[Info] Sleep Clinics in Ireland/Sleep disorders

Chinafoot

Hopefully this thread and the other tips for getting good sleep can be made into stickies once the forum gets in order.

Anyway here is a link for sleep clinics in Ireland.

http://www.isat.ie/sleep_clinics.htm

They can be found in:

-Dublin:
-Beaumount, Dublin 9
-Bons Secours, Glasnevin, Dublin 9
-Mater Private, Dublin 7
-Mater Public, Dublin 7
-St James's Hospital, Dublin 8
-Our Lady's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin 12
-St Vincent's Private Hospital, Dublin 4
-St Vincent's Public Hospital, Dublin 4
-Tallaght Hospital, Dublin 24

-Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

-Cavan General Hospital

-Cork University Hospital

-Letterkenny General Hospital

-Midlands Regional Hospital, Mullingar

-Merlin Park Hospital, Galway

-Naas General Hospital

Tar.Aldarion

Expanding on the thread about insomnia, here are some sleep disorders.
Maybe you have some.


Sleep Apnea

How long can you hold your breath? People with sleep apnea may stop breathing in their sleep for up to 2 minutes or more! (They usually breathe just fine when they are awake.) This happens over and over again at night, making them sleep poorly and feel very tired in the daytime.

People with sleep apnea usually snore loudly.... Do you know anyone who snores?

Sleep apnea can affect the heart, so it is a serious medical condition. It is usually treated with a special breathing mask worn during sleep.

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome (DSPS)

People with this disorder can’t help staying up later and later each night, and waking up later and later each morning. They aren’t just being "night owls" by choice; something is wrong with their internal body clocks, making it impossible for them to stay in sync with the rest of the world. This problem is most common among adolescents and young adults.

The treatment usually consists of actually making the problem worse so it can finally get better.

(The opposite problem, getting sleepier earlier and earlier in the day is called Advanced Sleep Phase Syndrome. It is most common among senior citizens.)

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)

Do your legs ever feel uncomfortable at night? Some people describe the feelings as "itchy" or "restless" or "like creepy-crawlies under my skin." People with RLS often get up and walk around at bedtime, because their legs "just won’t settle down" and it helps to move them. RLS is usually treated with medication.

Insomnia

How long does it take you to fall asleep? People with insomnia consistently take longer than 30 minutes to drift off to sleep. Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, and it is sometimes hard to cure. Practicing good sleep hygiene may help. Sometimes the advice of a doctor or counselor is needed.

Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep (PLMS)

Imagine that you fell asleep one night while someone was holding your shin. Let’s say after you fell asleep, that the person shook your leg every 20 seconds, for almost half the night! How do you think you would sleep?

A sleep disorder called Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep (PLMS) is just like that, except that the person’s own muscles are doing the shaking, rather than someone else doing it. It is usually treated with medication.

Narcolepsy

The symptoms of this rare disorder include extreme drowsiness, feeling weak at emotional times, and feeling paralyzed on the borders of sleep. Animals can have narcolepsy, too. Much of the research on narcolepsy has been done on dogs. And the "fainting goats" that are sometimes displayed at State Fairs actually have narcolepsy. In humans, narcolepsy is controlled with medication.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RSBD)

Imagine what it would be like to act out your dreams, every night, while you were still sleeping! It would probably get you into some trouble, wouldn’t it? People who have RSBD do act out their dreams, and to make matters worse, their dreams tend to be more violent and aggressive than other peoples’ dreams. So they often hurt themselves, or those around them. Luckily, RSBD is quite rare.

There are many other kinds of sleep disorders, too: sleepwalking, night terrors, Jet Lag, Kleine-Levin Syndrome, bedwetting, head banging, night-time eating disorders, etc.

If you have a question about sleep disorders, or think you might know someone who has one, talk to your family doctor or a sleep specialist at an accredited sleep lab. Peachypants put up some links.

You can use this thread to discuss any of these in detail. Solutions, causes etc.
It also helps, simply to be aware of them.

ST*

Tar.Aldarion wrote:

Sleep Apnea

How long can you hold your breath? People with sleep apnea may stop breathing in their sleep for up to 2 minutes or more! (They usually breathe just fine when they are awake.) This happens over and over again at night, making them sleep poorly and feel very tired in the daytime.
People with sleep apnea usually snore loudly.... Do you know anyone who snores?

This one is pretty scary when you first start seeing someone with the condition. I used to lie awake at night, and anytime he held his breath, I'd shove him sharply till he started breathing again. This tormented me for months until I looked it up. Oh! the things we do for love.

Ruu_Old

A relation have mine has sleep apnea and he has to use a device to help him out. Very scary indeed.

Chinafoot

The Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust have a very helpful website here

Some good info on the disorder.

SOME TIPS IN DEALING WITH SUSPECTED SLEEP APNOEA

The following symptoms indicate that you may be suffering from a respiratory sleep disorder such as Sleep Apnoea:

1. Loud snoring
2. Cessation of breathing during sleep, followed by an abrupt awakening
3. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
4. Drowsy driving
5. Irritability
6. Difficulty with concentration or repetitive tasks
7. Difficulty with staying awake while watching television or reading
8. Difficulty/impairment of short term memory
9. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
10. Neck/collar size of 17 inches plus

These symptoms are merely indicators and are not meant as a definitive diagnosis.

nonametoday

Note to mods, I believe this is relevant to the sleep forum not the medical ones. It is something I think is very worthwhile to be included here. Judge it for yourself.


I have sleep apoena, read this story, its quite scary!

I used to feel the heat all the time. I am a big lad. Only 5' 8", 18 stone, 18 1/2 inch neck and very tired all the time. If there was a prize for snoring, I would win it. In a b&b in Limerick, the people in the room next door, asked for a move. I used to think it was funny that I would be on top of the bed, bollock naked, under an open window, while the wife was in the bed in pj's, under two duvets, complaining of the cold.
I used to open the curtains and allow the cold air wash over me to cool me down at night. I used to wake in the middle of the night covered in sweat, breathing like I had just run the 100 meters.

I used to wake up in the morning with a throat that felt like I had eaten a cactus. Sometimes my throat would be swollen and it felt like I had something stuck in it. I could be in bed for ten hours and wake up wrecked. I would need a nap about half ten and if in a meeting, would doze off.

Continuous diabetes tests came back negative. This is a regular cause of tiredness. Then one day, the wife was with me at the doctor when she mentioned my snoring. The doctor just clicked. He referred me to the sleep clinic at Tallaght Hospital. They put a probe on my finger while I slept for three nights. It was conclusive - I had sleep apoena.

When someone goes to sleep, the throat narrows. This can cause snoring, the flesh in the throat vibrates. MY THROAT collapses completely. It is like someone is throttling me, my body tries to breath "while being throttled", the waking in the middle of the night was my oxygen level dropping to dangerously low levels, the brain raises the alarm and wakes me up. This happens hundreds of times a night. Because I go back "to sleep", I have no recollection of this. This causes the body to not reach deep REM sleep. This is the sleep where we get real rest, where we dream.


Now I have a machine called a CPAP. This is like a pilots mask connected to a small machine that monitors my breathing. If it senses I stop, it gently pressurises air into my throat which splints open my airway and allows me to sleep.

I had a dream last night ! Its unreal what a good nights sleep does for you until you dont have one.

The consequences of sleep apoena are wide reaching. Untreated - you are ten times more likely to have a car crash (you can fall asleep at the wheel), the constant cycle of waking, sleeping, choking, waking, sleeping, etc etc can cause high blood pressure, strokes and heart attacks. If these symptoms sound familiar, get it checked.

I drive and the question - "Do you have any conditions that may affect your driving" is relevant. I went unregged to post this as I dont want any insurance company to get any ideas that I am dangerous.....

Nam_Man

Sleep Apnea

Yeah ~ have that ...

As for the CPAP machine ... Bloody expensive €148 p/month

And medication is about ... Provigil €280 p/mth

---

Expensive auld thing to have ... Hence Ive bought the partner a box of earplugs ... Price €30 for 1000:)

TheMelodyOfRain

nonametoday wrote: »

Note to mods, I believe this is relevant to the sleep forum not the medical ones. It is something I think is very worthwhile to be included here. Judge it for yourself.


I have sleep apoena, read this story, its quite scary!

I used to feel the heat all the time. I am a big lad. Only 5' 8", 18 stone, 18 1/2 inch neck and very tired all the time. If there was a prize for snoring, I would win it. In a b&b in Limerick, the people in the room next door, asked for a move. I used to think it was funny that I would be on top of the bed, bollock naked, under an open window, while the wife was in the bed in pj's, under two duvets, complaining of the cold.
I used to open the curtains and allow the cold air wash over me to cool me down at night. I used to wake in the middle of the night covered in sweat, breathing like I had just run the 100 meters.

I used to wake up in the morning with a throat that felt like I had eaten a cactus. Sometimes my throat would be swollen and it felt like I had something stuck in it. I could be in bed for ten hours and wake up wrecked. I would need a nap about half ten and if in a meeting, would doze off.

Continuous diabetes tests came back negative. This is a regular cause of tiredness. Then one day, the wife was with me at the doctor when she mentioned my snoring. The doctor just clicked. He referred me to the sleep clinic at Tallaght Hospital. They put a probe on my finger while I slept for three nights. It was conclusive - I had sleep apoena.

When someone goes to sleep, the throat narrows. This can cause snoring, the flesh in the throat vibrates. MY THROAT collapses completely. It is like someone is throttling me, my body tries to breath "while being throttled", the waking in the middle of the night was my oxygen level dropping to dangerously low levels, the brain raises the alarm and wakes me up. This happens hundreds of times a night. Because I go back "to sleep", I have no recollection of this. This causes the body to not reach deep REM sleep. This is the sleep where we get real rest, where we dream.


Now I have a machine called a CPAP. This is like a pilots mask connected to a small machine that monitors my breathing. If it senses I stop, it gently pressurises air into my throat which splints open my airway and allows me to sleep.

I had a dream last night ! Its unreal what a good nights sleep does for you until you dont have one.

The consequences of sleep apoena are wide reaching. Untreated - you are ten times more likely to have a car crash (you can fall asleep at the wheel), the constant cycle of waking, sleeping, choking, waking, sleeping, etc etc can cause high blood pressure, strokes and heart attacks. If these symptoms sound familiar, get it checked.

I drive and the question - "Do you have any conditions that may affect your driving" is relevant. I went unregged to post this as I dont want any insurance company to get any ideas that I am dangerous.....

By this stage I'm convinced I have apoena. Since about 14 (21 now) I've been completely exhausted everyday, virtually no short term memory, extremely poor concentration and of course, waking up almost every night gasping for air. I had relief in April of this year when I woke up gasping but suddenly felt my airway open up. I woke up the next morning feeling the best I had in years, my thoughts were clear, I could remember what I did this day last week and I could manage conversations without forgetting the topic. It continued up until June but now I'm back in the same situation.
I've booked an appointment with my GP for Friday anyway, but I dont have health insurance so I'm hoping I'll just be able to skip straight ahead to treatment as I've heard the costs of sleep studies are astronomical.

eamon234

Nam_Man wrote: »

Sleep Apnea

Yeah ~ have that ...

As for the CPAP machine ... Bloody expensive €148 p/month

And medication is about ... Provigil €280 p/mth

---

Expensive auld thing to have ... Hence Ive bought the partner a box of earplugs ... Price €30 for 1000:)

Jesus that's a bit steep! Mine's only €70 a month and my apneas are pretty severe - anyone else have a problem with shall we say "over inflation" during the night? Some mornings I get up and it's like someone letting the air out of a balloon! I expect to wake up some night floating to the ceiling

Fletch123

Does anyone have any info on Night Terrors/ Sleep Walking?

I suffer from a combination of both- where I wake from the night terror, but it is superimposed on reality, meaning I sleep walk (or run!).

I know that I suffer from it when stressed out of upset and have done since a child, but it has become so frequent now that I hate going asleep for fear of what my poor brain will torment me with next... Tips?

DMO

You can buy them in the States from as little as $220 - they will dipatch based on an Irish prescription. try www.cpap.com, although get it posted to a US address or the post & duty fees will take all the good from it.

Masks are about 1/3 the price also

DMO

nonametoday wrote: »

Note to mods, I believe this is relevant to the sleep forum not the medical ones. It is something I think is very worthwhile to be included here. Judge it for yourself.


I have sleep apoena, read this story, its quite scary!

I used to feel the heat all the time. I am a big lad. Only 5' 8", 18 stone, 18 1/2 inch neck and very tired all the time. If there was a prize for snoring, I would win it. In a b&b in Limerick, the people in the room next door, asked for a move. I used to think it was funny that I would be on top of the bed, bollock naked, under an open window, while the wife was in the bed in pj's, under two duvets, complaining of the cold.
I used to open the curtains and allow the cold air wash over me to cool me down at night. I used to wake in the middle of the night covered in sweat, breathing like I had just run the 100 meters.

I used to wake up in the morning with a throat that felt like I had eaten a cactus. Sometimes my throat would be swollen and it felt like I had something stuck in it. I could be in bed for ten hours and wake up wrecked. I would need a nap about half ten and if in a meeting, would doze off.

Continuous diabetes tests came back negative. This is a regular cause of tiredness. Then one day, the wife was with me at the doctor when she mentioned my snoring. The doctor just clicked. He referred me to the sleep clinic at Tallaght Hospital. They put a probe on my finger while I slept for three nights. It was conclusive - I had sleep apoena.

When someone goes to sleep, the throat narrows. This can cause snoring, the flesh in the throat vibrates. MY THROAT collapses completely. It is like someone is throttling me, my body tries to breath "while being throttled", the waking in the middle of the night was my oxygen level dropping to dangerously low levels, the brain raises the alarm and wakes me up. This happens hundreds of times a night. Because I go back "to sleep", I have no recollection of this. This causes the body to not reach deep REM sleep. This is the sleep where we get real rest, where we dream.


Now I have a machine called a CPAP. This is like a pilots mask connected to a small machine that monitors my breathing. If it senses I stop, it gently pressurises air into my throat which splints open my airway and allows me to sleep.

I had a dream last night ! Its unreal what a good nights sleep does for you until you dont have one.

The consequences of sleep apoena are wide reaching. Untreated - you are ten times more likely to have a car crash (you can fall asleep at the wheel), the constant cycle of waking, sleeping, choking, waking, sleeping, etc etc can cause high blood pressure, strokes and heart attacks. If these symptoms sound familiar, get it checked.

I drive and the question - "Do you have any conditions that may affect your driving" is relevant. I went unregged to post this as I dont want any insurance company to get any ideas that I am dangerous.....

FYI - I declared it to my car insurance company and there was no increase in the premium, however I do now need to provide a medical cert to them each year (have not tried to move company either).

I have not yet had my driving licence renewed since diagnosis, I will likely declare here also on renewal. I have read that in the UK your licence is withdrawn until you can demonstrate that you are receiving therapy for SA.

Now that I have gone public on the system I need to consider the consequences if I rent a car abroad without it declared on the licence....

johnnyvee

I have a condition (as does my pop) that I am unable to sleep as a repetitive action is replayed over and over again in my mind proventing me from sleeping. Even though you may sometimes be very tired and want to nod off, you are suspended in this trapped state sometimes for hours at a time unable to sleep. The good news is that there is a solution to this problem ..............(Number one rule about no being able to sleep - Don't let it get to ya!) You may be tired the following day, but you will get over it.......... Anyway this is the solution to the problem. You have to remove the repetitive action from your mind so fill it with something else. Remove yourself from the bed, and watch some TV (it works for me) stay watching until you begin to nod off, return to the bed ...... bingo! The cycle has been broken and with a little luck, you will sleep. As the TV has fed me with alternative images, I don't see why not reading an exciting book wouldn't do the same thing. If anyone else has this problem, let me know how you get on.

lynnsback

How does one get appointments at these sleep clinics?

stbalaji2u

good.. you have provided good information over here. But actually i am from india. So do any of you guys have idea about where can i catch a sleep clinic in india. I need to find soon, I am suffering a lot.

galah

are there any sleep clinics that treat other sleep problems aside from apnea (in my case extreme sleep walking, where my body does not rest sufficiently, causing symptoms of Fibromyalgia)?

Would treatment be covered by health insurance (I checked with VHI but haven't heard back yet)?

Any info appreciated (I will check back with my GP, but it's good to have some insider knowledge as well).
Cheers
galah

stbalaji2u

hmm.. looks like no one knows any information about sleep clinics in india.. i need some help about that..

fiattech

Ialso have sleep apnia i have been using a cpap (continuous positive airway pressure ) machine for the past three years . i was diagnosed with the condition in the sleep lab at st. vincents in dublin .one other side effect that i had was sexsomnia wich i have to say i miss this is when i was asleep i would try to perform sexual acts with my wife (nothing too rude) i would be woken up by her normally with a slap in the ear to be told i was at it again .i would only find out the next morning that i was at it again when she reminded me because i would have forgotten all about it by then. this became a real problem after a while not only was i having broken sleep but now my wife was too .thankfully it has all stoped now has anyone else had sexsomnia or is it just me ?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1242521/sexsomnia_interesting_facts_about_sleep.html

Little Miss Cutie

Hi all,
I am looking for some advice. My OH recently visited the doctor and the doc thinks he has sleep apnea. He calmly explained what happens when he is asleep and how it impacts on his sleep and his life in general.
The main reason he went to the doctor is because he falls asleep during the day everywhere ie in conversation, out for dinner and in work!
Really I guess the reason I am posting is I am hoping someone who has had the same problem seen a dramatic improvement in the quality of their life.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can share their story.

fiattech

Ask your OH'S doctor to refare him to a sleep clinic it's well worth it for his health alone what part of the world are you from ?

Little Miss Cutie

Thanks for the reply. The doc has referred him and we are waiting for an appointment, apparently he is on the urgent list.

We are in dublin.

caramel0

Hi, I have Bruxia, which is also classified as a sleeping disorder. It does not matter how long I sleep (8 or 12 hours), I always wake up tired and feeling like I want to go back to sleep.
My boyfriend has also pointed out to me that sometimes he cannot hear me breathing and I seem to have a very slow heart beat. I looked this up and found that there is a sleeping disorder called hypopnea.
Hypopnea and bruxia are linked.
I was wondering if anyone has this condition and would sleep clinics dealt with these disorders?

Tail Wagger

caramel0 wrote: »

Hi, I have Bruxia, which is also classified as a sleeping disorder. It does not matter how long I sleep (8 or 12 hours), I always wake up tired and feeling like I want to go back to sleep.
My boyfriend has also pointed out to me that sometimes he cannot hear me breathing and I seem to have a very slow heart beat. I looked this up and found that there is a sleeping disorder called hypopnea.
Hypopnea and bruxia are linked.
I was wondering if anyone has this condition and would sleep clinics dealt with these disorders?

If you go to your GP,s/he will advise you and possibly make an appointment in a sleep clinic. your always safer to have it checked out anyway. Sure what harm will it do?

bert n ernie

Hi Guys, first post on here. can anyone tell me how much the sleep clinic costs approximately? Hubbie has what the doc thinks is sleep apnoea, hes referred us to the clinic in Beaumount, but before we send the letter in would love to have an idea how much cash we need on hand. dont have health insurance at the minute, and want to get it solved now rather than waiting for an insurance policy to kick in !! any info would be much appreciated

Gerard93

bert n ernie wrote: »

Hi Guys, first post on here. can anyone tell me how much the sleep clinic costs approximately? Hubbie has what the doc thinks is sleep apnoea, hes referred us to the clinic in Beaumount, but before we send the letter in would love to have an idea how much cash we need on hand. dont have health insurance at the minute, and want to get it solved now rather than waiting for an insurance policy to kick in !! any info would be much appreciated

Hi bert n ernie,
I have sleep apenia did'nt have to go to a sleep clinic, was given a monitor that I took home and wired it up to myself before I went to bed, brought it back to my hospital next morning and they downloaded the data & referred onto my consultant. As far as I can remember did'nt pay anything for this, except for the consultant's fee. I am now using a CPAP machine which I rent monthly & my health insurance covers the rental cost. Condition is serious & should be treated as well as follow up checks annually Cardiogram, Lung/Breathing functions etc. Hope this helps

bert n ernie

thanks for the Gerard93, will have to ask the doc about that!! sounds morecost effective alright! cheers !!:)

SandraBNG

Does anybody experience the following?

Apparently I do not sleep properly, I've always known I snore like crazy, it's really really loud. Added to that, I apparently tend to jerk violently in my sleep; I'll be nodding off and all of a sudden my leg will kick out, somethimes my whole body will jerk. Also, my throat clicks and when I wake up my throat is really dry. I'm a cold person but I sleep in shorts and a light tshirt as I apparently sweat in bed. Does anybody else experience these things? My boyfriend sleeps on the couch most nights as I keep him awake with my snoring/clilcking/jerking. I didn't know I experienced half of these things until he told me!

bert n ernie

Sandra, thats exactly what my hubby does. his doc said it was sleep apnoea, he never remembers a thing in the morning. get to the doc for a diagnosis though !!

[-0-]

Pretty sure I have sleep apnea... always waking and gasping for breath to the point i need to stand up and calm myself. Happens about 3 times a week. Off to the GP I go then.

sodergren

Good day!

Sorry for bumping this, but I'd really like some more information regarding these sleep clinics (preferably in the Dublin area), more specifically the financial parts of it.

I've had sleeping problems for ~10 years or so, seen doctors many many times but they either tell me to seek therapy (because they assume I'm depressed, despite me telling them that's not it...) or prescribe sleeping pills, which may or may not work, it's a bit random. I've finally taken the time to do some research myself and found that everything about "delayed sleep-phase syndrome" matches, so thought I'd see a specialist to get it confirmed.

I am however not wealthy I guess you could say So I'm just wondering, did everyone who went to a clinic get a machine to take home and had almost no additional charges? (I currently do not have an insurance.)

Thankful for any response!

Chicks

I'd also like some information on these sleep clinics if anyone has any..Specifically I'd like to know if referrals there by your GP are covered by medical card, and what exactly happens when you go there.

I think I have delayed sleep phase disorder too, I've had it for as long as I can remember. It didn't bother me so much before, but I've been unemployed for a while now and without the distraction of a job to go to, the abnormality of the whole thing is really getting to me.

This is a self-diagnosis, because my GP is a cretin. All he's done is prescribe me different anti-depressants that are 'sedatives', but they didn't help me sleep, they just made me emotionally unstable and slightly psychotic. I consider it dangerous to prescribe anti-depressants to someone who doesn't suffer from depression, because of the giant list of side effects, many of which I seem to be prone to.

He refuses to prescribe me sleeping pills because they're addictive. As a last resort I've taken the liberty of ordering melatonin online, as the GP won't give it to me because it's an unlicensed medicine in Ireland. Before I start taking melatonin, I'd like to be diagnosed properly by someone who knows what they're talking about. Everything I've read about it deems it harmless, but I'd like to try to fix this another way if at all possible.

Jesus Wept

Also have had bad gp experiences, last time (a year ago) I went and without knowing I had it, I perfectly described all the symptoms of Non-24, I didn't know it had a name at the time.
She laughed and told me to set an alarm.

I emailed St James sleep clinic 6 weeks ago and they didn't even respond (have re-emailed them asking why as of today).

Unfortunately, when searching for 'Sleep disorder clinics Ireland', it seems the only thing they talk about is sleep apnea. :-/
What a frustrating country.

The only place that may be of could be of help is The Mater Private, though I shudder to think of the cost. Also deflating is that it doesn't sound like treatments are often effective.

I think I may have started out with DSPS.

MarcinG

Hi.
St. vincents has a sleep aponea clinics on Wednesdays.
And as quick as i can i will get my appointment there (need to get medical card first).
you can ring guy from irish sleep aponea trust - he seems to be very helpful.
number is on their web page.

I was badly snoring since I can remember but never had a problem with it.
But when i movet to Ireland something happened (i got "extra 30kg" or it was less active life (i use to do around 10-15k km on bike every year) or something with climate here (mould in bathroom? who knows?), but after about 2 years i couldn't drive a car any more - i was falling asleep every few hours - first impression was that this is job related (i was working 8-16h daily 5 days a week).
I swapped job but problems were still there. At worst time (around 2,5 - 3 years ago) i couldn't drive from bray to airport with less than 2 naps on the way - same with attending meetings - i was asleep after 3 minutes i even managed to fall asleep behind table while had my dinner - woke up at 5 am still sitting and dressed with plate in front of me). i looked over internet and find out that i have sleep aponea and went to gp to get letter to st. vincent but they said that nearest appointment can be set i 6 mths time!!!
so i went to poland (i'm polish) and got ENT surgery done (do not do it!!! i just trusted their commercials)
it helped perfectly. for a year.... now i'm back with my problems.
CPAP doesn't work on me (at some stage after few hours of sleep i'm starting chocking (like pressure in cpap was to high to allow me to breath out air from my lungs) and i have to remove mask, switch cpap off, put mask back on and so with cpap + drink some water as my throat is dust dry (this is not much better than no sleep from sa).
ps. on some occasions i managed to stop breathing for over 3minutes (my wife used stop watch on me once).
is there any one who had similar problem with cpap?
so far (apart from related expenses) i spent around 2-3k euro (number of checks, cpap, surgery) and have no results....

CloseYourMouth

Here, we examine the literature to determine whether rhinitis, chronic overbreathing and sleeping with the mouth open is a causal factor for snoring and sleep apnoea.
“Open-mouth breathing during sleep is a risk factor for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and is associated with increased disease severity and upper airway collapsibility.” The study which involved 52 patients found that “the more elongated and narrow upper airway during open-mouth breathing may aggravate the collapsibility of the upper airway and, thus, negatively affect OSA severity.”1
In another study, 385 patients with obstructive sleep apnoea were examined through a questionnaire. Results showed that upper airway symptoms were common, with 61% of patients reporting mouth dryness, 52% with nasal stuffiness, 51% with dryness of the nose, 30% with sneezing, 24% with mucus in the throat, and 17% with a runny nose.2
Ohki et al. performed a study to determine the relationship between oral breathing and nasal obstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The study involved 30 normal subjects and 20 patients with snoring or sleep apnoea. Researchers found that chronic nasal obstruction and resultant mouth breathing may induce obstructive sleep apnea.3
In a paper entitled, “How does open-mouth breathing influence upper airway anatomy?”4, Lee et al. tested the hypothesis that open-mouth breathing during sleep may increase the severity of obstructive sleep apnea. After an analysis of 28 patients, researchers concluded that “open-mouth breathing is associated with reduction of the retropalatal and retroglossal areas, lengthening of the pharynx and shortening of the MP-H in the upper airway.”4
After reviewing texts and articles on Medline, the centre for research disorders in Cincinnati, Ohio concluded that obstructive sleep apnoea, sleep fragmentation, and disturbed sleep often result from nasal obstruction.5 The authors of the paper observed that “since breathing through the nose appears to be the preferred route during sleep, nasal obstruction frequently leads to nocturnal mouth breathing, snoring, and ultimately to OSA.”5 The paper advised that allergic rhinitis and other upper respiratory disorders should be treated more aggressively.5
Mouth breathing, snoring, and sleep apnoea in children
A Polish study noted that children with sleep respiratory disorders wake up tired, with blocked noses, were breathing through their mouth, tire easily, have concentration problems, are irritated, and demonstrate hyperactivity that may resemble ADHD symptoms. The paper further states that “long-term disease leads to exacerbation of all-systemic symptoms, results in cardiovascular complications, induces developmental inhibition and cognitive dysfunction, and is responsible for school/social failures and reduced life quality.”6
In a paper entitled, “The nose and sleep disordered breathing: what we know and what we don’t know,” performed an analysis of medical literature on the subject.7 The analysis confirmed that “SDB (sleep disordered breathing) can both result from and be worsened by nasal obstruction.” It was stated that “nasal congestion typically results in a switch to oronasal breathing that compromises the airway.” Furthermore, “oral (mouth) breathing in children may lead to the development of facial structural abnormalities associated with SDB.” The paper concluded that the change to mouth breathing that occurs with chronic nasal obstruction is a common pathway for sleep-disordered breathing.7
Mouth breathing was also recognised to be a factor in a study to determine the prevalence and association of sleep disorders and school performance. Based on a total of 1,164 completed questionnaires on children aged between 7 and 13 years, it was found that the overall prevalence of snoring was 38.9% with 3.5% habitually snoring. “Allergic symptoms, daytime mouth breathing, shaking the child for apnea, restless sleep and hyperactivity were significant and independent risk factors and sleep-related symptoms for HS.”9
A study was conducted to determine the risk factors of habitual snoring and symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing. Based on a study of 1030 children aged from 12 to 17 years, it was found that “habitual snorers had significantly more night time symptoms including observed apneas, difficulty breathing, restless sleep and mouth breathing during sleep compared to occasional and non-snorers.”10
And finally, data from 248 medical charts of mouth-breathing children were analysed to determine the prevalence of obstructive sleep disorders in such children. It was found that 58% of children were primary snorers and 42% had obstructive sleep apnoea. The paper concluded that, “primary snoring and OSAS are frequent findings in mouth breathing children.”11
There is no doubt that mouth breathing is a significant causal factor for snoring and sleep apnea in both adults and children.
References:

• Kim EJ, Choi JH, Kim KW, Kim TH, Lee SH, Lee HM, Shin C, Lee KY, Lee SH.
  The impacts of open-mouth breathing on upper airway space in obstructive sleep apnea: 3-D MDCT analysis.Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2010 Oct 19.
• Kreivi HR, Virkkula P, Lehto J, Brander P.Frequency of upper airway symptoms before and during continuous positive airway pressure treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Respiration. 2010;80(6):488-94.
• Ohki M, Usui N, Kanazawa H, Hara I, Kawano K. Relationship between oral breathing and nasal obstruction in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.Acta Otolaryngol Suppl. 1996;523:228-30.
• Lee SH, Choi JH, Shin C, Lee HM, Kwon SY, Lee SH.How does open-mouth breathing influence upper airway anatomy? Laryngoscope. 2007 Jun;117(6):1102-6.
• Scharf MB, Cohen AP Diagnostic and treatment implications of nasal obstruction in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1998 Oct;81(4):279-87; quiz 287-90.
• Wasilewska J, Kaczmarski M Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in children [Article in Polish] Wiad Lek. 2010;63(3):201-12.
• Rappai M, Collop N, Kemp S, deShazo R. The nose and sleep-disordered breathing: what we know and what we do not know. Chest. 2003 Dec;124(6):2309-23.
• Izu SC, Itamoto CH, Pradella-Hallinan M, Pizarro GU, Tufik S, Pignatari S, Fujita RR. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in mouth breathing children. [Article in English, Portuguese] Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2010 Oct;76(5):552-6.
• Sahin U, Ozturk O, Ozturk M, Songur N, Bircan A, Akkaya A. Habitual snoring in primary school children: prevalence and association with sleep-related disorders and school performance. Med Princ Pract. 2009;18(6):458-65. Epub 2009 Sep 30.
• Sogut A, Yilmaz O, Dinc G, Yuksel H, Prevalence of habitual snoring and symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing in adolescents. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2009 Dec;73(12):1769-73. Epub 2009 Oct 20.
• Izu SC, Itamoto CH, Pradella-Hallinan M, Pizarro GU, Tufik S, Pignatari S, Fujita RR. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in mouth breathing children.[Article in English, Portuguese] Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2010 Oct;76(5):552-6.

Jesus Wept

fml. When are they going to start helping people who aren't having problems that would be resolved by losing excess weight?

ffs

CloseYourMouth

The-Rigger wrote: »

fml. When are they going to start helping people who aren't having problems that would be resolved by losing excess weight?

ffs

Sleep apnoea affects all size, not just overweight. The first question I would ask anyone with sleep apnoea is

Do you have nasal obstruction?
Do you sleep on your back?
Do you sleep with your mouth open?

If so, you need to address these first!

BandiTee650

I am so relieved to see someone else out there understands the frustration involved in searching for help with insomnia & getting info on sleep apnoea all the time. Also, medical professionals trying to push antidepressants on you because you don't sleep & seemingly the only reason for this is depression.
I have suffered with this for years, this being laying awake night after night, all night, and on the 3rd or 4th morning I will fall asleep. This is not sleep apnoea or depression. I am not depressed. very upsetting& confusing.

Alfasud

Does anybody have a problem whereby they think they are awake but are told they have been snoring?

MarcinG

Alfasud wrote: »

Does anybody have a problem whereby they think they are awake but are told they have been snoring?

Snoring is (what i understand) caused by relaxed throat tissue which is flapping inside your throat as you breathing. If you falling asleep/did not woke up completely you throat muscles may be relaxed enough to cause snoring. Alcohol doesn't help as it relaxes muscles even further (my snoring is way worst after alcohol).

I can't sleep sometimes for many hours after going to bed each night, I'm physically tired, it could be 9.30pm/11pm/2am it dosn't matter...my usual bed time is 10pm but often its 1am before I start to drop off which leaves me so tired the next day...I'm a working Mom with all the normal stresses of life and I'd call myself a worrier but how I would love to just numb my mind and fall into a peaceful sleep when I go to bed!:(....I have taken both natural and prescribed sleeping tablets in the past but even they don't work now.....any suggestions would be great...I've started Horlicks an hour before bed, switching off tv/computer/reading/mediatation/covering my eyes/ear plugs......everything!! tired of being tired.......

eagle eye

First time posting in this thread. I suffer from Sleep Apnoea. I finally, after lots of medical tests, found out about this in 2005. I used to be a very loud snorer and when I went on a session I could go all night or fall asleep after a couple of pints. Now I can outlast the best of drinkers. About twelve months ago I got a new mask and a couple of weeks later I started to suffer from colds and flu's. This went on for about 11 months before I even thought it could have something to do with the new mask. I only realised it in the middle of January and started to use the old mask. Since then my health has improved and I have not had any cold and I've felt better than I did at anytime in the last twelve months or so.

One other thing is that people should keep up to date on things. Please tell anybody you think may suffer from Sleep Apnoea to get tested for it. I was so happy that its been discovered after reading this.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120904100149.htm

looksee

I have complained of tiredness at various times over a number of years, but in the last approximately 2 or 3 years it has been more noticeable, and now over the last 3 or 4 months it is kind of out of hand. I was not getting any help until I went to the doctor (again) and this time asked for a sleep apnoea test. The preliminary test showed that I definitely had it and quite extreme results, so now I have been referred to a sleep clinic. I am going privately as I want to get this sorted though I have a medical card.

My question is, does sleep apnoea develop - get worse? I know I am reporting a situation where it has got worse over the years, but now over the last couple of weeks it seems to be speeding up and I seem to be more and more tired each day, to the extent that I am now finding it difficult to be rational, it is affecting my judgment and I just sit in a chair most of each day feeling exhausted. I am really barely functioning. I have asked for a cancellation appointment if one comes up but I can hardly think straight. I can hardly cope with the idea of waiting two or three weeks. Has anyone else felt like this?

I am not overweight, do not smoke, drink very little, do not have breathing difficulties and have propped up my mattress so I am raised up, and I sleep on my side. I have also tried the nasal strips which sometimes help but mostly don't. I have had arrhythmia for years, which I understand can be linked to sleep apnoea, and I have also been diagnosed with serious depression, though I am beginning to think I might not be depressed at all, just tired.

I am worried about the way it seems to be getting worse though, and I wonder if anyone else has had this?

dmcg90

My doctor has diagnosed me with sleep apnea and has recommended I get health insurance and get to a sleep clinic.

What insurance should I go with to do this?

daithi7

Here's some great tips to help you get some sleep ......

http://www.well.com/~mick/insomnia/

and here they are put to music by a choir in New York, I kid you not

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tznqYLK_c0I

tips summary from well.com/~mick/insomnia

Index of Insomnia Tips

See a Doctor
Take a Warm Bath
Get a Massage
Listen to Music or Other Audio
Drink Warm Milk
Drink Herb Tea
Eat a Bedtime Snack
Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco
Sleep in a Well-Ventilated Room
Sleep on a Good Firm Bed
Sleep on Your Back
Get Some Physical Exercise During the Day
Keep Regular Bedtime Hours
If You Can't Sleep, Get Up
Don't Sleep In
Get Up Earlier in the Morning
Keep Your Bed a Place for Sleep
Avoid Naps
Avoid Illuminated Bedroom Clocks



Of course there's the standard insomnia remedy
that everyone knows (although it never worked for us, so we've got a better version)

Counting Sheep
Some insomnia cures you probably
haven't seen before

Sleep With Your Head Facing North
Don't Watch TV or Read Before Going to Bed
Toe Wiggling
Stomach Rub
Progressive Relaxation
[Listen to, or download at no charge, this guided relaxation]
Deep Breathing
Visualize Something Peaceful
Visualize Something Boring
Imagine It's Time to Get Up
Quiet Ears
And some new suggestions from readers
who have found these remedies useful for their own insomnia.

Not Thinking
Smoke Yourself to Sleep
Yawning
Sex—Alone or with Others
Backwards Counting / Mental Computer
South, Not North
Earplugs
Secure Place
Bedtime Routine
Hot Water Bottle
Green Cows—and Other Animals of Color
Short Walk Before Bed

Testimonials


Good luck! Have a pleasant sleep!

VicWynne

Do you have to go through your GP for a referral to a sleep clinic, or can you contact them yourself?
Thanks,

Kevin the Kid

stbalaji2u wrote: »

good.. you have provided good information over here. But actually i am from india. So do any of you guys have idea about where can i catch a sleep clinic in india. I need to find soon, I am suffering a lot.

Just a question. You are not taking malaria prevention tablets are you? They are very disruptive to sleep patterns and have serious side effects like sleepwalking etc.

tal123

Hi everyone! So sorry to bump this thread...I don't have sleep apnea, I just have incredibly bad and currently nightly sleep terrors and sleepwalking. It's happened off and on for over 15 years now and I keep waiting for it to just go away but it's sticking around fairly stubbornly and I'm tired of being scared all night and exhausted all day. Does anyone know how much I should expect to pay in the Mater (no medical card, no insurance)? Happy to go anywhere else as well, I just have only been able to find information about their clinic when researching online. And if anyone else is experiencing similar things and/or has successfully treated it, I'd really appreciate any insight/advice. Thanks a mill!

skinny79

Alfasud wrote: »

Does anybody have a problem whereby they think they are awake but are told they have been snoring?

My Girlfriend is constantly nagging me about this, i get really frustrated with her and end up arguing about it.

MarcinG

Alfasud wrote: »

Does anybody have a problem whereby they think they are awake but are told they have been snoring?

yes. Ps i have something wrong with my septum. i have no problem snoring while breathing through nose

dslamjack

I have been referred for test's for possible sleep apnoea,although I do not get tired or sleepy during the day.
How ever my GP has now informed me that due to new regulation's that have been introduced that I may have to stop driving privately and for work till a diagnosis is obtained from a specialist.
She has said she will let me know during the week if I can continue to drive,even though at this stage that sleep apnoea is supposition and has not yet been diagnosed.
But she say's that because I have been referred for a possible sleep disorder her hand's have been tied.
I find this hard to take in,I could understand if a person was dropping out of their standing and falling asleep without warning or so tired as too make them incapable of driving(being the equivalent of been drunk with tiredness,instead of alcohol).
Let's face it ,if a person was that tired it would be criminal to get in to a vehicle and drive.
I was wondering has anybody here been put in a similar position by their doctor.

FRUB

HELLO EVERYONE, THIS IS MY FIRST POST...

I decided to loin you as I have just read what NONAMETODAY has written on sleep apnea, and agree totally with that experience, I am 60 years old and have had this condition all my life, it was only till I was 51 years old that I actually found out about sleep apnea, and had a sleep study done, it told me that I stopped breathing 41 times an hour? yet there was very little the medical people could do except offer me a CPAP machine at that time these machine where not very good and was told because of the way I slept that the mask would only keep falling off, so I did nothing more about it, until November last year when I got a referral to Merlin Park in Galway, and yesterday 5/4/2017 I attended an appointment , the result of this appointment was that I would now have to have the CPAP machine to which I am now awaiting...

What NONAMETODAY has stated they had gone through I can relate to very well, and so I had to write my piece on this subject so thank you NONAMETODAY for encouraging me to do so, i have managed to live through the best part of life not knowing about my condition, and am still here but their comes a time when you have to stop and re-think what having sleep apnea is really doing to you health wise, so if you have this condition please (if you have not already) see you GP, and get a CPAP machine organised, they have machines now that will help a lot despite all the controversy about said machines, I have been lucky so far and had no heart problems, even so have stopped smoking, and taken on more exercise by walking and a little cycling, weight issues have been my problem and although I eat in a healthy manner the benefits of these small changes are vast, so do not be afraid of change in your life, just go for it, at the end of the day you have to care more about yourself when you have apnea.

One final thing here, I would like to know if anyone can tell me where I can chat to or even meet people with this condition, as the sleep apnea society here in Ireland is very badly run, by this I mean you contact them and you get no reply's, the information on there site is helpful but only copied from other sources, anyway any one out there who can help me contact others with sleep apnea plaese let me know. thank you.