Hymee

iTrader: (1)

Hi guys.

Now I have your attention. No I am not bullshitting. Last night I had my boost requirements measured, and tonight I will spent the first full night with one fitted.

Oh - and it is electric powered, and electronically controlled.

Actually, I am on a bit of a mission to help increase peoples awarness in "Sleep Apnea".

Why? Because I had a "micro-sleep" driving to work a week and a half ago. It could have been very serious, but thankfully the concrete median barier did it's job and deflected the tryres before the bodywork hit.

I had been suffering excessive tiredness for some years now. I just thought it was one of Hymee's stupid traits. How the hell did I stay awake driving to Wakefield and back in April! I knew I had a problem, so I took caffiene pills! The doctor at the time didn't mention sleep apnea.

I saw him again after my incident, and he sent me off for some tests. I spent the night in hospital with all these electrodes and probes stuck here and shoved up there (my air intake, not exhaust!). Wires on my legs, cheeks, chin, chest, brain, stomach... And then I tried to have a sleep.

The result was I:

• Stopped breathing 57 times per hour (on average) thoughout the night.
• The longest I "partially" stopped breathing was 92 seconds.
• The longest I totally stopped breathing was 53 seconds.
• My blood O2 concentration dropped to a low of 83%. Lower then 80% is when you risk death.

Hence I have a severe case of "Obstructive Sleep Apnea". When relaxed (asleep) the upper airways "collapse" and block the flow of air to the lungs. The mind unconsiously wakes you up the restore the breathing. Hence lack of quality sleep.

I am embarrased that it took a potentially fatal incident for me to get help. (Like I said, I had seen the doc specifically before about tiredness etc, but sleep apnea was not mentioned then.) But I am happy that something got done about it and it can be treated.

So what has that got to do with supercharging? Well the treatment for this a "CPAP" machine. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. A mask is worn over the nose, and air is pumped in under pressure. This forms an "air splint" to hold the airways open. It is not a breathing machine in the sense of an artificial lung.

Last night I went back to hostpital where they hooked me up again, and put me on the CPAP. They had to monitor my sleep, and determine the correct "boost" for the machine to run at for my situation.

Tonight I spend the first night with my new blower. I haven't pulled it apart yet to see if it is centifugal, roots, twin-screw, vane, or axial. But it runs at pretty much a constant boost / flow, unike an automotive app

I know it is not normal for people to share their medical history, but I thought I would do my bit to try to raise awareness of this condition. I would not want to have injured or killed someone else on the road. Hopefully telling my story to other driving enthusiasts will help spread the word.

Cheers,
Hymee.

(PS Part 2 is really about supercharging the RX-8! :D )

ypwpat

Hmmm sorry to hear that Hymee. Are you Obese? because i have heard most of the Problem is Related to Overweight people, which i'm not saying you are fat



Hope you are well.

Cheers
Yun

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

No, I am a little skinny bastard.

AMG

Hymee, people who carry more weight than they should, or smoke carry risk factors for sleep apnoea. Also having a jaw mismatch can also be a cause of sleep apnoea which is easoly corrected by surgery or even the use of positioning splints.

It is not very macho for males to admit to, or even investigate sleep apnoea, so congratulations for making the important steps. CPAP offers great assistance and patients often find that they have never slept better. Though you may find it will give you more energy unfortunately it is a romance killer.

Lock & Load

HYMEE

I am glad you took your caffeine tablets when i followed you on our trip to Wakefield , **** imagine if you would have fallen asleep and run off the road .hmmm :o

As AMG said the CPAP will keep your wife awake most nights its out to the dog house for you . :p

Loosing weight = better performance not only for your RX8 BUT IT WILL HOPEFULLY KEEP YOU ALIVE LONGER .

Think of it as a second chance at life and make the necessary steps not only for yourself but for Mrs hymee and the two little hymettes .

You will have to reprogramm your ECU (BRAIN )TO ALLOW YOU TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS and overcome using CPAP.

Congratulations for having the ***** (no not meatballs ) for being open about your condition and sharing it with your forum friends .

Taka will no doubt give your his medical opinion :p , however ultimately its you that will have to change your lifestyle .

Imagine the improved times you could have posted from willowbank if your RX8 was 50-60 KGS LIGHTER . :D

cheers
michael

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

I got my CPAP machine earlier this evening. Would you like to know how loud it is? I'm sitting at my 2 year old computer right now. The hard drive is virtually silent, and ignoring my tapping at the keyboard, the only noise is coming from the 2 cooling fans. The CPAP is quieter than that!

Cheers,
Hymee.

Lock & Load

This will keep you from falling asleep at the wheels .

takahashi

CPAP is not the only way to go.

Sleep Apnoea is a dangerous condition. I agree with AMG's opinion on the oral bit.

Sleep Apnoea causes hypoxia (while Hymee measured only 86%) that is way down in the curve of O2 saturation that the oxygen pressure (mmHg) is going to the downslope. Another 1% drop will reduce the oxygen radiant for a great deal. .... dicy mate.

For the fact that most sleep apnoea occur in people who are overweight, which is good as most people have relieve of symptom as they lost their weight, it can also happen in skinny people too. For overweigh people, on the other hand, have more complication, if they have co morbidities such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholestrol levels. The above, together with sleep apnoea, contribute to heart disease.

Act now! If I dissect your heart now, I will find scarring - you already damaged your heart and hopefully you will save enough for later years.

Ditch your RX-8 next time you go to the milk bar. Walk or ride a bike, Hymee.

Hey better check your other risk factors too. Like cut the ****, check your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar level with your GP. Now tomorrow mate!

rx8 - smooth!

Hymee,

Thanks for sharing issues with us so frankly. As I have found out with Mrs Smooth our health is paramount. It makes axial flow superchargers seem somewhat insignificant! You did the right thing by confronting the issue head on and seeking medical assistance. It is something us macho males do not seem to very good at.

I do not profess to have any medical expertise so all I can say is that I hope that your treatment is the right one for you. The main thing is that you have confronted the issue and you are doing something about it.

I remember some of the comments you were making in our last phone call. They make a lot more sense now!

If there is anything I can do to help give me a yell

Steve

nb Maybe I should feel really really sleepy for my next try around Qld Raceway - I might get down to other hypothetical peoples times..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
(Joke)

takahashi

me too...

we are not trying to make it sound like you are about to die, Hymee.

AMG

hmmmmmmmmm, oxygen saturation is a bit low. Hymee, have you been forgetful recently.

Certainly sleep apnoea is not something to be laughed at and potentially quite dangerous, it can however be addressed which you are doing hymee. I'm certain my father suffers from sleep apnoea but trying to get him to the treatment stage is proving very difficult.

This is a wake up call to our fragility in this world and the care we have to take of ourselves. Got one of these calls last year when a close friend of mine passed away with a heart attack 1 week shy of his 34th birthday leaving behind a wife, two young children and a house half built which he was going to give to his parents as a surprise present.

timbo

Hymee, you sleepy bastard! I told you those reaction times could do with improvement, so imagine the times you'll pull once you have this licked

Seriously, my dad has suffered from this for some time -- and he's a pretty skinny guy (did smoke from the age of 14 to 64, though I suffer slighly, but one of AMG's mates kitted me up with a dog muzzle, whih seems to do the trick. Like L&L says though, you do need to know who you are going to bed with

Seems to me we need a challenge. What about a gentle wager on who can lose, say 10Kgs first??

Look after yourself

Timbo

Drnrg

my dad has this same problem except he wasnt able to sleep with all the tubes and stuff comming out of him, but yes be weary!

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

1) Sleep apnea is not only the dominion of the obese. I am only 165 lbs and 5' 10" and NIH gave me nearly the same results as Hymee.

2) There are other options than CPAP. At the moment, I am using a supine inhibitor - a hard pack that goes in the small of my back making it impossible to sleep flat. It forces me to sleep on my side which keeps my airway from collapsing.

Gomez

And I thought the odd times in the middle of the night I've seen you posting was you doing a little both end candle burning........couldn't sleep, huh? Glad you have found a solution.

Here's to good health,

Cheers, Gomez.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

Well, not sleeping at all is a solution, of sorts!

rxeightr

Man Hymee --
Glad to know you got it checked out.

Just think how much more we can expect from you, now that you will be fully rested from now on.

shelleys_man_06

Glad to see you're okay Hymee .

Hymee

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the support guys. I'm certain my specialist made an informed decision on the best way to treat my particular case. A severe case like mine is not very sucessfully treated by major surgery I am led to believe, let alone mechanical splints. And as for the thingy in the back - well I don't sleep on my back anyway. Perhaps over the last X years my body has stopped me from doing that as a survival mechanism!

As for loosing a bit of weight... I have always maintained those height/weight charts are printed on the wrong axis. I believe I am actaully undertall

Seriously, I just got back from my morning swim. 2k this morning.

BTW - I'm surprised no one has asked me about part 2 yet! Oh well. I'll just keep it to myself...

Cheers,
Hymee.

Lock & Load

Taka
Love your bed side manner NO wonder they have got you working with stiffs :D j/k

cheers
michael

Lock & Load

[QUOTE=takahashi]CPAP is not the only way to go.




Act now! If I dissect your heart now, I will find scarring - you already damaged your heart and hopefully you will save enough for later years.

Taka

Hymee lost 15KG after he read your subtle words of encouregement :D

you definetely have a way with words LOL

CHEERS
michael

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

I thought there already was a part two.
Are you going to contribute one of those "in development" threads?

Lock & Load

[
BTW - I'm surprised no one has asked me about part 2 yet! Oh well. I'll just keep it to myself...

Cheers,
Hymee.[/QUOTE]


OK OK OK we are still getting over your 1st part and lol at TAKAS bed side manner , but we are ready for part 2.

2km swimming hey , we need times and graphs .You are a tad late for the Olympics .


cheers
michael

sco

Hymee,

Hopefully some good sleep will make a world of difference.

sco
P.S.
If you now need an exhaust upgrade due to the intake upgrade - I don't want to hear about it

AMG

Can't believe nobody has asked yet.

Hymee, how did your first night with CPAP go?