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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2014 11:46 pm
by christo
I have been on CPAP for 5 years. I only sleep with the machine and take it wherever I go. I am relatively young so it is a bit odd when I meet someone new. I am now outperforming in my job as a software developer. I have a found new strengths and skills that I thought I never had: speaking in public, solving complex problems, calculating in my head, memorizing stuff. I find time and have the energy to do sports 2 to 3 times a week. I only drink decaf, take melatonin and have cut meat out of my diet.

I know what feels like to have a full nights sleep. There is still so much I want to achieve. It's not perfect, but it's light years from what it was before when every waking hour was spent in a fog, exhausted just wanting to sleep.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:54 pm
by Luscious868
brivers222 wrote:I had my sleep study on Feb 7th where they found after a short 1hour w/o machine that I have SOA, with a count of 90. I was prescribed a CPAP from SleepSolution Inc. and was given the Philips ResMed System One with Humidifier. Also was given the Amara Mask which I am currently using. A Mirage Quattro is on order and being shipped soon.

So far have been using the machine for just under a week now and I have to say I really like what it has done to my sleepyness. The only problem is that I was messing around with the CFLEX setting and put it on 3.... The reduction of pressure appears to be allowing me to snore again (albeit not anywhere like I was). Tonight i will turn it off as I was doing fine without it. Averaging 8.7hours a night of therapy and no naps yet!
I'm in almost the same boat. My girlfriend, who is a nurse, had been telling me for some time that something was wrong and it wasn't just that I snored. As things got worse I gained weight, constantly felt tired even after 10 hours of sleep, started napping after work to no avail, was constantly tired, had cold sweats most nights, always felt tired, etc. Her father went and had a sleep study done, found out he had sleep apnea, got the machine and was able to adjust and was doing well after just a few weeks on the machine. He encouraged me to go get the sleep study done. I'm so thankful he did.

Like you, I was under for an hour before the technician came in and put me on the CPAP. Even though I only slept with it on for about 5 and a half hours I woke up feeling like I had one of the better nights of sleep I'd had in ages. The technician either didn't tell me what my AHI was or I didn't understand what she was saying when she said it, but while getting my CPAP yesterday they mentioned my AHI was 111 and I knew right away I had a big time problem as I had come to suspect given that the other person also there was at 34. Only after doing a Google search of AHI did I realize what that meant.

I slept well during my study even with the wires while on the CPAP so I figured I'd be OK with it. Last night, my first night on the CPAP, went pretty well. I woke up once or twice and took it off almost out of instinct for minute or two because I felt like I was gagging and I woke up about 30 minutes earlier than normal and felt compelled to take it off mostly because my face felt uncomfortable but as weird as it may sound despite those few incidents that was some of the best sleep I've had in a long, long time. I've got a mask that only covers the nose and they provided something to put over the areas they said could be sore but I didn't put them on at first so I could try and gauge my reaction without them. I'll put them on tonight. AS for the gag reflex I feel like that was mostly me sort of subconsciously going into panic mode because I'm not used to it just yet. My AHI for the evening was down to 1.5 according to the device and I got just over 7 hours of basically continuous sleep which, for me, was like a revelation compared to most nights.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 11:58 am
by liquordealer
I have now owned (possessed anyway) my bipap machine for two nights. According to my sleep study I had a AHI of 106.5 events per hour. My Oximetry ranged from a high of 94% to a low of 63% - oxygen was below 88% for 59 minutes and I was diagnose as obstructive apnea / hypopnea severe (327.23) with hypoxemia related to underlying pulmonary disease (327.26) The sleep study recommended spontaneous BPAP at 20 IPAP 14 EPAP. Oxygen at 5 liters/minute added to BiPap. I really don't understand any of that - it is just what the paper says. What I do know for sure is that I wasn't sleeping very much and when I did it didn't help a whole lot! I felt like crap most of the time. My doctor (only one in town) is out of town and his office took care of ordering equipment for me. At about 1:15 day before yesterday the nurse from his office called and said she had just gotten the results of the sleep study (I had also received a copy in the mail) and said we needed to get the equipment ordered - she told me of the supplier they had the best luck with - it didn't matter to me and she faxed them the order - about 5:30 PM I received a call from the supplier (75 miles away) asking how to get to my house - she showed up about 6:45! Can't beat that for service! She spent about two hours showing me how to operate the equipment and doing paper work lots of paper work. I now have the following equipment: Respironics BiPap Pro Bi-Flex System one with heated humidifier, 2 (a large and a medium) Resmed Quatro Air masks, and a Invacare Platinum 10 Oxygen Concentrator.

I have now used the machine for two nights. According to Phillipspironic Respironics SleepMaster I have used it for 7.5 hours (x2). The first night it showed 2.7 AHI and last night it went down to 2.3. The software I have doesn't really show much more- other than 99% no leaks and 0% Periodic Sleep. I just installed SleepyHead but I don't really know what to do with the information. What I do know is - I'm feeling one helluva' lot better the last two days than I have in a long long time.+

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 12:33 pm
by slickwil
It has been right at a year now that I got my cpap machine and I havent been on here for while as well. I am 46 years old and didnt hardly ever go to to doctor for anything. One night while sleeping I woke up choking and thought I was going to die, it messed me up for a while,I thought I was going crazy. I had no appitite and couldnt sleep,racing thoughts,upset stomach, all kinds of weird stuff that I never have experienced. A friend suggested that maybe I had a anxiety attack. I went to the doctor and he prescribed me Prozac. I took it for about 2 months and it didnt really help. I went to another doctor and had a full physical, he told me that he wanted me to schedule a sleep test.

I went to have my sleep test and couldnt sleep, I was rescheduled for another one and I ended up with a AHI of 68.2. It took probabaly about 5 weeks and I finally got my machine. The sleep doctor told me it would take a few months for it start helping me. It only took me a few days to get used to it. I did start sleeping better, and after a couple of months I begain to notice a difference. I have been 100% compliant, I think my insurance wants it to be at least 75%.

I can now tell you my AHI last I checked was under 2. I am getting about 7.5hrs of sleep a night and I find it a lot easier to get up in the morning. I dont have to roll my window down in my truck and slap my face to stay awake. I also used to take a nap everday when I got home from work and many on the weekend. Dont get me wrong I do still get a little tired and need to lay down and rest at times, but I dont take naps anymore. I am not sure if I can even sleep without my cpap now.

I just wanted to share some of my experiences since it has been a year now. I know I trolled around on here for a while when I found out that I had sleep apnea and appreciated all the posotive stories.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 8:41 am
by lahscious
I've been on CPAP for 6 weeks. I noticed results the first morning on my CPAP. Actually, I noticed results the morning after my sleep study! Even after being awoken several times through the night to adjust the mask or change the mask, I had never felt more rested in my life! The week I had to wait to get set up on my own CPAP, I was torture. It's been hit & miss with me & the masks. 6 weeks & 5 masks. I ran the gamut from a full-face mask that gave me welts on my forehead and cut the bridge of my nose to now my beloved nasal pillows and I am sleeping like I have never slept before! I also lament the 10+ years of lost sleep. I spoke to a friend on the phone yesterday & he commented on how I'm not wheezing when I talk anymore, I sound youthful! I love it! I have tons of energy & am raring to go!

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:49 am
by tank
Was diagnosed about 2 years ago.

Don't snore much, don't smoke, a little over weight(only one chin, lol)

When the tech read the test report, she wondered why I was still a live.

Attacks average 38/hr all positions, 36/hr on sides, 40/hr on back(every 90 seconds), duration- longest 70 seconds.

Cynosis should have knocked me off as I was so oxygen deprived.

Next night on CPAP machine, mid morning I said to wife that I wasn't tired, afternoon I said i hadn't had a sleep.

Normal routine I would have fallen asleep 3-5 times by then.

Any other day I would slip into sleep as soon as I sat still, even at breakfast.

Friends we had dinner with the day of the test saw me the first day after and couldn't believe the change in my skin colouring, I wasn't an ugly pasty colour.

After first year my down load said I used the machine 98% of the time and attacks are down to 3.5/hr.

I can go to sleep without it and wake up with it on?

Other times I start with it, remove it during the night and wake in a panic to put it back on.

The wife calls it Darth Vader.....lol

Went to the Dr's the very first Monday and told him to get me off the anti-depressants he had me on (efexor 150) which had me in zombie land.

Any how a month later I was diagnosed with T2 bowel cancer, which I'm recovering from.

Also said to Dr " don't you think I would be depressed now?"

Have had my rectum basically removed (80mm of 120mm), but life is good.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Wed May 07, 2014 10:59 pm
by PartlyCloudy
It's been about 6 weeks since starting CPAP. I've listed my improvements below. I'm posting this to encourage others who maybe don't feel like a million bucks immediately. I seem to be on a gradual incline rather than a sudden burst. I've got years of sleep deprivation to make up for so I'm learning to be patient with this process.

1. I'm more mentally alert. I noticed this after the first night.
2. I average 7-8 hours of sleep. Used to be 10 or more.
3. I have more stamina. I only noticed this last week at a theme park where I walked all day and into the night without crashing. I was tired, but I didn't puddle into a heap of exhaustion mid afternoon.
4. I'm back to doing art and hobbies several times a week. I'd stopped due to having no energy.
5. The house is staying cleaner, the clothes washed more often, the dishes done, more/better meals being cooked. Not as well as I'd like in this department but much better than things were.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Sat May 24, 2014 1:07 pm
by akagai
10 plus years on CPAP and won't go back.

The change was gradual, and I didn't notice the differnce until I tried to sleep without the CPAP.

Wife noticed right away.
Family said I was MUCH less grumpy.
I take the CPAP camping with an automotive battery.
If I want to take a nap, it is with the CPAP and 20 mins is enough vice before when I would "nap" for 2-3 hours.

BEFORE:
I would need to sleep-in on weekends to catch up.
Grumpy, sluggish, sleepy, etc.

NOW
More energy,
More time awake because I need less sleep.
Still a pain in the ****, but much more tolerable.

Stick with it.
My first year was difficult, but it was worth it.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 2:37 pm
by Rsam
Simply Earth Shattering. I went to sleep doc thinking I did not have a problem. my family doc sent me, just because I said I snored.

from first night... energy through the roof. Mood could not be better.

Strange differences.

I now love sunshine, where as before I would not be caught dead outside without shades... rain or shine

I suspect my sleeping has sucked all my llife and I never knew any better... I almost at 1 week now and already my cpap is my best friend

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 2:52 pm
by sc0ttt
My self diagnosis was mild problem but the sleep study said "severe". I thought CPAP was overkill but was willing to give it a try. I took to it quickly, I sleep a lot better; the result is nice, not earth-shattering.

Sleepyhead is great, but I kind of like making my own graphs as well:

Image

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2014 2:50 pm
by tonybaker
yes I was reluctant to get into cpap at first, but after trying all sorts of different remedies, I came across a company offering a trial of a resmed S9 auto with humidifier. it took me a week to get organised to try the thing. it seemed so complex and the thought of having that mask on my face was not great (swift fx nano).

Wow, after the first night i was hooked, literally and figuratively! Although my apnia was mild, resmed stopped my snoring and gave me a full nights rest. Best of all I could look at the machine and see how much sleep I had had. I later went to a Sleepweaver Advance nasal mask and find it very easy to use, although the FX is great if you don't have any allergy to silicone rubber. One thing to note - the so called soft cloth Sleepweaver is not cloth at all! it is a man made fabric. It works well though.

I am in the South Pacific and Resmed gear is horrendously expensive, despite it being 'made' in Australia. I eventually imported a 'gently used' unit from SecondWindCPAP in Minnesota. Very happy with their service and product, although they want you to pay via Paypal, which not everyone is comfortable with.

I say to anyone who is snoring or feeling crap during the daytime for no reason to hire a machine for a while and give it a try. By the way, the Resmed S9 is virtually silent, in fact the little bit of sound from the breathing relaxes you nicely!

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:40 am
by jannimay
I am a woman in my early 60s and have worn my cpap mask (full face) every night for the last 6 years. Other than it messing up my hair - easier for you short haired men - I can honestly say that it has never caused me any problems. Yes, sometimes it makes rude noises and I adjust it - but so does my other half and I can't adjust him! I dont think I feel any more energetic and I still wake up tired but I dont fall asleep when driving so that must be a bonus for other road users! I very rarely (never!) clean it, wipe it down or rinse it. It only gets replaced when the velcro stops working and I have replaced the hose once - when in Australia and it split in the suitcase - and that cost me £20. It leaves creases on my face for a few hours in the morning but they just add to those already there. Anyone starting out - just persevere. Have a positive attitude and think of the long term health damage you might get if you don't wear it. It is worth the undignified image to stop snoring and the loving, if amusing look you get from your other half in the morning because they have slept well!

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2014 2:31 pm
by Visitor
I have been on CPAP for three weeks. No more headaches, lots of energy (lavishly wasted on sports), and a positive attitude are the results. I'm naturally optimistic, burned energy like there was no tomorrow, loved sports etc. Apnea eroded that, slowly but surely, until it nearly ground me down so bad, daily (physical) chores looked (and felt) like mountains and I was basically reduced to doing desk jobs. It's such a gift to have it all back. The mask, the adjustment etc is an ongoing struggle, but it's a lot better now than at the start and nothing compared to spending life "half there" (or less). What an amazing invention, so simple, and yet so effective. I know I'm lucky (so far) and there are others struggling to make it work. I've had an uphill battle for many many years trying to get to the root of the problem. Thumbs up to the treatment so far and fingers crossed this will last.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:50 am
by Call me AMPI SNORTER
My snoring was actually registering a 90 db. Think about that for a minute. Google if it you want .... 90 db.

I'm legally deaf and yet I could wake myself up with from the sound of my snoring.

When I did my sleep study ... my ahi was 79 in an hour. SEVENTY NINE times I stopped breathing in an hour. That is like every minute I stopped breathing while asleep. The doc said every time I entered rem sleep I stopped breathing. Therefore I never really stayed in rem sleep. Google rem sleep and see how important rem sleep is. No hurry ... I'll wait.

As you put it ... put the nose to the hose ... my ahi went to 7 ... lets read that again ... SEVEN. S ... E ... V ... E ... N! Oh yeah ... the 90 db snoring ? ... It stopped.

Now I will admit I couldn't handle the cpap. It was better but I couldn't get past the exhalation bit. Bite me COPD. I switched to a ipap machine. Now ... you will only pry that bipap machine from my cold dead fingers. That machine is my lifeline and I'll kill anyone who wants to change the settings or take it away from me.

Hopefully this will put the benefits of the machine that works for you in perspective.

I mean it ... I'll kill you if you try to take my bipap machine from me.

Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 9:11 am
by SleepDisturbed
Been on APAP a little over 14 months now, and just wanted to let newer folks know that GOOD things do happen.

Last night, my AHI was 0.0, my 95% leak rate was 0.0, and I had 8.3 hours of solid uninterrupted sleep.
My average for the last year is
AHI = 0.39
Hours Per night 8.39
95% leak rate 6.00

(These numbers would be even lower, except it took me a while to discover that Nasal Pillows were the way to go for me, and to stop messing around with Nasal Masks and FFM! Ever since then, my average numbers continue to go down. So, even if if takes a while to discover your best "interface" please keep working on it!)

Healthwise, the following results:
Weight is down 45 pounds.
BP is down to an average of 120/70
A1C down from 6.9 to 6.1. May get off of glucophage soon!

I cannot PROVE that my health has improved due to APAP, but i don't doubt it at all. The hassle, expense, and looking stupid with an alien on my face, has all been worth it?