I've become aware that my DH is suffering from Sleep Apnea. It's frightening ... first there are several deep breaths and then a pause when there is nothing at all ... and then a quick gasp for air. It happens many times during the night. Is anyone else dealing with this problem? Is it a complication of Alzheimer's?
I don't think it is due to the Alzheimer's...but if someone with AD has it, it can be hard to treat because how do you get them to leave the machine and the mask on at night....? Does he sleep on his back? If so, maybe you can prop him up with pillows so that he is sleeping on his side, that might help a bit.
There is also a surgery that can be done on some people to take out extra tissue in the back of the throat, but I understand it is painful.....
Sandi, thanks for the helpful hints. We do have a craftomatic bed so he sleeps with his head elevated, but on his back. I'll try to get him to sleep on his side. Of course surgery is out of the question. The last thing he needs is anesthesia and more discomfort. Thanks for the advice ... I really appreciate it.
consider another bedroom... Mine's had it forever - well, I've lived with it for 53 years - and I didn't sleep through the night for most of those because of it.
My husband did that for a couple years - it was nerve racking. He stopped and has been quiet as a mouse for 6 months or so. I think it may have stopped because he lost weight.
If you google sleep apnea and Alzheimer's, you get a lot of hits. Some people seem to think they are connected. My husband has both. He's not very far along in the Alzheimer's so he is able to use a CPAP. i've wondered how long he will be able to.
My hb has sleep apnea. for years he snored but it was the neuro that wanted him checked for sleep apnea. He stopped breathing like 29 times a minute. He is using a CPAP, but I don't know what is worse: the snoring or listening to his air gushing out his mouth all night. He sleeps on his back and sides - makes no difference he still snores. He also has seen no difference in how he feels (like not as tired). I thought at first he had more energy but if so, it passed. My son has sleep apnea but he is overweight (hb was not until the last year). I do not believe it has any direct correlation to AD. I know some do believe that the oxygen deprivation does damage to the brain and can cause hardening of the arteries in the brain because each time they stop breathing it puts stress on the cardio system and possibly a few more brain cells than normal die.
DH started doing this 3 or 4 months ago. It's like living in a horror movie. When he starts breathing again he makes all kinds of noise and sounds like he is in pain. If he lays on his side he does not do this but when I try to get him on his side he gets very agitated and refuses to turn over. The more seroquel he takes the worse he gets. It puts him in a deeper sleep. I turned the tv up as loud as it would go and yelled for a while and when he woke up he was very angry with me. I haven't given him any seroquel since but he still stops breathing but it will wake him up and he doesn't make all that noise.
My DH has severe sleep apnea and was using CPAP machine and mask was "extremely compliant" (surprisingly drs. consider compliant=4 hours of machine use per night). About a year and half ago he started randomly turning the machine off (and leaving mask on) and taking the mask partially or completely off.
We stopped using the machine when he chewing on the masks and destroy 2 masks in a row.
A lot of people (without dementia) have a difficult time and sometimes are unable to tolerate the mask. There are endless styles and some people even have multiples to rotate, and there are endless hacks to make them fit better.
I had noticed about the time he quit that he actual seemed better and sounded better. After his wrist fracture/surgery/pneumonia/delirium last summer (culminated with a 2 month rehab stay), the dr. at nursing home qualified him for Medicare coverage of a hospital bed because of sleep apnea/unable to tolerate CPAP. OK, I don't know exactly how she wrote it, but that was the general idea. There is a forum for sleep apnea that has tons of info that I can mention, if that's ok with Joan and anyone is interested.
my hubby has sleep apnea and having been a pilot the mask was never an issue..he just treated as going on a sortie! When the mask fits correctly, there is no noise but when it doesn't it seems like he is going to choke..the sputtering and racket drives me to the easy chair for the rest of the night
My DH was diagnosed with sleep apnea about three years, but despite strong urging from his neurologist and his pulmonary doctor has always refused to use a C-Pap device. He is convinced the mask is going to smother him, and nothing is going to change his mind.
It will be interesting to note the progression of the sleep apnea as the AD advances. My DH snored to shake the house, wake the dead...had apnea, and was not, would not be treated for it. As the AD progressed he stopped snoring! Sleeps on his back, absolute silence. Amazing.
Mine, too! Never got him into a cpap - years ago apnea just wasn't diagnosed. He snored to beat the band but now very seldom makes a sound. Still has apnea.
Mimi = my hb opens his mouth and the air comes gushing out his mouth. It is not quiet. We have tried other mask but he doesn't like them. He has only been using one for about a year. I don't know what is worse - the snoring or the gushing air? The other night he fell asleep without it and it caught me by surprise when he started snoring.
Sorry divvi, what do you mean be to the top, I can't find anything about sleep apnoea at the top of this page. My DH has snored loud and long for many years before AD was dx, it was quite a family joke. If we were staying with any of the family, they used to joke about drawing straws to see who slept with Neil !!!! I wonder if as the Az progresses, will he stop snoring, as some of you say your DH's have ?
sylvia, if a newer member asks a question that has been a topic before, we tend to bring 'to the top' or pull up that discussion from prior days so you can have a chance to see the discussion you are asking about. to the top simply refers to finding and pulling up front a topic of interest. if you do a search at the top of the page and type in sleep apnea you will find more info and discussions. divvi