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Apnea/Allergies: Update

Posted by Jake on February 13, 2003 at 10:39:15:

Haven't posted in awhile, but I've been lurking. Perhaps I can expect some more helpful advice from the forum.

Briefly: diagnosed with "mild sleep-disordered breathing" in early 2002. I firmly believe this is due to allergies, as I seem to sleep fine when isolated from airborne allergens. Was titrated on CPAP at only 3cm of pressure, which I later came to find out isn't even enough to expel carbon dioxide. So much for having faith in the doctor. I then tried 5cm to little avail.

Problem got worse and worse over the summer. By September, I was off of work due to devastating fatigue. Nothing was helping, and I was literally too tired to get out of my chair.

Saw allergist, got prescribed every antihistamine and nasal spray under the sun. Only thing that seemed to help was Prednisone. If I was running at 5% before, it bumped me up to about 40%.

Now it's nearly March. I've tried three different AutoPAP units with little success. Whenever I attempt to wean myself off the Pred, I find myself becoming as depersonalized before, and can't venture out due to what feels like an impending blackout. On bad days, I can't stand up without feeling like I'm going to fall down. My legs feel hollow and I'm completely devoid of energy.

This problem of sleep fracture has been going on to various degrees since 1997. NOTHING has helped, save for a drug that will give me cataracts and bone loss within a year if I continue taking it. I have another titration scheduled for March 10, but I doubt it'll be any more successful than the other two. I have a terrible time sleeping during them.

At this point, I'm ready to ask the doctor to prescribe a bullet. I can't work, can't have fun, and oftentimes can't even leave the house. ALL due to not sleeping. This is so frustrating that I can't put it into words.

When I wake up in the morning and fall back asleep for an hour or so, I start dreaming immediately, very vividly and rapidly. I wonder what this means.

I wake up with horrible circles under my eyes, always a nice start to the day.

The APAPs I've tried seem to respond, but I only seem to gain benefit from them when on the Prednisone.

I've tried full face masks, heated humidifiers, nasal masks, breathing strips, allergy meds, inhalers, air purifiers....everything. I'm so desperate to get my life back, but optimism is impossible when there is NO light up ahead.

Has anyone been this low?

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  • Sleep Deprivation due to Sleep Apnea and insufficient sleep are common and can present as insomnia, narcolepsy, or idiopathic hypersomnia. In infants and children sleep problems commonly present themselves as ADD or ADHD.


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