Q & A

In case you didn’t know this already, I have sleep apnea. It’s now been two years since I was diagnosed and started treatment. Today a friend sent me an e-mail asking about it as she suspects that she might have it as well. Since I’m all about public service (even to the point of publishing this photo of me wearing my CPAP mask), I thought I’d blog the answers and hopefully there are other people out there who might also seek help.

L. writes:

VERY cute babies!!!! And I'm not just saying that. They're totally sweet.

Heh. That’s not about the sleep apnea, but I liked it so you get to read it too.

I was back in your blog to re-read about the sleep apnea entries you have …

Anyway, my question is, here we are a year after the CPAP machine...

Actually, it’s been TWO, can you believe it???

do you really think it was really worth it or was there just a slight difference in your sleep quality and energy levels. I don't know if I'd be able to get use to that thing on my face or if the machine is noisy, how much that would be appreciated by my sometimes sleep partner... not that he'd ever give me a hard time about it. I guess I'm trying to figure out if it's really that significant of an impact to pursue it with my doctor

Was the cost of the testing covered by OHIP or work benefits? I imagine part of the cost of the machine would be covered by work benefits.

Excellent questions, all! So let’s get started, shall we?

YES, I definitely consider the treatment for my sleep apnea worthwhile. I have definitely noticed that I have more energy since using the CPAP device – although now that I have more energy, I am doing more with my life and therefore not sleeping as much as I ought, but along with my decisions to live a full and interesting life and to balance work and play, I am far more satisfied with my quality of life with the treatment than without. I lug the device around with me when I travel – that’s how essential I consider it to be. Note that I have only mild/moderate sleep apnea. Anyone who has more severe sleep apnea should, in my mostly uneducated opinion, expect even more dramatic results.

There definitely is an adjustment period of getting used to the mask. The straps holding the mask in place didn’t affect me as much as getting used to the pressurized air gusting from my mouth when I happened to open my lips. Eventually I learned to seal off the back of my throat by raising my tongue up against my palate (sorry if that’s too much information for anyone) and now it’s simply not an issue, even when I’m sleeping.

I should also note that there are other treatments for sleep apnea, such as surgery or mouthpieces that are used to keep the airway open. I met with an ear-nose-throat specialist and was told that there was no surgical option in my case except a tracheotomy, which obviously was not even a consideration. I chose not to investigate the mouthpiece option because I already have a sensitive jaw, and I didn’t want to irritate it further. However, I do know someone else who got a mouthpiece to address his apnea, and he was quite pleased with the results. I also recently heard of some kind of pillow that is supposed to position your head to eliminate sleep apnea, but I know even less about this option. Anyway, all this goes to say that no one should let the CPAP device and mask keep him/her from seeking treatment.

Is the CPAP machine noisy? Do you consider the fan you might buy at a department store to circulate air in a room noisy? They’re about the same, or the CPAP is quieter.

The next bit of information is pertinent only to Ontario residents (sorry). Yes, the sleep clinic is fully covered by OHIP, if you are referred by your G.P. Part of the CPAP device, should you acquire one, is also covered by OHIP (about $700 when I got mine, I think). These suckers are expensive, though. Fortunately, my work benefits covered the remaining $1500 or so for the machine and mask. I have no idea what mouthpieces would cost. If you receive a positive diagnosis for sleep apnea, you might want to call your insurance provider ahead of time to see what coverage you have for these kinds of solutions.

Finally, the bed partner business … my attitude is that I’m enjoying life so much more now that I could never go back, particularly not for someone shallow enough to protest my form of medical treatment. (Note that I am not saying L's partner is shallow or would protest, but it's a natural concern that anyone would have about how one's bedmate might perceive the new hardware, and this is the conclusion that I have personally reached.)

Any other questions??? :)