Newly diagnosed from Seattle

[papa-bear]

Just saying hi, a newly diagnosed member from "Sleepless" in Seattle (pun intended!). And a thanks to the powers that be that have this site up for all the useful info that I've found in the past couple of months. (I normally see a new members section to post these types of threads but didn't see one so I posted it with the main thread...)

Anyway, I'm newly diagnosed (about 2 months ago) and just started cpap therapy starting earlier this month and am still getting used to the machine. Overall, it definitely beats the heck out of what it used to be as I feel more refreshed in the 2 hours I use the mask than the 7 hours I normally got before. A slightt exaggeration but I don't need to take naps anymore!

My take home sleep study showed 13.8 ahi before, it's now down to less than an average of 4 with the new machine and all of the side effects I used to have are pretty much all gone. I've had multiple instances since 25 (now 38) of rushing to the hospital thinking I've had a heart attack but only to have the EKG and blood work come back negative every time. The docs always asked how my stress level was and I always answered with "what stress?". I'd constantly had instances where I felt a slight twitch or pinch in my heart, never knowing what the real problem was or if I had a faulty heart.

The last time I rushed to the ER two years ago, EKG came back negative (again) and I was just about to be discharged when the ER doc rushed to examine my chest again only to find out an X-ray spotted a mass in my chest. THAT was a tough week, someone trying to tell you that you may have the big "C" (sorry, still can't type that word) but it was thankfully later confirmed to be benign but I still got it removed.

Fast forward to 8 months ago, I started getting up at 4 am to work out, sleeping about 4-5 hours a night. I worked out that way for about 4 months losing about 20 pounds in the process, feeling healthier. Then one day on my way home, out of the blue, I get my first ever full blown Tony Soprano panic attack. Thankfully, fainting due to panic attacks are rare but I did need people to shuttle me back and forth from home and work for about a week, researched everything I can about panic attacks and breathing methods, docs all treating the anxiety with meds, me working with breathing techniques. That hell went on for about 2 months, my seemingly stress-free life filled with stress from thinking about all the stress!

Then 2 months ago, the anxiety meds weren't cutting it so I went in to see my doc but my doc was booked full for weeks so I ended up seeing a RN. The RN right off the bat, seeing me for the very first time, not knowing the difference between me and Adam, pulls out a sleep questionnaire after hearing my first 3 sentences. I think, "wtf?! I need stronger anxiety meds, not this sh1t!!?" but I humor her and fill it out. She takes a look at it and...

BAM!!

My problem that's been haunting me for a good part of my adult life is diagnosed (properly) for the first time. Again, fast forward to now, I'm still getting used to the machine, I'm still cursing every time I'm waking up in the middle of the night since i'm still not used to it, I'm still cursing in my head that I have to use this thing for the rest of my life...... but I'm really not cursing.

I thank that nurse and this machine for saving my sanity!

Anyway, didn't mean to spiel my life story just now but I started typing to say hi and I just kept typing. Thanks again for all the info and welcoming me and answering my questions!

papabear

[HoseCrusher]

Isn't it wonderful when you finally hit the nail straight and not bend it... Great story.

[Sir NoddinOff]

Sounds like you're on the right path. Good luck. This would be a good time to ask questions. BTW...You can change your subject line if you go to your first post and just redo it. Maybe ask a question in the subject line.

Also, please fill out your equipment profile!

[jaycee2]

Welcome. Look at that, we're practically neighbors.

Yes, absolutely fill in your equipment profile. There are some super-knowledgeable people on this board. The amount of knowledge, experience (and patience) is amazing. Don't forget to make use of the Search function in the upper left corner. The Announcements are well-worth reading, an encyclopedia of knowledge. I am new myself, only six months in, still learning too. Hang in there!

[candlegirl76]

Welcome, papabear. I'm recently diagnosed, too! It feels good to be finally be treating the root of most of my health issues. I'm 39.

[yaconsult]

Papabear, please copy your story from this thread and add it to the success story thread here: viewtopic/t14494/Newbie-would-like-to-h ... lease.html

That way, it will stay in the thread that is linked at the top of the board where new people can find it and read it. Here, it's just going to scroll down and down and down.

It sure is great to finally find out what our problem was all that time, isn't it?

[ALF]

Welcome from another Puget-Sounder (Snohomish, even though my profile says 'Seattle'. which is close enough for the out-of staters). I've been a CPAP user for over 15 years; after a while you get used to putting on a mask when you get into bed. I'm a recent convert from a 20th Century 'brick' CPAP machine to a 21st Century APAP machine, and it has been interesting to view actual data for the first time. Anyway, good luck, and enjoy our fabulous Spring weather!

[zoocrewphoto]

Welcome. I am in Seatac, and I have been using my machine for 3 years now.

[papa-bear]

Thanks for all the warm welcome! I technically don't live in Seattle-proper (Sammamish) myself but, yes, it's easiest for out-of-towners.. And I work in downtown, which reminds me my first panic attack was during gridlocked afternoon traffic on 5th... not the best of places to have one of those. As someone mentioned, yes, there's no words that can describe how wonderful it is to get a correct diagnosis and to be able to live without all of those not-so-fun side effects.