CPAP torture

palerider wrote:

EdNerd wrote:When I went to the sleep lab, it was NOT because I was having trouble sleeping. I slept like a rock! Hit the pillow and I am out until the alarm. In my case, my wife had trouble sleeping and I snored - I had a sleep study because *I* was ~her~ trouble sleeping! The results showed a fairly bad apnea - AHI of 43-ish, and O2 desats down to 77.

and, there it is...

many, if not most, people with bad OSA side effects *THINK* that they are "sleeping well".

Sorry TedVPAP.

Totally agree. I didn't think my sleep was that bad. A couple wake ups to use the bathroom and that was it. Since I make frequent trips to the bathroom during the day, I never considered it unusual. I thought my headaches were sinus. I thought the choking/gasping fits were acid reflux (due to being overweight). I thought the bad dreams of being chased was just a sign of stress. I thought being a bit tired (not sleepy or exhausted) was just part of getting older. I knew I snored, but except for traveling, nobody has to listen to me except the cats.

It was only after my sleep study that I realized how poorly I slept. You see, I had an awesome 5 hours of sleep, and I felt really good. The next night at home, I slept normally and felt like crap the next day. I realized that I always felt like crap. I just didn't realize it was crap. My ahi was 79. In 2 1/2 hours, I did not reach deep sleep or REM. So, most likely, my untreated ahi is higher.

With cpap, my ahi is usually under 1.5. No headaches except when a storm is coming. No bad dreams. Only one bathroom break. No choking/gasping fits. I feel better. I am happier. I can travel with bothering my friends. I fall asleep faster. I sleep better in hotels (I used to watch the clock all night). My blood pressure still needs medication, but it takes less, and works better.


Overall, my life has improved a LOT. But I only knew how bad I was AFTER I had success with cpap and could experience the difference.

@MuttMom: So you tried 5 masks--well, it took me over TWENTY before I finally found one I could use on consecutive nights;
as most had to be alternated to allow my nose/face/teeth to heal and return to normal.
NOTHING stops me from getting my "beauty" sleep--I need all I can get!

I was originally tested for sleep apnea about twenty years ago. Due to the limited choices in masks and the size of CPAP machines at that time, I opted for surgery instead of using CPAP. My job at that time required a lot of air travel and I was already carrying a nebulizer machine with me when traveling, and did not want to try to carry another machine along. Fast forward 20 years and I am now on a BIPAP machine with relatively high pressure. Machine and mask choices are much better today than thy were then. If I could have had a machine twenty years age that was the size of my current machine, and mask choices that are available today, I would have started CPAP treatment back then.