Re: can't shake exhaustion/brain fog

[Guest guest]

At 01:18 PM 3/5/2009, you wrote:

I just took a nap and I can't

wake up from it - I'm in a brain fog - can't sleep enough, exhausted

????? just emailed doc for thoughts too

Eileen,

You may be small and not fit the standard profile of fat and middle-aged,

but I suggest being evaluated for sleep apnea. Brain fog, inability to

feel rested after seemingly adequate sleep, etc. can all be part of

apnea. I'm learning, too, that many apneics have gut issues, including

GERD.

If you would like to view a video about being diagnosed, here is a good

one:

http://www.cpap.com/downloadVideo.php?VGID=58

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Hi Marilyn,

Do you ever feel out of breat during your sleep or like " air stops " from going

in or out. It's not choking per sa.

I read one of your posts about this and was wondering if I have to look into it.

I never feel like I have slept and I have such horrible back/shoulder pain.

Waht kind of doc did you go to for this?

Jodi

> You may be small and not fit the standard profile

> of fat and middle-aged, but I suggest being

> evaluated for sleep apnea. Brain fog, inability

> to feel rested after seemingly adequate sleep,

> etc. can all be part of apnea. I'm learning, too,

> that many apneics have gut issues, including GERD.

[Guest guest]

it's just now though - and i do think i fit some criteria but still feel rested

usually - this is insane, how tired i feel!!!

thanks eileen

> >I just took a nap and I can't wake up from it -

> >I'm in a brain fog - can't sleep enough,

> >exhausted ????? just emailed doc for thoughts too

>

> Eileen,

>

> You may be small and not fit the standard profile

> of fat and middle-aged, but I suggest being

> evaluated for sleep apnea. Brain fog, inability

> to feel rested after seemingly adequate sleep,

> etc. can all be part of apnea. I'm learning, too,

> that many apneics have gut issues, including GERD.

>

> If you would like to view a video about being diagnosed, here is a good one:

>

> http://www.cpap.com/downloadVideo.php?VGID=58

>

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

hadn't had that in years until Christmas - so scary to not be able to inhale -

thought it was mucous stuck?????/

eileen

>

> Hi Marilyn,

>

> Do you ever feel out of breat during your sleep or like " air stops " from going

in or out. It's not choking per sa.

>

> I read one of your posts about this and was wondering if I have to look into

it. I never feel like I have slept and I have such horrible back/shoulder pain.

>

> Waht kind of doc did you go to for this?

>

> Jodi

>

>

> > You may be small and not fit the standard profile

> > of fat and middle-aged, but I suggest being

> > evaluated for sleep apnea. Brain fog, inability

> > to feel rested after seemingly adequate sleep,

> > etc. can all be part of apnea. I'm learning, too,

> > that many apneics have gut issues, including GERD.

>

[Guest guest]

Jodi,

Keep in mind that I have an rather odd form of sleep apnea, called

complex sleep apnea. It was only identified about four years ago, and

doctors aren't even sure what causes it!

The main type of sleep apnea is called obstructive sleep apnea.

Basically, what happens is that as you sleep, your throat relaxes so much

that your windpipe closes off. You'll wake, gasp. start breathing again,

and fall back to sleep. You may not even be aware this is happening. (In

my case, I had mild to moderate apnea, so I was " only " stopping

breathing around 70 times a night!)

Another type of sleep apnea is called central apnea. This is where

there's no obstruction, but for some reason, the brain fails to signal

you to breathe correctly.

Then there's my kind... complex, which is a mix of the two. In my case, I

was diagnosed with OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) in an overnight study. I

was sent back for a titration, in which I was put on a CPAP (I needed a

Bipap or bilevel machine because I couldn't breathe out against the

constant positive pressure.), and they gradually raise the pressure(s)

until they find the one(s) which eliminate most events. Only when they

put me on the Bipap, my brain said, " Oh, don't need to tell her to

breathe any more... " and I had 42 centrals! So the machine I have, a

Bipap Auto SV, has a very complex algorithm built in which lets it raise

and lower the pressure as needed.

One of the major concerns with apnea is what's called desaturations,

where your blood oxygen drops below 90% and stays there for a period of

time. (My average without treatment was around 82%.) I did this 71 times

in 4.4 hours.

A primary care physician can send you for a sleep study. If it comes back

positive for sleep apnea, you'll be sent for the titration to find out

the best pressures. If it comes back positive, and before the titration,

you can hie thee over to CPAPTalk.Com which is a community of people who

are CPAPers, and are friendly and helpful just like our SCD Community.

The standard name for us CPAPers is " hoseheads " ! <lol!>

I'm known as Kiralynx over there.

If you test positive, then there are things you need to know about the

kind of machine you need -- a fully data capable one. You can get

software and a card reader, and you can literally monitor how well you

sleep at night, right now to breaths per minute.

SCDers know all about doctors who aren't as helpful as they could be in a

chronic issue, so it will come as no surprise that you'll need to fully

educate yourself on the subject.

Using a CPAP or BiPap requires adjustment, in much the way we have to

adjust our diet when we become SCDers. I found myself grinning over the

number of newcomers who want to know why a top-rated and popular mask

doesn't work for them... and the answer is, " Everyone is

different! "

But what I can tell you is this: I never wanted to sleep connected to a

glorified hair dryer. In fact, I was crying when we came out of the

doctor's office with the prescription for the titration. But I'd fight

anyone who tried to take it away from me now!

In the three months I have been on my Bipap, I am sleeping through the

night. I no longer have to get up and go pee 2-3 times in the night. I no

longer wake up with severe hip and knee pain and have to take

anti-inflammatories to get back to sleep. I wake up alert and ready to

go. Heck, on the trip to Ohio, I was waking up at 6:30a and ready to go!

The idea of ME getting up voluntarily at THAT hour of the morning is

astounding.

There are plenty of web sites with information on sleep apnea around --

but the CPAPTalk.Com community is one of the best for proactive people

who want to be involved in their own treatment.

http://www.pur-sleep.com/content/?id=29

is a good article about " Sleeping with the Enemy, " which starts

off with

If an intruder suffocated you with a pillow hundreds of times a night,

you’d call the police. In the case of sleep apnea, the airway blocks off

and victims stop breathing for up to several minutes--but the victim has

no idea it's even happening. " The body, in essence, is being

assaulted by the damage done from intermittent lack of oxygen to the

heart, brain and other important organ systems, and yet such an assault

goes unreported. That is, patients who have these symptoms don't always

have their sleep apnea corrected. Perhaps in the light of a metaphor such

as the one of being assaulted by our own sleep disorder, people would

take more care of their sleep. Their hearts will thank them, " says

Ralph Downey III, PhD, of the Sleep Disorders Center at Loma

University Medical Center in Loma , Calif.

Truth be told, sleep apnea may well be the most significant, costly,

easily treated, and least understood public health issue facing our

nation. The most recent studies predict that between 50 and 65 million

Americans are at high risk for having sleep apnea. And very few of

them have the slightest idea what sleep apnea is, much less that it may

be affecting their lives in profound ways.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep-apnea/DS00148/DSECTION=symptoms

is a good site with details on apnea as well. I have not, btw, yet laid

eyes on a sleep doctor. I suppose I'll get around to it eventually, but

the doctor who sent me for my sleep study was a pain management doctor,

who told me that many instances of chronic pain, not associated with

apparent physical issues, are, in fact, associated with sleep disordered

breathing -- and that when the breathing is corrected, and the person is

sleeping properly, the pain often disappears.

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

oh were you ever gasping when awake???

eileen

>

>

> Jodi,

>

> Keep in mind that I have an rather odd form of

> sleep apnea, called complex sleep apnea. It was

> only identified about four years ago, and doctors

> aren't even sure what causes it!

>

> The main type of sleep apnea is called

> obstructive sleep apnea. Basically, what happens

> is that as you sleep, your throat relaxes so much

> that your windpipe closes off. You'll wake, gasp.

> start breathing again, and fall back to sleep.

> You may not even be aware this is happening. (In

> my case, I had mild to moderate apnea, so I was

> " only " stopping breathing around 70 times a night!)

>

> Another type of sleep apnea is called central

> apnea. This is where there's no obstruction, but

> for some reason, the brain fails to signal you to breathe correctly.

>

> Then there's my kind... complex, which is a mix

> of the two. In my case, I was diagnosed with OSA

> (obstructive sleep apnea) in an overnight study.

> I was sent back for a titration, in which I was

> put on a CPAP (I needed a Bipap or bilevel

> machine because I couldn't breathe out against

> the constant positive pressure.), and they

> gradually raise the pressure(s) until they find

> the one(s) which eliminate most events. Only when

> they put me on the Bipap, my brain said, " Oh,

> don't need to tell her to breathe any more... "

> and I had 42 centrals! So the machine I have, a

> Bipap Auto SV, has a very complex algorithm built

> in which lets it raise and lower the pressure as needed.

>

> One of the major concerns with apnea is what's

> called desaturations, where your blood oxygen

> drops below 90% and stays there for a period of

> time. (My average without treatment was around

> 82%.) I did this 71 times in 4.4 hours.

>

> A primary care physician can send you for a sleep

> study. If it comes back positive for sleep apnea,

> you'll be sent for the titration to find out the

> best pressures. If it comes back positive, and

> before the titration, you can hie thee over to

> CPAPTalk.Com which is a community of people who

> are CPAPers, and are friendly and helpful just

> like our SCD Community. The standard name for us

> CPAPers is " hoseheads " ! <lol!> I'm known as Kiralynx over there.

>

> If you test positive, then there are things you

> need to know about the kind of machine you need

> -- a fully data capable one. You can get software

> and a card reader, and you can literally monitor

> how well you sleep at night, right now to breaths per minute.

>

> SCDers know all about doctors who aren't as

> helpful as they could be in a chronic issue, so

> it will come as no surprise that you'll need to

> fully educate yourself on the subject.

>

> Using a CPAP or BiPap requires adjustment, in

> much the way we have to adjust our diet when we

> become SCDers. I found myself grinning over the

> number of newcomers who want to know why a

> top-rated and popular mask doesn't work for

> them... and the answer is, " Everyone is different! "

>

> But what I can tell you is this: I never wanted

> to sleep connected to a glorified hair dryer. In

> fact, I was crying when we came out of the

> doctor's office with the prescription for the

> titration. But I'd fight anyone who tried to take it away from me now!

>

> In the three months I have been on my Bipap, I am

> sleeping through the night. I no longer have to

> get up and go pee 2-3 times in the night. I no

> longer wake up with severe hip and knee pain and

> have to take anti-inflammatories to get back to

> sleep. I wake up alert and ready to go. Heck, on

> the trip to Ohio, I was waking up at 6:30a and

> ready to go! The idea of ME getting up

> voluntarily at THAT hour of the morning is astounding.

>

> There are plenty of web sites with information on

> sleep apnea around -- but the CPAPTalk.Com

> community is one of the best for proactive people

> who want to be involved in their own treatment.

>

> http://www.pur-sleep.com/content/?id=29

>

> is a good article about " Sleeping with the Enemy, " which starts off with

>

> If an intruder suffocated you with a pillow

> hundreds of times a night, you'd call the police.

> In the case of sleep apnea, the airway blocks off

> and victims stop breathing for up to several

> minutes--but the victim has no idea it's even

> happening. " The body, in essence, is being

> assaulted by the damage done from intermittent

> lack of oxygen to the heart, brain and other

> important organ systems, and yet such an assault

> goes unreported. That is, patients who have these

> symptoms don't always have their sleep apnea

> corrected. Perhaps in the light of a metaphor

> such as the one of being assaulted by our own

> sleep disorder, people would take more care of

> their sleep. Their hearts will thank them, " says

> Ralph Downey III, PhD, of the Sleep Disorders

> Center at Loma University Medical Center in Loma , Calif.

>

> Truth be told, sleep apnea may well be the most

> significant, costly, easily treated, and least

> understood public health issue facing our nation.

> The most recent studies predict that between 50

> and 65 million Americans are at high risk for

> having sleep apnea. And very few of them have the

> slightest idea what sleep apnea is, much less

> that it may be affecting their lives in profound ways.

>

> http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep-apnea/DS00148/DSECTION=symptoms

>

> is a good site with details on apnea as well. I

> have not, btw, yet laid eyes on a sleep doctor. I

> suppose I'll get around to it eventually, but the

> doctor who sent me for my sleep study was a pain

> management doctor, who told me that many

> instances of chronic pain, not associated with

> apparent physical issues, are, in fact,

> associated with sleep disordered breathing -- and

> that when the breathing is corrected, and the

> person is sleeping properly, the pain often disappears.

>

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

scary stuff - thanks for sharing - hate to think i have yet another problem!!!!!

- probably same thought you had!!

eileen

>

>

> Jodi,

>

> Keep in mind that I have an rather odd form of

> sleep apnea, called complex sleep apnea. It was

> only identified about four years ago, and doctors

> aren't even sure what causes it!

>

> The main type of sleep apnea is called

> obstructive sleep apnea. Basically, what happens

> is that as you sleep, your throat relaxes so much

> that your windpipe closes off. You'll wake, gasp.

> start breathing again, and fall back to sleep.

> You may not even be aware this is happening. (In

> my case, I had mild to moderate apnea, so I was

> " only " stopping breathing around 70 times a night!)

>

> Another type of sleep apnea is called central

> apnea. This is where there's no obstruction, but

> for some reason, the brain fails to signal you to breathe correctly.

>

> Then there's my kind... complex, which is a mix

> of the two. In my case, I was diagnosed with OSA

> (obstructive sleep apnea) in an overnight study.

> I was sent back for a titration, in which I was

> put on a CPAP (I needed a Bipap or bilevel

> machine because I couldn't breathe out against

> the constant positive pressure.), and they

> gradually raise the pressure(s) until they find

> the one(s) which eliminate most events. Only when

> they put me on the Bipap, my brain said, " Oh,

> don't need to tell her to breathe any more... "

> and I had 42 centrals! So the machine I have, a

> Bipap Auto SV, has a very complex algorithm built

> in which lets it raise and lower the pressure as needed.

>

> One of the major concerns with apnea is what's

> called desaturations, where your blood oxygen

> drops below 90% and stays there for a period of

> time. (My average without treatment was around

> 82%.) I did this 71 times in 4.4 hours.

>

> A primary care physician can send you for a sleep

> study. If it comes back positive for sleep apnea,

> you'll be sent for the titration to find out the

> best pressures. If it comes back positive, and

> before the titration, you can hie thee over to

> CPAPTalk.Com which is a community of people who

> are CPAPers, and are friendly and helpful just

> like our SCD Community. The standard name for us

> CPAPers is " hoseheads " ! <lol!> I'm known as Kiralynx over there.

>

> If you test positive, then there are things you

> need to know about the kind of machine you need

> -- a fully data capable one. You can get software

> and a card reader, and you can literally monitor

> how well you sleep at night, right now to breaths per minute.

>

> SCDers know all about doctors who aren't as

> helpful as they could be in a chronic issue, so

> it will come as no surprise that you'll need to

> fully educate yourself on the subject.

>

> Using a CPAP or BiPap requires adjustment, in

> much the way we have to adjust our diet when we

> become SCDers. I found myself grinning over the

> number of newcomers who want to know why a

> top-rated and popular mask doesn't work for

> them... and the answer is, " Everyone is different! "

>

> But what I can tell you is this: I never wanted

> to sleep connected to a glorified hair dryer. In

> fact, I was crying when we came out of the

> doctor's office with the prescription for the

> titration. But I'd fight anyone who tried to take it away from me now!

>

> In the three months I have been on my Bipap, I am

> sleeping through the night. I no longer have to

> get up and go pee 2-3 times in the night. I no

> longer wake up with severe hip and knee pain and

> have to take anti-inflammatories to get back to

> sleep. I wake up alert and ready to go. Heck, on

> the trip to Ohio, I was waking up at 6:30a and

> ready to go! The idea of ME getting up

> voluntarily at THAT hour of the morning is astounding.

>

> There are plenty of web sites with information on

> sleep apnea around -- but the CPAPTalk.Com

> community is one of the best for proactive people

> who want to be involved in their own treatment.

>

> http://www.pur-sleep.com/content/?id=29

>

> is a good article about " Sleeping with the Enemy, " which starts off with

>

> If an intruder suffocated you with a pillow

> hundreds of times a night, you'd call the police.

> In the case of sleep apnea, the airway blocks off

> and victims stop breathing for up to several

> minutes--but the victim has no idea it's even

> happening. " The body, in essence, is being

> assaulted by the damage done from intermittent

> lack of oxygen to the heart, brain and other

> important organ systems, and yet such an assault

> goes unreported. That is, patients who have these

> symptoms don't always have their sleep apnea

> corrected. Perhaps in the light of a metaphor

> such as the one of being assaulted by our own

> sleep disorder, people would take more care of

> their sleep. Their hearts will thank them, " says

> Ralph Downey III, PhD, of the Sleep Disorders

> Center at Loma University Medical Center in Loma , Calif.

>

> Truth be told, sleep apnea may well be the most

> significant, costly, easily treated, and least

> understood public health issue facing our nation.

> The most recent studies predict that between 50

> and 65 million Americans are at high risk for

> having sleep apnea. And very few of them have the

> slightest idea what sleep apnea is, much less

> that it may be affecting their lives in profound ways.

>

> http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep-apnea/DS00148/DSECTION=symptoms

>

> is a good site with details on apnea as well. I

> have not, btw, yet laid eyes on a sleep doctor. I

> suppose I'll get around to it eventually, but the

> doctor who sent me for my sleep study was a pain

> management doctor, who told me that many

> instances of chronic pain, not associated with

> apparent physical issues, are, in fact,

> associated with sleep disordered breathing -- and

> that when the breathing is corrected, and the

> person is sleeping properly, the pain often disappears.

>

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

At 04:37 PM 3/5/2009, you wrote:

scary stuff - thanks for sharing

- hate to think i have yet another problem!!!!! - probably same thought

you had!!

Yeah, well -- I got my diagnosis on the apnea just about the time I got

my first negative on the post-cancer surgery tests. So, just when I

thought things might start to get back to normal, I got hit with a new

health challenge. Lotta that going around....

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

At 04:37 PM 3/5/2009, you wrote:

oh were you ever gasping when

awake???

I tend toward more shallow breathing (hypopneas) rather than actual

stopping breathing (apneas). So the only time I was gasping was when I

was screaming at the cardiologist that I wouldn't let them shoot me full

of a drug to make my heart beat faster, and they WOULD do the

<expletives deleted> treadmill!! (This was when they were

threatening to refuse permission for the cancer surgery unless I took

their d@mned drug....)

—

Marilyn

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

Darn Good SCD Cook

No Human Children

Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

[Guest guest]

Marilyn,

Thank you so much for all of this information.

I feel at times as though I am a " supermarket " for health issues and I don't

like overreacting. But, I am going to have to look into this info as some of it

really makes a lot of sense and directly applies to me.

Jodi

[Guest guest]

man doctors are awful !!! just speaking to a friend who is sick 7 years now -

and telling her that finding dr kroner is like 1 in a million -thank you

Jodi!!!!!

eileen

> >oh were you ever gasping when awake???

>

> I tend toward more shallow breathing (hypopneas)

> rather than actual stopping breathing (apneas).

> So the only time I was gasping was when I was

> screaming at the cardiologist that I wouldn't let

> them shoot me full of a drug to make my heart

> beat faster, and they WOULD do the <expletives

> deleted> treadmill!! (This was when they were

> threatening to refuse permission for the cancer

> surgery unless I took their d@mned drug....)

>

>

> — Marilyn

> New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

> Undiagnosed IBS since 1976, SCD since 2001

> Darn Good SCD Cook

> No Human Children

> Shadow & Sunny Longhair Dachshund

>

[Guest guest]

Adrenal fatigue, ck your salt intake

ll - recovering from the flu and now my tummy isn't well  - loose BM/gassy/nauseous a bit- especially if trying to drink ,external vag. itchiness- I just took a nap and I can't wake up from it - I'm in a brain fog - can't sleep enough, exhausted ????? just emailed doc for thoughts too

thanks Eileen

14 months scd

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

>

> > ll - recovering from the flu and now my tummy isn't well - loose

> > BM/gassy/nauseous a bit- especially if trying to drink ,external vag.

> > itchiness- I just took a nap and I can't wake up from it - I'm in a brain

> > fog - can't sleep enough, exhausted ????? just emailed doc for thoughts too

> > thanks Eileen

> > 14 months scd

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

up it or decrease ??? it has passed thank God!! but that is something doc wants

to look at now that I'm finally better and can get blood done - thanks

eileen

>

> > ll - recovering from the flu and now my tummy isn't well - loose

> > BM/gassy/nauseous a bit- especially if trying to drink ,external vag.

> > itchiness- I just took a nap and I can't wake up from it - I'm in a brain

> > fog - can't sleep enough, exhausted ????? just emailed doc for thoughts too

> > thanks Eileen

> > 14 months scd

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

improving thank GOD!!! my B has been ok in th epast but will be re-testing

everything soon

thanks eileen

> >

> > > ll - recovering from the flu and now my tummy isn't well - loose

> > > BM/gassy/nauseous a bit- especially if trying to drink ,external vag.

> > > itchiness- I just took a nap and I can't wake up from it - I'm in a brain

> > > fog - can't sleep enough, exhausted ????? just emailed doc for thoughts

too

> > > thanks Eileen

> > > 14 months scd

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

> > >