Ive been on treatment for sleep apnoea for the last 6 years or so.
It basically involves using a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine and a nasal mask setup that I wear at night.
The machine that I use is a relic and sounds like a vacumn cleaner. The newer models are lunchbox sized and almost silent, and I was wondering if they are manufactured in Taiwan?
Locally the basic new model goes for around $1000.00 AUD and I will be looking around for a similar CPAP machine when I go to Taiwan later this year.
Anyone else here have Sleep Apnoea and use a CPAP setup?
Hi pubba. Your reasons for Sleep Aphoea might be different to the experience I’ve written below here. It goes slightly off topic but I get frustrated with the lack of interest in health amongst long term expats in Taiwan and like to give them a slight kick up the backside at times. They don’t get the exposure to western influences and sit here in a 1960’s health and fitness time warp.
My cousin has Sleep Apnoea and has the dreaded pump. His wife is about ready to leave because of the noise, I must tell him there is a near silent version out now.
Interesting thing was about 10 years ago we shared a ski lodge and she kept feeding him the left overs from the kids plates. I politely told her she was killing him slowly with each scrap and got the cold stare as reward.
Well, she’s just about got the job done now. He is 25kg overweight and the big belly tends to keep him on his back when sleeping and combine that with the huge weight of flesh around his neck and you have sleep apnoea city. I regularly get the urge to phone him and seriously tell him he should be the weight he was at 20 y.o. and to fix it. I don’t call, it would just alienate him.
My country cousins used to call my interest in exercise “physical jerks” and snicker. They are mostly a sickly lot now and one has already gone with a lifestyle (smoking) related illness. I even had one dude pull up on a horse down one of our country lanes and ask why I was running (training for triathalons) and I said “to stay out of a hospital bed”, (slightly exaggerating but extrapolating on where he was headed over time). He said “I’d rather keep my dignity” and galloped off looking imo slightly ridiculous perched precariously on an animals back.
I was going to post on Forumosa today about sleeping problems, and whilst I doubt that I have Sleep Apnoea, I am starting to have problems where I wake up at 3 or 4am and have trouble getting back to sleep. Of course I’m then tired the next day.
I suspect that it may have something to do with the air quality in my place, as all the electronics is off and its completely silent.
However if I don’t run aircon, it gets too hot and if I do, the whole place dries out.
Hobart talked about this problem somewhere else on site. Install a few earthenware pots or use an evaporative unit and the humidity will rise a little.
I agree with your first post ironman. I don’t know the OP either, and don’t know the cause of his problem, but it’s also my understanding that being overweight can contribute to sleep apneoa. If he’s not overweight then never mind. But if he is, maybe he should try working on that to improve his sleeping. I understand your point, ironman, about people being annoyed with your natural fitness approach, but you’re right – that should always be the first approach.
If that doesn’t work, you can always hire a doc to hack away at your nasal passages to enlarge them. I knew a guy who did that and I believe it helped.
Im obese but have had sleep apnoea even when I was a healthy weight. Its a family problem - I remember laying awake terrified listening to my grandfather rattle the walls…
Im also one of those annoying fat people that blame my thyroid gland, except this time its true. Im taking thyroxine(?) to treat my underactive thyroid which has helped me drop down to a petite 110kgs.
Back on topic though - The Australian CPAP company is called Resmed. Their latest equipment combo looks like this
Compared to CPAP equipment even a year or two ago - this is virtually invisible. The clear plastic part on the front of the machine is a humidifier unit and not required.
Im hoping to get into hiking/biking when I live in Taiwan - and will change my diet fairly dramatically.
When I was last there, I lost 12 kgs without even trying. I believe it was because I ate smaller meals, but more often.
Ironman - here is the contact info for Resmed USA - maybe your cousin could import one of the newer systems.
