Apnea treatment questions
Question:
"Andy Hall" <an…@hall.nospam> wrote in message > Regarding (B) do you ever notice night sweating or anything giving a > clue of that?
No > Your diagnosis from the hospital is moderate apnoea, as they say so > should be treated. > C) is a lot. Are you noticing any heart arrythmia? It culd be > that this is your way to keep awake. FOr others it’s sugary foods and > an insulin roller coaster.
No arrhythmia, though when I wake from an afternoon nap my heart is often racing, for reasons that are unknown to me. Insulin – I’m a pretty stable here as I follow the low carb thing pretty religiously. No doubt that coffee serves as a "stay-awake" for me, which is why I often make a pot in the afternoon. Thanks, other replies/input much appreciated
Response:
"Andy Hall" <an…@hall.nospam> wrote in message
news:trbrf05dbi5mf2lqq9p239qef8su0uhaiq@4ax.com… > Can you get a referral to a pulmonologist or sleep specialist? You > would be better off trying CPAP first (rent one) and then go for MAD > if needed. I think that your dentist is right in discouraging you > until you have tried other routes.
I called Blue Cross today and asked for a local participating sleep specialist, but the person on the other end wasn’t much help. Would such an MD just be called a "sleep specialist", or is there a more formal name for the specialization that I can give to help Blue Cross locate somebody for me?
Response:
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 22:25:03 -0600, mikeg wrote: >I called Blue Cross today and asked for a local participating >sleep specialist, but the person on the other end wasn’t much >help. >Would such an MD just be called a "sleep specialist", or is there >a more formal name for the specialization that I can give to help >Blue Cross locate somebody for me?
To map "sleep specialist" to an ABMS specialty, it would probably be "pulminologist." ENTs also work sleep problems to some extent, but they have a habit of being pro-surgery.
Response:
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 18:33:01 -0600, "mikeg" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<mikegCLOT…@pipepages.com> wrote: >"Andy Hall" <an…@hall.nospam> wrote in message >> Regarding (B) do you ever notice night sweating or anything >giving a >> clue of that? >No >> Your diagnosis from the hospital is moderate apnoea, as they say >so >> should be treated. >> C) is a lot. Are you noticing any heart arrythmia? It culd >be >> that this is your way to keep awake. FOr others it’s sugary >foods and >> an insulin roller coaster. >No arrhythmia, though when I wake from an afternoon nap my heart >is often racing, for reasons that are unknown to me.
That can be an effect of caffeine but also that the body has been under stress from struggling with apnoea events. >Insulin – I’m a pretty stable here as I follow the low carb thing >pretty religiously. No doubt that coffee serves as a "stay-awake" >for me, which is why I often make a pot in the afternoon. >Thanks, other replies/input much appreciated
You’re welcome. If you have difficulty finding the right help, then do post back. .andy To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Response:
Because my doctors erroneously thought I was narcoleptic (I never have been), I was sent to a sleep neurologist, who diagnosed my obstructive sleep apnea. "Charlie Perrin" <c.l.perrin@SPAMBOTS_DIEatt.net> wrote in message
news:c1urf0da1m8kvk8r9ent7p5njlhb9dbvht@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 22:25:03 -0600, mikeg wrote: > >I called Blue Cross today and asked for a local participating > >sleep specialist, but the person on the other end wasn’t much > >help. > >Would such an MD just be called a "sleep specialist", or is there > >a more formal name for the specialization that I can give to help > >Blue Cross locate somebody for me? > To map "sleep specialist" to an ABMS specialty, it would probably be > "pulminologist." > ENTs also work sleep problems to some extent, but they have a habit of > being pro-surgery.
Response:
On Wed, 21 Jul 2004 23:12:36 -0400, Gary Rimar wrote: >Because my doctors erroneously thought I was narcoleptic (I never >have been), I was sent to a sleep neurologist, who diagnosed my >obstructive sleep apnea.
My experience is that primary care doctors do three things: #1 – Work the easy cases #2 – Tell you what type of specialist does the hard cases #3 – Make sure the drugs the specialists prescribe don’t fry your bone marrow, kidneys, and/or liver. 
Response:
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 16:59:06 -0600, "mikeg" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<mikegCLOT…@pipepages.com> wrote: >"mikeg" <mikegCLOT…@pipepages.com> wrote in message >news:wr6dnWySzKDIPGDdRVn-hg@comcast.com… ><snip> >Also, >A) I fall asleep easily, though I usually don’t go to bed until >12:30 – 1 am, wake at 6 – 8 am. >B) I sleep through the night without (consciously) waking >C) I am a coffee junkie; 20 oz in the morning, and often 32 – 40 >oz a day. Think STRONG coffee. >HTH >Mike
A) is not necessarily a problem. Regarding (B) do you ever notice night sweating or anything giving a clue of that? Your diagnosis from the hospital is moderate apnoea, as they say so should be treated. C) is a lot. Are you noticing any heart arrythmia? It culd be that this is your way to keep awake. FOr others it’s sugary foods and an insulin roller coaster. There may be other sleep issues, but it would be sensible to address the OSA first. .andy To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Response:
"mikeg" <mikegCLOT…@pipepages.com> wrote in message
news:wr6dnWySzKDIPGDdRVn-hg@comcast.com… <snip> Also, A) I fall asleep easily, though I usually don’t go to bed until 12:30 – 1 am, wake at 6 – 8 am. B) I sleep through the night without (consciously) waking C) I am a coffee junkie; 20 oz in the morning, and often 32 – 40 oz a day. Think STRONG coffee. HTH Mike
Response:
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 16:48:44 -0600, "mikeg" <mikegCLOT…@pipepages.com> wrote: >First post here. >I did the overnight sleep test in the hospital, results reflected >"moderate" apnea. I had a hard time sleeping that night and >logged only 231 minutes of sleep, during which time they recorded >55 anomalies in my breathing. >My GP Md. doesn’t seem to know much about apnea treatment. He >asked me to be fitted with a Mandibular repositioning device – if >that doesn’t work after 30 days he will prescribe CPAP. >He referred me to my Dentist (a good friend of mine), who advises >that these repositioning devices are nothing more than an "income >center" for dentists and that they seldom work. He said he >wouldn’t care to fit me for one.
Can you get a referral to a pulmonologist or sleep specialist? You would be better off trying CPAP first (rent one) and then go for MAD if needed. I think that your dentist is right in discouraging you until you have tried other routes. .andy To email, substitute .nospam with .gl
Response:
First post here. I did the overnight sleep test in the hospital, results reflected "moderate" apnea. I had a hard time sleeping that night and logged only 231 minutes of sleep, during which time they recorded 55 anomalies in my breathing. My GP Md. doesn’t seem to know much about apnea treatment. He asked me to be fitted with a Mandibular repositioning device – if that doesn’t work after 30 days he will prescribe CPAP. He referred me to my Dentist (a good friend of mine), who advises that these repositioning devices are nothing more than an "income center" for dentists and that they seldom work. He said he wouldn’t care to fit me for one. I’ve googled Usenet on the topic and the results seem to agree with his observation as to their effectiveness. I should mention that I have had tongue thrust my whole life, so I suspect that my apnea would be of the obstructive variety. I’m not eager to use CPAP either, but will accept it if need be. I’m worthless in the morning, and often disoriented and semi-dizzy after naps. I’d love to feel better again. Info: 41 YO male 5′5"; 225 lbs (have lost 30 lbs since Feb ‘04) Daily strenuous exercise including weight lifting and bike riding No meds Recent bloodwork indicated normal range for cholesterol etc, etc. No other physical ailments Travel weekly for my job, plenty of nights in hotels. Sincere thanks for any help/opinions here. My reply address is munged, so please reply to the board. mike
