Wow,
this Sleepless in Seattle post is crazy! I have TRIED everything to be able to sleep, including a CPAP, after being mis-diagnosed. I thought it wasn't a problem and started with earplugs and an eye-mask. That only made the problem worse because I should have taken this seriously at the begininng and not let it progress. Therefore the neurotransmitters in my brain didnt replenish and it caused my sleep to worse. IF YOU HAVE PROBLEM...check it out and try to figure out the UNDERLYING problem. I am still working on after 8 years...one day I will have an answer and no more fatigue, lack of energy, and muscle pain. This problem is real.

I am a 54 year old woman with a life long problem. I have been to 4 sleep studies, have tried CPAP and BiPAP machine, acupuncture, hypnotist, homeopathic, Provigil, MRI, Cat Scan, Nasal surgery, massages, sleeping pills, blood tests up the ying yang. I have had to stop driving because I cannot keep my eyes open for more than 2 seconds. No one can seem to help me and I am so desperate for relief that I feel like I'm losing my mind. CAN ANYONE HELP ME????????????? I have also tried therapy to see if this is a childhood problem and no relief. PLEASE HELP ME

My pychiatrist sent me for a sleep study and the technician told me I had a bad case of apnea. But a combination of all the wires and the strangeness of the environment, a bad experience with one of the techs, and my associating apnea with being old and disabled resulted in my not following up for nearly a year. Eventually I learned that apnea is common and not something to be ashamed of and went back. Everything was much more pleasant and I was fitted with a mask and an effective pressure for the air to be blown into it was determined. I've now used the machine for just over 2 months. I now wake up feeling much more rested. I, too, thought sleeping with a mask would be impossible, but I have awakened and forgotten I had the mask on. It was surprising to me that am able to sleep on my side. Sometimes I still have trouble getting the mask to seal, but usually making a few adjustments takes care of it. As much as I dreaded being connected to a machine (I called myself The Elephant Man at first because the hose reminded me of an elephant's trunk} I would now recommend it to anyone who needs it.

I've had sleep problems for as long as I can remember. I started seeing a new female physician who actually listened to my complaints of being exhausted all the time. It didn't seem to matter if I slept for four hours or twelve hours. I was still extremely tired each day. I often had the problem of falling asleep while driving! Fortunately for myself and the other drivers I somehow managed not to have any head on collisions. I was driving while under the influence of lack of sleep. Just as deadly and neglegent as drunk driving! She sent me to the sleep clinic in our area. My oxygen levels where so low that the sleep clinic doctor called me later that day to have me come back the same day to get set up with a CPAP machine that day. It was amazing to me how much energy I started having after the first few days of using the CPAP. If you have sleeping problems talk to your doctor about your concerns and see if the sleep clinic might be a possible solution to your lack of sleep. Unfortunately, the sleep medications can mask the real lack of oxygen problems if you truly have Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Good Luck!

Stan in Smithtown - Can you tell us more about the mouth-piece and how it is supposed to work? Thanks!

I SUFFER FROM HEART DISEADE, DIABETES, STROKE, KIDNEY TRANSPLANT, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ETC, AND HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED, AFTER A SLEEP STUDY, WITH SEVERE SLEEP APNEA.
THE CPAP MASK WAS A NIGHTMERE! BECAUSE I SLEEP ON MY SIDE, THE MASK 'S RUBBER SIDING SEPARATED FROM THE
HOUSING CONTINUOUSLY. THE SALES COMPANY ADMITTED THEY HAD HAD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, AND I CONSIDER IT A PRODUCT DEFECT, WHICH THE SELLER, COLLECTING HIS $100.00 MONTHLY RECCCURING FEE FROM YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY FOR A 600.00 CPAP MACHINE, WHILE LAUGHING ALL THE WAY TO THE BANK, TELLS ME I'LL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MASK. WHAT A RACKET!
THERE IS A NEW SOLUTION AVAILABLE, A MOUTHPIECE THAT
PERFORMS A SIMILAR FUNCTION TO CPAP.
MY ENT MD IS CHARGING $1,800 FOR THIS CUSTOM MADE MOUTHPIECE, OF WHICH $1500 IS COVERED BY INSURANCE AND $300 PAYABLE OUT OF POCKET.
YOU CAN GET IT FROM YOUR DENTIST FOR $700.00, BUT WITHOUT INSURANCE.
SINCE I WON'T HAVE MINE FOR 2 WEEKS, I'LL RESERVE JUDGEMENT UNTIL NEXT MONTH.
STAN
SMITHTOWN,NY

I manage a branch of a National DME company that specializes in Obstructive Sleep Apnea therapy. Since being in this field, I have noticed how important it is that if you are diagnosed with OSA, you should go to a company that specializes in CPAP's. The national average compliance for CPAP is under 50% mostly due to companies that just hand the patient equipment with little or no education, proper mask fit, mask selection, desensitization therapy or follow-up. For some people, adjusting to CPAP therapy can be difficult. Our compliance rate is over 90% since we specialize in this field and do not sell wheel chairs, walkers and commodes. In addition to the sleep study, the OSA therapy is just as important.

Thanks to a friend who recommended investigating, I have been using a CPAP for over ten years. I am grateful for those years of life and hope to have many more. Getting used to a mask is not a problem when one thinks of the alternative!

Listen i have both OSA and CSA and i myself can not sleep without the device. In the beginning i was scared and tense. But that passed and now if itry to sleep withour it i am in fear that i might not wake up. And when i do wake up my who entire day is shot.

I've been an insomniac for years, though a much milder form when I was younger. Problem is when my body relaxes, the mind cranks up and doesn't turn off. I'm healthy physically, but live with a 24/7 stressful situation (for 15 years now) with a husband somewhat mentally disabled by an aneurysm and stroke. I've tried Ambien but hated the drugged feeling the next day. What works for me is either 1/2 or 1 Xanax pill, which relieves the anxiety and stress, I guess. I sleep 7-8 restful hours (though it does seem to prevent dreaming), and feel great the next day with no drug hangover. I understand it can be habit forming but my doctor says 1 pill/day for the rest of my life will not hurt me and I feel no desire to increase the dosage--in fact, if I feel at all sleepy at midnight, I only take 1/2 pill. It is cheap, and really works well for me. But, as I said, I have no physical problem I'm combating.

I work in a Sleep Disorders Center. I have a few decades experience in the medical field, and as a medical consumer. I do understand concerns regarding costs of medical care, but let me assure you, whatever the cost, it does not change the fact that sleep disorders are a serious health concern. In OSAS - Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome - the "pipe" through which air must travel when you breathe, partially or completely collapses when you sleep. This pipe is supposed to be open, all the time. When a person sleeps, and relaxes, so can the airway. When this happens, and breathing is blocked, blood oxygen levels drop and carbon dioxide levels rise. In order to re-start your breathing, your brain essentially wakes you - causing the frequent interruptions in sleep that makes it so unrestful. These problems contribute to higher risks of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, auto accidents, industrial accidents, poor concentration, mood disorders, and there is indication that it even is linked to a higher divorce rate! OSAS sufferers can be grouchy, due to lack of restful sleep. The good news is that it is treatable with CPAP. The cost for a one-night sleep study in our area is around $2000. Most insurance plans cover this. Then again, treatment for a heart attack or stroke is much more expensive than that.
There is more information available at the website for the National Sleep Foundation. For non_OSA trouble sleeping, there are guidelines for healthy sleep habits. No TV in the bedroom. Nightly bedtime routine (shower, bath, light reading, relaxation). No caffeine, alcohol, or smoking for several hours prior to bedtime. No strenuous excercise for a few hours prior to bedtime. Having a regular bedtime and rise time, and allowing sufficient time for a decent night's rest. These are non-pill helpful habits for better quality sleep.
Good luck, good night, and pleasant dreams!

Put on my headstone, "Asleep at Last".

I have not slept in years, yes I sleep well for a couple of nights here and there, I try to repeat what I did, but it always comes to an end in a few days. I am tired 24/7, the people in my house think I'm crazy because I'm in bed laying down, they asume I'm sleeping. I have tried all kinds of thinks, nothing works. Your story is very informative, I will continue to follow and will be seeing my Dr. soon on this matter. Thanks for all the info, I hope I'm not to tired to remember and process it.

This is so odd...I just went to a sleep study last night(May 15th)and was told that I have severe sleep apnea. On average they say I stopped breathing 45.3 times an hour! This frightening for sure, but I am worried about the CPAP machine. After I arrived at the Sleep Center and spent an hour being hooked up to the electrodes and everything, the tech had me try on the CPAP machine..I freaked out!!! I had her take it off right away! There is air blowing in the mask, equal to the power of a box fan set on medium, and it was horrible! Breathing in is not so bad but when you exhale the air is still blowing in and it's like the breAthe you are exhaling is being pushed back in your mouth. Plus, the air drys out your lips, mouth and nose. I know, you can turn on a humidifier attached to the machine, but then there is hot air blowing in your mouth and nose and condensation collects inside the mask. I was not able to sleep with the mask on and have to go back next week for a follow up, at which time I have to wear the mask for at least 4 hours so the tech can determine the levels of pressure at which I need to have the machine set to help me. Iam praying that I can do it. I don't like the mask at all and have to wear the full mask over the mouth and nose because I am a "mouth-breather", meaning I breathe thru my mouth instead of nose while asleep. I am trying to psyche myself up for it because everything says it will do me wonders and let me get a decent nights sleep for the first time in a long time. I am very anxious and overwhelmed right now any way. I went in to the hospital on April 10th with horrible pains in my chest and right side around my kidney. I ended up having Aspiration Pnumonia, discovering I have Diabetes and was told the Pnumonia was caused because I have Acid-Reflux and was waking up at night ans swallowing the fluid from the reflux. This has been one hell of a month and I am praying everyday to get thru it. I just don't know if I will be able to handle sleeping with this mask on every night...

For those who haven't done so, I'd recommend reading THE PROMISE OF SLEEP by William Dement, MD, Ph.D., founder of the Stanford University Sleep Lab and arguably the worlds foremost sleep expert. It is a readable and highly informative book. I think you'll find that sleep medicine is not the new "snake oil", [although medical profiteering is as old as medicine itself]. I'm a bit surprised the series hasn't mentioned him--perhaps I missed it or he is coming up. Listen to what he has to say...

I, too, have so much trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep. I have tried with little success prescription sleep aids and OTC sleep aids. Their usefulness is intermittent. Natural remedies don't work either. After graduate education in physiology and endocrinology, I am convinced that sleeplessness is epidemic due in large part to exposure to so much artificial light. Why can't cities and municipalities turn off all these unnecessary outdoor lights at night? It would save a lot of energy and, I believe, allow more normal circadian rhythms to be reestablished.
Les, Atlanta, GA

This series is starting to scare me. I know I have this problem. Sadly, my privately paid-for $250 / mo big-name health insurance has a $5,000 deductable, and I'm betting the sleep clinic isn't cheap. I told my Dr. once, and he gave some nasal spray.

About two years ago I had a sleep study and 45 minutes into the study the tech woke me to tell me that I had stopped breathing for 3.5 minutes. From that night on my bed side "buddy" has been a little machine that blows air in my nose and keeps me breathing. I was told if I had not been tested when I was, that I would have had a major heart atack before I turned 50. I will be that great age next year.

All of you going through a "no sleep" night need to get tested and ge a "mask". I went for 5 years and suffered until the little air machine and mask was prescribed. "It Works"

I just thought I'd see if anybody knows how much that mask this woman was wereing to bed costs alone. I recently got the bill for my, much cheaper rendition. The price is two hundred sixty five dollers. This is the part that fits over the face. I'm not including the hose. Of course, my insurance covers it.

Sleep studying, the new 'snake oil' product for the 21st Century.
Who hasn't had problems sleeping, or hasn't been told they snore. Being in the medical field, and having taken those electrode 'tests,' I have come to the conclusion, sleep studies is coming to the fore for one main reason - money. The Sleep Industry is the last 'frontier' which gullible people and sharp practitioners can easily dupe you into thinking you need this Rx or this procedure, or this CPAP device.
Although there are people with serious sleep disorders which could cause heart enlargement, I truly believe it is over hyped. Much like ADD I feel is over-hyped.
Read the bottom line as to how much doctors make on these 'sleep studies.' The $15/hour technicians make a little money, but the procedure brings into the doctors pockets thousands. All paid through insurance.
CPAP machines costs hundreds, so dues Ambien, so dues the benzodiazepams. Sleep equals money.
Half the people do not need anything more than an eye shield from the light, and earplugs. You can pick those up from the drug store for less than $10.
My reasoning:
1. people are over tested with very costly sleep tests
2. There is big money on so called 'remedies.'
3. It is 'new' so people are willing to pay a lot for both testing and whatever is prescribed afterwards.
5. sleep technicians themselves are working under very poor sleep hygienic conditions - midnight shift causing sleep disorders themselves, leading to poor decisions. Long shifts of 12 hours, many days in a row. The doctors have it easy, they don't perform the tests.
6. This field is as elusive as psychology/psychiatry. Medical symptoms overlap into cardiovascular reasons, psychiatric reasons, physical reasons (noisy apartments, too hot or too cold conditions), changing working hours,
Summary: although there are a few instances where there are indeed serious sleep problems requiring desperate measures, most of the 'solutions' I see are bloated, designed more to make money for either a doctor or sponsoring company (be it a drug company or a manufacturer of CPAP machines, or money made from expensive surgery procedures. Buyer beware of the new snake oil salesmen!

Oh my gosh...someone must do a story on people who live in wellness homes that are outfitted with basic, non-invasive technologies. The technologies actually work to reduce stress, without side effects, and allow your body to get into a deep and sound sleep every night, naturally, not chemically. There is an answer to Big Pharma. You just need to discover it.

Lester:
I enjoy your work on NBC. Keep up the good work and get some sleep!

Chronic sleep deprivation resulted many miserable days and years for me. I recently was diagnosed with hypopnea & RLS. Over the past 20 years I have had four physicians that diagnosed me with depression because of my extreme fatigue. None of those MD's even mentioned possible sleep disorders. Finally, I asked my physician to order a sleep study. I have been on medication for the RLS and a CPAP for three months now and I feel better than I have in years.
I was so mentally sluggish that I thought I was in the early stages of Alzheimers or some other dementia. My job and personal relationships suffered. There were times when I didn't have the energy to play with my kids or have patience with them. I would pray to just have a day that I would feel good. At the end I actually thought that I was dying of some unknown disease. Now in middle age I feel like I have a future. I wish with that I would have had a sleep study years ago. Thank you for making the public aware of sleep disorders.

I, too, suffer from a lack of sleep. I have been on Ambien (3 years), but got immune to it. Then, I tried Lunesta and it worked for about 6 months. Now, my doctor is trying a combination. I take the Ambien when I first go to bed, then when I wake up around 1, I take a Lunesta. Then, I'm up at 3, so it's obvious its not working. I went to a sleep disorder clinic 12 years ago and was told that my body had quit producing the chemical that told me it was time to go to sleep (as best as I recall). So, I'm heading back to my doctor next week in hopes that we can figure out something.