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Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

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Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#181

Post by AStonesThrow »

petesergeant wrote: post #179
cmrdporcupine wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any long term side-effects from that?

Not that I could find, and the doctors seemed pretty happy with it (and it was one who suggested I try it). I'm taking Fluticasone Propionate.

I took my first spritz today of F.P.

Last week I asked my PCP about a middle-ear blockage, and he said the F.P. should do the trick, and perhaps also relieve the dry, itchy eyes I've been suffering.

I suspect that I have been dealing with OSA for several years now, so... the nighttime dosing seems like a good idea. We'll see how it goes!

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#182

Post by giardini »

garyclarke27 wrote: post #130
Llamamoe wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with CPAP is that 40% of patients don't tolerate it even for the 4h/night defined as treatment compliance, while most of the rest use it less than the full duration of the night, with studies demonstrating that treatment compliance depends on efficacy. And this is for traditional OSA in men - people with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome(mostly identical mechanism as OSA, less oxygen desaturation, more aro…

I never had a problem with adopting CPAP. It's been transformative for me, sleep quality is literally 10 times better than without, I wake up feeling awful if I have a nap without it. Why would someone keep a mask on for 4 hours, then take it off? does not make sense to me.

I know someone who snored like crazy, would quit breathing at night and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. She got a CPAP and tried to use it for a year. Snoring was worse although it helped her not stop breathing. But it gave her some form of pneumonia or some such and she began coughing all night! Then it spread to daytime. Then everyone around her started getting the cough. I had to take antibiotics to shake off the infection I got from being around her.

Believe me the introduction of CPAP into this person's life was a f*ing disaster for her and everyone who was around her that year! She went to see ~11 doctors, finally quit the CPAP on her own, without any doctor's suggestion. Things got better immediately. Then out of desperation she went to a Chinese herbal doctor. Somehow after that the cough began to die down. I make no claims for Chinese herbal cures - I'm amazed anything worked after that year.

While apnea is real, CPAP looks like a scam to me, for the sleep clinics and especially for the CPAP makers and suppliers.

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#183

Post by DangitBobby »

giardini wrote: post #182
garyclarke27 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never had a problem with adopting CPAP. It's been transformative for me, sleep quality is literally 10 times better than without, I wake up feeling awful if I have a nap without it. Why would someone keep a mask on for 4 hours, then take it off? does not make sense to me.

I know someone who snored like crazy, would quit breathing at night and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. She got a CPAP and tried to use it for a year. Snoring was worse although it helped her not stop breathing. But it gave her some form of pneumonia or some such and she began coughing all night! Then it spread to daytime. Then everyone around her started getting the cough. I had to take antibiotics to shake off the…

As someone who has used one and who has family members that use one, I can tell you they 100% work and it would be insane not to use one once you discover how different your sleep is. You immediately notice a difference, and there is no question the treatment is effective.

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#184

Post by DangitBobby »

rlifer wrote: post #178
elric wrote: post #7

I swear CPAP wouldn't get such a bad rep if the media would stop using pictures of men with obscenely large full face masks. The most commonly used CPAP mask is probably the minimalist Resmed P10 [1]. It looks a lot less intimidating than a bulky full face mask. And in most cases, full face masks aren't needed (no sources to cite, but titrating to the correct pressure allows most people to breathe through their noses…

The issue with nose pillow with Resmed or other CPAP is that I often rip them off from my face while sleeping, so I get to use CPAP only a couple of hours or even less. It may have to do with my stuffy nose, but that one is even harder to cure (yes, I use saline solutions to wash my nose, but it helps only so much).

I had a nose only mask and ending up switching to one that covers mouth and nose for that reason. It worked for me.

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#185

Post by ProllyInfamous »

johntash wrote: post #161
ProllyInfamous wrote: post #125

I am a fattie (BMI 36.5). I also have sleep apnea. Wearing a CPAP, I couldn't ever get any sleep (toss&turner). Things that've helped: 1) Using body pillows to force sleeping on side, which straightens the neck (versus face-down) — also lessens low-back pain 2) DENTAL GUARD (a 3D-printed plastic insert which form-fits my teeth, slightly opening jaw-angle/mouth) 3) Losing weight — YES, sleep apnea is worsened by exces…

What kind of dental guard did you get? One from an actual dentist, or one of those pre-made ones off of amazon/etc? I've been wanting to try one from the dentist, but they're pretty pricey.

My dentist created mine, in house, using his 3D-printer (after scanning my mouth with a stereoscopic camera). I am not sure which type of plastic is used, but I wasn't satisfied with the purchase until we had tried different [softer] plastics.

I prefer/recommend the flexible plastic type, which doesn't last as long but is so much easier to make a habit of wearing (because it is comfortable, unlike the solid plastic which was difficult to into place around teeth).

The flexible form-fit is so much better than my previous attempt at an off-the-shelf sport mouthguard (the type that you boil and then bite down on == sucks); it doesn't ever fall off my teeth during the night, and requires me to intentionally remove it before morning coffee.

For $350 I get a few years of quality sleep — worth it! I keep a second mouthguard in my toolbox [blue collar electrician] for when I'm experience stress on jobsites...

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#186

Post by sfink »

TMWNN wrote: post #155
Diti wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do, a ResMed AirSense 11 with a ResMed Mirage FX. Wonderful sleep, wonderful comfort, and no need for the water supplement.

Yes, I don't think a lot of people realize that it's possible to run the AirSense 11 (I don't know about other models/brands) without distilled water. Resmed even sells "ResMed AirSense & AirCurve 11 Side Cover", which takes the place of the water tank.

My humidifier broke years ago and I haven't bothered to replace my unit. It gives me a little extra space to sneak a few more things onto flights by stuffing them in the CPAP bag where the humidifier would go. (I don't remember what model number I have, it's ancient, but the humidifier is easily detachable.)

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#187

Post by djur »

garyclarke27 wrote: post #130
Llamamoe wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with CPAP is that 40% of patients don't tolerate it even for the 4h/night defined as treatment compliance, while most of the rest use it less than the full duration of the night, with studies demonstrating that treatment compliance depends on efficacy. And this is for traditional OSA in men - people with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome(mostly identical mechanism as OSA, less oxygen desaturation, more aro…

I never had a problem with adopting CPAP. It's been transformative for me, sleep quality is literally 10 times better than without, I wake up feeling awful if I have a nap without it. Why would someone keep a mask on for 4 hours, then take it off? does not make sense to me.

1) People who are not fully awake often do things for no clear reason -- I regularly wake up finding that I have no memory of removing my mask after 2-5 hours.

2) If you're prone to nightmares, waking up with something covering your face that causes bizarre sensations when you try to breathe through your mouth or speak may disturb you enough to tear it off.

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#188

Post by sfink »

wat10000 wrote: post #73
elric wrote: post #7

I swear CPAP wouldn't get such a bad rep if the media would stop using pictures of men with obscenely large full face masks. The most commonly used CPAP mask is probably the minimalist Resmed P10 [1]. It looks a lot less intimidating than a bulky full face mask. And in most cases, full face masks aren't needed (no sources to cite, but titrating to the correct pressure allows most people to breathe through their noses…

I’m almost totally unfamiliar with CPAP, and the mask you linked looks like something I’d never want to be stuck wearing every night. Now, I wouldn’t let appearances drive my use of a medical device, and I’d use it if a doctor said I should, but I doubt people’s opinions are being driven by the exact type of mask they see.

I hated, hated wearing my CPAP, even with nasal pillows instead of a facemask. It makes me feel inadequate as a human. Worse than eyeglasses. And for the first half year or so, it was awful to wear; I'd reach the morning and find I'd ripped it off in disgust somewhere in the night and didn't even remember it.

But I willingly wear it every night, and a paltry 56% improvement or whatever it was won't tempt me in the least to give it up. Living without adequate oxygen and sleep is hell. I'm seriously convinced I have permanent brain damage from it. (Admittedly, that could just be age.)

My point is that this is not something you wear because your doctor says you should. You wear it because life is shit without it.

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#189

Post by djur »

giardini wrote: post #182
garyclarke27 wrote: post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I never had a problem with adopting CPAP. It's been transformative for me, sleep quality is literally 10 times better than without, I wake up feeling awful if I have a nap without it. Why would someone keep a mask on for 4 hours, then take it off? does not make sense to me.

I know someone who snored like crazy, would quit breathing at night and was diagnosed with sleep apnea. She got a CPAP and tried to use it for a year. Snoring was worse although it helped her not stop breathing. But it gave her some form of pneumonia or some such and she began coughing all night! Then it spread to daytime. Then everyone around her started getting the cough. I had to take antibiotics to shake off the…

Your claim is that CPAP gave this person a _communicable_ chest infection, which was then cured by herbal medicine? How could that possibly happen unless your local distilled water supply was contaminated with tuberculosis bacteria?

Re: Sleep apnea pill shows striking success in large clinical trial

#190

Post by djur »

schwartzworld wrote: post #158
Llamamoe wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with CPAP is that 40% of patients don't tolerate it even for the 4h/night defined as treatment compliance, while most of the rest use it less than the full duration of the night, with studies demonstrating that treatment compliance depends on efficacy. And this is for traditional OSA in men - people with Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome(mostly identical mechanism as OSA, less oxygen desaturation, more aro…

> 40% of patients don't tolerate it Tough to know how much of this is patients not being able to tolerate vs doctors giving people barely calibrated machines and next to no support or training. It’s very common to be given your cpap at the default pressure range (4-20). When I told my doctor I still wasn’t sleeping, she offered to refer me to a shrink.

I was in the hospital for a month and was specifically prescribed BiPAP while I was there. I was completely unable to tolerate it and the technicians sent up to adjust it for me did not know how to access the clinician settings -- they just fiddled with the patient-facing controls, which are very limited. These were people who I am sure have lots of experience working on respirators and oxygen, but at least three different people clearly had no idea how to begin adjusting a ResMed BiPAP. Eventually, I was strong enough to get out of bed and adjust the settings myself, and finally I could get a good night's sleep.

That is to say that I agree: basically nobody outside of sleep clinics seems to know how they work, and even they don't provide much more expertise than you can get from publicly available information and tools.

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