I'm SOOOOO Lucky!!!

New here! 50 something male, been on Bipap for a little over a year. WOW! What a change in my life! Just read the article about the driver facing manslaughter for concealing his apnea. Gave me shivers.

I had undiagnosed symptons for almost 18 yrs after I quit smoking and gained a lot of weight. (6'2", from 165 lbs to 260 lbs in a little over a year) Started having weird stuff happen: diagnosed with FLS in eyes, acid reflux and regurgitation at night. No energy, frequent need for urination (3-5 times/night, no prostate issues) at night. No sex drive,high blood pressure, I hurt all over, all the time, with chronic back pain, blurry vision; I would fall asleep at the dinner table, or leaning up against a wall when someone was talking to me; my wife thought I had become depressed. (She was right, in a way).

Finally saw an ENT doc about a year and a half ago about another issue, and he suggested apnea was the problem and surgey to remove tonsils and uvula was the cure. (Size 17 1/2 neck). Scared the crap out of me, (brother-in-law nearly died from post-tosillectomy "complications") and I didn't go back.

Couple weeks later, wife and I we driving to the store, me driving, me chatting, when my wife said I just stopped talking in mid-sentence, eyes open, and I drove us into the ditch. No damage, but wife took keys away from me and I found a new doctor. He sent me to a sleep clinic, and it was a revelation!

I just thought this was all just part of getting older, and I had to learn to deal with it.

I have enjoyed my machine since the first night; I have felt like a new person since the first night. I feel ten years younger.

Ive lost about 40 lbs since I started, with my goal to be back down in the 185-190 range; I am off my blood pressure meds. My head doesn't flop forward into the mashed potatos any more.

At first, I had a couple of issues: my pressure is way up near 19, so if the mask isn't just right, it blows right off my face, and the tension on the straps is so firm, that I had some skin issues till I found the right mask.

Now the only problem I lately face is frequent sinus infections. I am scrupulous about cleanliness of the equipment, but my doctor said this can be a problem when pressures are run high....a lot of stuff gets blown back into those warm, moist, dark sinuses...

I'll gladly trade a runny nose for the life I had.............

Good to be here.

OTB,

Congrats!!! It's always good for us newbies to hear of success

Hi OTB,

Wow, what a great story, thanks for sharing it. I wouldn't mind reading that article on the driver concealing his apnoea. Is it still current? If so would you post a link or PM me with it.

Ta

Peter

Peter,

That story is at the top of this page..Title: Trucker headed to court

have a good one!

Got it,

Thanks Mary

Peter

I don't know if it was because I was so bad off that the improvements were so immediate and striking, or that I am just a lucky one. The only issues I have had were mask fit because of leaks and whistling and an early bout of infection from the mask forehead pad putting pressure on the skin...I ended up on long term antibiotics for that one, and changed the mask style (I dont know what the name of it is, It's a blue gel thing with a full around the head soft harness).

The first few weeks would have me fighting it a little as the pressure ramped up in small steps, but now I have it set to come on at 14 with only one step to 19, and I fall asleep about 30 seconds after the machine comes on. All of my previous symptoms are GONE, including the FLS.

Funny thing is, I was always a stomach sleeper; used to thrash around A LOT, even before the apnea. Now my wife laughs at me every morning; I go to sleep on my back with my hands at my sides or in the mummy position, and I wake up in the morning and my wife says it looks like I havn't moved a muscle all night. The covers aren't even wrinkled.

The few times I've had sinus problems and unable to use my machine, it's just like the bad old days...I get up in a tangle of sheets, sore all over....

Yep ... I too had instant gratification/relief from the first night. Went the third night without PAP treatment due to raw nares from nasal pillow interface ... bad mistake ... never again ... and I have been 100% compliant for every night of sleep and naps too since August 2006.

You need to try nasal saline rinses to keep improve your sinus condition.

You need to avoid sleeping without PAP treatment under any and all circumstances ... get your self a full face mask for those nights that sinuses make nasal interface impossible.

Best of luck w/ mitigating those sinus infections.

Very inspiring story, OTB. Thanks!

OCO