Can CPAP cause depression/anxiety?

[Lucyhere]

How did I know you would be the first one to come back at me Julie.

She DID NOT come back at you, Nanwilson. That was YOUR perception. It certainly wasn't mine. You see, we all have different perceptions! Get it now?

[Julie]

I came back at you (yes, I did ) because I like to think Canucks are perceptive, sensitive, knowledgable, understanding, etc... and would hate to find some that aren't.

[49er]

Den,

As one who has alot of respect for you, I am not sure I understand why someone as smart as you seems to have a hard time understanding that everyone perceives things differently. As someone who recently started wearing hearing aids, once the audiologist found me a pair that was easy to maintain, I didn't see these as a big deal. Well ok, I am a little self conscious when the low battery warning goes off in public but that doesn't last too long.

I think if I had adapted to pap therapy initially, I would definitely have positive feelings. And during the rare times it worked, I absolutely loved it. But now I hate it because no matter what I do, my shelf life on the machine is 3 hours and not one minute more.

Last night, a bleeping breathing event seemed to have preceded my wake up even though my AHI was zero. This has happened frequently in the past. And I woke up with a completely dry and stuffed up nose that doesn't respond to any remedy or various humidity levels. So I am going to try one more thing tonight by wearing the Simplus mask and raise the pressure to accomodate the huge increase in the AHI it causes. Unfortunately, when I put it on to go back to sleep due to the elan being completely intolerable last night, another breathing event seemed to have proceeded a wakeup.

I wish to god I could throw the machine out the window as I hate it. Sorry to offend you as I didn't start off feeling that way. But when I feel everything I have tried keeps resulting in failure, it is hard not to be very frustrated.

Unfortunately, until I come up with an alternative, not using the machine is not an option as I discovered when my HR and BP go up.

49er

Not at all! When I first got my diagnosis, I sort of had a little panicky feeling. I researched things like the pillar procedure and others. But, the more I read about this therapy, I realized how simple it COULD be. SO, I put my mind in a mode that embraced the therapy instead of fighting it. You know........"it's mind over matter". I'm a "glass half full" sort of person.
I'm just trying to get people to put things into perspective and realize this therapy isn't as bad as they try to make it out to be. Get off your "pity-pot".
I've known people with most if not all of the situations I listed. Some I didn't list to keep it shorter.
I'm not in a wheelchair (I worked with a person who was paralyzed from the waist down, due to a car wreck that was someone else's fault).
I don't have to use oxygen 24/7/365, but I've know a number of people who do or have (I saw a little old man in the Walmart pharmacy the other day who was carrying his little portable oxygen pack around).
My wife had breast cancer surgery (lumpectomy) in 2010 and I was very supportive with her situation......then, due to some medications they put her on, she got a blood clot in her left thigh. Now she has to wear compression stockings......forever.
I could go on and on with examples from that list, but I hate to write posts that are too lengthy.

I feel grateful that my therapy is fairly simple (no Centrals or bi-level needs). I'm lucky to have a wife who understands that I need to use this therapy and has been supportive as I acquired more equipment. I was spiraling downward for a few years into a "mess". I didn't know what was wrong and after I found out, I was thrilled that I found out what it was and how simple the therapy was. I also think the "difficult" relationship I had with my sleep doctor helped me become more determined to make it work despite the prescription I was given for a much higher pressure.

The bottom line is........don't assume that I don't understand or can't relate. I definitely can and do. It's just that people need to put things into perspective. It COULD be alot worse.......because some people have "worse".

< Stepping off soapbox >

Den

.

Den,

You make some fair points but how would you feel if someone to said to your wife, it could be worse as her leg could have been amputated?

Regarding mind over matter, I can't tell you how many times before I went to bed on the machine, I visualized being able to sleep 8 hours and waking up to warm sunshine. I would usually have some of my worst nights. Probably should have used reverse psychology and visualized the worse night of sleep imaginable. LOL!

And on a more serious note, as I inferred in post to Jim, the concept of mind over matter can be dangerous in the case of the alcoholic who decides she/he is safe to drive.

[BlackSpinner]

Because you don't like what she says doesn't make her a troll! Move to another thread if you think she is a troll. Why would you enjoy reading what a "troll" says anyway??

You mean it is another clone of you? Have you been forgetting your meds too?

[chunkyfrog]

You ever snort a worm out your nose?

[Lucyhere]

Because you don't like what she says doesn't make her a troll! Move to another thread if you think she is a troll. Why would you enjoy reading what a "troll" says anyway??

You mean it is another clone of you? Have you been forgetting your meds too?

You're the real troll and you haven't a clue.

[Wulfman...]

Den,

As one who has alot of respect for you, I am not sure I understand why someone as smart as you seems to have a hard time understanding that everyone perceives things differently. As someone who recently started wearing hearing aids, once the audiologist found me a pair that was easy to maintain, I didn't see these as a big deal. Well ok, I am a little self conscious when the low battery warning goes off in public but that doesn't last too long.

I think if I had adapted to pap therapy initially, I would definitely have positive feelings. And during the rare times it worked, I absolutely loved it. But now I hate it because no matter what I do, my shelf life on the machine is 3 hours and not one minute more.

Last night, a bleeping breathing event seemed to have preceded my wake up even though my AHI was zero. This has happened frequently in the past. And I woke up with a completely dry and stuffed up nose that doesn't respond to any remedy or various humidity levels. So I am going to try one more thing tonight by wearing the Simplus mask and raise the pressure to accomodate the huge increase in the AHI it causes. Unfortunately, when I put it on to go back to sleep due to the elan being completely intolerable last night, another breathing event seemed to have proceeded a wakeup.

I wish to god I could throw the machine out the window as I hate it. Sorry to offend you as I didn't start off feeling that way. But when I feel everything I have tried keeps resulting in failure, it is hard not to be very frustrated.

Unfortunately, until I come up with an alternative, not using the machine is not an option as I discovered when my HR and BP go up.

49er

Not at all! When I first got my diagnosis, I sort of had a little panicky feeling. I researched things like the pillar procedure and others. But, the more I read about this therapy, I realized how simple it COULD be. SO, I put my mind in a mode that embraced the therapy instead of fighting it. You know........"it's mind over matter". I'm a "glass half full" sort of person.
I'm just trying to get people to put things into perspective and realize this therapy isn't as bad as they try to make it out to be. Get off your "pity-pot".
I've known people with most if not all of the situations I listed. Some I didn't list to keep it shorter.
I'm not in a wheelchair (I worked with a person who was paralyzed from the waist down, due to a car wreck that was someone else's fault).
I don't have to use oxygen 24/7/365, but I've know a number of people who do or have (I saw a little old man in the Walmart pharmacy the other day who was carrying his little portable oxygen pack around).
My wife had breast cancer surgery (lumpectomy) in 2010 and I was very supportive with her situation......then, due to some medications they put her on, she got a blood clot in her left thigh. Now she has to wear compression stockings......forever.
I could go on and on with examples from that list, but I hate to write posts that are too lengthy.

I feel grateful that my therapy is fairly simple (no Centrals or bi-level needs). I'm lucky to have a wife who understands that I need to use this therapy and has been supportive as I acquired more equipment. I was spiraling downward for a few years into a "mess". I didn't know what was wrong and after I found out, I was thrilled that I found out what it was and how simple the therapy was. I also think the "difficult" relationship I had with my sleep doctor helped me become more determined to make it work despite the prescription I was given for a much higher pressure.

The bottom line is........don't assume that I don't understand or can't relate. I definitely can and do. It's just that people need to put things into perspective. It COULD be alot worse.......because some people have "worse".

< Stepping off soapbox >

Den

.

Den,

You make some fair points but how would you feel if someone to said to your wife, it could be worse as her leg could have been amputated?

Regarding mind over matter, I can't tell you how many times before I went to bed on the machine, I visualized being able to sleep 8 hours and waking up to warm sunshine. I would usually have some of my worst nights. Probably should have used reverse psychology and visualized the worse night of sleep imaginable. LOL!

And on a more serious note, as I inferred in post to Jim, the concept of mind over matter can be dangerous in the case of the alcoholic who decides she/he is safe to drive.

Of course that would have been a "worse case scenario". Another possibility would have been vein surgery.......which was actually discussed with the doctor if the veins didn't "reconstruct" themselves and reroute their pathways (which they pretty much did over time).
Lots of war veterans have lost limbs and live with prosthetics. They try their best to play the cards they were dealt, too.
Life is full of risks and choices. None of us are getting out alive. We live one day at a time like we use this therapy.....one night at a time.
"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'." (quote from the "The Shawshank Redemption")


Den

.

[Wulfman...]

Also.......
I'm NOT on a CPAP "help" forum to try to convince the users that this therapy sucks and it's something that will ruin their lives and make them feel like shit........and they should just give up........by enabling their negative thoughts.

If I see negative posts in those regards, I try to convince them they're looking at it in the wrong way and need to change their attitude.

Regarding drinking and driving.......years ago when I DID drink some, I actually drove slower and more carefully than other times.


Den

.

[Lucyhere]

Life is full of risks and choices. None of us are getting out alive. We live one day at a time like we use this therapy.....one night at a time.

"Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'." (quote from the "The Shawshank Redemption")


Den

.

Good quote cause that about sums it up... but for some folks who are seriously depressed, they don't know if they are busy livin' or busy dyin'. It's complicated.

[SleepyEyes21]

It's just that so many people with clinical depression - not to say by a mile that it applies to the OP - are told 'just pull up your socks, snap out of it... etc." but until you've 'been there', you can't know what it means... if it were that easy, if they could they would, the world would be a very different place.

So many people believe that depression is simply extreme sadness. And it's obviously not.

No one has the right to tell other people they MUST view the world from another's point of view - we are not a cult here!

There is no way you can tell from someone posting in a forum whether or not that individual has a clinical (read biological) mental health problem that CAN NOT be fixed with words and thoughts alone. I do believe what the folks here are asking for is that you all show a bit of empathy, and if you can't or won't show that, then respectfully please stay out of the conversation.

Excellent SleepyEyes and thank you for your entire post! Thanks to Julie and Roman too.

You're welcome, Lucy. Happy New Year!

[SleepyEyes21]

Also.......
I'm NOT on a CPAP "help" forum to try to convince the users that this therapy sucks and it's something that will ruin their lives and make them feel like shit........and they should just give up........by enabling their negative thoughts.

If I see negative posts in those regards, I try to convince them they're looking at it in the wrong way and need to change their attitude.

Regarding drinking and driving.......years ago when I DID drink some, I actually drove slower and more carefully than other times.


Den

.

So Den- since drinking and driving worked for you and you apparently drove better during these times, would you recommend it for others?

[Wulfman...]

Also.......
I'm NOT on a CPAP "help" forum to try to convince the users that this therapy sucks and it's something that will ruin their lives and make them feel like shit........and they should just give up........by enabling their negative thoughts.

If I see negative posts in those regards, I try to convince them they're looking at it in the wrong way and need to change their attitude.

Regarding drinking and driving.......years ago when I DID drink some, I actually drove slower and more carefully than other times.


Den

.

So Den- since drinking and driving worked for you and you apparently drove better during these times, would you recommend it for others?

Absolutely NOT! That was a long, long time ago and I quit about 25 years ago.......it was getting too expensive.


Den

.

[GettingBetter]

So glad we have some mental health folks to sweep up after that dirty, alley-cat melee. Now maybe we can all have some apple juice and a nap.



Crud, spoke too soon. Looks like the "Cheer UP Already" Brigade is here to entertain patients in the common room with funny hats and shouting.

Right let's sweep you right of the board, TROLL!

I think everyone here has a vision for forum etiquette. Obviously we have disagreement on some points. Important feelings have been hurt and heels have been dug in deeply.

I've tried on the "I'ma-gonna-say-what-is-on-my-mind-an'-you-can-just-kiss-my-grits-if-you'all-don't-like-it" etiquette standard and I think it is fun, but not very helpful, especially if I were talking about some of these machines. I don't have a clue about the CPAP Air-cubator 3000's humidificator belt drive and solid state crank case. Ask Wuf-Den, SmashyFrog or GoofyPants about what to do when a person kicks it off the nightstand. I don't need those visuals. Are your legs dancin', dancin', dancin' all night long?! That KTeague lady has the scoop! (and a video!)

My point is and it's already been stated 12 ways to Sunday, Everybody has something to contribute, but not everyone has something to contribute on everything. Nor should they. A person's emotional health is not like fixing a machine, both take esoteric knowledge.

@BLACKSPINNER - I wish we could have a cup of tea or some lunch, you are most likely a lovely person with a great smile - something we tend to not see on the internet.

[nanwilson]

How did I know you would be the first one to come back at me Julie.

She DID NOT come back at you, Nanwilson. That was YOUR perception. It certainly wasn't mine. You see, we all have different perceptions! Get it now?

Oh I get it now..... blowfish, Browser, MrSandman, mth712, Mike, joe blow, music man, ballbuster, Ractar28, rejoicem56..... but I'm sure I have missed a few old ones haven't I Lucy!! Perhaps you should quietly disappear again as you have so many times before .
Cheers
Nan

[Roman Hokie]

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-cond ... n-20032977

"Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest."

It's so much more than a "feeling" of sadness. The sadness may be a part. But it's about the loss of interest, appetite, etc for things previously enjoyed (including sex, hobbies, relationships, getting out of bed). It's "Eeyore" (who many think is "clinically depressed", but his state is more Persistent Depressive Disorder (previously Dysthymic Disorder)) to the extreme. Much more than sadness or a feeling of being "stuck" in a situation. For a basic assessment, Google "Beck's Depression Inventory" and find the test call the BDI-II.

For the record, while I like Mayo, that's a blog post. Not the clinical definition.