Did a CPAP changed your life?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Heartful
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Did a CPAP changed your life?

Post by Heartful » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:10 am

Hi!
I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea in July. I have an appointment with the pneumologist in a few weeks and might get a CPAP. According to my doctor, a CPAP could change my life!

Well, I want to hope so as I have been off work since last October because of exhaustion. I was first treated for depression (even though I was not feeling depressed at that time) and the medication didn't help and this sleep apnea diagnosis came as a relief as maybe it could explain my lack of energy and constant tireness.

Now I am really becoming depressed as this will soon be a year since I'm off work and I find it really hard to be waiting so long and not being able to know IF that will allow me to get back to a more 'normal' level of functioning. I know all cases are different and some are more severe than others... but I guess I just need to believe into something that might help.

I am also a single mom with 3 teenagers and was working full time until my sick leave. I don't have any support and to say that I am managing well would be an understatement. I'm simply hoping to be able to resume my work (without falling asleep in front of the computer screen!) and be active again.

So any thoughts on how a CPAP might have changed and improved your life will be appreciated. I try to not put all my hopes in that machine... but after one year of feeling tired and not doing much, I really need to believe into something!

Thanks!

Heartful


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kteague
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Has CPAP Changed Life?

Post by kteague » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:34 am

Heartful,

You have every reason to be hopeful that CPAP treatment will change your life. With all it's hassles, it is truly a lifeline for those who have suffered the effects of sleep apnea and had it disrupt their life, health, and well being.

Embrace this will all your being - you may regret having to but I doubt you'll every regret doing it.

Kathy


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DreamStalker
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Post by DreamStalker » Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:30 pm

Yes! It did for me! I got a CPAP and I became filthy rich!!

Well, not really, but I did sleep in my own bed last night (with my APAP of course)

... and yes it can change your life

President-pretender, J. Biden, said "the DNC has built the largest voter fraud organization in US history". Too bad they didn’t build the smartest voter fraud organization and got caught.

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dieselgal
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Post by dieselgal » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:09 pm

CPAP has definitely changed my life. I use to dread going to bed because I knew I wouldn't sleep and that no longer happens. My husband no longer wakes up hearing me crying because I am so tired but can't sleep. I am more awake during the day and less irritable. All good things for me and my husband.

One more thing....Since my husband never was a snuggler the mask & vent gives him a better excuse not to! BONUS for him.


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SisterShotgun
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Post by SisterShotgun » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:11 pm

It has changed my life..I have tons more energy than I have ever had in my life. I sleep like a log almost every night and I have Dreams!!

Even if I take a nap in the afternoons I use my CPAP, sleeping without it is not an option


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tillymarigold
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Post by tillymarigold » Fri Sep 28, 2007 1:38 pm

Absolutely.

I've been on CPAP not quite 6 months. So far I've gotten a dog (who requires LOTS of walking, WHICH I DO!!!) and lost 15 pounds in the last 2 months. I walk my dog, I talk to my husband, my house doesn't constantly look like a war zone ... I didn't know I wasn't sleeping well before, but now I can tell I sleep GREAT.

I just plain don't understand all the posters we get saying "NO I'LL NEVER DO IT IT'S AWFUL I'D RATHER FEEL LIKE $*** THAN EVER USE A CPAP." Getting on CPAP is the best thing that's ever happened to me.


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RosemaryB
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Post by RosemaryB » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:03 pm

On xpap since the end of April. It has made a huge difference for me. I used to be utterly exhausted after work and never did anything after work but veg out. Now I'm doing all kinds of stuff in the evening.

I remember things instead of struggling to remember things. After my titration study I went in to work then went to the store after work to pick something up. I had a most remarkable experience. I was standing there, trying to remember if there was anything else, and a bunch of stuff that I'd been needing and forgetting to get just came into my head (stuff I'd also forgetting to write down). I was kind of stunned by this little piece of my brain working better after one not very long night in a sleep lab with a mask and machine.

Life seems lighter somehow. It's like my brain, my body, my life used to be an old rusted machine that barely moved when you turned on the engine. Now, it's like it's well oiled and just works without effort.

I'm taking on some challenges at work that I would never have dreamed taking on before. I was always a good worker but worked well below my capacity. This was a habit because if I took on too much or something too challenging I would get easily overwhelmed and confused by it. So, I kinda "hid out" at work and tried not to get anything extra that I didn't need to.

I'm feeling more social. Again, I avoided people because it just took too much energy. I did have a few close friends and that was it. I'm still an introvert, but a more confident one. I LIKE people and always have.

I'm no longer feeling overwhelmed by life and everything in it. There's a bunch more stuff that I notice, but this is what comes to mind right now.

It's likely that I've had OSA for most or all of my adult life, and perhaps as a child, too. As a child, I remember having a recurring dream that I was congested and couldn't breathe, but this was even when I wasn't congested. This would wake me up. Luckily, I think it has been mild or moderate all this time. I did have my tonsils out, but think I had that dream even afterwards.

Because I've had this all my life, I'm now aware that there are certain "personality traits" that I've learned. For example: Stay in the background, don't get noticed by people at work (or in school) and work really hard at what you have to do. Don't take on extra social things. Do things alone because then I can pace myself. I have to figure out how to unlearn some of these things, and more.

I'm extremely grateful that I'll have the chance to do this! I LOVE my cpap.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Titration, CPAP


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Thread on how I overcame aerophagia
http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t3383 ... hagia.html

Thread on my TAP III experience
http://www.cpaptalk.com/viewtopic/t3705 ... ges--.html

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Robbie
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Post by Robbie » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:12 pm

Heartful,

I didn't become rich like DreamStalker did - and I still can't leap tall buildings in a single bound, but after one week of therapy, I personally had noticed a life changing difference. For the last 15 years (I'm late 40's now) I have been tired ALL the time. In the afternoons I'd become uncontrollably sleepy and mentally checked out - which in my line of work is not at all good and have mood swings that would make Nero green with envy.

I had medical tests run to rule out everything else - then the doctors always told me to exercise and get more sleep. That's why they go to medical school. I was sleeping 8 - 9 hours a day, I work out regularly, eat right - fall asleep in afternoon meetings, and forget where I parked my car.

Anyway .. to make a short story long - at my last physical, my new family doc suggested a sleep study - which identified a problem. One week on a CPAP for me has been LIFE CHANGING. I'm sure I have a ways to go yet - and I'm guessing I'm going through some sort of oxygen intoxication fueled honeymoon period but it's WONDERFUL just being able to put a finger on why I felt so cruddy all the time, to be feeling better and to have some HOPE.

The only real downside I've found so far to CPAP therapy is that I look much more wide awake. Co-workers and bosses used to assume the reason I looked tired all the time was because I was working WAYYYY to hard - putting in too many hours. Before my workload dramtically increases, I'll need to develop a Plan B. I'm thinking of a constant worried look now - looking at imagined pages on my Blackberry and lightly swearing under my breath. At least I'll be wide awake when I do it.

Good luck and stick with it!

The older I get, the better I was

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Post by Guest » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:43 pm

Yes, it absolutely changed mine! I hated going to bed. I always woke with a headache and exhausted. I barely made it through the day at work each day. Constantly put off doing things around the house - even the things I enjoyed doing.

Now, I have so much more energy - it's like I turned the clock back to my 20s. I have to force myself to go to bed at night because I'm so full of energy I don't realize how late it's getting.

My son is in the process of moving and has been sleeping on my couch during the commotion. He came in one night last week (work night). It was 11:45 p.m. I was in the kitchen making lotion bar testers. He just looked at me like I was a crazy person and said "Mom...go to bed! You have to work tomorrow!" Then we both just started laughing at his disciplining me like I used to do to him.

Seriously, I don't care how funny I look, how inconvenient it is to have to drag my machine along with me overnight, I will NEVER spend one more night in suffering through apnea episodes again. Unless something better and more effective comes along, I will sleep with this machine the rest of my life.

Read everything you can on here, try to get a machine that has a card reader, and be prepared to get your life back!

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lilsheba
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Post by lilsheba » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:05 pm

I"ve been on it for over 2 months now....maybe even 3? or close to it. Anyway it's changed my life as well. I feel much better, I can work without falling asleep, I don't have a ton of energy but it's more than it was. I feel great when I get up and I look forward to going to bed at night.

If you like aromatherapy you should try the Pur-Sleep system, do a search there are threads all over here for that. Also http://www.pur-sleep.com has info. It helps you feel better also, makes the whole experience more pleasant to deal with.

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tuna
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Post by tuna » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:18 pm

It has changed my life, but I still can't get a date!

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Heartful
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Post by Heartful » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:08 pm

Wow!
Thank you SO MUCH for all your answers!!!

It is very encouraging and uplifting for me. I can relate to a lot of the 'symptoms' that some of you listed and there are things that I had not associated as being secondary to the sleep apnea.

I am now looking forward to my appointment and all your answers/advices are truly appreciated! I was really starting to feel bad about myself and so guilty for not being able to 'bounce' back and get better, no matter all the efforts I have been making.

Robbie - I can't wait to be 'wide awake' too and feel like I'm getting my brain back! Your humor was lovely to read

With heartfelt thanks to all of you!

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RiverDave
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Post by RiverDave » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:11 pm

It has given me back 1.5 hours per day I was wasting sleeping. I'm not nearly as tired as the day progresses. And I feel a whole lot better to boot. It's worth it and I will be kicking myself for the next few years becasue I didn't start it sooner.

Good Luck

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msheda
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Post by msheda » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:47 pm

tuna wrote:It has changed my life, but I still can't get a date!
Me neither. I dont understand it.

Here's my ad:

SWM, fat, broke, and old. Looking for rich young girl to help support me in the manner I wish to become accustomed to, clean up after me, do my laundry, cook my meals, and give me back rubs. Still have all my teeth, and most of my hair. No longer snore (as much). I am avaiable most nights, will go anywhere your willing to drive me to.

Can't understand why I haven't gotten any nibbles.
(I really hate those truth in advertising laws)


larryk64

I used to have an excuse to take a nap in the afternoon.

Post by larryk64 » Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:02 pm

I've been on my bi-flex (cpap) for 2 weeks. I am so used to taking a nap in the afternoon, I'm not sure what to do with myself.
I'm not tired, nor do I fall asleep in my chair anymore and I don't need a nap...it was one of my few pleasures in life. What now?!