnea: oral appliances and CPAP equipment. Each have drawbacks and both require monitoring by a physician.
Which one works best is based on personal preference, severity and cause of the sleep apnea, and treatment compliance.
The traditional method involves the use of a CPAP machine. This machine continuously blows air into the oral cavity effectively splinting open the airway. The machine airflow pressure can be titred (set) to the individual patients needs. They are available as home based units or portable units. Some come with humidifiers and some do not. Heated humidifiers are recommended to prevent the drying out of the nasal and oral passages.
CPAP machines require power. A backup power supply should be available. For standard 120 volt AC power, self-contained battery powered inverters are available that can help with this problem. Be sure to keep the battery charged so it’s ready when needed.
A headgear and mask is used in conjunction with the CPAP machine and is tailored to each individual. Many patients do well with just a nose mask or nasal pillows while others need a full face mask due to mouth breathing.
Hoses may need to be rigged above the sleeper to prevent tangling and drainage of condensation into the users face. Usually condensation problems can be managed by experimenting with which heat setting works best in your bedroom environment.
Remember hot + cold = wet. If the heat setting is too high and the bedroom is cool or visa versa, condensation will build up.
The drawbacks associated with the CPAP include the patient’s inability to adjust to sleeping with a mask and getting tangled in the hose with restless sleep.
For most people with severe sleep apnea these are non-issues. The body is craving sleep so fiercely that the patient will fall asleep and stay asleep.
Another drawback is if a patient is a mouth breather, the nose mask is not effective. They may need a chin strap to keep the mouth shut or a full face mask that covers the nose and mouth. Some people find the care of headgear daunting.
Headgear and hoses should be washed in hot soapy water daily to prevent inspiration of germs, possibly causing respiratory illnesses.
For patients that have a hard time accepting the CPAP, there are oral sleep apnea appliances available. These are most effective for mild to moderate sleep apnea and people within normal weight ranges.
Oral appliances attach to the teeth and realign the jaw to hold the tongue forward, capture the tongue to prevent it from falling back into the throat, or increases the airspace.
Most oral appliances need to be fitted and maintained by a dentist. Oral appliances are very portable and do not require electricity to use.
Oral appliances are easily misplaced or lost. Take care to store it in the same place each morning. Use a room humidifier to prevent airway passages from drying.
It may be difficult to find a dentist well versed in sleep apnea. A physician will be able to give an appropriate referral.
Occasionally oral appliances may make the sleep apnea worse. Close monitoring by self or a family member is paramount.
Whichever external treatment a patient chooses needs to be complied with in order to get the full benefits. Sleep apnea is very dangerous, but is also extremely treatable. The sleep apnea sufferer should work closely with a doctor and find the option that is best for his/her needs and lifestyle.

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2 month old on sleep apnea monitor–need help?

My 2 month old son is on a sleep apnea monitor day and night. He’s been on it ever since he was 2 weeks old. It has only alarmed for apnea (not breathing) once this whole time and all the other times it alarms is for low heartbeat. So anyway, the average times it would alarm would be maybe 2 times in the day and once or twice at night for low heartbeat and that would be it. Mostly the daytime alarms would be when he would be eating and forget to breath. All of a sudden for the past 3 nights his low heartbeat alarm goes off so much at night I never even fall asleep. It’s not a mishap with the machine as I have checked and rechecked it many times. But I just think it’s weird that it alarms so much at night and none during the day even though he is also sleeping much of the day still. I’m wondering if anything I may be doing is causing it, such as dressing him too warm or something. If anyone else has had experience with monitors I would appreciate the advice. I’m probably taking him to the doctor Monday by the way.
Much thanks, ladies!
Does anyone know how much longer a baby has to stay on a monitor if they’ve only had apnea once the whole time?
Okay, we got the machine checked today and found out whoever set it to begin with set it too high–on 100 instead of 75 or 80, and that’s why it kept going off. It was way too sensitive. I hope this helps anyone elso who may have this problem. Don’t let them talk you into thinking you’re not using the machine right–insist that they check it!

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If you wear a monitor for sleep apnea and hold your breath will it record as not breathing?

Just curious, little one likes to play. So I wondered if he holds his breath on purpose during night will the monitor record as not breathing.
The test will be done at home on a portable monitor.

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How to Treat Sleep Apnea

The most common kind of sleep apnea is called Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome. Sleep apnea means “cessation of breath.” It is characterized by repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction that occur during sleep, usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. In other words, the airway becomes obstructed at several possible sites. The upper airway can be obstructed by excess tissue in the airway, large tonsils, and a large tongue and usually includes the airway muscles relaxing and collapsing when asleep. Another site of obstruction can be the nasal passages.

Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by a reduction or cessation (pause of breathing, airflow) during sleep. It is common among adults but rare among children. There are two types of sleep apnea, the more common obstructive sleep apnea and the less common central sleep apnea, both of which will be described later in this article.

Behavioral changes

Behavioral changes are an important part of the treatment program, and in mild cases behavioral therapy may be all that is needed. The individual should avoid the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills, which make the airway more likely to collapse during sleep and prolong the apneic periods. Overweight persons can benefit from losing weight. Even a 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of apneic events for most patients. In some patients with mild sleep apnea, breathing pauses occur only when they sleep on their backs. In such cases, using pillows and other devices that help them sleep in a side position is often helpful.

Weight loss

Sleep apnea can be weight-related. Additional fat around the neck may make the airway narrower, making obstructions more likely to occur. For some overweight people, especially those with mild cases, losing weight can be an effective treatment. Or weight loss may reduce the severity of the sleep apnea. However, it may be hard to lose weight when you have untreated sleep apnea: you may be too tired to exercise and you may eat to stay awake. Also, it may take some time before the weight loss is achieved, so in light of the potential consequences of untreated OSA, using another treatment option while working towards the weight loss goal may be an option.

Pressure requirements

The optimal pressure to use in CPAP therapy is determined in a sleep laboratory study, during which the degree of apnea is monitored with various mask adjustments and increasing levels of air pressure. Pressures are measured in centimeters of water and can vary from 3 to 20 cm, with most patients requiring 6 to 12 cm of pressure to reduce their respiratory disturbance index to fewer than 10 events per hour.

Sleep on your side

People who experience sleep apnea only when they sleep on their backs can benefit from special pillows or folk remedies that encourage side-sleeping, such as the “tennis ball trick” (putting a tennis ball under you to make back-sleeping uncomfortable).

Pulse oximetry

Pulse oximetry is a non-invasive method which allows health care providers to monitor the oxygenation of a patient’s blood. A sensor is placed on a relatively thin part of the patient’s anatomy, usually a fingertip or earlobe, and red and infrared light is passed from one side to the other. Based upon the ratio of absorption of the red and infrared light caused by the difference in color between oxygen-bound (red) and unbound (blue) hemoglobin in the capillary bed, an approximation of oxygena.

Oral appliances

Another option is wearing an oral appliance designed to keep your throat open. CPAP is more effective than oral appliances, but oral appliances may be easier for you to use. Some are designed to open your throat by bringing your jaw forward, which can sometimes relieve snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea.

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Treating Sleep Apnea – Alternatives to CPAP therapy

The alternatives to CPAP therapy are a life saver for many sleep apnea patients.

Not all the persons with sleep apnea can tolerate a CPAP treatment. There many reasons why they give up their treatment, depending on each patient.

Here are several reasons :

*feeling of suffocation

*dry mouth, which is the most common side effect

*dryness of nose or nasal congestion

*mask discomfort

*the noise of the breathing machine

*the feeling of claustrophobia

Fortunately, there are solutions for these problems, and some of them are really effective. There is no issue that cannot be worked out, especially with the advanced technology of today.

The most common alternative for CPAP treatment is a <b>dental device</b> or an oral appliance. This device is used to relieve the upper airway obstruction and snoring by modifying the position of the mandible, tongue, and other oral structures.

An oral appliance also prevents the tongue from blocking the airway passages.

Before choosing this type of therapy is very important to consult your doctor. He knows that not all the appliances can help your breathing disorder.

However, there are some disadvantages here, and the most common complaint is discomfort and salivation.  The statistics show that this alternative therapy is more successful in patients with non-severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Bilevel positive airway pressure or BPAP is another alternative to CPAP machine, and they are more efficient. BPAP machines provides two pressure levels, one during inhalation and a lower one during exhalation. The pressure drop during exhalation is designed to increase comfort for patients who have trouble exhaling against an continuous incoming pressure, such as CPAP.

Behavioral therapy is an important part of your life when you are dealing with sleep apnea, and in mild cases this type of therapy may be all that is needed.

*you should avoid the use of alcohol, tobacco, and sleeping pills, which make the airway more likely to collapse during sleep.

*if you have problems with obesity, you can benefit from losing  weight. Even a 10 percent weight loss can reduce the number of apneic events for most patients.

*sleeping in a side position is often helpful. Try using a pillow or other device that may help you with this.

*Playing at didgeridoo -  this is the newest alternative to cpap treatment on the market, and is very well accepted by patients with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. This might be due to training of the muscles of the upper airways, which control airway dilation and wall stiffening.

Regular playing of a didgeridoo reduces daytime sleepiness and snoring in people with moderate obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and also improves the sleep quality of partners.

One final piece of advice:  A new field of medicine offers fertile ground for scams. Shameless people are quick to exploit people’s hopes and fears. Claims of miracle cures for sleep apnea are already germinating on internet. So, before trying an alternative treatment for CPAP, speak with your doctor about this option and listen to his opinion.

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BiPAP Plus M Series with Bi-Flex

Product Description
Features of the Respironics BiPAP Plus M Series with Bi-Flex: Bi-Flex pressure relief technology offers pressure relief at inhalation and exhalation to make BiPAP therapy more like natural breathing. By tracking each breath, Bi-Flex delivers pressure relief at three critical points in the breathing cycle: 1. the transition from exhalation to inhalation. 2. the transition from inhalation to exhalation. 3. during exhalation. Product Specifications: PRESSURE: 4 to 2… More >>

BiPAP Plus M Series with Bi-Flex

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Sleep Apnea and Oximeter

Apnea, or ‘Apnoea’, is a technical term for suspension of breathing. An apnea event is defined as a breath cessation for a minimum of 10 minutes, with a neurological arousal and/or a blood oxygen desaturation of three to four or greater. Sleep apnea is a breath disorder during sleep which may cause serious consequences such as heart failure.

There are three types of sleep apnea are central sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea and complex sleep apnea (the combination of the two types). Central sleep apnea is caused by the imbalance of brain respiratory control center, while obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the obstruction of airway by decreased muscle tone or increased soft tissue around the airway (e.g. obesity or aging). Obstructive sleep apnea makes up about 84% of sleep apnea cases; the complex sleep apnea makes up about 15% and the central sleep apnea makes up 0.4%. [1]

The symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea commonly include loud snoring, restless sleep, and sleepiness during the daytime. The treatment of this type of sleep apnea is usually the use of breathing treatments, such as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP). Other habits that contribute to symptoms of sleep apnea is smoking, drinking alcohol, or losing large amounts of weight.

Due to the drop of oxygen level and increase of carbon dioxide level during sleep, hypoxia and hypercapnia are usually the results of central sleep apnea. Consequently, hypoxia and hypercapnia have effects on human body and could result in more serious health issues, angina, arrhythmias, heart attacks or at worst sudden death. [2]

Diagnostic tests of sleep apnea include home oximetry or polysomnograph readings in a sleep clinic. Oximeters that measures blood oxygen levels are a necessary device to measure normal stats in a person’s body while their asleep. According to the results of a study published in the Jan. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine.

“The practical purpose of diagnostic assessment in most cases of obstructive sleep apnea is to predict which patients have symptoms that will improve on treatment. Portable monitors record primarily oxygen saturation, can be used at home without supervision, and are cheaper [than polysomnography].”

OctiveTech oximeters offer a flexible and affordable way for sleep apnea sufferers and their doctors to monitor their blood saturation during sleep. We especially recommend the handhelds that alarm at a certain low blood oxygen concentration.

References:
[1] Mayo Clinic Discovers New Type Of Sleep Apnea, ScienceDaily, 2006
[2] Sleep apnea, Wikipedia

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