Apnea Misdiagnosis?

[jennmary]

You have sleep apnea. There is no amount of tossing and turning that is going to cause your breathing to stop that way for that length of time.

It sucks. Most people never want to hear that they have SA. I was personally THRILLED....because it meant I wasnt crazy. It meant that my issue could be treated and I could get better. I dont think that most are happy though. My insomnia has actually gotten a lot better as well. It is amazing the things your body will do to protect itself.....my doctor said that some of my insomnia was likely my body refusing to be suffocated. I couldnt fall asleep because my body knew that sleep meant suffocation. Now I can lay down and fall asleep within 10 minutes with my machine on.

[bwexler]

I agree the mask is the most difficult part of getting the therapy right.
It seems to be unusual to get good advice from a DME providing your equipment.
I suggest looking at a couple unconventional masks in your quest to find the best one.
Circadiance Sleepweaver 3D and Elan are 2 of my favorites.
Tap PAP is another.
Wisp is also good.
Just because I like these doesn't mean you will, but you should look at them among the hundreds the DME will neglect to show you.

[Eradicator]

That is an interesting observation.....you see, being an extrovert I had no issue with the "being crazy" part, I just didn't want to have SA, which you are very correct about! I'd always been hyperactive with a very high drive and just assumed the movements were associated. That they could be the body subconsciously reacting to protect itself, never even occurred to me. I never knew I was moving so much because I didn't do it when someone was next to me, I gravitated to them instead I guess.

One of the other fears of all this is probably silly to many of you, but I don't like being....well, to me, it's being tied up.....or tethered. I'm ....my personality won't do well with that and I've been trying to wrap my head around all these new "conditions" that I didn't sign up for and yes, I'm angry about it, like having something on my face, being tied up to a machine, not having the oft used pleasure of my baby when I wake due to that high drive. Hows that work with a danged machine stra........this isn't a occasional habit but something I've done every night for longer than many careers, this is not something that just gets turned off so what, now I'll need some kind of therapy for something I worked out in my early 20's how to deal with? I know, wrong place but I'm only trying to show that the consequences to some are vastly different than for others. I need to remember that too.

I know some of my personal issues that I'm facing aren't shared by all but for me, they are real fears, very real and I appreciate more than you know just being able to "verbalize" them and know that others faced their own set of fears, and also "won".

Yes, I CAN accept it all and will but FOR ME, these are not natural conditions so while I share all with my sweetheart, I'll only whine to you guys.....she will never see that! LOL

I did ask my baby yesterday if she had noticed any changes in my "stopping breathing" between now and last Fall or last Summer when I was sleeping "normally".........she said there's been no changes that she has noticed for whatever it's worth.

I did notice in the pics off the cam from last night, there were only 65 pics and most had my left hand on my face....yeah, pre-stress illustrated I'm afraid.

THAT is exactly why I'm here......there is always so much to learn crash-course style, when you need to educate yourself in something completely unfamiliar. Seems to take a week just to find out how much I don't know about the subject!

How come I feel like I should close with: Thanks for letting me share............ I'm trying to absorb and process all this just like all you guys did, on little to no sleep while trying to overcome anger, keep upbeat while suppressing the fear and trepidation.....what fun<LOL>

erad

[Julie]

Women are not babies, whatever you personally choose to call them in private.

[ChicagoGranny]

n little to no sleep while trying to overcome anger, keep upbeat while suppressing the fear and trepidation

Are you aware that untreated sleep apnea causes high anxiety in many people? What you are feeling now may settle down quickly when you get a good CPAP treatment going.

[ChicagoGranny]

some do positional, my home study did.

Eradicator's study used the AccuSom device which does not record position.

[jagzoo]

FYI: there are quite a few nasal pillow masks that aren’t large, don’t cover your face except for a small amount and allow both side sleeping and cuddling your “sweety ”. Look at P10; Dreamweaver nasal and gel pillows and TapPap. I don’t like stuff on my face, do sleep on my side and enjoy cuddling my husband, and these have worked for me. Don’t despair. It will work out.

[Eradicator]

Thanks so much CG for your words of encouragement instead of judgements. I recently read the horrible effects of untreated SA and I'm not surprised because my levels are much higher than my normal relaxed self.

Jag, thank you for your suggestions w/ the specific names. I knew I wasn't the only one yet I found nothing discussing "this issue" when I searched. I'm quite sensitive to the fact that there are a lot of women as well as men on this site and I really wanted to hear how folks dealt with it without getting graphic. We're all adults I assume.

Something CG said makes me wonder....if for instance, the untreated SA was the root cause for the hyper drive ...maybe that pent up stress happens to manifest itself a wee bit different in some people? Food for thought but I won't go any deeper into it here.

Now is "the wait" until I find out what I'm getting etc.....but on a bright note, this afternoon I'm going to my baby's to help her paint all Easter weekend. She has helped me paint, restore my decks and a ton of other things over the years, it's actually nice to be able to help her in her home. Besides, we get to Easter mass together!

If I don't get another chance, Happy Easter to all!

erad

Apologies to those who may have been offended by any of my posts, however a few minutes in your safe space should have you right as rain soon enough.

[Julie]

My point was that women are adults, and while some coo-ing goes on in all relationships, I think it's disrespectful to refer to women in public that way... if for no other reason than it helps to perpetrate the idea that women are lesser beings, childish, less competent, etc. It's one thing to have pet names between yourselves, but another to only (so far) refer to her as your baby, which she is obviously not.

[ChicagoGranny]

Something CG said makes me wonder....if for instance, the untreated SA was the root cause for the hyper drive ...maybe that pent up stress happens to manifest itself a wee bit different in some people?

Humans are diverse. They do react in various ways to stress of all kinds.

[Eradicator]

My point was that women are adults, and while some coo-ing goes on in all relationships, I think it's disrespectful to refer to women in public that way... if for no other reason than it helps to perpetrate the idea that women are lesser beings, childish, less competent, etc. It's one thing to have pet names between yourselves, but another to only (so far) refer to her as your baby, which she is obviously not.

Forgive me guys....but Julie deserves an explanation, not a fight.

While I have apologized to you, I'm not sorry for referring to my sweetheart as my baby. Your issues are your own, not mine but you are entitled to your opinions and I will fight for your right to express them.

The only one however that truly has rights on what I call her is Kerry, the absolute love of my life. IF we ever see another couple that has been together as long as we have been together, with NEVER having EITHER of them even going so far as to raise their voice to the other, much less "fighting", I'll rethink it.

Let me put it another way. It's common, in fact it happens nearly every time we go out that someone seeing us interact will ask "how long have you been together, you guys are amazing together"....and they are floored by the answer, ALWAYS.

To insinuate that I in ANY way think of my baby as "less than" is an insult I will ignore. I was raised "old school" and have nothing but honor and respect for ALL women and I'm an acknowledged Romantic so yes, I hold chairs, doors including car doors and I never fail to notice when she has a new pair of earrings or she's had her hair cut. I treat her today as I have every single day that I've been fortunate enough to part of her world. I'm in love and will one day marry, an Alpha woman, State Champ rifle shot, former rugby star, educated even beyond my own and absolutely the most compassionate, spectacular woman I've ever met. Trust me, it takes a strong, patient, loving and dominate man to be in love with a strong, alpha woman, I don't apologize for that either. We are happy together, so much so that it's infectious when we are in public......

Boys make their wives or girlfriends jealous, a man makes other women, jealous....not of him.... but of HER!

I learned this lesson nearly 40 years ago, when I was 20 and have never forgot it. Might be why we are always smiling when we are together.

You certainly have a right to stay upset because you are hung up on some name or label.....but you might want to sit back, see a couple very deeply in love and just be able to be happy for them w/o judging. You'll find that your own stress levels drop when things that don't matter, you don't let matter!

Erad

[Julie]

Thank you for your explanation and being such a great husband(?). I may well be older than you, but long ago began changing my thinking about some things - and was married 34 yrs. I wish I could say that we have a lot in common when it comes to agreeing on some things, though I'm very glad you're happy - it is pretty rare to hear about couples like you. I was not insulting you by saying you think of her as less than, but the fact that you use the language that keeps other men continuing to do so believing it's OK with us. The fact you say she's educated "even" beyond your level is what I find insulting to her as another women though and (just my personal stuff) that your first praise of her concerns what a great shot she is... but that's another argument for another time (and probably President).

Anyhow...