Permian Sleep Center

If you've ever wondered how it feels to have sleep apnea syndrome, just ask someone who's been diagnosed with it.

  "It really stunk," says Shawntee Goff. "I was groggy throughout the day - I never seemed fully awake."

  Shawntee, 20, says her mom clued her in to the possibility of sleep apnea. "I was concerned that I was snoring a lot, and my mom told me she heard me stop breathing when I took a nap."

  Beyond grogginess, sleep apnea posed a real life threat to oil field pumper Ronnie Myers, 51.

  "I would fall asleep while I was out checking wells. I'd pull over and sleep, then wake up and wonder where the heck I was at. I couldn't drive long distances - I'd have to pull over and get a Red Bull or something."

  Ronnie's wife often woke him during the night, telling him he had stopped breathing.

  "I'd quit breathing, she'd nudge me, I'd tell her she was a fibber, she'd tell me I needed to get this test, till finally I broke down and got the test."

  Increased chest pain along with the fact that she often woke up gasping in the night caused Mary Kennedy's cardiologist to recommend sleep apnea testing. "(The doctor) recommended Permian Sleep Center, saying we have a state-of-the-art facility right here."

  Laura Trice's condition before she was diagnosed demonstrates many sleep apnea symptoms. "I was depressed, I just didn't care about anything. I was also extremely tired, even first thing in the morning, after a full night's sleep. I'd wake up with bad headaches."
  A person who has sleep apnea stops breathing periodically during the night, according to Amaranath Ghanta, M.D., FCCP, of Permian Sleep Center. If, in addition, the person has daytime sleepiness/tiredness, sleep apnea syndrome may be diagnosed.

While snoring by itself does not mean the person has sleep apnea, snoring is common in sleep apnea.

   When sleep apnea is suspected, Permian Sleep Center uses highly trained technicians and state-of-the-art digital equipment to gather information and make an accurate diagnosis. Clients report to the center, are hooked up to the monitoring equipment, then go to sleep in a comfortable bedroom. Clients testify that being tested at Permian Sleep Center is a positive experience.

  "The technician was really a sweetheart," says Shawntee. "The staff was very helpful, and the bedroom was comfortable," adds Mary. "They were the nicest people - you couldn't ask to be treated any better," Ronnie says.

  Once sleep apnea syndrome is diagnosed, a continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP) may be recommended for treatment. The device delivers a a gentle flow of air into a mask that fits over the nose. Users report a dramatic difference once they start using the CPAP.

  "I have a whole new life - I'm a completely different person," Laura says. "I feel better, and I think I'm a lot nicer person. It's just wonderful."

  "I sleep great, I'm in a better mood, and I don't get sleepy during the daytime," reports Ronnie. "It's amazing how you can go from one extreme to another. I noticed the difference right away after I started using (the CPAP). I started getting a deep sleep."

  Both Shawntee and Mary have noticed an improvement in their overall health. Shawntee says she has less trouble controlling her diabetes than previously. Mary says her chest pain has been corrected, to the delight of her cardiologist.

  None of the four would be without their CPAP machines again.

  "I take it everywhere with me, even on a cruise," Mary says. Ronnie reports that he seldom takes naps anymore, but when he does, he uses the CPAP.

  "I had some trouble sleeping with the machine in the beginning, but I think that was just getting used to it," says Laura. "Now I can't sleep without it." Shawntee agrees that after the first couple of nights, sleeping with the machine was "like normal."

  All four would recommend Permian Sleep Center to anyone experiencing sleep difficulties. "I'm always preaching to the guys out here (at work) to have the test," Ronnie says.

  Permian Sleep Center is located at 600 Washington Ave., Odessa. Dr. Amaranath Ghanta, certified by the American Board of Sleep Medicine (ABSM), is well-qualified to answer your questions about sleep apnea or other sleep disorders.

For more information, call Permian Sleep Center at (432) 337-6673 (33-SNORE), or visit their Web site at:
www.permiansleep.com.