my testimonial at two month usage

[ldaiga]

Eureka! Woke up this morning and never felt better! Why? I've been needing to tweek my sleep apnea problems, learning along the way. Thanks to all of the wisdom on this forum, I've been able to be actively involved in a road that hopefully leads to success. It's a bumpy road, and we all have our unique problems, but it sure does get better if you hang in there!!
Short summary: I had a pretty serious sleep study result, with blood oxygenation as low as 68%. During the second study they diagnosed me at 13 pressure, but after getting the results of the tests from my sleep doc a week ago I found out they based this study on just a tad over 2 hours of sleep! I guess I was really anxious there, just didn't know how badly! The DME contacted me the next day and gave me a Thermosmart CPAP and ResMed Swift pillows, since I showed signs of claustophobia at the lab. Great. This however took lots of bumps to get used to, but progress was being made. Tweeking the pillow positions and strap tightness and using some tips from this forum, I'm very satisfied with the system. Mouth breathing doesn't seem to be an issue, thank God! But a week before going to my sleep doc I started to feel like crap again, backsliding. Still better than before titration, but not so good. Restless legs and insomnia interfere with a good nights sleep as well. I've tried Ambien, Melatonin, Benadryl, Astelyn antahistamine spray, you name it. Ambien (1/2 10 mg pill) seemed to work the best for my restlessness and anxieties. At the sleep docs I found out how little I really slept and that I was not a sure fit for 13 pts pressure, but it seemed the best for the time given. I was doing pretty good anywhere from 9 to 13 pts. So, I talked the doc into trying the Respironics Resmed Auto CPAP with C-flex. I'm using it on a 3 week trial after which she'll look at the smart card results. I LOVE!! this new machine. Don't get me wrong, the Thermosmart was very good (with what little experience I had in this whole situation), but the variability of pressures from 8 to 14 and the C-flex just make sleeping a dream. Pardon the pun!
Still have trouble falling asleep: the bed pillow isn't adjusted right, the air from the machine gives me a tickle in the throat and causes me to cough, my hands are just not in the right position, my legs twitch, etc. I tried the Klonipan (.5 ) which was prescribed by the sleep doc for the first time last night, and man DOES THAT WORK FOR ME!! Slept like a baby!
Now the question: Can I used this Klonipan long term safely without getting hooked or other problems arising? Even my husband said he slept real well last night after a long bout of difficulties.
Thanks in advance for listening to me. But I think others out there might have some similar experiences, and sharing them with each other is so helpful, for you as well as for me!
Liga

[Patrick A]

Eureka! Woke up this morning and never felt better!

Idaiga

It only gets better. Way to go. My pressure is 20cm and you would never know that I have or ever had Sleep Apnea. Cpap is better than ....(you can fill that in)

Welcome to the forum, I kinda lurk a lot. I need to start reading and posting more often. (reading everyday and posting when it strikes me to do so.)

[mtsarpilot]

I tried the Klonipan (.5 ) which was prescribed by the sleep doc for the first time last night, and man DOES THAT WORK FOR ME!! Slept like a baby!
Now the question: Can I used this Klonipan long term safely without getting hooked or other problems arising?

2 years ago I was prescribed Klonipan (.5) to help improve my quality of sleep. At the time, the sleep doc did not want to go to CPAP, he was trying a mandibular advancement device (which never really worked for me)

The Klonipan was awesome to start with. Best sleep I'd had in 10+ years. I was in heaven. That lasted for about 6 months, then I began to develop a tolerance to it and it no longer worked. At that point, the sleep doc told me that was not a bad thing because he really did not want me on the Klonipan long term. He then weaned me off it and after a few tries with other things gave up and told me I needed to see a neurologist sleep specialist. The neorologist told me that developing a tolerance to Klonipan was normal and read me the passage in her PDR. No surprises there.

One important thing about Klonipan. If you decide to stop it, you MUST taper off it. You can't drop it cold turkey. Your doctor should give you a weaning schedule to get off it.

[Snoredog]

you might want to google and read up on GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid). It is an amino acid that acts as a receptor. Taken before bed it helps you relax so you can fall asleep. It is available OTC at GNC in 750mg caplet form. $15.99 for 90 caplets.

Ramp: if you are having difficulty falling asleep with the machine, you need to enable and use the Ramp feature on your F&P machine. You should set a starting pressure of like 7cm and 30-minutes where the machine will increase from 7cm up to your titrated 13cm pressure over that period, hopefully you are asleep by then.