Background:I have never slept well and snored really bad! In my earlier years, I would sleep so soundly and long that I would wake up late for work/school after 11 hours of sleep to my alarm clock that has been sounding off for up to 2 1/2 hours! One time while camping, my buddies at the time shot a 12ga shotgun off within 10' of me sleeping on the ground on a tarp and they said I never stopped snoring! Over the years, say by age 22, I was able to wake on time most of the time, but was always groggy and tired where it took a while to actually really be aware of what was going on.......At this time I was still living at home under a less than ideal conditions. The home didn't have enough bedrooms for all of us, so I slept on the floor in the living room where my mother would get up much earlier than the rest of us that had normal 8-5 jobs....Mom told me stories where I would carry on full intelligent conversations with her while I seemed conscious, but I had no recollection after waking!
---Fast forward to moving away from home and starting my business, approx ages 24-44 where girlfriend and finally wife telling me I would stop breathing for a long time only to wake up gasping for air especially when sleeping on my back and much worse after drinking alcohol on those weekend occasions as many of us do when we're young. I blew it off as I was young/invincable and didn't have health insurance.....Wife started wearing earplugs, but had constant anxiety over my breathing at night. She would lose sleep trying to make sure that when I rolled over on my back that she would scratch my back to where I would roll over stomach to receive it......Like a dog with a back scratching fetish! Early on I worked long hard hours in the startup of my business as required and plenty of energy to do so, but over the years it has taken it's toll along with this condition that I would soon find out is a sleeping disorder! Welcome to the club huh?
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
More current: Ages 44-now almost 46 where I lack energy and seem to be waking up dumber every day. Friends, family, and clients tell me all the time that I'm brilliant as I seem to excel where others in my field are failing or just existing. What I created now is a business (monster) that requires more time and focus as I have been unable to find qualified help to assist in keepng the work flow smooth. With every day I fall behind and struggle with less brain function, energy, weight gain, sleep debt, etc....I fallen farther into depression as I can no longer mentally or physically keep up like I was once able to do. I have a lot of older friends and just chalked it up to older age and par for the course, but as we all here know.... there is much more to it than that!
Within the past year and a half: Wife started to press me for getting regular checkups since now we have great insurance and I wasn't taking advantage of it at all. Eye doctor caught the high blood pressure at my first eye exam and recommended that I see a doctor immediately.....Um, ya right...I feel fine. Put the numbers into google and it said go to emergency now! OK, maybe I better get this checked out...... Doc puts me on meds to lower BP, then doubles the dose a few months later, I fire a dipshit employee that was causing me stress, I locked the doors on my shop and go to appointment only.....all of which I can see on the calendar where each event lowered my BP. Pretty good except it's still on the high side especially in the morning, so the doc wants me in for a sleep study.....
The past 4 weeks: Did my first in office sleep study where with 2 hours of sleeping they put me on CPAP where it appears by the numbers it improved things, but the outcome says 1. Severe Complex Sleep Apnea 2. CPAP/BiPAP failure......Went home and drank the normal 2 cups coffee with breakfast an went to work a 12 hour shift.
Next week: They get me back in for test two and set me up on a BiPAP ST where the numbers look better yet, but the outcome says 1. Complex Sleep Apnea 2. Periodic Limb Movement Disorder 3. BiPAP-ST failure. Came home for coffee and breakfast and headed off to work for a few hours of catch up.
Two weeks later: I'm back in for a third round set up on a BiPAP autoSV where I had just 1 central apnea 0 obstructive, AHI 18 REM 13.1%. Diagnosis the same as test two....1. Complex Sleep Apnea 2. Periodic Limb Movement Disorder 3. BiPAP-ST failure. Went home and slept for almost 8 hours waking up felling horrible as I have for the past 2 weeks!
I know I'm leaving a lot of numbers out as I don't know what I should be including exactly.....If anyone wants more, ask! I have been borderline insane from the sleep debt I incurred over the three studies, my workload, and our dog who for some reason has be waking us up many times per night for seeming no good reason. The third study seemed to be the worst for me......Felt like the damn machine would wake me up almost every time I was dozing off by slamming me with a massive gulp of air that either inflated my face so I woke up, blew the mask up/blew air in my eyes from a leak, or made my ears pop......I was ready to tap out just 4 hours after checking in and looked at a clock every time I woke up for reference. By hour 8 I had had enough and they let me leave early as they had the data that was needed.
This weekend: I picked up the Dreamstation BiPAP autoSV with F&P Simplus mask on Friday. Left work Friday a bit early after an abnormally stressful day looking forward to trying out this life changing device and catching up on some much needed rest, but it wasn't that easy. I have the same problem with waking up just as I'm about to go out. Cheeks puff out or ears pop waking me up once again! After almost 2 hours of this BS, I shut down and decide to get some guaranteed sleep that I desperately need. Saturday went to work, but know I'm right at that threshold where I almost cant trust myself to not screw something up for much longer without sleep. Last thing I need is to leave someone's lug nuts loose....... Worked 4 hours and came home where I was falling asleep in my chair as soon as I quit moving or thinking directly about something around 6:30 PM. Figured this is the perfect time to head off to bed and try once again. Mind you I'm at a point where as soon as I stop moving and sit down I will go out for the count.... Lay down and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I'm starting to fall asleep....Better put the mask on before it happens! This time I press the ramp button thinking maybe that will help after reading it here pressures 4/9 instead of normal 5/10 to start and lay down. I doze off quite a few times only to be woken up every damn time!!!!! 40 mins I shut down and get some sleep, but now I'm so pissed and the anxiety building up of what if I CAN'T DO THIS! Again....insane from lack of rest......I want to smash the machine! I slept for probably about 10 hours and felt better this morning with a little more clarity in my mind, so I went to work for a couple of hours to catch up and lighten the load this coming week.
I'm reading my prescription and it says Max 20cm, EPAP15cm, EPAP 5cm, H2O max PS20, Min PS 7cm, Min breath rate Auto BPM
I'm at a total loss. Everything I have read is complaints about mask fit, hose tangling, noise, etc...... I don't see a solution yet to what I'm experiencing. I complained to the tech the last time about what was happening and I got a blank stare.
Looking to the wisdom of those here to help me through this tough time so I can get back on track. I seem to be waking up dumber every day.....simple things to me like math involving large numbers is impossible where it used to quick and easy to me. I'm losing the ability/patience to deal with arising situations and difficult clients at my work. Life is falling apart around me.....
Tony