Sleep Apnea…

[Katanya]

So I have mild sleep apnea…I am hoping my insurance covers a CPAP, I was offered a trial even though she said losing weight could help (got off Invega and trying to get my insurance to approve WeGovy for that).

I have Medicare and Medicaid for insurance.

Anyone else have Sleep Apnea and have tips on how to deal with it.

 

[kris66]

I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea also, I’m waiting to get a CPAP mask.

While you are waiting for insurance approval you can try elevating your head more when you sleep, it does help. If you don’t have a bed you can raise the head of you can get some firm pillows and try that, but it’s better if you can raise the head of the bed to about 45 degrees.

 

[tujennifer]

Sleep apnea often goes unnoticed—some harm-reduction basics worth knowing

Sleep apnea comes up a lot in discussions about fatigue, brain fog, and stimulant use, but it’s surprisingly under-recognized. From a harm-reduction standpoint, it’s worth flagging a few basics because untreated apnea can seriously change how people respond to meds, especially stimulants and sedatives.


What it is (briefly):
Sleep apnea involves repeated pauses in breathing during sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where the airway collapses. There’s also central sleep apnea, which is neurological and less common.

Common signs people miss:

• Loud or chronic snoring
• Waking unrefreshed even after 7–9 hours
• Morning headaches
• Daytime sleepiness that doesn’t improve with caffeine
• Brain fog, poor memory, or mood changes
• Worsening anxiety or depression despite treatment

Why this matters for harm reduction:

• Stimulants (including caffeine, modafinil, amphetamines) can mask symptoms without fixing the underlying oxygen drops.
• Sedatives, opioids, and alcohol can worsen apnea by relaxing airway muscles.
• Untreated apnea increases cardiovascular risk and can amplify side effects from many psychoactive drugs.

 

[blackCat5]

I am on a 2 month treatment for it, and if it does not work, i will need surgery... it has affected me my whole life, and i am just now getting it fixed because i have been sober for 2 months and had a moment of lucidity....

 

[Katanya]

I am on a 2 month treatment for it, and if it does not work, i will need surgery... it has affected me my whole life, and i am just now getting it fixed because i have been sober for 2 months and had a moment of lucidity....

What kind of treatment may I ask?

 

[blackCat5]

What kind of treatment may I ask?

Yeah they gave me 2 nasal sprays and a pill to take for 2 months, but i have not improved so far...