I think I have sleep apnea. My wife says so and I am fairly certain she is right. Rather than go through all the rigamarole or a real diagnosis during one of my short visits to the US, I have decided to buy a used CPAP or APAP.
There are a lot of sites out there that sell them. Here’s one. As you can see there is a lot to it.
May I ask for advice, or would that cross the line of the medical rule?
Thanks.
Don’t do it. Go see a doctor, get the tests done. It’s not “rigamarole.” You need a professional to decide what kind of machine you need and what pressure it should be set to.
Sleep apnea can kill you. You need to see a qualified medical professional on this.
OK, many thanks.
Requests for medical advice are allowed in IMHO, though we do not particularly encourage them. It needs to be stressed that no medical information received on this board, in any forum, should be regarded as authoritative. In the case of a potentially life-threatening condition such as sleep apnea, it would be extremely imprudent to rely on advice on an anonymous message board rather than consulting with a medical professional who can evaluate you in person. And any responsible medical professional who replies to your request is going to tell you that’s what you should do.
Adding to the advice to get a doctor’s opinion. Yes, it’s annoying to have to schedule the sleep studies, but the wrong CPAP can mess you up. PM me and I’ll send you the address of the sleep doctor Mama Zappaand I both see, in Maryland. In the meantime, consult with your regular doc, and try some OTC things for snoring. For me, allergies and nasal stuffiness was a part of the problem. Allergy meds, sinus surgery, allergy shots all help. I use either a neti pot or saline nasal spray every night to keep my passages open. You are not me, I am not an MD, I am not your MD, YMMV, Void where taxed or prohibited by law, do not fold, staple, spindle or mutilate.
I also had restless leg syndrome, which is treated with medication, and which was interfering with my sleep far more than the apnea. Yes, you need to see a doctor, preferably one who specializes in sleep disorders.
OK, I have actually found a sleep clinic right here in Kingdom. I will stop by tomorrow.
I’ve had a Bipap machine (bi-level Cpap sort of) for 6 years now. I went through all the test that you are facing Paul, and they were not at all unpleasant. According to my Pulmonologist, sleep apnea can be responsible for things as benign as a dry throat to as serious as heart problems. Please take the time to see the doctor, and if so diagnosed, don’t give up on using the machine as many people do. It takes a little time to adjust to it, but when you do, you’ll never regret it.
Since Paul is doing the right thing, I’m closing this thread. I hope that he gives us an update on his situation in MPSIMS.
I am grateful to everyone who contributed as appropriate. Again, Dopers looking out for one another are just the best.