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   Volume 1, Issue 2

There was a huge response from the questionnaire included with the Summer edition of Snooze Nooze. Of particular interest was the number of positive comments concerning The Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust…...thank you all very much !! These comments have certainly reinforced our opinion that Sleep Apnoea sufferers do need  an advocacy body to express their views and to make the public more aware of the disorder.
As promised we will attempt to deal with questions/comments/queries raised, however due to pressure of space certain items have been 'bundled' under the one heading.
If we fail to address any specific item please let us know and we will try and deal with it in our next issue.
The following opinions are not to be taken as medical advice. They are based on experiences of Sleep Apnoea sufferers and should not be accepted in substitution for advice from qualified medical professionals.

Sufferers who have been prescribed CPAP obviously have Sleep Apnoea severe enough to      warrant such treatment and to cease using  CPAP is akin to not taking drugs or medicines prescribed by your Doctor to cure a specific ailment. This is not to say that using CPAP is easy, in fact quite the contrary.
While we don't have all the answers, some of the following may be of some assistance:

• Try wearing the nasal mask (without the hose etc) while reading or watching TV (to get used to it)
  
• Keep in contact with your CPAP supplier (they have seen and dealt with most problems)
  
• Don't tighten the straps too tightly. This has the effect of increasing leaks. The mask should sit on your face, not dragged tightly on.
  
• Clean the mask and headgear  regularly. Check the headgear to ensure there is sufficient elasticity.
  
• Change filters/masks/headgear in accordance with manufacturers recommendations.
  
• You must persevere.
  

It was frightening to note the significant number of sufferers who have given up CPAP. Reasons include 'panic attacks', claustrophobia', ' the cure was worse than the illness' 'it looks disgusting', and quite a few people had problems coming to terms with the disorder, in particular the thoughts of having to wear a nasal mask for the rest of their lives.
Without appearing to lecture, Sleep Apnoea is a chronic, debilitating disorder which can have catastrophic effects on our lives and at its very worst can cause early death. Side effects of untreated  Sleep Apnoea include hypertension and cardiovascular problems. At present there are no proven surgical cures with the exception of a tracheostomy (which is pretty drastic and can have serious problems with infection), so the only proven, non surgical, non invasive treatment is CPAP.

There would appear to be a lot of sufferers who have little or no knowledge of humidifiers.
In short a humidifier moistens and, in the case of a heated humidifier, heats the air which you inhale through the nasal mask. The most up to date humidifier is a called a Heated Passover Humidifier. It comprises a device of similar size to the CPAP machine which contains a water

reservoir which sits on a hot plate.
The air which is taken into the CPAP machine is then 'passed over' the warm water in the humidifier before being inhaled through the nasal mask. Some sufferers use the humidifier throughout the year, while others use it during the winter months. It is used extensively in areas where the air is dry/thin. It can assist people who suffer from a dry

throat or 'crusty' nose and  is of great help to people who have difficulty dealing with the constant blast of cold dry air. Humidifiers are distributed by all CPAP suppliers and require a prescription from your Sleep Specialist. They form part of CPAP treatment and as such their rental cost can be claimed under the Drug Refund Scheme.