What other health issues do you have?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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robysue
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Re: What other health issues do you have?

Post by robysue » Wed Apr 04, 2012 8:45 pm

Ok folks, I've got a collection of issues, some of which don't seem to be on most people's lists even though I've seen multiple people complain about them:
  • Osteoporosis (diagnosed in 11/2011; currently not on prescription medicine since the last stuff they put me on triggered headaches and mood changes)
  • Chronic migraines + migraineous vertigo (diagnosed 12/2010; episodic migraines were first diagnosed circa 1987; now under control with Deplin, vitamin B2 and magnesium)
  • An MTHFR gene mutation (5/2011; the gene mutation leads to problems metabolizing folate. And in my case it also manifests itself through my inability to tolerate certain anti-seizure drugs often used for migraine prevention and mood stabilization)
  • Severe TMJ problems (first diagnosed circa 1986; finally told my TMJ was dislocating every time i closed my mouth in 8/2011; the program to rest and rehabilitiate my TMJ seems to be working, although I've cracked yet another mouth guard.)
  • Seasonal allergies (a problem ever since I can remember---as in at least as far back as when I was five or six in 1963 or '64; they are mild-to-moderate, but they last from early spring to late fall.)
And then there's my CPAP-induced insomnia: I can now more or less say the insomnia is mostly under control, but I still have to "treat it" in the sense of being very stringent with my sleep hygiene and some other life style changes that I'm not that wild about. I now typically manage to get to bed some time between 1:30 and 3:00 and I make myself get up by 8:30 regardless of how late I get to bed. I still wake up rather frequently, but I no longer get angry and I can get back to sleep rather quickly almost all of the time.

And I've been getting some counseling for anger issues and "hating the CPAP" issues as well.

And then there are the two things that are not (yet) formal diagnosis, but could turn into something at some point in the future:
  • Glaucoma suspect (7/2011---some changes in my optic nerve were noticed. It's currently stable and my intraocular eye pressure was down from high-normal to normal at my last pressure check. The baseline studies have been done [and the vision field test was normal] and there's been no change in the appearance of the optic nerve since then. So now the opthamologist has me on a six month follow up schedule instead of a 3-4 month follow up.)
  • Border-line high cholesterol with an exceptionally GOOD HDL number and an exceptionally GOOD HDL/LDL ratio (12/2011; was told that with my HDL numbers I didn't need to worry about the very slightly elevated total cholesterol numbers.)

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avi123
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Re: What other health issues do you have?

Post by avi123 » Thu Apr 05, 2012 4:17 pm

Prof Robysue, I don't see anything out of the ordinary in your list for a 59 old American lady.

The one that interests me is: "And I've been getting some counseling for anger issues and "hating the CPAP" issues as well. Who gives you counseling and does it involve more medicine?

I also have my eyes examined every 6 month. I don't think that I'll go back to the same ophthalmologist. This guy collects his patients let's say at 2:30 p.m. then his nurses do a few tests. But the major test is done by him later. However, to keep my eyes dilated till my turn comes to see him (about an hour) he told the nurses to make sure that it is so. So the nurses use triple the amount of dilating solution needed which bothers me the rest of day and night.

My other question: glancing at you family blogs I see a person named Hertzog. Is this person related to the family of the deceased General Chaim Hertzog, in Israel?

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robysue
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Re: What other health issues do you have?

Post by robysue » Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:20 pm

avi123 wrote:Prof Robysue, I don't see anything out of the ordinary in your list for a 59 old American lady.
I'm only 53! Still, you are right, there's nothing out of the ordinary for some of my age and gender. But I'm still finding I'm not aging as gracefully as I expected to even a scant 5 years ago. *sigh*
The one that interests me is: "And I've been getting some counseling for anger issues and "hating the CPAP" issues as well. Who gives you counseling and does it involve more medicine?
A psychologist (a PhD, but not and MD) who specializes in cognitive behavior techniques and mindfulness. So there's no meds. The sleep docs (all three of them) have pushed the idea that I need to be on some kind of mood stabilizer. Finally I did get a consult with an MD psychiatrist back in January just to get sleep doc #3 off my back about it. The psychiatrist spent a nice long time talking with me. He was happy I found the sessions with psychologist useful and helpful. He ordered a bunch of blood tests and an EEG and told me that in his opinion I most certainly did NOT need any medication and to keep going to the psychologist as long as I find it useful and helpful. And I do have a follow-up with the psychiatrist in May, but I don't think anything more will come of it.
My other question: glancing at you family blogs I see a person named Hertzog. Is this person related to the family of the deceased General Chaim Hertzog, in Israel?
Not to the best of my knowledge. My family has its roots firmly in the American South. My most recent immigrant ancestor was a German who married a Native American (most likely in Alabama) around the time of the Civil War.

_________________
Machine: DreamStation BiPAP® Auto Machine
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: PR System DreamStation and Humidifier. Max IPAP = 9, Min EPAP=4, Rise time setting = 3, minPS = 3, maxPS=5