Daytime Tiredness

[scubapauly]

Hi all,

I've just been diagnosed, with the help of James from Intus, with severe sleep apnea. I'm wondering how 'normal' it is to feel so tired during the day that its difficult to function.

I'm waiting on Papworth Hospital to fit me in for a CPAP machine (hopefully 3 weeks or so). During this time I'm trying to stay at work but finding it increasingly difficult to stay focused and on top of my game.

Do others experience similar problems??

Paul

[leswaller]

Hi ScubaPauly
It is a symptom of OSA that you suffer from extreme daytime tiredness. Once you get your machine sorted out you will notice a very rapid improvement. As one scuba diver to another I am assuming that you are not carrying a daily high nitrogen residual loading as that makes me very tired when I have done 3+ dives a day for several days.

[scubapauly]

I've not felt up to diving for almost 3 years now

Need to get back in the water before I dry out and shrivel up lol.

Paul

[leswaller]

I know the feeling, I am now getting to enjoy cold water diving so have to wait for the summer. Send me a private mesage if you want to talk scuba that way we wont get our knuckles raapped for going off topic

[Sleep2Snore]

I was so tired during the day I was a hazard to myself.
I almost fell over a few times just sitting waiting for something to happen I was so tired
Glad to say that after CPAP I improved very quickly, had a few problems with masks and too low a pressure, but it got sorted. Not tired at all now, in fact everyone needs more sleep than me in the house these days

By the way, I thought water made you wrinkly like a prune

[leswaller]

Nope, prunes are sun dried plums, and that is what happens to divers if they stay out of the water too long, they get dehydrated and shrivel up. Also a bit like alcoholics, we have to keep taking the liquid

[James @ Intus]

Untreated OSA at those severities would indeed reduce anyone to a rather useless heap of human being. Imagine being poked between the ribs every 45 seconds during the night. And that for however many years you have been suffering for. You'd feel terrible. That's pretty much what's happening but with the added oxygen starvation which takes its toll on other vital organs.

If 1 + 1 = 2, in terms of OSA -1 (no deep sleep) - 1 (oxygen desaturation) = -100

That's why we get grown up people on the phone in tears when they've been on CPAP for a week and only then realize how crap their life had been for the past years. It's dramatic in a very good way. Something to look forward to and worth a very good attempt at making the most of. All the better if you get it for free but even paying for it is well worth it I'd say much more rewarding than a similarly priced scuba holiday.

[Tigers Fan]

Yes but .....

No where near as dangerous as oxygen starvation whilst diving! or hungry sharks.

I don't know about alcoholic prunes but I can recommend dried apricots poached in dark rum - with rum custard, of course. Organic apricots if you can find them. And not to be eaten before driving or diving, OSA or not!!

Tigers Fan

[leswaller]

Believe it or not oxygen is an extremely toxic gas and too much can be more dangerous than too little as, in engineering terms, an O2 partial pressure of more than 1.6 can cause severe convulsions and death.

[scubapauly]

Believe it or not oxygen is an extremely toxic gas and too much can be more dangerous than too little as, in engineering terms, an O2 partial pressure of more than 1.6 can cause severe convulsions and death.

hehehehe PP02's now you're talking my language lol

Thanks for all the replies guys, just needed some reassurance. I think the route I'm looking at now is to see how the CPAP feels (cos it'll be free) and then buy an APAP (cos I think it will feel better). Hopefully I should be due a christmas bonus

I might even feel like a diving holiday next year. Back to more underwater photography

[leswaller]

Dont spend money unless you have to, once you have found your way into the clinical settings on your CPAP machine it is very easy to adjust the presure to something comfortable yet effective

[scubapauly]

Good News

I got some good news to report. A week after seeing the consultant, I have my appointment for Papworth. I'm going in on the 11th (yes, this Thursday). Hopefully will be walking out on Friday with a CPAP machine.

I've never been so excited about a hospital stay

[Tigers Fan]

Good luck!

Let's hope it is that quick to getting a CPAP, scubapauly! You have every right to be excited about your stay at Papworth.

It took a little longer to get mine - the Consultant needed two weeks to review my sleep study! Then came an appointment at the Respiratory Centre - during which my favourite nurse - Nurse Ali - gave me an ancient CPAP and a humidifier. It was hard to accept how good I felt the next morning!

Here's hoping all goes well for you, too!

Tigers Fan

[James @ Intus]

Knowing Papworth, my money would be on you walking out with a very decent bit of kit indeed. If you show them the Oximetry report they'll know enough. They use the exact same PulsOx equipment I believe.

[scubapauly]

Thanks guys.

James - I can't remember if I told you , but the consultant was more than happy with the report you sent me. He has sent that on to Papworth and bypassed the sleep study stage on the strength of it. I did give him your details, PM me if you'd like his secretary's number