Local pharmacy tackling sleep apnoea head on. They're even servicing CPAP machines for free
Story sponsored by Priceline Pharmacy Mayfield.
Do you snore loudly? Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night fighting for breath? Do you ever get up in the morning and feel just as tired as you did when you went to bed?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then you may be one of the 1.8 million Australians who suffer from sleep apnoea.
It is serious medical condition which causes the walls of your throat come together and block your upper airway while you're asleep.
Sleep apnoea can have a number of debilitating symptoms, including fatigue, tiredness, poor concentration, irritability, mood swings, impotence, loss of libedo and the need to take frequent late night toilet breaks.
If left untreated, it can increase risk of Type Two Diabetes, Stroke, Cardiovascular Disease, High Blood Pressure, Depression and being in a motor vehicle accident.
According to Australian Pharmacy Sleep Services, 80 percent of sleep apnoea sufferers are undiagnosed.
In fact, they say as many as 58 percent of Type 2 Diabetes sufferers; 77 percent of obese people; 85 percent of people with hypertension who take blood pressure medication; and 30 percent of people taking antidepressants, have sleep apnoea.
That's why Priceline Pharmacy Mayfield is making it easier for sufferers to both get a diagnosis and begin treatment.
Pharmacist Roy Budaraju says he recognises the extent of the problem. He also knows how debilitating the condition can be and wants to remove the inconvenient roadblocks which all to often lead to people not seeking help.
"The first thing we do when people come and see us is we get them to fill out a questionnaire, which helps to screen for the symptoms," Mr Budaraju explained.
"Then we screen them for sleep apnoea. The results are sent away and viewed by a specialist. Once we have established that they do suffer from sleep apnea we can help treat their condition," he continued.
"You can discreetly test at home, there's no waiting list and no need for a referral from a GP... So far we've helped about 20 of our customers... (and) every single one of them has had their lives improved."
There are several ways to treat sleep apnoea. This is because there isn't a single cause for it. It can be a result of genetic factors (such as muscle structure or an undershot jaw). It can also be cause by certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, thyroid problems or - most commonly - obesity.
That's why the first line of defence is addressing lifestyle factors, like recommending weight loss and cutting down on alcohol. If there is an underlying medical condition that is contributing to the sleep apnoea, that also needs to be addressed.
One of the most effective ways of treating sleep apnea however is with the use of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine.
It prevents a patient's upper airway from collapsing during sleep by providing a flow of air through the nose and/or mouth, thus stopping the sufferer from becoming oxygen deprived and allowing them to get a good night's sleep.
Priceline Pharmacy Mayfield stocks a large range of CPAP Machines, which range in price from between $1,800 to about $3,000.
They also provide post diagnosis care by reviewing sleep data and servicing the machines, to ensure they are functioning properly.
The pharmacy does free cleaning and checks of CPAP machines. They can order spare parts to fix these expensive machines (customers have to pay for parts), which could potentially help thousands of local CPAP users.
Story sponsored by Priceline Pharmacy Mayfield.
