Looking for advice

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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mzdawn74
Posts: 138
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Looking for advice

Post by mzdawn74 » Sat May 23, 2015 5:05 pm

Hello all!

I am new here to this website. I came here looking for advice and I guess some assurance. I was just recently diagnosed with OSA. I haven't been given a cpap machine as of yet. I'm still waiting on the sleep study which will determine what level of air pressure I will need.

I am 40 years old, female, and about 100 lbs overweight. Over the last few years I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression due to the symptoms I have listed below. I have tried numerous medications, all of which did absolutely nothing for my symptoms. I have all along felt that there was something else medically causing me this distress.

 My current symptoms are as follows:
-Memory problems-names, places I've gone, what I've done these things I can't recall at times. Things(routines) I used to do on a normal basis I can't automatically recall how to do it. I literally have to think things out. I have a hard time reading (sometimes I look at words and can't read it. Spelling words is very difficult! Texting and typing is a task in itself due to not remembering where the keys are)
-Concentration is diminished- it is hard to follow movies and television show plots. This also happens during conversations. Reading a page in a book takes numerous attempts and even then I still sometimes don't grasp the concept. 
-Word recall- My vocabulary has been reduced to nothing! Sometimes it will take me minutes to think of the word I want to use. So I am mainly using simple words now. While having conversations I will make many mistakes using incorrect grammar and words. 
-Constant observation and critique of every little mistake I make.
-Wake up often feeling like I can't breath, heart racing, sweating, and confused.
-Very bizarre and unusual dreams which make no sense.
-Waking up feeling like I haven't even slept
-Low energy
-Lack of motivation

I am at my wits end! I have had numerous tests for every possible disease there is to cause the symptoms I'm having, and all the doctors can come up with is depression and anxiety. I have through out these past years always felt that it was something much more than than this.

So, when I finally met with a neurologist who specializes in sleep medicine, and he suggested I be tested for sleep apnea, I was kind of hopeful that someone else saw that there was something else going on. Now that I've been found to have sleep apnea I am hoping that by treating it some of these symptoms will improve.


Has anyone here ever had symptoms like mine? Did they get better? Any recommendations for a specific machine or mask? Where can I go to research any more information on sleep apnea, it's symptoms, etc?

Sorry for all the errors I'm using my phone 

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avi123
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by avi123 » Sat May 23, 2015 5:24 pm

It's hard to tell if a CPAP machine's treatment would remedy most of your symptoms b/c they are also psychological in nature.

_________________
Mask: Mirage™ SoftGel Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments:  S9 Autoset machine; Ruby chinstrap under the mask straps; ResScan 5.6
see my recent set-up and Statistics:
http://i.imgur.com/TewT8G9.png
see my recent ResScan treatment results:
http://i.imgur.com/3oia0EY.png
http://i.imgur.com/QEjvlVY.png

HoseCrusher
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by HoseCrusher » Sat May 23, 2015 5:30 pm

Do you happen to know what your blood glucose levels are?

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SpO2 96+% and holding...

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Julie
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by Julie » Sat May 23, 2015 5:33 pm

Please, please ignore Avil! He really has problems and that was no way at all to greet a newbie here!

Welcome. You've come to a good place for help and there are great people here to give it. Your symptoms are well known (to say the least), and I honestly didn't find any 'mistakes' in your note, and it wasn't simple. You may be trying harder than you need to, or thinking you're doing worse than you really are. Once you have your equipment come back and let us know what it is and what pressures you've been prescribed, and things can go from there.

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Sheriff Buford
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Location: Kingwood, Texas

Re: Looking for advice

Post by Sheriff Buford » Sat May 23, 2015 6:37 pm

Welcome! Hope you can get better. Work all your cpap issues here.

Sheriff

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palerider
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Location: Dallas(ish).

Re: Looking for advice

Post by palerider » Sat May 23, 2015 6:45 pm

Julie wrote:Please, please ignore Avil! He really has problems and that was no way at all to greet a newbie here!

Welcome. You've come to a good place for help and there are great people here to give it. Your symptoms are well known (to say the least), and I honestly didn't find any 'mistakes' in your note, and it wasn't simple. You may be trying harder than you need to, or thinking you're doing worse than you really are. Once you have your equipment come back and let us know what it is and what pressures you've been prescribed, and things can go from there.
yes, I second what Julie has said, especially about Avi123 it's best if you click on his username, and then the 'foe' button. he might mean well (though I've heard stories to the contrary), but ...

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Get OSCAR

Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.

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Bill44133
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by Bill44133 » Sat May 23, 2015 6:49 pm

My symptoms match yours.. I will share with you what my Neurologist told me.

My Neurologist told me that if you are not breathing and sleeping at the same time you are putting your whole body under stress. This stress occurs when your oxygen level drops for long periods of time. This causes the stress hormones to kick in. Stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine are released by the body in situations that are interpreted as being potentially dangerous. Cortisol is believed to affect the metabolic system and epinephrine is believed to play a role in ADHD as well as depression and hypertension. Stress hormones act by mobilizing energy from storage to muscles, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate and shutting down metabolic processes such as digestion, reproduction, growth and immunity. She also told me that it would take 1 to 2 years to get to normal levels.

Take 15 minutes and review this youtube video it will help you understand what maybe going on with with you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gie2dhqP2c

This video put the whole thing in perspective for me. It should be required viewing for any one who is new.

I wish you well...

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kteague
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by kteague » Sat May 23, 2015 7:26 pm

Hello and welcome. Yes, most of your symptoms sound like my experience. It is quite reasonable for you to anticipate improvement. How much and how soon is anyone's guess. Some are better than ever, others get varying degrees of restoration. One good thing about consistent effective treatment of sleep apnea is that if there do happen to be residual issues to address, there's a clearer picture and one will likely have improved health and strength to deal with those things. While you are waiting, become informed about machine options. You want to make sure you receive a machine that reports treatment data. Good luck going forward.

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Mask: TAP PAP Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Improved Stability Mouthpiece
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bwexler
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by bwexler » Sat May 23, 2015 7:27 pm

It sounded like you have had your first sleep study, and you are waiting for the titration study.
If that is the case dis you get the results of your sleep study including the AHI and oxygen desaturation numbers. That info will give us some clues as to your OSA situation. You should also do some serious reading in all the stickies at the top of the forum, especially in what you need to know BEFORE you get your equipment. The only way you or your doctor can know if your therapy is effective is the have a machine the records and provides full efficacy data, not just compliance data. You will know if you are using the machine, you also need to know that it is working.

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mzdawn74
Posts: 138
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Re: Looking for advice

Post by mzdawn74 » Sat May 23, 2015 9:39 pm

HoseCrusher wrote:Do you happen to know what your blood glucose levels are?
Yes, they have been tested numerous times and all normal.

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mzdawn74
Posts: 138
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Re: Looking for advice

Post by mzdawn74 » Sat May 23, 2015 9:47 pm

Bill44133 wrote:My symptoms match yours.. I will share with you what my Neurologist told me.

My Neurologist told me that if you are not breathing and sleeping at the same time you are putting your whole body under stress. This stress occurs when your oxygen level drops for long periods of time. This causes the stress hormones to kick in. Stress hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine are released by the body in situations that are interpreted as being potentially dangerous. Cortisol is believed to affect the metabolic system and epinephrine is believed to play a role in ADHD as well as depression and hypertension. Stress hormones act by mobilizing energy from storage to muscles, increasing heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate and shutting down metabolic processes such as digestion, reproduction, growth and immunity. She also told me that it would take 1 to 2 years to get to normal levels.

Take 15 minutes and review this youtube video it will help you understand what maybe going on with with you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gie2dhqP2c

This video put the whole thing in perspective for me. It should be required viewing for any one who is new.

I wish you well...
Thank you!!! I will definately check out the video. I really appreciate all of the information.

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TangledHose
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by TangledHose » Sat May 23, 2015 10:17 pm

I think most people on this forum would say they have at least a few of your symptoms in common. The feeling of waking up and still being very tired all day, and lack of concentration are two very, very common issues.......I certainly felt like that for a long time before starting cpap therapy. I also developed Atrial Fibrillation and I have read numerous reports on how stressful Sleep Apnea can be to your heart and circulatory system.

It's taken me a long time to recover from the damage that years of untreated sleep apnea has done, but I was determined to stick with it and I am now happy to say that I no longer feel like I have to sleep during the daytime, no more naps required to get through an entire day, and my ability to focus and concentrate are very close to being back to normal. Of course I am older now than when I started, so some portion of not getting back to 100% is probably due to normal aging process, but I've stopped the damage and recovered most of my previous function.

The bottom line is keep up an aggressive attitude that with proper cpap treatment you can get back to normal, and maintain a good old fashion dedication to stick to the therapy and make it work. I am on year ten of my cpap therapy and there are many more longer term individuals here that can help you out.

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with getting all set up and on your way to better days!

_________________
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mzdawn74
Posts: 138
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Re: Looking for advice

Post by mzdawn74 » Sat May 23, 2015 10:34 pm

bwexler wrote:It sounded like you have had your first sleep study, and you are waiting for the titration study.
If that is the case dis you get the results of your sleep study including the AHI and oxygen desaturation numbers. That info will give us some clues as to your OSA situation. You should also do some serious reading in all the stickies at the top of the forum, especially in what you need to know BEFORE you get your equipment. The only way you or your doctor can know if your therapy is effective is the have a machine the records and provides full efficacy data, not just compliance data. You will know if you are using the machine, you also need to know that it is working.
My AHI was 14 and my oxygen saturation dropped to 82%.

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Goofproof
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Re: Looking for advice

Post by Goofproof » Sun May 24, 2015 2:53 pm

Your list of symptoms is very wide. Sleep Apnea surely can make some of them worse. Make sure you only accept a XPAP, that collects full data, and has the software to read, the data.

Until you get set up, there are many things here you need to read to get yourself informed, starting the top of the page. This isn't a quick ride, it's a journey. Jim
Use data to optimize your xPAP treatment!

"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire

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mzdawn74
Posts: 138
Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Re: Looking for advice

Post by mzdawn74 » Sun May 24, 2015 3:57 pm

Goofproof wrote:Your list of symptoms is very wide. Sleep Apnea surely can make some of them worse. Make sure you only accept a XPAP, that collects full data, and has the software to read, the data.

Until you get set up, there are many things here you need to read to get yourself informed, starting the top of the page. This isn't a quick ride, it's a journey. Jim

Thank you Jim! I know this is not going to be a quick overnight fix, but I'm in it to win it! Or at least get some relief. I have a lot of reading to do, and have already started. Once again thank you for your support and advice I really appreciate it.