Ramie
01-07-2005, 10:11 PM
hi - my husband has sleep apnea - he is going in next week to the sleep apnea clinic - we just learned today that there is a connection between sleep apnea and heart disease - the md did not elaborate as to why this was so. My husband has a great deal of fluid retention in his legs and the md believed that this was connected to the sleep apnea. could someone explan why this is. also, my husband needs to loose about 100lbs and also has high blood pressure which i understand is related.
thanks in advance for any insights and sleeping tips
Ramie
thanks in advance for any insights and sleeping tips
Ramie
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Mecpcpj
01-08-2005, 02:21 AM
Sleep apnea is a life-threatening disease if it remains untreated so make sure he gets treated! As you probably know, sleep apnea occurs because you stop breathing in the middle of the night because air cannot correctly flow in and out of the nose or mouth. Does he have central or obstructive sleep apnea? They're a little different.
Because you stop breathing, sleep apnea can cause heart attacks or irregular heartbeats. Basically you aren't getting enough oxygen in and out so it's effecting the heart.
Sleep apnea is prevelent in overweight people especially football players. It's because the upper body is so heavy and the airways are smaller so it's putting an enormous amount of pressure on the respiratory system. It can lead to all sorts of health problems.
It's important to know, incase you have children, that sleep apnea is hereditary.
Well, the only sleeping tip I can offer is to get the mask and all the equipment! It can be a hassle to wear the mask at night because it's uncomfortable but the benefits far outweigh the risks. The constant flow of air through the nasal passage makes sure you're getting enough oxygen and it'll keep you sleeping almost all night so you wake up feeling rejuvenated.
Because you stop breathing, sleep apnea can cause heart attacks or irregular heartbeats. Basically you aren't getting enough oxygen in and out so it's effecting the heart.
Sleep apnea is prevelent in overweight people especially football players. It's because the upper body is so heavy and the airways are smaller so it's putting an enormous amount of pressure on the respiratory system. It can lead to all sorts of health problems.
It's important to know, incase you have children, that sleep apnea is hereditary.
Well, the only sleeping tip I can offer is to get the mask and all the equipment! It can be a hassle to wear the mask at night because it's uncomfortable but the benefits far outweigh the risks. The constant flow of air through the nasal passage makes sure you're getting enough oxygen and it'll keep you sleeping almost all night so you wake up feeling rejuvenated.
Ramie
01-09-2005, 09:39 PM
Hi -
thank you so much for responding. My husband has an appointment next week regarding this. It actually sounded like they were going to fit him for a mask - will he have to go through a sleep study first??
Also I was wondering if you could elaborate a bit more about how this affects his heart. his cardiologist said that because of sleep apnea the right side of his heart is not working well and that this would account for the edemia in his ankles and feet. is this true?
Stay well,
Ramie
thank you so much for responding. My husband has an appointment next week regarding this. It actually sounded like they were going to fit him for a mask - will he have to go through a sleep study first??
Also I was wondering if you could elaborate a bit more about how this affects his heart. his cardiologist said that because of sleep apnea the right side of his heart is not working well and that this would account for the edemia in his ankles and feet. is this true?
Stay well,
Ramie