Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years older, finds study

Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by dbspin on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @09:02AM (#39838495)

Thank you for this comment which mirrors my experience. Unfortunately CPAP seems to be considered the be all and end all of treatment, although the mask, tubes and reliance on such a bedtime setup can be enormously disruptive of sleep on its own.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by giantg2 on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @09:31AM (#39838819)

I think CPAP is just convenient and inexpensive compared to surgery. If I ever have sleep apnea, I'd want the surgery.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by newaccount74 on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @11:37AM (#39840662)

I talked to a bunch of dudes who had various surgeries to open up their airways. It seems the outcome of the surgeries is kind of hit and miss. Some people had multiple surgeries and still no success.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by poulsbohemian on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @12:26PM (#39841281)

This is a really important comment. Whether for apnea or other sinus related issues, I've met far more people for whom the surgery did nothing than people I've talked to who had good outcomes.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by e40 on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @10:28AM (#39839623)

I have heard horror stories about the surgery. Who knows, but I’m skeptical because surgery presumes the precise cause is known. The number of variables for sleep apnea is large to have certainty.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by giantg2 on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @10:33AM (#39839693)

"The number of variables for sleep apnea is large to have certainty."

Clearly they have to know which part of your airway is restricted. Most of the variables for sleep apnea are not related to the surgey, just factors that make it more likely to experience that restricted airway (drinking, weight, etc).

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by e40 on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @12:43PM (#39841477)

I have sleep apnea and I use a CPAP. During the diagnosis, there were tests but nothing that would/could finger a physical culprit that could be fixed via surgery.

My question is, what tools are there to narrow, to a certainty, what would need to be done via surgery? In all my research I have found none. Maybe I missed them. If I did not, then it amounts to a guess by a surgeon. And that's what worries me and has fed a lot of the horror stories I've read about.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by alwaysrunning on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @10:04AM (#39839259)

There is also the mouth guard for apena.

https://www.sleepapnea.org/treatment/sleep-apnea-mouth-guard...

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by PaulHoule on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @09:42AM (#39838967)

I adapted to it really well but I am used to adapting to the needs of machines. My wife doesn't like it when it blows air on her but my cat is very curious about the mask. My doc told me that most people have a lot more trouble.

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Re:Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years old... by elric on Wednesday March 27, 2024 @02:39PM (#39842973)

CPAP is by far the best option for very nearly everyone with obstructive sleep apnea (for now).

Unless you have a very specific, isolated problem (such as huge tonsils or a fucked up jaw), surgery is rarely a good option. Results are hit or miss, recovery is unpleasant, and the scar tissue created can result in more obstructions years down the line.

None of the current implants are as good as cpap and few peole qualify for them.

Mouth guards can work, but many don't tolerate them well and they can lead to TMJ issues.

Etc.

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