Sleep Apnea Pillows

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   Do Sleep Apnea Pillows Really Work?
   Hi there,

   The doctor said I suffer from sleep apnea and suggested I try a sleep apnea pillow first. Just wondering how good these pillows work and where to get them from? Thanks

   • ANSWER:
     I feel your pain Mark. sleep apnea pillows have worked very well for me, I bought my first one about 12 months ago from amazon store. I cant remember the actual model but I found it through this page, http://www.seeksleep.com/.

     Do you sleep on your back? Because unfortunately they are only suited for people who sleep on their back, its the way the pillow is made, but yeah they do work. Good luck.

2. QUESTION:
   do you have any special pillows for people with sleep apnea?

   • ANSWER:
     First if you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea did you go to a sleep lab? Usually if you did the technician would tell you about it. And all of the options available I will eventually answer your question.

     Sleep apnea simply means stopping breathing more than so many times, for a specific length of time, during a given period of time.

     We go to sleep but never really go into what is called REM sleep where our brain really gets its rest! REM means rapid eye movement - don't be freaked out by phrased and initials, your eyes "dart" about when your brain is in a very specific state of sleep, a very desirable state! For probably the past 40+ years, I really was not truly sleeping! I denied that I had a problem, I really wasn't all that tired. But, my wife finally convinced me. She deserves a gold Star, Probably a Congressional Medal of Honor! I am a Hard Headed 61 year-old I'm afraid that I was extremely hard on her! She no doubt has saved my life and no words will ever be able to thank her enough. After all I WAS ASLEEP. ALL WAS OK AS FAR AS I WAS CONCERNED!!! How do I know what quality sleep I encounter, when I am asleep!

     In the "usual" cases apnea is caused by blockage of the airway. This blockage is caused frequently by the collapse of the airway thus a positive air pressure is applied to "inflate" this airway. A Constant Pressure Air device CPAP is usually prescribed as the least intrusive measure, but, sometimes minor surgery is required. The device will furnish air at a specific pressure measured in inches of water that will be / or has been prescribed from the sleep lab session. The pressure in inches of water, where your brain goes into REM pattern on the EEG. This is the ideal pressure!

     They will set up the machine for you. Don't worry it will all go smooth. I promise that soon you will get use to the CPAP machine maybe even love it! If you live up North, you can always bundle yourself underneath tons of blankets and breath. Kinda like breathing underwater!

     This will be a good adventure for you! You will feel better overall I promise regardless of any other conditions!

     IF YOU HAVE SLEEP APNEA, IT CAN CAUSE DEATH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND TREATED I PROMISE YOUR YOU WILL BE A NEW YOU! YOU WILL BE WON OVER TO THE SAVED IF YOU FOLLOW THE DOCTORS ORDERS!! NOT MY ORDERS.. EXCEPT TO SEE A SLEEP DOCTOR AND SUBJECT YOURSELF TO A COUPLE OF NIGHTS OF MONITORED "NOT SO RESTFUL" SLEEP CLINIC VISITS. IT IS TRULY WORTH IT. IF THE DOCTOR SAYS GET A PILLOW GET A PILLOW! IF HE SAYS GET A CPAP GET A CPAP! DO WHAT HE SAYS! THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

     THE BEST OF LUCK AND ALWAYS ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SEEK HELP IF THEY NEED IT. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN EVEN THE BEST OF US NEED HELP.

     HAVE A GOOD DAY, I GOTTA GET BACK TO HURRICANE KATRINA RECOVERY!

     APS
     Source(s):
     MY LIFE

     FINALLY WHAT YOU ASKED FOR YOUR PILLOW INFO:

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3. QUESTION:
   Does a Sleep Apnea Mouthpiece actually work?
   I have minor obstructive sleep apnea and am considering trying a sleep apnea mouthpiece or pillow. Any advice appreciated

   • ANSWER:
     They do, but depending on the severity of your sleep apnea you maybe should visit your GP first.

     I use one and it has worked well

4. QUESTION:
   Takes off the CPAP mask EVERY night in her sleep?
   DW has tried a medium mask, small mask and now nasal pillows for sleep apnea. The cpap includes a humidifier. I don't think she has slept with the mask on thru the night more than 3 times in the last 3 years.

   • ANSWER:
     Has she tried the full mask or just the nasal type masks?

     I have a full mask with head gear and it has to be adjusted around the forehead and the chin. Some people even have to sleep with a chin strap.

     She also may need to change the seeting on her humidifier to be more or less than what she has it set for now.

     Sometimes the brand that of mask that you use can cause irritation during the evening. Try using a different brand.

     There is also a special pillow that has cutouts so that the mask is more comfortable to use. I personally did not like it but others can not live without it. It is made from memory foam.

5. QUESTION:
   What can you do for a 7 yo autistic child w/ sleep apnea?
   I'm going to get a sleep study (maybe a portable one), but our son is autistic so I can only imagine the horror it will be trying to put a cpap machine or other things attached to him for the study. Has anyone tried any less invasive items with success? I did just order some nasal sleep "openers" that are reusable. I see pillows etc....but he doesn't really use a pillow consistently. I am hoping we don't have to take out his tonsils/adenoids. We also don't want to medicate. So if there is anything else that might help please list sources if possible. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration! :0)

   • ANSWER:
     CPAP or BPAP takes some getting used to, but it really works. However, there is a surgical procedure that will resolve the cause...although it can re-occur and your son may be too young for it. It involves more than tonsils/adenoids. This is something you need to discuss with your physician.
     A serious sleep study is probably not possible as a portable option. The ones I've had included constant monitoring by a trained individual in another room watching all the read outs and making adjustments etc. I urge you to address sleep apnea as requiring serious attention...lack of deep sleep often causes severe emotional and physiological problems over a period of time. The good news is that a BPAP or CPAP provides almost instant relief (after you get used to it for maximum effect). I've been sleeping with a BPAP for over 15 years...never leave home without my machine...don't even take a nap without it. The effect of the quiet machine and forced air calms me and puts me to sleep...might do that for you son too. Maybe you could take the test also, along side your son, to reduce his reactions. Make it a game as a test pilot with his oxygen mask...show him some films prior. Your BPAP physician may have better ideas.
     Good luck - your son will benefit.

6. QUESTION:
   What is the BEST nasal strip or other product for severe sleep apnea?
   Over the counter, nonprescription product please. Can not mix with Coumadin. I'm trying to find something other than the Breath Right strip for my husband before I put a pillow over his head. Even if I go to bed before him, his snoring wakes me up. I don't want him to always sleep in another room. Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
   -to use for now until he gets the CPAP machine....

   • ANSWER:
     Well if he's got a CPAP coming that's good news. You'll be amazed. It'll be a LOT quiter in your bedroom.

     Until then - my wife used earplugs for years (and slept in the other room!) Nasal strips, sprays etc are a waste of money. How is a nasal strip going to keep his soft palette from vibrating? Never understood that.

7. QUESTION:
   How to relieve pressure on my lower back? And what is the best way to get better sleep?
   My question is how do I relieve pressure on my lower back? Also what is the best sleeping position? I noticed when I go to sleep I sleep better on my stomach, but the problem is the lower back starts to sink and it causes me to have back pain in the morning. Then when I try sleeping on my side I can't even fall asleep and if I sleep on my back I get sleep apnea episodes. I am trying to find a way so I can sleep better without any interruptions so that does incluses mattress and pillows. Anyone know what I can do?

   • ANSWER:
     Well if your having episodes of apnea, you need to tell your doctor so you can have a sleep study done. They may prescribe a C-pap device for you to sleep with at night. this would help greatly at night in relieving the apnea. This would allow you to sleep on your back, then you could try raising your legs on pillows or a cushion of some type. This will allow your lower back to drop into better alignment and be more straight during the night. This is probably why you sleep better on your stomach. Your apnea is reduced. Good luck...

8. QUESTION:
   Deviated Septum Surgery and Sleep Apnea?
   Hi, I had surgery for a deviated septum on March 3rd of this year and about a month and a half later on April 17th I was able to breathe out my right nostril, the one that was blocked by my septum. I can breathe so well, it is amazing. I have sleep apnea and a CPAP, but have never been able to use the CPAP. I know that I can breathe through my nose I can use the CPAP now, the problems is that I know I still breathe through my mouth a lot when I sleep because I still wake up sweating like I'm choking in the morning. I know I've been thrashing around at night. My question is if I still don't use the CPAP because I've never been able too and have tried all types of masks(nose pillows, full face, mouth and nose) will I get better sleep maybe in a couple of weeks or so now that my nose is better? Basically will it improve? I have a big "sleep debt". I can feel it. I know that with a CPAP or without it would take a while to improve because of the "sleep debt". It wouldn't be overnight.

   • ANSWER:
     You should stay with the cpap machine if at all possible. I am a sleep lab assistant and I know how our patients feel after not using the machine. If you are having problems with your mouth opening, than a full face mask or a chin strap is your best bet. If you feel like you are having nasal or throat dryness, then you may need a humidifier. We mainly use masks by Resmed (resmed.com) and Respironics (respironics.com). But you could look some up on cpap.com or cpapman.com. If you feel like you are suffocating and have not had a sleep study after your surgery, than you will need one as your pressures have more than likely been needing to change and it could be that right now you are getting too much air and that is why you feel so uncomfortable. If you need anymore advice or for me to go into more detail, just email me and I will be more than happy to help. Good luck and better sleep my friend.

9. QUESTION:
   So anyone out there use a mouth piece for sleep apnea?
   I tried the c_ pap machine with different mask styles nose pillows, full face mask ,i just cant use them i tried the sleep shir i would just sit up and sleep on my back, so now sleep dr said out piece and sent me to a dentist to get it , but no dentist will take my insurance and it costs 1,800 i cant afford that ,so en back to sleep dr and he said that i could order one off the internet for about 90 dollars, which i will do , my apnea the dr said is moderate its est/level 3 cpt99213,does anyone else buy there mouth piece and can handle it please let me know and thank you for your information,

   • ANSWER:
     Hello

     It is really important to have health insurance these days. Go to: this web site to get the cheapest price.
     I saved 30% last month.

     http://EliteHealthIns.com

     I hope that helps

10. QUESTION:
    Is this Sleep Apnea or something else?
    I know sleep apnea is an on going thing that normally happens quiet few times during the night & the person wouldnt know its happening......

    I have experienced waking up suddenly in the night and not being able to breath.....I sit up and have to gasp for breath for about 10 seconds and then im ok.
    Its only happened twice in the last 12 months, and it scared the s**t out of me!

    I know i dont have it every night, just once off...but is this a form of sleep apnea or something else?

    I dont think there is anything blocking my airway (unless I end up sleeping face down in my pillow) but when I wake up im normally lying on my side.

    Any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      my husband has sleep apnea. he used to snore and then stop

      breathing for about thirty seconds ,then splutter and sleep again before the snoring started again. he was very tired all day having had so many (unremembered sleep disturbances during the night) his g.p.sent him to a sleep clinic and now he wears a mask and sleeps fine.
      your symptom's could be a form of sleep apnea, but i would definitely visit your g.p. on this one. sounds scary

11. QUESTION:
    I may have sleep apnea but not every night?
    I sometimes wake up gasping but I wake up blacked out and go right back to sleep after I start breathing again. I have trouble getting sleep and never am able to get a full nights rest. I also usually snore. Right now, I am 7 months pregnant and I keep waking up with my mouth swollen (under the tongue), mouth wide open and usually on my back (I try to always sleep on my side), one night I woke up with my body pillow in my closet and on my back and I went to sleep on my side with the pillow between my legs. I've been snoring really loud and in class I started to go to sleep but while I was still conscience, I stopped breathing and was startled awake fully. Could I have sleep apnea or could it just be a lung problem? My tonsils are oversize and I may have minor asthma (undiagnosed but I wheeze, cough, have no physical endurance and have been that way my whole life).
    All those conditions I have had since I was a child but testing was never really done. I had the chance to have my tonsils out but then the insurance said they wouldn't cover it. I had been educated, prepped and was about to have the surgery and the doctors came in and said they wouldn't cover it and at the time we didn't have the money for it. Should I ask to be tested or just write it off because I don't think it happens but I had no idea that I did any of that until a few people pointed it out to me.

    The doctor did think I have asthma at one point when I was a kid. I don't know if I ever got tested or not though.

    Are there any other conditions that cause those symptoms I mentioned or could it be one of the two (asthma or sleep apnea?) I don't think I stop breathing every night but I may and it goes unnoticed.

    • ANSWER:
      they have programs for people that dont have insurance, ask about it, i had a hysterectomy without insurance and it was the indigent care program that payed for everything, you should check into it

12. QUESTION:
    Sleep Apnea - Lack of energy and appetite?
    I am 34, 145-150 lbs. 5'6" and diagnosed with a light case of Sleep Apnea in 2003. I've been on a CPAP machine now for about 9 mos. I am currently using the ResMed S8 Series C-PAP (pressure: 10) with a nasal pillow mask which seems to be working for me. I average 7-8 hours of sleep per night, but even after sleeping all night I still feel tired all day and find it hard to concentrate and listen. Almost daily, my appetite seems to lessen by dinner and I feel really drained. Sometimes It's like feeling hungry and nausea at the same time (really weird). I've had tests done for thyroid, blood count, etc. which all came back normal. I can't stay up late like I used to and I'm just really trying to get back my energy. I can't remember the last time I actually woke up so refreshed that I was ready to go. I was just wondering if anyone else with apnea is experiencing these symptoms? If so, were you able to correct it? If not, perhaps this is some other problem yet to be diagnosed...?

    • ANSWER:
      My husband uses a CPAP machine at night, has for the past 2 years. We are both nurses. I asked him his thoughts and he stated that he feels much more rested than he did before starting CPAP, but can't say he feels totally refreshed and energetic all day. He does take naps after work, and tries to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.

      I'm going to assume you're not a smoker. The hungry/nauseated feeling usually indicates hunger, so even if your appetite doesn't seem great, you should be sure and eat 3 moderate meals a day and two substantial snacks containing protein and a bit of fat and/or complex carbohydrate. Are you exercising? He goes to the Y every other day, and we walk in the evening either on the treadmill or outside. Sometimes exhaustion is self-perpetuating; people feel they're too tired to exercise, and lack of exercise makes one feel tired.

      It sounds as though you need to tell your doctor that you're still feeling more tired than you think you should. Have you had an EKG or echocardiogram or any heart studies? Sleep apnea can cause heart problems, although yours was mild and you are correcting the sleep problem. I'm sorry we don't have anything more to offer. Your doctor may be able to dig further into your concerns.

13. QUESTION:
    I suspect my new partner may have sleep apnea?
    Apart from the loud snoring, followed by a period of no breathing, when he starts breathing again his whole body shakes quite violently. This is continuous throughout the night. He goes to sleep as soon as his head hits the pillow, doesn't wake until the next morning and nothing seems to disturb him during the night (e.g. if I put the light on or get out of bed to go to the bathroom). I don't want to suggest anything to him until I am more sure of the facts.

    • ANSWER:
      there is a likelihood that he has sleep apnea. my mum has it and is currently been treated for it. she used to snore heavily, sleep as soon as she lays down or sits down, talk in her sleep, sleep a lot during the day. got so bad she even started sleeping and snoring on the bus. i got really worried and started sleeping with her. after monitoring her sleeping pattern and doing some research i knew she had and insisted she saw a doctor. she was given a breathing monitor which she had to return after a while and and the doctors said she had it really bad. they said it was risky as she had seizures of breath during her sleep which is dangerous as one can have a heart attack. she is now using something that looks like an oxygen machine and she is doing so much better now. the snoring is being suppressed by the machine and she sleeps through the night and no longer during the day. if your partner is over weight it might help if he lost some weight but it is vital that he sees a doctor soon because of the risk of a heart attack. hope this helps

14. QUESTION:
    Is this sleep apnea? ~~~?
    This has happened few nights now. I'm dreaming and in my dream suddenly I can't breathe. The air just won't go in. Then I wake up and get a big breath of air and go back to sleep. I thought I was smothering myself in my pillow but I don't think that's the case. I wouldn't know if I snore. I don't think I do. I'm only 25 and I'm not at all overweight. I have a terrible memory. I hate morning anyway so waking up feeling unrefreshed is normal. I'm a caffeine addict. Is this sleep apnea?

    • ANSWER:
      The only way to know is to have a sleep study.

15. QUESTION:
    Is it narcolepsy? Sleep Apnea? I don't snore!?
    I suffer from extremely bad excessive daytime sleepiness. I sleep a lot. I took a sleep study and an MSLT. The night study was apparently fine, but I fell asleep in every nap, and achieved REM sleep within 5 minutes every time.

    I started taking xyrem twice a night. It helped a little. But when I take naps, I get headaches after every single one without fail.

    Sometimes I wake up with my mouth open, very dry and drool all over the pillow. I don't snore apparently. My mom has severe sleep apnea. Not sure if my dad has anything. I am just so frustrated because my mom is starting to sweep everything under the rug. Any resources I can show my doctor? Any ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      "For narcolepsy to be confirmed, the patient should have early onset of REM sleep. Specifically, he or she should enter into REM sleep ("latency to REM") within 5 minutes after first falling asleep, and this should occur in at least two of the four/five naps."

      http://www.lakesidepress.com/pulmonary/Sleep/narcolepsy.htm

16. QUESTION:
    Sleep apnea question please help!?
    Well, this has been a question I had for awhile. For the past few years, I've noticed a slow change in my energy level and alertness. Just recently my dad finally took me to my doctor for back pain. Later we came in about my (finally done in) complaints about tension headaches, lack of energy, motivation, and consciousness.

    My doctor told me to take headache medicines (the ones with acetaminophen and aspirin) for my headache and told my dad to check my breathing at night. I ask my dad later why. And he said I might have sleeping apnea.

    I've researched online about it and they said that this is usually cause by not being able to breathe properly at night.

    However, my sister (who checked my breathing nearly all night long 4-5 hrs) said that it was perfectly fine. No long pauses in breathing, no snoring either. (Note, I'm not overweight I'm only 100 lbs and 15 yrs old). I've listened online about sleeping properly on schedule and I lie on a very comfortable bed with pillow at a "normal" level. Not too high or too low. I usually sleep for 7-9 hours everyday and sometimes tap 30 mins naps. (not in class)

    So there's what got me. I can't really wait for a month to visit my doctor again about this question of mines. If I can breathe properly at night what's going on? Is it still considered Sleep apnea? please help!!
    Oh yea! I forgot to add I have perfectly regular BP ^-^ tht's important to kno rite???

    • ANSWER:
      Hi,

      First of all, it is a good move that you immediately ask for the doctor's help and opinion even if your symptoms are still minimal and kind of generic. Seeking treatment and not waiting for a condition to get worse is a good attitude towards health.

      With regards to your question, I believe there is really nothing that you should be really bothered so much about at this time. As you said, you are not overweight, you sleep in a good position, you don't snore, you have normal BP, and your sister have observed you during sleep and seen no unusuality. In the first place, the doctor was just considering the possibility of sleep apnea and didn't make a final diagnosis of it yet. There are still a lot of things that need to be considered and done before the doctor can diagnose you for sleep apnea. Your headaches and other symptoms may be caused by other conditions, but that's still unofficial until you really undergo tests and treatments by your physician.

      For now, I think the best thing for you to do is not worry too much and just allow yourself to relax and be away from stress.

17. QUESTION:
    Has anyone tried the CPAP PRO mask for CPAP machines for sleep apnea....?
    ...If so, would you recommend it?
    I currently use a gel face mask, which I do pretty good with, but it is causing irritation on my face as well as leaving marks. The CPAP PRO is kept in place with a mouth piece, and uses nose pillows. I just ordered it even though my insurance company won't pay for it. I have read both good and bad reviews on it. Looking for more comments.

    • ANSWER:
      And it worked very well for him, keeping him breathing until his pacemaker quit on him. After that, I saw a cable program that was a "medical mystery" thing about this guy with trouble sleeping that CPAP was the solution. It does work. Only, you can't be kissed with it on.

18. QUESTION:
    Sleep Apnea Patients Only Please..........?
    I need some advice one a great CPAP mask; nose mask only, no full face mask. I have been using the mirage nasal pillows and now I have a mask that covers my nose and goes up between my eyes and rests in my forehead. It isn't very comfortable and it makes it hard for me to go to sleep at night. Any suggestions on a better mask will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

    • ANSWER:
      there are different models to choose from so it's best for you to try them on to see what fits best and is most comfortable for you. i use the nose mask with a chin strap. the chin strap prevents my mouth from opening up at night and sounding like a vacuum cleaner. i can't say any of them are really comfortable. Let's be honest - who would be comfortable sleeping with any sort of mask on their face? It's really all a matter of getting used to it. i hated my CPAP machine and ended up ripping off the mask in the middle of the night. but if you give it some time, you'll end up getting used to it and find you can't sleep without it!

19. QUESTION:
    Alternatives to CPAP for sleep apnea?
    My doctor is leaning towards recommending a CPAP machine for my mild sleep apnea. I don't fit any of the apnea profiles - I have a skinny neck, I'm not overweight, my tonsils are normal, and I'm not post-menopausal. No one else in my family has it. I was terribly claustrophobic and panicky when I wore a CPAP for a few hours during my sleep study. The mask (they tried four different ones on me) was bad enough, but the airflow would "surge", then slow again, every few seconds which made me feel like someone was smothering me with a pillow. I'm very afraid - Is CPAP really the answer?
    I am also mostly a side sleeper but I do sleep on all 4 sides. Trying the tennis ball thing to train myself to stay off my back.
    It was a CPAP. The air surge/stop would often happen midway during inhalation, thus causing the "pillow over the head" sensation. It felt as though my breathing rhythm and the pattern of the CPAP just couldn't coincide no matter how I tried to relax.

    • ANSWER:
      It doesn't sound like they were using a CPAP during your test as the first C in CPAP stands for Continuous. It may have just seemed like it was "surging" because as you exhale, the noise made by the release vent gets louder than when you inhale. And yes, I'm afraid you do fit a profile or they wouldn't have recommended a CPAP for you. You have been diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, you don't have to be fat or have abnormal tonsils. OSA or Obstructive Sleep Apnea can simply be due to your tongue and other flesh in the throat blocking the opening when you sleep because your muscles relax when you sleep. If you will allow yourself to get used to the device, you will most likely find that you won't want to sleep without it. CPAP, BiPAP and AutoPAP therapies are incredibly effective in treating sleep apnea.

20. QUESTION:
    Does this sound like sleep apnea?
    First, my toddler is 2 and 4 months and I have noticed before that he snores sometimes. Last night for some strange reason I wanted him to sleep with me instead of in his bed like usual. I woke at 4 something because I had been grinding my teeth. I looked over and the dog was on the bed which is unusual in itself and she was staring at my son and crying. I looked at him and he was laying on his back and I couldn't see him breathing or hear him breathing and I jumped up and put my hand on his chest and didn't feel him breathing and I shook his shoulders and he jumped and started breathing and rolled over on his stomach. I just layed there the rest of the time until my alarm went off listening to be sure he was breathing. There wasn't anything on the bed to suffocate him the covers were kicked off of him most of the night, he always does that. He had his own small pillow that he always uses and he was on his back, not face down. I mean it scared the crap out of me. I am waiting for the doctors office to open so I can call them and talk to them about this but does this seem like it could be something like sleep apnea? I am going to be scared to let him sleep in his room now...

    • ANSWER:
      My son had sleep apnea and the only way to be sure is to take him to a doctor, but that is exactly what happened to us that made us suspect apnea. He was a lot younger and ended up having his tonsils removed as that was the cause, but yes, I think it might be apnea.

21. QUESTION:
    a question about snoring, acid reflux and sleep apnea?
    so i have a medication for my acid reflux that im not taking since it's summer and my schedule is all messed up. the directions clearly state to take one pill with my morning meal and one with my evening meal. i don't wake up in the morning, i sleep in 'til the afternoon =P so i'm waiting til i start school again august 11th and when i get back into the swing of things to start taking it again. anyhow almost every night im waking up several times to a very dry mouth (i keep a glass of water with me for when this happens) and sometimes i wake up gasping for air and i feel my acid reflux burning my throat and i get that awful taste in my mouth, mixed with a strange sweet taste. when this happens i usually take a pepcid and go back to sleep and that does the trick. sometimes the gasping and sputtering gets so bad i puke a little in my mouth =/ gross, i know. and according to my mom i snore loudly. but i think i breathe/snore through my mouth since i wake up with the dry mouth. i sleep on my side/stomach so i think that contributes to why my mouth happens to open during the night, especially when i sometimes wake up with my face buried in my pillow or blankets, thus smashing my nose/nostrils closed. so i think i could fix all this if i just slept on my back but i find it so uncomfortable and out of habit i tend to get on my side or stomach during the night when i'm fast asleep without my knowing. so my question is could my snoring be further aggravating my acid reflux, thus causing the waking up gasping? or could my waking up gasping be something more serious like sleep apnea? and now that it's summer where i live and more dry could that have anything to do with my dry mouth? because none of this ever happened in any other seasons. or could it have to do with the fact that my mattress is kind of close to the air vent where the AC blows out? or could my fan blowing on me all night be a contributing factor? also a year ago i was diagnosed with valley fever and an ex ray saw that i had a "sac" on my lung. the doctor's figured it was non-cancerous and i was told to go see a pulmonologist but i never did. silly me. time escaped me =/ so could this have anything to do with any of this? sorry this is really long and scattered-like but if you have got to this point thanks for reading. serious answers only. please and thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      I suffered from sleep apnea for about 10 years, until I came to my senses and had the sleep apnea test done. I can tell you without a doubt that I had all of the symptoms that you have written about for many years and they were all tearing me down. The snoring, acid reflux, dry mouth, etc. The sleep disorder study took care of all of that for me. It has changed my life. It will change yours. Not to mention that if you are still in school, you are going to have new found energy that I know for a fact will enhance your studies. Not to mention improve your health. Get a consultation, and then do the sleep study. What is the worst that can happen? Once you go to the sleep study, they tell you that you do not have sleep apnea, then it is a win situation for you and they might even know the source of your problems. But I am guessing with your symptoms, that you do suffer from sleep apnea. Do not discard this, it can be serious.

22. QUESTION:
    night sweats SOMETIMES can you help sleep apnea?
    Ok i have night sweats about every other night. There not the night sweats that i read about other people having. My whole body dont sweat, its just my head. My pillow will be wet from my head sweating. The rest of my body dosent sweat. The night sweats just started about 4 months ago. I havent had a dreadfull HIV test but im pretty certain that i dont have it being the fact that im married and havent slept with another women in 6 years. Ive been tested before that and i was ok. I have a son and of course he dont have it and neither does she...so lets leave that out.....the only thing i can think of is that i think i have sleep apneia (spelling)....Do you sweat when you have sleep apnea

    • ANSWER:

23. QUESTION:
    I know I have sleep apnea, but often its a very scary thing to deal with and im wondering what to do about it.?
    I know i have sleep apnea, sometimes it seems like im half awake and holding my breathe, but i cant do anything cuz i cant move. it either feels like im holding my breathe or im being smothered by a pillow. im wondering since im semi-concious, is there anyway i can start breathing again, or do i have to wait for it to pass? cuz its really scary, especially when it feels like im holding my breath.

    • ANSWER:
      You should begin with seeing your doctor. A sleep study, in which your sleeping & oxygen levels are monitored, may be necessary to come to a definitive diagnosis.

      However, it is possible that you don't have sleep apnea after all. I personally know and care for people with sleep apnea, and they never wake during the time in which they aren't breathing. Instead, they just stop breathing for X amount of time, gasp, and begin their VERY loud snoring again. A highly common side effect of sleep apnea is seriously constant sleepiness. They fall asleep within seconds, all of the time. They are always exhausted, because the brain isn't getting it's much needed rest. They sit still for a minute or two, and begin snoring loudly. If this description sounds like the one given to you by others (believe me, everyone can hear the snoring!), then aim for the sleep study.

      If it doesn't sound very familiar, I'd recommend a neurologist. Your description of waking during makes me think of seizure activity. Possibly pseudoseizures- brought on by stressors in your life- or simple partial seizures.

      That's my opinion anyway.

24. QUESTION:
    CPAP MACHINE AND MILD SLEEP APNEA?
    Ok.. So I went to have a sleep study and I was very very uncomfortable and hated the enviorment but managed to fall asleep half azz asleep. I moved a lot due to discomfort in the bed. However I slept about 5.49 hours. Out of those 5.49 hours I have 2 obstructed apneas 2 Central apneas and 66 partial apneas. Now the 66 partials from what I was told are not a 100% cessation in breathing. My oxgyen levels never fell below 88%. Now I have been diagnosed just about a month ago with High Blood pressure but it was with a new doc that had no medical history on me and I have a long long history of low blood pressure. So I have lost 27 pounds since the sleep study and since being put on BP meds 29 days ago. I went back to to my CPAP Titration study and the tech had to come in and ask me to lay on my back because she was not getting any negative readings. Then when I moved to my back which was hard to stay on since I DON"T sleep on my back the highest level of setting the CPAP machine ended up on was 6 and she said that was pushing it. She said I dreamt alot and didn't move as much as last time. ( This time I brought my own pillows)..... Along with all this my BP meds 5mg of Amlodipine 1 time a day is dropping my BP down to like 104/68 maybe 107/70 during the day and down to 90/64 with heart rate of 54 at night. Now this Doc seems to keep telling me ITS OK).. I don't feel ok.. I am only 38 and I weight now 223 was 248 29 days ago. I am eating healthy quit smoking and drinking and no caffeine. This docs major patient base is geriatric I am thinking that he is over reacting to my symptoms and treating me by the book instead of by symptoms and as an individual. Maybe even more like if I were an elderly patient.... What is everyones opinons???? I just think he maybe has over reacted a bit and hasn't allowed me to try and fix myself without meds.. Which I think is the most healthy way to do it as long as I am not placing myself in stroke or heart attack situations.. I mean this doc did an ekg and I have very large breasts and the EKG he said may have shown left ventrical hytrophy or something like that but anyway sent me for an echo and my heart was AWESOME they said and ejection rate was 67%. What do you guys think????? Sorry so long winded.... LOL!!!

    • ANSWER:
      Sounds like you are on your way. Seems to me you got to keep losing weight - great job so far, though. The only med I see you on is Amlodipine ? You just have to keep dropping weight. If you have the discipline to keep on your diet (and exercise !!) I would probably quit your doctor and your meds right now.

25. QUESTION:
    tips for sleep apnea?
    I tried a cervical pillow, but found it very uncomfortable. I've read to sleep on your sides. Anything else would be appreciated. Thanks.
    Looking for tips that are more natural, hoping to avoid the CPAP machine

    • ANSWER:
      If you have only a mild obstructive sleep apnea, then you have a chance to get a good sleep with a sleep apnea pillow or an anti snore shirt. For more details you can check my source:

26. QUESTION:
    WHAT IS THE BEST options for me. i am a terrible snorer.?
    and it is causing terrible daytime tiredness. but i also have lung problems as in asthma, , so i intend to try special pillows. ie wedge pillow. or sleep apnea pillow, trouble is which one, as the wedge is higher, and the sleep apnea is flatter, i would like the one that suits the two ailments really, and i would like supplier in uk thanks

    • ANSWER:
      the only best option is decrease ur weight and there is no other go for stridor

27. QUESTION:
    CPAP machine for sleep apnea?
    I haven't been able to use this mask because I can't seem to fall asleep with it on. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    I have heard about the the nose pillow option.

    • ANSWER:

28. QUESTION:
    sleep apnea please help if you can?
    does anybody with this problem have night sweats?. The kinda night sweats where your pillow is wet from your head sweating. Only my head sweats, not my body....how about you......and when you got on that machine you sleep with at night did the night sweats go away

    • ANSWER:
      Without a doubt the sweats went away. The sweating is actually from your heart over working, and since your body movement is limited, you begin to perspire from the head on down. I was diagnosed with this about 4 years ago and I have used the C-Pap since being diagnosed every day of my life.

      It went away 100% without a doubt. Now I am not a doctor, but I would recommend the sleep study and then let them tell you, but for me it was a symptom for sure.

29. QUESTION:
    Apnea sufferers on CPAP, mask or nasal pillows? and why?
    I have just had the sleep study and am going back tonight for the Cpap titration. Which do you prefer, mask or nasal pillows, and why?
    Already had tonsils, and adenoids removed as a child. Hoping to find persons that have tried both, and have a preference, to help me in my decision.

    • ANSWER:
      I tried the nasal pillows and tossed them after about 5 minutes. I have been on a CPAP for 4 years and use it every night. I have both masks, one covering just my nose, and the full face mask. The full face mask works best for me because I have a deviated septum. Sometimes, when my allergies flare up or I get a head cold, my nose gets plugged so I have to breathe out of my mouth. The nasal mask does not allow you to breathe out of your mouth (put one on and try it and you'll immediately see why it won't work). The full face mask allows me to breathe either through my nose or my mouth, and I also can sleep on my side instead of only on my back. I use a ResMed and have only had to replace it once in 4 years. They are durable and perform very well. Hope that helps a little. Good Luck.

30. QUESTION:
    How do you put up with a snorer with an apnea?
    So my husband has a sleep apnea with OSA (obstruction in his throat) and when he sleeps he snores, snorts, and gasps for air sometimes. Its gotten worse over the last few weeks and he is going to be tested for how bad this apnea is but for the time being he is in our bed and I am trying to get some sleep. He has gone out to the couch but I am always scared he wont catch his breath and something will happen and I wont know. I am 9 months pregnant and we both want him to stop so that we can have the baby in our room without scaring him. He has tried propping pillows and it worked the first nite then it didnt after that. He is taking BELL sleep and apnea pills and they did nothing. Not sure if you have to take them for a week before you notice anything, will talk to the dr about that. My question is for the time being how do you get any sleep in the bed when your hubby snores so loudly? Ive tried earplugs....he is just too loud and like I said I worry about him not getting his breath,
    he is asian, a mail carrier so gets tonnes of exercise and is not anywhere near being overweight

    • ANSWER:
      Is he overweight?
      many many many people with sleep apnea reduce their snoring greatly by losing some weight....
      I had the same problem..not fat..but heavier...I lost 15 pounds and my snoring is almost nonexistent now

31. QUESTION:
    How to reverse sleep schedule?
    I have a pretty irritating problem. I've been out of high school for about 9 months or so. I'm not working right now (I plan to very soon), so without any real routine, my sleep has been pretty fucked up for lack of a better term. For example; most days I can't fall asleep until 5 in the morning and then wake up around 4 in the afternoon. Other days I can nod off at about 10 or 11 PM, but can only stay asleep for about 2 or 3 hours before waking up at midnight or 1AM. It's extremely inconsistent. I've tried to stay awake for the entire day, but find myself taking "naps" intended to be for an hour at most but turn into 6 hours. Only 2 or 3 times this entire year have I managed to adjust it, but only because my sister and I smoked marijuana (I swear I'm not a pothead), or my mom gave me one of her Vicodins (she told me it was just a Tylenol). It was short lived however. I avoid caffeine, turn electronics off at a reasonable hour, herbal tea, deep breathing, adjusting my pillows, whatever. Nothing seems to work. I know I don't have sleep apnea. I've had a sleep study done. I'm certain I don't have anything like narcolepsy, but I can't be too sure. I'm using medication/doctor's visit as a last resort. I guess it would help to know that I've always had sleep issues throughout school. This isn't new to me. But after nearly a year, it's becoming terribly depressing. Does anybody have any tips or solutions on how to fix this?

    • ANSWER:
      It seems that your brain is too active try old math equations, reading, brain training on the ds. Your brain seems to not be using what needs to used for a good nights sleep therefore you arent using it to its potential. You need to stimulate your brain by using it more, cooking, brain exercises will help you sleep

32. QUESTION:
    How can i help my daughter sleep better?
    My daughter is 10-Years-Old going on 11-Years-Old in like two months and she has asthma and also obstructive sleep apnea. She is not overweight or anything so its not a thing she has to lose weight. But the doctor has her on a albuterol inhaler and she started off doing well with that and then all of a sudden it stopped helping so he then set her up on a nebulizer and that do a better job. She also uses a cpap machine each time she sleep because she stops breathing and she usually takes it off because it was uncomfortable and needed a full face mask so the doctor got her one and she sleeps better with it. Now she sits up and sleep saying she just not getting any air but her oxygen levels are fine and we usually give her pillows to keep herself elevated and it helps but not good enough so i was wondering what other ways can we get her to sleep more comfortable? Me and my wife plan on making a doctor appointment for her on Monday. She is sleep now though and sleeping well and she usually wakes up after 2:00am.

    • ANSWER:
      You can buy her a positioning wedge at your local durable medical equipment store...your pharmacy can tell you where to go. Also, you can physically elevate the head of her bed with extra pillows, wooden boards, etc. Make sure she has an allergen cover on her mattress, and use a HEPA filter in her room with a humidifier to make sure she has the cleanest and irritant-free air possible.

      Make sure you have that doctor's appointment on Monday to make sure there isn't any other underlying causes to her discomfort. Best of luck to all of you!

33. QUESTION:
    How do I save our relationship - Sleep issues?
    Need some help / advice... Here I sit on the couch - yet again kicked out of bed. My lovely wife has had enough of me it would seem... She didn't even open the roses I brought home for her today...

    I snore - Wish I didn't; we've tried most of the options - nose strips, stupid expensive pillows, allergy medications (work when I've got allergies - to knock me down to a dull roar), I'm not obese (maybe by that BMI crap; doctor doesn't harrass me about it) it's not sleep apnea. My doctor didn't recommend the mouth guard or laser surgery route, didn't believe either would help much in my case.

    Now adding to the snoring, I really don't think my wife sleeps - such a light sleeper that she wakes up to anything... I can sleep through anything - including the alarm clock; I need to get up at 6 am - she gets to sleep in until 9-10...

    Lately I'm being berrated every morning for being disrespectful by not waking up and turning off the alarm immediately. I try - I really do; but yes apparently I do hit snooze a few times - I really don't remember doing it, but I know I manage somehow; as I'm late pretty much every day...

    She's frustrated - claims it's disrespectful that I keep her up all night with my snoring - and don't roll over every time she tells me, that I choose to disturb her every morning with my alarm. Tells me it's simple will power to wake up to the alarm?! I don't know where to go from here, google finds me nothing on waking up to the alarm - short of moving the alarm clock across the room (I'm not thinking that would gain me any points in this instance - as apparently I'm immediately supposed to sit up and turn it off).

    Help me out - point me in a direction... Please?

    • ANSWER:

34. QUESTION:
    is there a uk supplier where i can get the sona pillow,?
    it is a pillow. for sleep apnea, and snoring, but all i can see are usa suppliers

    • ANSWER:
      There isnt a uk supplier.
      You can buy on ebay using the international sellers for the renowned brookstone version - quite expensive though.
      There are other anti-snore pillows in the uk, work more like NASA tempur sponge but prob a lot cheaper, you can search these on google with "anti- snore pillow uk"

35. QUESTION:
    Sleep Paralysis Problems?
    Hey guys,
    I've been getting sleep paralysis for a long time in my life, I've had it for about 3 years, or so, now. It's started to become a large problem for me because recently the "attacks" or "episodes" have been getting worse.
    The episodes seem to occasionally link to night terrors, the first one being around 2 months ago; I woke up to find that I couldn't move (I was thinking "here we go again"), and I started hallucinating that I was at my mother's house and she had fallen down the stairs and was seriously hurt, not being able to respond to the cries for help, I started screaming... A little while later (when I got up out of bed the following morning) my brother said that he had heard some shouting at around 4:00am which was the time of my episode.
    I had had quite a few more episodes since then, but only last night I had another one that was compiled with a feeling of terror:
    I woke up again and couldn't move, so I tried to get back to sleep, then woke up again and still couldn't move, but I heard (hallucinated) someone coming downstairs from my dad's bedroom, they then proceeded to enter my room, walk over to my bed and start punching the pillow next to my head. (I was sleeping sideways facing my bedroom wall, so could only hear what was going on). I then shut my eyes, went to sleep and quickly woke up with my heart pounding really fast against my chest and I was in a state of almost panicking.
    They're the two sleep paralysis episodes that I have had that are associated with panicking or fright.
    I normally get about 1 or 2 episodes of sleep paralysis each week, and nothing seems to be the trigger of it.
    So I was wondering if anyone gets anything similar to this, and if there are any ways I can prevent this?

    ----Additional Information----
    I am 16 years old, at 6th Form (English College).
    I am healthy; I have a reasonable diet, have never smoked, don't drink regularly, never done drugs.
    I am happy with life I'm not too stressed out at the moment, no family issues or anything.
    I used to sleep walk and have night terrors alot as a child, up until the age of about 12, then I started having things like sleep apnea, sleep talking etc until around 13 years old when I started getting sleep paralysis alot.
    I have a regular sleeping pattern, I don't stay up when I'm tired.

    Thanks guys
    Dan

    • ANSWER:
      Since you are having at least one episode of sleep paralysis a week you need to talk to a doctor about it. You may need medication for a while to get this settled down and regulate your sleep cycles.

      http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/paralysis.html

      http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/sleep-paralysis

36. QUESTION:
    Why do I wake up basically suffocating my self?
    I used to (and still do rarely) wake up my face down in the pillow and not being able to inhale no matter how hard I try. My ex-girlfriend who is a nurse said it was sleep apnea but i read up on it and it does not sound like whats happening. HELP ME! Before I Die.

    • ANSWER:
      This has happened to me before. Usually I wake up and whip my head up right away to get a breath. Not sure why this happens, but I'd say it's fairly normal. I hope you don't die!

37. QUESTION:
    What can me and my wife do to sleep in the same bed?
    My wife and I have been married since 06, everything is great regarding are intimacy, communication, love for each other, and how we get along is great. We have one major issue that we seem to not get over that is sleeping together.

    My wife has a history of sleep issues in her family..her mom is a light sleeper and her dad had sleep apnea and they sometimes sleep in seperate rooms. My wife sleeps off and on during the night and doesn't move, me I sleep all night mostly but move and turn. I use to be heavy and snore alot now I lost 30 pounds and am still losing weight but still snore a little... I have snore spray, mouth guard, slept on side and nothing seems to work. We may sleep 2 hrs together but by 11pm if were both up she gets upset and a bit angry in her voice and I usually go the next room to sleep.

    I love my wife and she doesn't think sleeping together is a big deal but to me it is...,what can we do to work on this problem? Sleep clinic? Psycologist? We also got a bed that is temper pedic and she has a sound machine and earplugs.

    We are trying for a baby soon and want to share the same room before the baby is born..,please help me... I tried pillow between legs too but I can't stay still...I just don't want this issue to hurt are marriage later on...it means alot emotional for me to sleep together as man and wife, but I know she has problems sleeping and doesn't want to take sleeping pills...

    Thanks
    T

    • ANSWER:
      can't you plug up your nose or something how do you expect the poor woman to get any sleep I have slept in the same room with people who snore and it is IMPOSSIBLE!

38. QUESTION:
    What do you like better a "Memory Form " pillow or a "Buckwheat" pillow?
    For better sleeping, possible sleep apnea too.

    • ANSWER:
      I also have sleep apnea and have tried both, for me and my girlfriend, the memory foam was better. I did buy a tempupedic one, and not a knock-off, so it was expensive, but for us it was totally worth it.

39. QUESTION:
    Can you get headaches if your pillow is too high?
    I used to have sleep apnea, since I hit puberty, and since i've lost weight, its gotten a lot better. I sleep with too very big pillows because thats the only way I used to be able to breathe properly and I can't sleep any other way now.. Recenetly I got 2 new pillows, and they're both slightly larger. Since yesterday, ive had this mild headache when I move my head on the left side , towards the back of my head going up near my temple. I sleep on my right side.
    Does it have anything to do with it?

    • ANSWER:
      Could be.
      Are the pillows made out of something that could be giving you a head ache.

40. QUESTION:
    Does anyone else suffer from "Sleep paralysis"? Also called Hypnogogic Hallucinations?
    I experience this just as I am falling asleep. I also have "lucid dreams" (where I can control the content of my dreams) and have since I was a child and they often happen together, especially when over tired. But the SP is terrifying as I seem to actually be awake, accurately perceiving the conditions around me (who is in the room, time of day, etc.) but also feel extreme terror and cannot wake. I always feel that if I could move, I could wake up, but of course that's the problem. I'm told by some that this is actually a desired state by many as a step toward an OBE - which I think is garbage. But my question is how do I stop them? Is there some way to end them? I suffer from chronic pain - don't say get more sleep - quite obvious, I need something else.I've tried to remember to BREATHE when it happens, being told that a lack of oxygen may be part of the problem, but was unable to make it work. Did try a new pillow, to keep my neck straight, in case apnea was it. HELP?
    OMG...yes, i also have PTSD, but only quite slight, due to a severe childhood assault, but it's quite far in the past and very well dealt with. Have had every kind of "scan" known to man - all normal and even a psychiatrist is somewhat baffled, tho he has seen it before. i do have sleep meds - i'm on the strongest dose of Chloral hydrate allowed, and i'm opiate dependent due to spinal disease - but the lucid dreams and the SP started as a child - long before any of these other problems. The drugs are on a very strict dosage and never vary (tho i rarely use the sleep meds), but the dream cycles do.

    And if you peeked at my 360 page and made a judgment that my life was stressful by what you saw there, you would be quite wrong. A will liked, gentle artist, i enjoy the very limited company i choose very much - they also enjoy me (*wink). Sooooo...anything else?
    Oh, and WILD, i also have to get up and move once i do awake or it does happen over and over all night, tho i don't have the pins and needles but that might confirm what i heard about lack of oxygen (circulation, apnea even?).
    And I'm sorry Sun T, but as an educated woman (a BSW) I have bothered to study this condition as well as the basic benefits of sleep. The site you were so kind to point to is about children and sleep and just the very basic information on what sleep is and how one goes about getting it. Your answer is simplistic almost to the point of being insulting. Perhaps you were trying to help, but there is more information in my question than your answer. I am looking for personal experience from someone with the same problem, not an oversimplified insult to my intelligence.

    • ANSWER:
      Pffft, only someone who doesn't have this would say it's desirable!

      I too have sleep onset parallysis. Sometimes I'll have that dream state, too. I have no advice on how to stop that. More often, my brain awakens but I can't move. This one I might be able to help. For me, the experience includes a pins and needles sensation like when your foot falls asleep. The more I fight it, the more intense. The thing is, all I have to do is relax and it almost immediately goes away. Once I figured that out, the whole experience became considerably less scary. I hope that trick works for you, too.

      Oh yeh, whenever I get this, I have to get up and walk around for a few minute before returning to sleep. Otherwise, it happens again and again and again.

41. QUESTION:
    Choking on belches and "foam" when sleeping?
    I have an occasional problem that is most unbearable.
    I wake up feeling like I'm choking to death. It starts as an innocent belch in my sleep. But the belch produces a "carbonated foam" and as soon as I swallow it I have to belch again. It can go on for minutes and repeats repeats seemingly without end.

    In the past, I thought it was stomach acid... but it doesn't taste nor burn like such. It just feels like someone shook up a soda in my stomach and then opened it.
    I've not been drinking much soda and not an hour or so before bedtime.

    Has ANYONE experienced this? What the heck is it? What causes it? How can I get it to stop (other than sleeping on a pillow which seems utterly impossible for me to do)?

    I had a sleep study done several months ago and I have mild RLS and very mild sleep apnea. I also have deuodenitis and galstones.
    Daily, I take 18 mg Strattera and 50 mg Celexa for anxiety. I take 200 mg Provigil as needed as well as gas-x (rarely), OTC Acid Reducer (almost daily) and 1 or 2 OTC Naproxin (almost daily). I sometimes take an allergy med before sleeping (it's that time of year *sigh*).

    Otherwise, I'm healthy and of normal weight. The other issues are minor complaints but I don't know if one of them may be contributing to these more frequent attacks of choking.

    Any ideas about what this is?

    • ANSWER:
      This may be something you should have checked, it might be the muscle that closes your throat, has a bit of leakage.
      Drinking before bed will put pressure on this muscle, but other things can be producing this unpleasant event. Acid reflux is one of the many, and they are usually easy to control.

42. QUESTION:
    37 weeks pregnant shy of 38 and having trouble sleeping and walking?
    I started having lower back pain that make getting out of bed impossible. It hurts so bad I wanna cry and now my sleeping time is getting worst. I get this horrible pain on my thighs that even switching side to side make it worst. I'm so tired! :'(. I know the lower back pain is the same one that I got when i was admitted with preterm labor at 32 weeks. But OMG they are worst. I'm not having constant braxton hicks just that pain. Is like gravity was pulling you so hard that your hip may break apart. And also im so scared of sleeping since last night i woke up scared cause i noticed that i couldn't breath. Oh God I'm so scared that it could be sleep apnea. I want to cry so bad. This is getting worst and i have like two weeks and 3 days left. :'(

    Help! has anyone gone through this? Can my doctor make me go in labor sooner? I know i may sound like dramatic but this is how I really feel. :'(

    BTW, i try pillows, lifting my legs, stretching them, sleeping right side or left side and is not working. My only relieve would be sleeping on my back or on my tummy but i'm not suppose to.

    • ANSWER:
      everyone feels like that at the end of a pregnancy, but its almost over. Yoiu should being seeing your doc once a week so at the next appt tell him or her u want to be induced like yesterday.

43. QUESTION:
    what skin condition does my son have?
    My son has been having these red color on his face. i've taken him to many dermatologist and none of them would tell me what is was. He also has sleep apnea and sometimes he would sleep on his stomach with his face in his pillow. when he able to sleep on his back his face is that now red. please someone help me out thank you.

    Here is a link to pictures of his skin.

    http://s475.photobucket.com/albums/rr120/tylerhopuma5/skin%20condition/

    • ANSWER:
      It looks as if he has an eczema on the cheeks, possibly keratosis pilaris (which is basically eczema surrounding the hair follicles, commonly seen on the cheeks, upper-outer arms, and upper thighs).

44. QUESTION:
    How to get her to keep the CPAP mask on during the night?
    I don't think DW has slept with the mask on thru the night more than 10 times in the last FOUR years.

    She has tried a medium nasal mask, small nasal mask, nasal pillows, and now a small face mask for sleep apnea. The cpap includes a humidifier.

    No, she doesn't complain about it drying her out. Esp. with the humidifier.

    She says it is comfortable, not too tight, not too loose, the pressure is fine, she can breathe out fine.

    Since everything physical has been ruled out, it must be a psychological problem (of which she has several). Sometimes she says it makes her feel "claustrophobic", lately she says she just can't sleep with it on.
    (Lv2bWet posted *an* answer yesterday but not an answer to my question. In fact, you asked what the question was. So I deleted and rephrased the question).

    • ANSWER:
      Here are five steps to help eliminate claustrophobia and anxiety when you use a CPAP mask:

      1. Wear the mask at home while awake for one hour each day.

      2. Attach the mask to the CPAP device, and switch the unit "on". Practice breathing through the mask for one hour while watching TV, reading or performing some other sedentary activity.

      3. Use the CPAP during scheduled one hour naps at home.

      4. Use CPAP during initial 3-4 hours of nocturnal sleep.

      5. Use CPAP through an entire night of sleep.

      Remember to advance by one step after each five days, once the step can be carried out without anxiety.

45. QUESTION:
    I am trying to get used to the C-PAP ....anyone have a suggestion?
    I am trying after years of avoiding the C-Pap machine for my sleep apnea, to get used to wearing it all night. But I still end up fighting with it and taking it off in the middle of the night. It's been a month or so now, anybody have an idea or two???? Thanks

    BTW, I am now using the nasal pillow and the head gear is called the Comfort Curve which for me has been far better so far than my old full face mask.

    • ANSWER:
      C-Pap is never easy to adjust to. Check with your doctor and see if you can take a sleep aid like nytol etc. Sometimes the only way to adjust is to be sleeping very soundly. After a time you'll do better. Good luck.

46. QUESTION:
    How to stop my roommate from snoring?
    My roommate snores, and it's very annoying. Her snoring isn't always regular either, sometimes it get's VERY loud all of a sudden like a "CAH" sound, as if she's hacking something up or gasping for air. (I asked her if she had sleep apnea, but she doesn't know.) Are there any remedies or products that can help her snoring? Do those snore sprays or mouth washes work? I don't think the nasal strips would work because she said she doesn't breathe through her nose. (I think she consciously can, but not when she's asleep.) For a while I made her sleep with an extra pillow to keep her head higher, and it worked a little.

    Help! It bothers me so much I want to throw things at her!

    • ANSWER:
      Get an anti-snoring pillow. It keeps the person sleeping on their side so they won't snore.

      You can also have her tie a tennis ball to back of night clothes which will stop her from sleeping on her back.

      It does sound like she has sleep apnea. She ought to get a referral from a pulmonary MD to go for overnight sleep test.

      Buy ear plugs for yourself or get one of those white noise machines.

      If she's congested she can try Benedryl or Zyrtec (at night).

      Best of luck

47. QUESTION:
    What are my chances of being approved for Social Security Disability?
    I am 52 and have a number of issues - a series of MRIs over 2 years showing increased mild to moderate stenosis in 5 different areas of the spine. Narcolepsy, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, depression, history of stroke, ADD, anxiety. I've had 7 sleep labs over the years which show in addition to the narcolepsy, restless leg disorder, alpha/delta wave disorder, and sleep apnea. Over a dozen rounds of physical therapy/pain management. Carpal tunnel in both hands; surgery on right with a 50% disability permanency rating from workers compensation; surgery not performed but recommended for the left. Currently have pain shooting down back and nausea when using computer (have been in IT for 35 years). I cannot lift more than 10 pounds without severe pain, or walk more than a block with difficulty. I have trouble standing for more than 5 minutes or sitting for more than 20. I have numerous problems with activities of daily living, including bathing, housework, dressing myself, cooking. I have short term memory deficits, cognitive processing deficits, and categorical aphasia. I have tried over 50 medications, most of which are unsuitable due to undesirable side effects.

    I've been trying to stick it out for the last two years while my workers compensation case has dragged on, and the WC carrier for the very large well known bank I work for has refused to pay any medical bills. In May, I was rear-ended at a stop sign, which aggravated my back injury and caused new knee problems. I have been on disability for several weeks now, and no longer have the strength to continue fighting to work. I often cry at my desk in pain, the doctors will not prescribe pain killers for me although I have no history of addiction. I am fatigued and have difficulty with maintaining the 12-15 hour a day work schedule required for my job, which involves significant customer contact, and maintaining a large number of technical details in my mind at any time. I have been unable to sleep in a bed for the past 8 months, and must sleep sitting up on a couch propped by a number of pillows.

    • ANSWER:
      Apply immediately. Given you are over 50 and what you describe I expect your case would be easily approved. DO NOT go to an attorney. It is unnecessary and you will receive less money in the end.

      Fill out the paperwork completely. Do not miss even one question without a N/A. When answering questions be honest, but think about your worst day, not your best day.

      Be sure to list ALL your doctors when SSA asks for them. Have their addresses and phones numbers. Contact each of them and tell them you have applied for SSDI. One month after you have applied, call SSA and ask if they have received reports back from all your doctors.

      If yes, send those doctors a thank you note. (You may need their help later.)
      If no, contact them and ask them when they are going to send the report in.

      Call every two weeks until they have received all the reports or you are approved.

      Everyone I know who does this (and has a legitimate claim as you clearly do) gets approved within 3 months.

48. QUESTION:
    does snoring is normal in children?
    hello,
    i live in a small city in Miri, Malaysia. I'll be grateful if there is anyone can help or giving some good advices regarding my girl's problem. My daughter will be 4 years old next month (march). Active, talkative, and sweet. But one thing that worried me all this time is her snore. I think she started to snore when she is a few months old. But I thought it was normal and funny because the snores kinda sound like her grandpa. then recently i read about the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and it kinda freak me out. i do study for the symptom though.Yes, she has a poor weight gain..quite a tiny girl for her age. i watched her during her sleep, but i didn't notice any sign of her stop breathing. It was just a loud snores that sometime i have to wake her up asking whether she is okay. she is not hyperactive..for her age she is just playful and obedient. she never having sleeping problems in fact she sleep soundly till morning. after reading a few articles about sleeping behaviour, i did change her sleeping pattern by lying down to her side not her back. It does reduces the snores but the snores is still there. I did brought her to the paediatrics to check up whether she is suffering from asthma but the result is negative. she always sneezing and have stuffy nose especially when it is cold (I stopped using AC then) or been in a dusty place. i cleaned our bed, blankets and pillows regularly to get rid of dust mite. in this small city i don't think we have specialist on OSAS or sleep study. Even if we do, the cost will be very high. so here i am asking your opinion or suggestion or any tips that will help me to get through this problem. all feedbacks are mostly appreciated. thank you.

    • ANSWER:
      Snoring in children is quite normal. You should not be afraid of sleep apnea as well. Sleep apnea is very rare in children. Besides, if you have not noticed your child stop breathing while sleeping for 5-10 seconds period this means that she does not have sleep apnea.

      Snoring in children is often caused by tonsils and adenoids. Doctors love to suggest in this case yo make tonsils and adenoids surgery, which is quite an easy to perform surgery, but I personally hate all kinds of surgeries and think that surgery should be chosen only after all the other options have been tried out.

      I could have suggested visiting http://snoringremediescenter.com/ - which is a fine resource for those who have snoring problem, however this web-site is not specialized on dealing with snoring in children so some of the snoring remedies which are reviewed there may just not be for children. However you may still try anti snoring pillow and aromatherapy aromas..

      I think there is no need of performing a sleep study. I also think that your child's health is not in danger. She can well start dealing with snoring after she has grown up. So do not worry. You can consult again your pediatrician about tonsils and adenoids.

      And again don't worry and do not read much about sleep apnea. It is well known that people who study at medical universities often think that they may be under the risk of all the diseases they read about, just because they read much about different kinds of diseases and the more they read about diseases and there symptoms the more parallels they make between their health condition and the diseases.

49. QUESTION:
    anything i can do about my fiance's snoring?
    i dont know what to do! over the past 2 weeks its gotten progressivly worse. usually around 2am he just starts snoring. he is almost impossable to wake up too so he's usually on my pillow in my face snoring. sometimes i get him to roll over, but within minutes of that he starts again. to make matters worse, its not just when he's on his back! its nothing like sleep apnea this is more like just steady snoring. it starts off soft (like i can sleep thru it) then just gets louder and louder as the night progresses. last week i was awake for 3 hours because of it, until the point where i just got up and left the house at 4:30. over the past week i've just been leaving and going to my house between 3 & 5, whenever he starts waking me up just to get SOME sleep. but when we finally have our own place together, that wont be an option.
    anyone else deal with this? what can i do?? i think it has something to do with the new temperpedic pillows we got, but he loves it & wont give it up
    he says he's just congested, but he's fine for the first few hours we're alseep, and he's fine the whole day, its just from like 1am on... that doesnt sound like congestion to me.
    do any of those snore stop things work? the nose thingy, the spray, home remedys???
    i know its not sleep apnea, my step dad AND my ex's father have that, so i know the sound of it. this is just plain ol' snoring.

    i figured i'd get some feedback on the products out there before i go spending money on everything. THANKS!

    • ANSWER:
      Decide right now if you want to live with this for the rest of your life!!!

      There is almost no way to get a snorer to quit!!

      I sleep with a Mack truck going up a steep grade all night every night, have been through this problem for 40 years now!!!

      Sometimes I go to a different bedroom or sleep in the recliner in the den!!!

50. QUESTION:
    I have been hallucinating for about 2 years since my mom has died.?
    My mother died two years ago from cancer. I took care of her and gave her the primary care required till she past to the point of taking her off her breathing mask. A lot of other stressful things in my life leading up to this final climax before things settled down. My problem is since my mom has passed i have hallucinations while sleeping. I come flying out of bed nearly scaring my husband to death. We have tried some simple meds, muscle relaxer, visteral, they took me of my prozac and i still have the hallucinations. All i want to do anymore is cry. I cant sleep without the hallucinations and i dont know what to do. I also have panic attacks, acid reflux, diabetes, high blood pressure. My panic attacks make my heart feel its beating out of my chest. I believe i also have sleep apnea. I"m so depressed by the all this and i dont know what to do or if it has anything to do with the hallucinations. I cant help but think about what happened with my mom even after two years. I dont feel i ever received any comfort when she died from anyone. My immediate family, husband and children couldn't be there and my actual family except for my dad and grandma are basically idiots. I had to be strong for my dad and grandma so i couldn't really lean on them. I feel like i'm going crazy sometimes with the hallucinations. I woke up tonight and think there's bugs in my pillows or mice or rats running around and i'm checking out my pillows to see if i can hear anything or feel them moving. Anyone have any ideas for me. I have no medical insurance and my dr that monitors my diabetes only deals with prescriptions that are not a controlled substance. Any advice from a sincere person would be greatly appreciated.. This is my sons account so if anyone has anything they want to send me please send it to salvation4me@suddenlink.net. Thank you,

    • ANSWER:
      I am so sorry for the loss of our mother. My sincere condolences to you and your family. Please get immediate help since you said that you have halluncinations. The local hospital may have 'charity care' available which is funding for those without medical insurance. Most hospitals have outpatient programs for those with a mental health problem and some pharmaceutical companies (such as pfizer and elly lilly) offer discounted or free medication to those that qualify (by income) so that may also be a huge help too.