I fought the CPAP and the CPAP won. Happy user after 5 months.

[TheBigTenor]

I'll try to be brief, but back in April I started using full mask with my AirSense 10. I HATED it. I've lived with Hypopnea for a couple of years and I would wake up at 2 or 3 or 4 am with my stomach in pain (from my diaphram locking up "that's my description"), blood pressure high, heart racing and it was scary. VERY scary for a LONG time. After a month of on-off use with the mask I tried the nasal pillows and my life changed. I didn't feel suffocated and the pillows stayed in place all night. I stopped waking up in a panic and pain. I'm a 97-100 score almost every night with Resmed MyAir score. Do I feel like a new person? No....but I don't feel like sh*t any more in the middle of the night or in the morning.

I lost a friend who was 59 a few weeks ago. He died in his sleep. He did NOT use CPAP. He snored so bad that he and his wife slept in separate rooms. He would fall asleep on short car rides. A real shame because he was a salt of the earth kind of guy. I wish I knew he didn't sleep in the same room and snored so bad, before he died. That information didn't come out until after his death. I wish I knew I would have shared with him why he needed help.

I fought the machine, it did not FIX me overnight. Even after some regular use. But for the first time in years I'm getting solid sleep again.

If you're new to CPAP or BIPAP or APAP, don't give up. I wanted to soooo bad. But I simply couldn't stand waking up in fear and panic any longer. Hang in there.

BigTenor

[chunkyfrog]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum.

[ChicagoGranny]

I lost a friend who was 59 a few weeks ago. He died in his sleep. He did NOT use CPAP. He snored so bad that he and his wife slept in separate rooms. He would fall asleep on short car rides. A real shame because he was a salt of the earth kind of guy. I wish I knew he didn't sleep in the same room and snored so bad, before he died. That information didn't come out until after his death. I wish I knew I would have shared with him why he needed help.

He left his baby, and it feels so bad.

[jnk...]

Sounds like you put the work in to find a way to make it work so that ultimately YOU will be the winner!

There seems to be no reason for you to feel any guilt over your friend. Your thoughts of how you would have helped him had you known more about his situation proves that you have nothing about which to feel regret.

[knothead]

Congrats TBT,
A great success story, sorry bout your buddy...

[zonker]

always good to hear of a success story. this proves that if you just stick with it, this therapy can and does work.

[D.H.]

Actually, you really won! Unfortunately, your friend did not.

[D.H.]

Was this friend formally diagnosed with Sleep Apnea? BTW, I'm pretty sure he had it whether diagnosed or not.

[TheBigTenor]

Was this friend formally diagnosed with Sleep Apnea? BTW, I'm pretty sure he had it whether diagnosed or not.

No he was never diagnosed. I didn't know that he snored so bad his wife slept in a different room. That info came out after his funeral.

[Sheriff Buford]

Your post is a breath of fresh air (no pun intended!)! It serves as encouragement to those who struggle.

Sheriff