“Cheyne-Stokes Respirations ”
Just found out that I have Severe Obstructive Sleep apnea with severe Cheyne-Stokes respirations. I'm waiting for appointment for the Inspire implant but from everything I have read, with forced oxygen night & day, I'm still just waiting to die at anytime. I was a Mechanical Troubleshooter and there has been nothing to help people love with ihis as it happens with severe, end of life underlying causes.
I may have had a mini stroke, we don't know but I think I have something that would prolong my life. The new Inspire implant for the apnea and a reprogrammed pacemaker to start the heart when I stop breathing or enter the Cheyne-Stokes events. I had 310 events in 5 hour Sleep test and 35.6 minutes in Cheyne-Stokes events. I
Is there anything I can do to stay alive or is this really a death sentence.
Charles Gorrecht
cgorrecht@gmail.com
I may have had a mini stroke, we don't know but I think I have something that would prolong my life. The new Inspire implant for the apnea and a reprogrammed pacemaker to start the heart when I stop breathing or enter the Cheyne-Stokes events. I had 310 events in 5 hour Sleep test and 35.6 minutes in Cheyne-Stokes events. I
Is there anything I can do to stay alive or is this really a death sentence.
Charles Gorrecht
cgorrecht@gmail.com
65 years old
1 Answer
Hi Mr. Gorrecht -
I am sorry to hear about your circumstance. I hope you've been getting some more positive feedback since posting your note!
From a very grossly oversimplified overview, and presuming a few things about your medical history only, I will say: No. This is not really a "death sentence". It's just a little tricky to manage - but that's where a good sleep specialist can help!
Rather than the Inspire device, you might take a look at the Remede system (https://remede.zoll.com/). (I have absolutely no affiliation, endorsement, or other association to any device manufacturers).
It is unusual for Cheyne-Stokes respiration to be present without central apneas (and sometimes, those patterns get a little murky on the sleep studies - but it's another 'rule of thumb' type of thing). The assumption I am making is that you have some cardiac history (based on your mention of a pacemaker as well), and it's not unusual for these two medical conditions to coincide. In fact, we often discuss this with cardiologists in exhaustive detail as we can help each other succeed in managing!
From a sleep standpoint, I would make sure you get a thorough cardiac workup (if you have not already!) and have a frank discussion with the cardiologist about that whole situation. Often, ensuring they've fully optimized the cardiac function can itself alleviate some of the severity of the sleep issues. On the sleep side of things, if it remains that you have the breathing and apnea patterns without any changes, the device implantation might be your best bet. (And a bonus of having a good cardiac team is that it is our highly skilled friends who place pacemakers that also can place the Remede device!)
I wish you the best as you venture forth!
- A Patel
Please note that any advice offered is simply for education and information, and should not be implemented without consulting a healthcare provider with whom you have or may develop an established relationship.
I am sorry to hear about your circumstance. I hope you've been getting some more positive feedback since posting your note!
From a very grossly oversimplified overview, and presuming a few things about your medical history only, I will say: No. This is not really a "death sentence". It's just a little tricky to manage - but that's where a good sleep specialist can help!
Rather than the Inspire device, you might take a look at the Remede system (https://remede.zoll.com/). (I have absolutely no affiliation, endorsement, or other association to any device manufacturers).
It is unusual for Cheyne-Stokes respiration to be present without central apneas (and sometimes, those patterns get a little murky on the sleep studies - but it's another 'rule of thumb' type of thing). The assumption I am making is that you have some cardiac history (based on your mention of a pacemaker as well), and it's not unusual for these two medical conditions to coincide. In fact, we often discuss this with cardiologists in exhaustive detail as we can help each other succeed in managing!
From a sleep standpoint, I would make sure you get a thorough cardiac workup (if you have not already!) and have a frank discussion with the cardiologist about that whole situation. Often, ensuring they've fully optimized the cardiac function can itself alleviate some of the severity of the sleep issues. On the sleep side of things, if it remains that you have the breathing and apnea patterns without any changes, the device implantation might be your best bet. (And a bonus of having a good cardiac team is that it is our highly skilled friends who place pacemakers that also can place the Remede device!)
I wish you the best as you venture forth!
- A Patel
Please note that any advice offered is simply for education and information, and should not be implemented without consulting a healthcare provider with whom you have or may develop an established relationship.
