A.W.A.K.E. Calendar

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic A.W.A.K.E. Group             since 2003   rev. 1-20-2012

                             An easier address to reach this site is: apnea.stanford.edu [without www]

The A.W.A.K.E. Group is for sleep apnea patients and their families, with the purpose of providing information and support. About 50 people attend the monthly general meetings.
The word A.W.A.K.E. is a nationally used acronym (Alert, Well, And Keeping Energetic) for sleep apnea patient groups.

Meetings are the first Wednesday of each month.     No July meeting.
TIME:      6:00 p.m., Newcomers Meeting.
                  7:00 p.m., General Meeting.
LOCATION: Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic, 450 Broadway Street, Redwood City, Pavilion B, second floor Conference Room, #L020807.

A.W.A.K.E. Calendar 2011 - 2012:

1st Wednesday	Speaker (General Mtg.)	Topic	Sponsor
August 3, 2011	Rafael Pelayo, M.D.	Sleep in Children: Dr. Pelayo explains sleep as a "learned behavior" and how these behaviors mature into the patterns we experience as adults.
September 7	Chad Ruoff, M.D.	Abnormal and Violent Behaviors in Sleep Medicine:Dr. Ruoff will discuss the abnormal behaviors that can occur in otherwise normal persons during sleep. These behaviors range from sleepwalking to REM behavior disorder and may result in vigorous and potentially dangerous activity.	Fisher & Paykel Healthcare
October 5	Dr. Imamura	Melatonin and its effect on circadian rhythm and sleep regulation	ResMed
November 2	Dr. Alben Lui	Restless Leg Syndrome: Dr. Lui will conduct a discussion on the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome There will also be a brief overview of the current understandings of the disease. Don?t miss this opportunity to learn about and participate in a new clinic for Restless Leg Syndrome at Stanford Sleep Medicine.
December 7	Dr. Michelle Primeau	Sleep and Depression
January 4, 2012	Dr. Vikas Jain	Alternatives to CPAP in the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea
February 1	Dr. Ronson Sato	Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome Dr. Sato will present an overview including the history, cause, diagnosis, and treatments currently used in the treatment of Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome.
March 7
April 4
May 2
June 6

Click for: Previous years' speakers and topics

Stanford A.W.A.K.E. email list:
To subscribe either:
1. Send an blank email to: awake-meeting@lists.stanford.edu
or
2. Click on this link:
https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/awake-meeting
In the section entitled: “Subscribing to awake-meeting” enter your email address, then click Subscribe.

Sleep Apnea information:
Symptoms:    Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, Snoring--especially if loud snoring is repeatedly interrupted by brief periods of silence, or by choking sounds or gasps, Apnea (cessation of breathing) witnessed by another
Risk factors:  Obese or overweight, Large neck (men with collar size ≥ 17), Small or recessed jaw, Overbite, Family history of snoring.   Thin people can have apnea!
Possible consequences if untreated:   Heart attack, Stroke, High blood pressure, Fatigue, Injury or death in collision while driving sleepy, GERD (reflux), Insomnia, Depression, Diabetes, Glaucoma. Also Coronary Artery Disease, cardiac arythmia, recurrence of atrial fibrillation, diastolic heart failure.
Prevalence:   7% or more of population (A 1993 U. of Wisconsin study found 24% of middle-aged men had apnea). Men afflicted twice as frequently as women, up to age 50. Most people who have sleep apnea do not know that they have it.
Most common treatment:  PAP (Positive Air Pressure). This treatment involves sleeping with a nasal mask through which air is gently blown by a PAP machine (a flow generator); this air acts as a splint to keep the airway from collapsing and blocking air passage (an apnea). Such blockages seriously disrupt sleep (unbeknownst to the sleeper) and severely stress the heart and lungs.
PAP machines come in three varieties:
   CPAP. C is for Continuous, meaning the same air pressure on inhalation and exhalation.
     Bi-level PAP. The machine gives a higher pressure for inhalation and a lower one for exhalation.
     Auto PAP. The machine senses how much pressure you need, and adjusts the pressure throughout the night.

References to more Sleep Apnea information:
http://www.sleepquest.com/sq_best_guide.shtml    < Several page overview.
The Promise of Sleep, a book on all topics of sleep medicine, by William C. Dement, 1999, 521 pp
Doctor's comments on:    Nocturia   Hypothyroidism   Allergies
Self-tests:    Daytime Sleepiness Test (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) Grade yourself
Battery Backup for CPAP (during power outage, camping trip, etc.)
          A car battery is not appropriate except in emergency; rather use a deep-cycle battery.
          Battery Q & A

Tips for PAP users:
Common problems with PAP, and possible solutions < click

Questions or comments or suggestions: please write to DavidVick1930[at sign]gmail.com

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