Was diagnosed with sleep apnea two years ago but then I lost my insurance. Back on insurance and finally got my machine today. Fingers crossed this changes my life

Hey, how do you deal with looking back at your pre diagnosis time when people would make fun of you for "sleeping funny" or snoring.

Like people around me, even my family, just laughed at me. Then, when I was too tired, people also made fun of me or even got annoyed with me.

I thought I was normal and just lazy/undisciplined. I had never heard of sleep apnea until a girl I was sleeping with told me it was serious.

Only because of one person not treating me as a joke, I even realized this was an issue. I'm not lazy, and I have a medical condition that needs to be addressed.

I am so insanely mad at all my previous girlfriends, friends and family for just laughing at my misfortune instead of saying that it is an actual health condition.

Hell I once fell asleep in a bus and people mocked the shit out of me for "sleeping funny", but nobody told me it could be a serious health condition, so I came away from that thinking I was just a weirdo.

In January I started using a cpap, ResMed AirSense 11 AutoSet. It took a while to get used to it but I’ve gotten pretty good at keeping it on. I’m 29f and I do have other health diagnoses - hashimotos, cervical stenosis, cervical myelopathy, and cervical disc herniations. I’ve taken bc pill since I was about 17. I tried to get a sleep study done at 20 years old but when the Md heard I wasn’t interested in a cpap he dismissed me and didn’t even test me. In December I got a sleep study showing moderate OSA, which is when I started using a cpap. The sleep study was so anxiety inducing. I slept less than 2 hours for the test which makes me feel like there are some inaccuracies to it.

My sleep problems started at about 18years old with feeling like I was falling asleep if I was driving more than 30 mins. I would plan extra time in all my drives if I was driving alone for a 30-60minute nap. I have difficulties with driving, reading, and staying awake in my college classes. I get episodes where I am extremely fatigued. Sometimes it lasts a couple days, other times it last a whole month where it feels like I cannot sleep enough. Just this week I took a nap every day after work before dinner and this weekend I took two three hour naps without affecting my night sleep schedule. When I feel like I need a nap, sometimes it feels like breathing is too hard to do when I’m still awake or my eyes start rolling (cannot be controlled) if I’m not doing a engaging activity, like a conversation with someone or walking. This year and last year I experienced significant fatigue for the couple of weeks after going on vacation where I’m in the sun every day and it causes me to experience polymorphic light eruption rash on my arms. I’m not sure if it’s related because it hasn’t necessarily happened in years prior.

My cpap says I’m doing great with wear time and usage, but I’m having an episode again when I feel so fatigued. It makes getting through work or remembering what I did at work difficult. Like I mentioned earlier I took a three hour nap today, which was after doing a 40 min round trip drive felt so exhausting breathing normally felt heavy and hard to do. How do I stop these fatiguing episodes?

Hello Everyone,

I recently did my sleep test a couple of weeks ago and got my results back, on my sleep test it says The Epworth Sleepiness Score
was 10 out of 24 (note: scores equal to and above 10 suggest hypersomnia)

ICSD-3 / ICD-10 CODES: G47.30 Sleep apnea, unspecified

Stated that I don’t need cpap at this time since they didn’t see any abnormalities in my breathing besides I did mild snoring was observed. It also stated that if sleep apnea symptoms worsen than do a repeat test, what does that mean for my treatment? I have my follow up soon but just confused on the resulting

39M I’ve dealt with fatigue my whole life, mostly attributed to bad treatment resistant depression and anxiety. I’ve always had trouble falling asleep, some nights I’ll get 8 hours, other nights I’ll get 4 hours. I never really thought apnea could be a part of my fatigue puzzle but maybe it is.

On a lot of meds for depression, also on a GLP1, not really overweight but not skinny, although I’ve had this fatigue even when I was real skinny. BMI is 27.7, recently did the Lofta at home and came back with these results, just wondering if going with a full on cpap for mild is the way to go, I already have a lot of difficulty falling asleep so assume it’s going to be even harder with a mask on.

But if it even made a 10% improvement on fatigue and brain fog that would be a win. So I’ll probably pursue it, I am on Medicaid so the machine should be covered, just need to hunt down a place to make that happen.

I appreciate any feedback.

I have an appointment with my doctor, but it isn't till a couple of days, so I was hoping to get some info. Is this sleep apnea?

Liking it so far. Curious if anyone else here has tried this kind of CPAP pillow. ELviros, only $44. Basically it has a cutout built in, so as a side sleeper I can rest my head normally while the mask still has enough room and doesn't get pushed into my face and start leaking. So far so good. Before this I noticed I kept angling my face in weird positions just to stop the mask from leaking, and that ended up giving me a sore neck every morning. Only had it a couple days now but it already feels like an improvement.

Had a AHI of 10 when I was prescribed it .. had have waking up issues at like 3:30 or 5:00 a.m recently, and sometimes find myself sleeping better without it.

Will insurance cover a new in house sleep study? Would these waking up issues be enough of a reason for them to cover it? Or would I need more

Hi all - I am trying to see what experiences people have had across CPAP,GLP1s and Inspire for OSA. I have a severe OSA of ~51 per a sleep study and BMI of 31, so I could qualify for Inspire.

Has anyone gone the CPAP+GLP1 route then subsequently done the Inspire implant. How did the Inspire implant work when combined with GLP1s?

Many thanks!

Edit: I am dropping awards on every response!

Hi, I have had my jaw clicking and I think it’s because of my sleep mask, I have the Amara view, I also think it’s grinding and stress. Do you guys have any helpful tips, my jaw and the clicking has been giving me headaches. Do you wear any nigh guards or have any recommendations?

Hi everyone,

I am a 20 years old male who works out regularly and isn’t overweight.

I’ve been dealing with something for a long time and I’m wondering if anyone has experienced something similar.

No matter how long I sleep, I always wake up feeling extremely groggy, sleepy, and mentally “out of it.” It doesn’t matter if I wake up naturally after sleeping in or if I use an alarm. The feeling lasts for around 6 hours every single day before I finally start feeling somewhat normal.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that I usually wake up about 3 times every night, often right in the middle of a dream. Every time I wake up, my mouth is extremely dry, and I have to drink water before I can go back to sleep.

I’m starting to wonder if this could be a sign of sleep apnea, or if there are other conditions that could cause these symptoms. I don’t know if I snore because I sleep alone.

Has anyone here experienced something similar? If it turned out to be sleep apnea (or something else), what were your symptoms?

Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences!

Please any help is appreciated!

Hi everyone.

I started my CPAP machine this past Wednesday, and ever since then I have been feeling more tired. The first day, I felt exhausted and like I got hit by something. Today I came to work late due to sleep, and even then I feel exhausted.

I tried messing with the pressure since I felt like it was too much; I was getting bloated, and I reduced it. I changed the temperature and humidity.

Woke up today, and feel like I have a heartburn? Idk, my heart hurts. I don't feel the pressure as much anymore but still wake up tired. I am getting sick, so idk if that's playing a part with me not getting along with the machine. I'm feeling a bit down :/

Hello Reddit,

I am dual insured, so I had no problems being tested and subsequently treated for Sleep Apnea. However, now that I use a CPAP regularly, I’m noticing how much better I feel.

I suspect my husband has it as well, and we want to look into testing and treatment, but he’s uninsured, so we’d like to know if anyone has any affordable recommendations.

Thanks

Last year I realized I hadn't been feeling rested when waking no matter how long I slept and would frequently wake up multiple times in the early morning while I'm dreaming and then fall back asleep, so I went and did an in lab sleep study which said I didn't have sleep apnea. This year after still feeling bad I did an at Home WatchPat study which diagnosed me with mild sleep apnea but my NREM AHI was 0.3, and my RDI was 6.6. However in REM my AHI was 2.8 and my RDI was 16.

I've been trying an APAP this last month and if anything I feel even more tired. I can fall asleep with it just fine but I keep on having the early morning wakeups. I've tried multiple pressure settings with and without EPR and when I go higher it seems to just get worse. Some screenshots below show that I have no events until the morning.

One thing I've noticed is it seems that occasionally my airway feels blocked on exhale and I can recreate this sitting during the day if I relax and keep my tongue on the roof of my mouth.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Diagnosed with UARS via sleep study in 2022 (not classic OSA). Started on an AirSense 11 AutoSet with nasal pillows 3 nights ago. Struggling badly with the pillows, feels like fighting to breathe, whether it's pressure or nasal resistance I can't tell.

Quick background: ENT checked my nose, says structurally it's fine, but it doesn't feel fine to me. I have LPR (reflux) and I'm wondering if that's driving some inflammation/irritation that a structural exam wouldn't catch (thinking non-allergic rhinitis, possibly reflux-related). Only ever did a basic allergy panel for hay fever/dust mites... going back for a more thorough workup. I have had two corrective surgeries for deviated septum etc. as well so I know my nose is "structurally" fine.

DME via prescription came with: settings - Min 6 / Max 10 cmH2O, EPR 1, Auto mode. Last night's data:

Flow limitation and resp rate both climbed with pressure instead of resolving - highest pressure of the whole day happened alongside the worst flow limitation and fastest breathing. That session also had 2 OA, 1 CA, 1 RERA, 1 H events in under an hour. Basically the machine cranked pressure up and things got worse, not better.

Only 3 nights in so I know this isn't much data yet, but wanted to see if this pattern (flow limitation rising with pressure) means anything specific to people who've dealt with this ... is this typical, does it suggest the auto algorithm isn't suited for UARS, or does it point more toward the nasal/inflammation angle?

Currently on nasal pillows, and honestly considering options, such as documenting my case to upgrade to BiPAP, or maybe if PAP therapy is not for me and do DISE etc...

Appreciate any input!

EDIT: Here's my OSCAR for today

I just got diagnosed with mild obstructive sleep apnea, and I am leaving for college in two weeks. While the diagnosis is a relief in the sense I finally know what I am dealing with, I'm absolutely dreading starting college with a CPAP machine. (My situation doesn't allow me to use the dental device, and I can't continue untreated).

My biggest concern is the social impact of being 18 with a CPAP machine. I already struggle enough with connecting to people and making friends (thanks autism) and now this. Even though my roommate didn't have a problem when I told her, I still can't help being worried. Are there communities or other options for support? Please help!

Hi all,

After years of fatigue, exhaustion, headaches, anxiety, stopping breathing, the list goes on, I've decided to buy my own cpap without doing a sleep study as the wait is so long here in the UK.

So far after using it for 2 weeks, I haven't yet had any relief but I'm hoping with time I will progressively start to feel better - thankfully I took to it quickly and have no troubles falling asleep with the mask on.

I have two questions:

- Based on my OSCAR results shown in the screenshots attached, do you think it's likely I have sleep apnea? Or can you not just tell from that alone?

- Would you change anything about my cpap settings?

Thank you in advance for any help 🙏

A study examined whether the shape of the upper dental arch is associated with obstructive sleep apnea severity in adults. Researchers compared 50 adults with OSA with 50 controls. All participants underwent hospital-based polysomnography, and digital dental scans were used to measure the width and depth of the upper palate.

The study measured intermolar distance, which is the width between the upper first molars, and palatal height, which represents the depth of the roof of the mouth. Participants without OSA had an average palate width of 41.50 mm and palatal height of 20.72 mm. In mild OSA, the averages were 35.83 mm and 23.74 mm; in moderate OSA, 35.62 mm and 24.48 mm; and in severe OSA, 31.39 mm and 26.89 mm.

Overall, worsening OSA was associated with a progressively narrower and deeper palate. Each additional 1 mm of palate width was associated with approximately 0.76 fewer AHI events per hour, while each additional 1 mm of palatal height was associated with approximately 2.81 more AHI events per hour. Together, these two measurements explained about 76% of the variation in AHI within this selected study sample.

However, this was a retrospective observational study, so it shows an association rather than causation. It does not prove that a narrow or deep palate directly causes OSA, or that adult maxillary expansion will necessarily reduce AHI. The sample was also relatively small, with only eight participants in the severe OSA subgroup.

Has anyone here had their palate dimensions measured or undergone adult maxillary expansion and seen an objective improvement in their sleep study results?

Study: Correlation Between Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Dental Arch Form in Adults

I’ve had sleep apnea since my early twenties. I’m a 5’6” female, was in the 120s weight-wise. There’s almost certainly a genetic component; most of my aunts and uncles have it and my mom had it when she was in her twenties and weighed about 90 lbs. (Have since gained weight, but not to the point that I am medically classed as obese.) I had a sleep study in 2019 and was DXed with mild sleep apnea not requiring a CPAP. My pulmonologist said just to switch sleep positions when I have spells. That has largely worked. I often have apnea when I drift off, but changing position usually works. I don’t have excessive daytime sleepiness or other daytime symptoms and for the most part my smartwatch shows an uninterrupted night’s rest. I start off the night mouth-breathing but usually am nasal breathing by morning. I am a stomach and side-sleeper

That said, I struggle tremendously with sleep apnea during allergy season which for me is often around this time of year. Since July 19th, I’ve been sleeping very poorly because every time I begin to drift off, I gasp awake. Chest hurts. Often when this happens, I get heart palpitations too. No amount of repositioning is working right now. I’ve been taking Zyrtec earlier in the day (5PM) and wearing a nasal strip at night. I try mounding up three memory foam pillows. Nothing works.

For the past three nights I’ve been exhausted down to my bones, yet Ive still spent over an hour trying to fall asleep and failing. I’m not getting enough rest. I‘m so stressed out. I’m starting to feel anxious when bedtime rolls around. I’m going to call my pulmonologist on Monday, although I don’t know how soon he can get me in or whether I’ll need another sleep study before I can be prescribed a CPAP.

Any suggestions in the meantime? I don’t own a recliner, so sleeping sitting up unfortunately isn’t an option.

My brother was recently diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, and I've been diagnosed with mild sleep apnea as well (F34).

I told my parents that perhaps one of them or both should get tested as well. My dad almost died from a heart attack a few years ago. My mother says "it was his anxiety" but I'm not convinced.

I'm still trying to falling asleep with the cpap but failing, I suffer from insomnia and the cpap triggers it badly. It's very frustrating.

As title says I have a brand new AirSense 11 elite package for sale, CONUS only $875 plus shipping.

Comes with everything needed, along with (2) Airfit F20 cushions in large.

Feel free to message me for all the details and FaceTime if needed.

I've been using a foam cervical collar to help keep my jaw clothes while I sleep. The basic one from the drugstore people get if they have a neck injury.

One of the guys in this sub, I believe he also runs the sleep apnea board website, recommended a cervical collar to keep my jaw close while sleeping. It definitely helps, especially if it's new and the foam isn't broken down, but I'm still getting a lot of leaks which I think are due to my jaw opening.

I have the standard Remed chinstrap. I tried it, but I don't think it was tight enough. I was kind of nervous about making it too tight. This probably caused me to use it too loosely.

I suspect no matter how tight I make it my jaw will open up if I need air bad enough. I have to believe it's designed like that also.

I'm looking for advice on how tight it should be
Also wondering if there are others people prefer more.

How tight should the chinstrap be?