Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
BlueTalon
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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Post by BlueTalon » Mon Apr 13, 2015 6:41 pm

I had my first sleep study around 2004. When the guy came to my house to bring the machine and show me how to use it, he gave me a couple invaluable pieces of advice. Commit to using it no matter what, and keep using it even if I got a cold or something. I was an active duty Marine at the time, so committing to something was kind of second nature.

The first night, I didn't sleep much, and just felt like I had a weird thing on my head. Second night, same thing. Third night... in the morning, I woke up, and I'd had a dream. It was the first dream I remembered having in about a decade! That was my Eureka moment. From that point on, I never had any issue at all with wearing a mask (nasal pillows), and I have been sleeping soundly pretty much ever since.*

* I had sinus surgery in 2007. Obviously, I couldn't use nasal pillows with sponges stuck up my nostrils, so I tried to sleep without the unit. Unsuccessfully. After three nights with no sleep, I was starting to go bugnuts. On the fourth night, I stuck my nasal pillows in my mouth, and that got me a few hours of sleep. It didn't occur to me until years later that I could have gotten a whole facemask to accommodate my unusable sinuses.

Ripplingh2o
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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Post by Ripplingh2o » Tue Apr 14, 2015 8:59 pm

Well, I must say I'm a recent convert to the CPAP "scene". After participating in an unexpected heart attack 6 months ago, my cardiologist wanted me to undergo a sleep study. Much to my chagrin, the results identified that I had severe sleep apnea, and a CPAP was in my immediate future. After a brief period of defiance, I brought a Resmed10 home and a new chapter in my rehabilitation began. Now, after 2 1/2 months of CPAP "therapy" I am pleased to report that I have grown accustom to its use and concur that my health is significantly improving. I have now adjusted my life style to include nightly use of my Resmed10. I've been absorbing information from this forum like a sponge, and thank everyone for their questions, advice, wisdom, and touted experience(s). Every day continues to be a good day, with some just better than others.

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MiLady56
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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Post by MiLady56 » Thu Apr 23, 2015 12:23 pm

I entered the world of CPAP on my own. One day I tried my Hubby's CPAP on and took a nap. I mean, he had tried to get me to use it before and I resisted after just a few seconds with it blowing air in my face and then strapped on.
But this time, I was alone. No expectations. Just me "playing", trying it out. AND I ENJOYED IT! I fell asleep and woke up from a nap, feeling so relaxed just breathing with the CPAP.
SO I got my own sleep study done, got the Rx for machine and use it all the time!!! I love my CPAP!
What I dont love is the ever changing requiremts of treatment. Thats why I am here at this site.

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

Post by Ilikecpap » Sun Apr 26, 2015 10:40 pm

Idk how long I've been on CPAP, could be 2 years, could be 5; my brain doesn't register time well, even within a week, but I slept fine all night my first night and ever since. It was about a year before I started to feel more alert. I like mine because I don't have a lot of lung power and it works like a supercharger for me. Gives me boost. 13 cm pressure helps get more air into me.

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Bill44133
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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Post by Bill44133 » Thu Apr 30, 2015 1:24 pm

2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Today, April 30 is my 2 year anniversary of being on cpap therapy. When I had my sleep study I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea with AHI of 140. Oxygen level dropped to 58%. I was in bad shape and thought I was dying.

I was looking back at my first night with cpap in SleepyHead and Encore, I slept a total of 10 hours and 35 minutes. My AHI was 20.57 and spent 3 hours and 4 minutes in large leak. I had 217 snore events, 61 obstructive apnea events. Just terrible therapy, but believe it or not I felt better.

I fumbled around like this until July when I went back to see the neurologist. Before I went to see the neurologist I had to have my local DME email the Encore Reports off the cpap machine. The DME told me I was doing very well with my therapy and that I was using the machine every night. So, I proudly brought with me the Encore reports to give to the doctor. I will never forget the Doctor’s face when she was reviewing the May report and her face turning beat red. It showed average AHI of 17.5 and I was sleeping average of 7 hours a night and averaged 2 hours 21 minutes in large leak. I was in the middle of telling the doctor how well I was doing and seeing the look on her face I stopped cold. She then proceeded to set me straight how badly I was doing and then sent for 2nd sleep study. After that I found this website, and things have gotten a whole lot better.

Long story short, I am recovering day by day, month by month. My brain must have re-wired itself because my memory is mostly back, and I can drive long distances without falling asleep, I can go all day and skip the nap. The weight is slowly but surely coming off so I am able to move around now.

I thank everyone who has contributed to this website I have learned so much in my time here. After suffering for so long with this apnea I have my life back. I am not the same person I was 2 years ago for sure.

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

Post by papa-bear » Tue May 05, 2015 1:04 pm

Someone from another thread (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=105439&p=998008) mentioned I should post this here, sry to any double-posting-notsi's.

-------
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

tavalon49
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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Post by tavalon49 » Fri May 15, 2015 11:22 pm

I know the newbie who started this is either not a newbie or not a CPAP user anymore but there are new newbies so I'll share my story. I came to CPAP land via a very circuitous route. I was having hearing issues and got my hearing checked. My hearing was in the acceptable range and the ENT said maybe I was having processing problems and it might be sleep related. So he sent me to a sleep clinic. I'm not going to talk about that awful experience but I will say that while I was impressed with my husband's commitment to his CPAP since CPAP users can be very inconsistent, I had said for all those years that I would not, could not handle a CPAP. I already had insomnia issues and having a contraption on my face just wasn't going to work.

So my sleep doctor showed me my many apneas and said, let's get you a CPAP. I reluctantly agreed. When I went to the DME department and they tried me with a nose mask, it leaked horribly and the headgear was exactly like I saw with my husband. Yuck! Then she brought out Swift FX and the small pillows fit perfectly and the headgear was less cumbersome. So with great doubt, I took it home on a 6 month trial basis. Apparently many of us give up before 6 months, so they rent.

I'd like to say that's the end and me and my CPAP lived happily ever after but there was the two weeks of intense awfulness to get through. So awful, I was groggy and felt like I'd had little sleep and was having fantasies of throwing the machine of a high building. On day thirteen, I refused to wear it and I slept or felt like I slept, finally. But day 14, I went back and something had changed. It was easy and I slept pretty well, lighter than usual but woke up before my alarm feeling rested. It just got better and better from then on.

Now, I won't go anywhere without my precious. I even decided to buy at 2 months. When my sleep doctor recently mentioned that maybe I could discontinue after my tonsils were removed, I told him he would get my CPAP back when he pried it from my cold dead hands. I'm not just compliant, I'm in love. See, my nostrils have always been narrow and they tend to pull in as I breathe, so at night, I was a mouth breather. Now, I keep my mouth firmly shut and my CPAP blows open my nostrils and I can breathe. I even put it on when I'm not quite ready to sleep just because the feeling of not fighting the narrow nares is so nice.

I was warned about the first two weeks and they were awful, partly because of the machinery and partly because I had to learn tricks and ways of keeping it seated. I even had to clip it to my hair to keep me from removing it at night. I still do that because then I don't have to wear it as tight and still get no air leaks.

So the woman who wouldn't, couldn't wear CPAP is now a 100% compliant and happy, happy, happy.

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

Post by Catnapper » Sat May 16, 2015 8:57 am

You are so right, tavalon49. I am the no-longer newbie who started this thread. Still using cpap, and still checking the forum.
Thanks for your success story.
Catnapper - Joanie

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

Post by Ilikecpap » Wed May 20, 2015 2:38 pm

I posted here before but it was a long time ago so I'll post again. I had a terrible time at the sleep study; not only because of the mask but the whole experience. I got very little sleep and it felt like none but the tech said he got some data. The first night at home with my machine went great though. I slept 8 hours with it and had no trouble at all and not much since then. For the first year leaks bothered me a lot; even small leaks would wake me up especially in the first 6 months. It's been nearly 3 years now and I'm not good about bothering to replace cushions on the Respironics True Blue mask that I use (I started out with that one, tried others and always returned to it and now I wouldn't change) so I often get some serious leaks but after this amount of time I don't even notice them or the mask. I don't use humidity much anymore either. I leave the tank empty and the heat turned off. My doctor isn't happy with how slack I am about maintenance lol, but I'm slack about many other things so yeah... I haven't slept a night without CPAP since I got it and I doubt I could now. I use the Respironics System One RemStar Auto at 13 cm pressure in CPAP mode and never use ramp. My AHI is around 1.4 and I don't need as much sleep as I did before. It took a year before I noticed my memory getting better and other things improving but it's working for me. I've always thought that part of the reason some people have trouble getting used to it may be because they anticipate that they will. Try to think positive and never mind all the horror stories and maybe it will go better for you. My experience shows that it doesn't have to be a bad experience. Ilikecpap!

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

Post by bird dog » Sat May 30, 2015 12:42 pm

Second night with new machine, slept for over 8 hours feel awesome.

nlamb75216
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Re: Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

Post by nlamb75216 » Sun May 31, 2015 7:39 pm

I can get up after 8 hours of sleep
my mind is beginning to clear up after 40 years of anxiety,depression and obsessive compulsive behaviour
I don't get as jittery as I used to around people
I would become confused and thought I was having a stroke

I dont have the same recurring nightmares of a tornado threatening death (as a sidebar, I spoke with another CPAP user and he used have tornado dreams too

I went from 28 events to 6 per hour

I dont need to drink alcohol to feel better

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

Post by ZZzseekerREM » Mon Jun 01, 2015 11:50 am

I love and cherish good, quality sleep. I would wear scuba gear to bed if I thought that it would help me sleep better. But alas, I don't have to- just a small APAP machine and nasal pillow mask works for me. After 3 weeks I am feeling better day by day. It is not like one day after I felt I could conquer the world- just small increments in noticing how I had physical and mental energy during parts of the day when I normally didn't before. It is amazing how your body and mind get used to small changes (positive and negative) and then they just become the "norm". The negative side being evident by how most of us had undiagnosed OSA and then it gradually just got worse until the point of seeking treatment/help. That period of time could be days, weeks, years, or decades.

I like that my wife can sleep with me undisturbed and without ear plugs. I like the fact that I am trying to get better for her and my family. I want to hold her hand when we are old and gray and see my kids grow up to have their own kids. We all must do what we have to do to get better and never stop trying.

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

Post by Prismatic » Fri Jun 05, 2015 10:54 am

I may qualify as a success story. I have been using a CPAP (now an APAP) machine for nine years. I took to it rather easily and the major problem I have had is itching from the mask. I sue a full face mask since I am a mouth breather. I turn 80 next month and CPAP therapy has kept me healthy. Over time the incidence of apneas during the night has been greatly reduced, probably due to losing weight in addition to the therapy. I have travelled to Europe with the machine and all over the United States.

Over time the effects have diminished quite a bit and I think that was due to the machine wearing out. Recently I got a new machine and the difference is amazing. It has been particularly helpful with nocturia—getting up in the night to urinate because of prostate enlargement. I now sleep through the night without interruptions. That alone is enough to justify its use, but the consequent improvement in my mood and ability to deal with difficulties has been a bonus.

Another way in which CPAP therapy has helped is in reducing and all but eliminating night terrors. Every once in a while I used to wake up yelling and flailing about. That has been improved enormously. I also had great anxiety when waking up in the morning and none of my doctors could even suggest a remedy, but the CPAP machine has helped with that too.

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

Post by englandsf » Sun Jun 14, 2015 12:48 am

Tonight is my 366th night on CPAP. One year down. Changed my life for sure... and for the good. Thanks to all, especially Pugsy, for all the help along the way. Without you folks I would not have made it into CPAP land.

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

Post by sleepysonya » Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:04 pm

Hello!
My story is a bit different than most. Growing up I was guilty of horrible snoring! Everyone said I sounded like a giant man when I slept. This had been the case since I was a young girl. I also always suffered from nasal congestion and got colds a lot. Nothing that really caused any real concerns, but when I was 17 and in my first year of grade 12 I got really sick. It started with what they thought was strep throat, then Mono, and then sinus infections. I was constantly on antibiotics. I completely lost my appetite which resulted in me losing 40lbs in two months. I went from straight A's to failing all of my classes. I had no ability to retain any information, I spent all my class time just trying to stay awake. I would fall asleep through any exams and the minute I had to look at any paper I couldnt read it, because I could not focus my eyes. I became extremely depressed and spent all my time in bed trying to rest with no results. I was scheduled to get my wisdom teeth out, and even though I was sick they decided to do it anyway. I was put under as I was getting all four out at once. when I woke up the dentist asked if I had sleep apnea as they said my tougne would fall into my throat and would cause me to choke and stop breathing. My parents took me to a specialist, I took the test and was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea. A few days later a woman came over with a machine for me and one of the full face masks. I found it extremely uncomfortable and had diffuctly sleeping. After a few horrible nights I develope blisters on my face from where the mask sat. ( AWFUL! ) The woman came back and fitted me for a new mask that was just the nasal pillows. I was able to sleep with it the first night. When I woke up I was a completely different person. I had so much energy, was absoluting starving and ate everything in sight ( sure gained that weight back ) and couldnt stop smiling.
Now I'm 24 and feel like I have my apnea under control. I seriously can not function without my CPAP machine. I have no idea why I went so long without any major effects, but after those horrible 4 months in grade 12 I cant imagine my life without it.