CPAP>IS IT SO DANGEROUS NOT TO WEAR IT

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
BOBBY

CPAP>IS IT SO DANGEROUS NOT TO WEAR IT

Post by BOBBY » Sun Oct 10, 2004 10:57 am

how important is it to wear my cpap mask,i hate it,i really hate it,i am a laughing stock
i have been using it for 10 nights so far and i hate it,I LOOK A FREAK

not2worry
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Joined: Thu Sep 02, 2004 2:53 pm
Location: Sunrise Beach, MO

Post by not2worry » Sun Oct 10, 2004 1:22 pm

I know how you feel. I have just been diagnosed with CPAP and fought with my mask for the first 10 days. I still am not sure I have the "right" mask.

I do feel like have more energy during the day and wake up about 2 hours earlier than I use to.

It ain't pretty, but I have heard of people who actually died of sleep apnea. I guess it's your choice between living a life with a "bed buddie" or an unattractive alternative.

It's a life long commitment. I've heard some folks have been able to get off the equipment, but most of these cases are weight related and that is not a problem for me.

My hope is that someone will invent sometype of mask that doesn't make me look like a character out of Star Wars when I go to bed each night.

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JudyAnn
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Post by JudyAnn » Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:04 am

Laughing stock of who? Are you sleeping with a crowd of people?
Lets face it, its the pitts and I would imagine that if you are young, its even more of the pitts but its your life you are talking about.

Please try to get your mind set to a different channel and realize that when we are all sleeping, no one sees us anyway after the lights are out.

Your life is more important than anything anyone else has to say or think about you having to wear a mask so that you can breath regular and not irregular and that you have quality and quantity of life.

Hang in there, give it a lot of time. It takes a lot of patience and determination. It took me 6 weeks to get used to it. You can do it. I hope you find the right equipment and mask and that you come to realize who your friends really are......the ones not laughing.

Good Luck and Be Strong,
Judy

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Kristy5550
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Location: Cheyenne, Wy.

From what I have been told, YES it is dangerous to NOT .....

Post by Kristy5550 » Mon Oct 11, 2004 11:28 am

use your CPAP. You can end up with serious lung and heart problems as a result of long turn sleep apnea. I agree it is hard to get used to. If you absolutly can not get used to it, I would say you are using the wrong mask. There are so many out there, you WILL find one you can tolerate .
Good Luck and hang in there!
Sweet dreams,
Kris :-)

Apnatic
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Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2004 8:43 pm
Location: Missouri

Mask Laughter

Post by Apnatic » Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:42 pm

Who is laughing at you, someone in your family? I hope not, but if so, they need to realize this is extremely important to wear. Your entire body will shut down, including your heart and all of your vital organs are affected when this happens,,,,kidneys, lungs, heart, etc.

Who is laughing and why, I am very curious!

Apnatic,
Life is but a dream, Ahhh, sleep well!

Guest

Post by Guest » Mon Oct 11, 2004 7:36 pm

Aw, honey, you know the saying, "If I only knew then what I know now." I was headed for some very serious problems. Actually, over the last three years my life was steadily going downhill. Yes, you need to wear the mask. There are many to choose from. I'm going on CPAP for about 8 weeks and am doing really well. I'm only on my second mask and feel lucky that it is working out well. I feel great and have more energy than I ever thought I would have ever again. People notice the difference in me!

After all the research I've done on this, I realize how lucky I am to have found my problem in time.

I am so thankful for a noninvasive treatment and I'm not dying!!!!

Hang in there. We support you. You may have to help educate your family and when they discover how at risk you've been, they will count their blessings that you are now on CPAP!

Suserbec
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2004 5:49 am
Location: Indiana

Post by Suserbec » Mon Oct 11, 2004 7:39 pm

Hi,
That last post was from me. Sometimes I forget to login before I reply to messages.
CPAP has saved my life!!

Tim_D
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2004 11:34 am
Location: Atlanta, GA

Post by Tim_D » Tue Oct 12, 2004 11:54 am

Yes, without a doubt CPAP Gear is not pretty.

I was watching The Empire Strikes Back the other day and there is a scene where they step out of the Millenium Falcon onto what they think is an asteroid (actually a huge worm!) and they are wearing what I assume are oxygen masks. I tell you now, they are wearing CPAP gear!!! So, now I am cool becuase I am dressed like Han Solo... Princess Leia for the ladies... Chewbacca for the Wookies!

Here is my bottom line story. I was not able to sleep next to my wife for the last 5 years (I'm only 33 and only married 5 years) and for the last couple weeks I have been able to.

It makes a difference in so many ways... stick with it!
Tim D
Hosehead since 09/04!

Guest

Post by Guest » Tue Oct 12, 2004 8:00 pm

Hello Bobby

It took a while for me to get used for me to adjust to the CPAP as it made me look like Darth Vader, it made me sound like him too!!! yes it is unusual in appearance but you will get used to it.

I felt like a elelphant when I frist got it!!! I had the vanishing mask sydrome at night and takes 3-4 mths for me to used to that unusal looking mask!

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Snuffle-nose
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Post by Snuffle-nose » Tue Oct 12, 2004 8:03 pm

Hello Bobby

It took a while for me to get used for me to adjust to the CPAP as it made me look like Darth Vader, it made me sound like him too!!! yes it is unusual in appearance but you will get used to it.

I felt like a elelphant when I frist got it!!! I had the vanishing mask sydrome at night and takes 3-4 mths for me to used to that unusal looking mask!


keep using the CPAP as waking up with a headache etc is not the way to wake up frist thing in the morning!!!
Back to top
Been on CPAP for a while.....I had moderate apenoa

frequentfliertx
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Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:26 pm

Reply

Post by frequentfliertx » Tue Oct 19, 2004 7:24 pm

I've been on CPAP for a year and a half now. Once you start you NEED to continue or else you will suffer physically. I've gotten use to mine so it's no problem wearing it every night. I now use RESMED since my other CPAP machine kept on giving me error messages. Good luck!

SpikeJobe
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:00 pm
Location: Aurora, OH

Post by SpikeJobe » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:07 pm

I got my first CPAP about 12 years ago. I remember that before I began CPAP therapy, you could set your watch-- at 2:30 in the afternoon, I was going to sleep. Almost didn't matter where I was or how important being alert was-- I once fell asleep in the middle of a job interview!

It took me a while to get used to it, and I too was (and *am*) a laughingstock to my family.

I don't care. My CPAP completely changed my life for the better. I recently got a new Puritan-Bennett Goodknight 420S which is small, portable and very quiet.

I know you hate it now, but pay attention to how much better you'll be feeling with it.

Spike

leequilt

Post by leequilt » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:34 pm

i've had my machine for over a year now. i didn't realize i had sleep apnea till i had a respiratory arrest in the hospital after a knee replacement related to pain medications i was taking. i have snored since i was a child.
now i sleep thru the night, i was up every hour prior to using cpap and was exhausted. it took me three different masks til i found one that is comfortable. hang in there.