I feel good -

Suz-E-Q · Post by **Suz-E-Q** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 1:04 pm

I knew that I would, now
I feel good, I knew that I would, now
So good, So good, I got you!!!!!

I seriously can't get this song out of my head for a couple of weeks now....cause I feel good.......I knew that I would, now!!!

I have been on xPAP for 23 days and I feel good, I knew that I would, now.

It is really unbelievable, no fog, no exhaustion, I wake up before my alarm clock and don't beg to just sleep a little longer. The clarity is amazing.

I used to have Central Apneas during the day and I don't even have those anymore. I am not spending the first 2 hours of the morning breathing deeply because I'm feeling so oxygen deprived. I used to think feeling like I didn't have enough oxygen was due to asthma attacks in the AM and I'd even use my inhaler....I don't have to fight to get to 4PM so I can leave work because I just can't think anymore. I don't think that anyone knows how bad untreated apnea feels unless they have experienced it.

But I also feel bad, I have a colleague that hasn't had the same response and his AHI something like 1.6 or 2.6 with his treatment. He has been on for 6+ months and still is exhausted and fighting fatigue. His doc says that he thinks it is much more than throat geometry and weight, etc. He thinks there is a brain function aspect to it. My friend, who told me about this forum (hi, xian! if you are reading this ), is trying to work through other routes to get the energy he needs. I wish xPAP worked the same for everyone. It bums me that he didn't get the same result that I have gotten. Life just gets so much better when you aren't foggy, with a muddled brain and exhausted. He deserves to feel as good as I have been feeling.

I remember thinking that dying was a better option than feeling that exhausted all the time. I just don't get it why it doesn't work for everyone.

TTFN,
Suzanne
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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): AHI

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): AHI

SleepingBeauty · Post by **SleepingBeauty** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 2:08 pm

Welcome to the Board, Suz-E-Q! And I'm so happy for you that you are having such a smooth transition. I was one of the lucky ones too. My very first morning I remember waking up with the thought "So THAT is what sleep is supposed to feel like???" It's wonderful, isn't it! I hope your friend starts feeling better soon.

Panhandler · Post by **Panhandler** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 3:10 pm

Good for you, Suzanne!

Now I've got the song stuck in my head!!

RosemaryB · Post by **RosemaryB** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:35 pm

Suzanne, I'm thrilled for you! It's always great to hear of these successes. It really makes me feel wonderful to hear your story.

I responded right away and can still remember how that brain fog would close in every afternoon and I just wanted to get away from work and people and stimulation of any kind. I just wanted a quiet space because with the brain fog I was so easily confused. Now I'm just normally confused . I'm extremely grateful for my successful therapy.

I'm sorry that xian is not having the same good response. For some people it is more complicated that for others. That is sad, and more sad if he's your friend and helped you. I hope that he keeps working at it and finds success, too.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:48 pm

Suzanne,

Always nice to hear when someone's treatment is going as it should. I guess that your friend's less than stellar results make it hard for you to gloat too much.

Is your friend following up closely with their doctor? Do they know he's needing more attention? Just some questions for him... Do your test results show any indication of central sleep apnea and need treated differently from someone with strictly OSA? Are you mouth breathing and losing your treatment out your mouth? Do you have any limb movements interfering with restful sleep? Are you taking any meds known to cause restless sleep?

Sure hope your friend gets a chance to experience what you have.

Kathy

Sleeping Better · Post by **Sleeping Better** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:17 pm

....your collegue has Restless Legs or PLMS. Kathy's right, if the apnea is gone, there's got to be something else going on.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:04 am

There could be any number of other health problems causing fatigue or sleepiness even if cpap is doing its part of the job fine. Hormone imbalances, thyroid problems...or even just a need for a good vitamin/mineral supplement.

Could be sleep hygiene problems interfering with good sleep.

But back to the cpap for a minute.... how many hours a night is your friend actually using the machine? Does he find the mask thrown off during the night and not remember taking it off? Is he mouthbreathing while wearing a non-Full Face mask? Is his pressure setting sufficient?

Does he have untreated or undertreated GERD?

http://sleepapneafaq.wikispaces.com/GER ... leep+Apnea

"All patients with sleep apnea should be evaluated for gastroesophageal reflux," said J. Barry O'Connor, M.D., of Duke University Medical Center, one of the investigators.

Suz-E-Q · Post by **Suz-E-Q** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:07 pm

I was just talking to Xian this evening and he does have GERD (found it before he was diagnosed) and is being treated for that. They checked his thyroid and as he puts it "unfortunatetly, it is fine", he had one week of removing his mask (not thrown on the floor, but placed neatly on the bedside table), but that has stopped. He had taped his mouth shut for awhile but he is fine on the mouth breathing. His numbers are good, AHI under 2, no large leaks, he is very compliant. He is working with the doc on trying to figure out what else might be going on. I asked him about depression and he said I was the second person to ask him that.

Is it possible that not everyone responds the same to XPAP? That even when compliant they still have issues?

I figured that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was just untreated Apnea. But is there something else that the docs haven't found yet? Another piece of the whole puzzle?

I can't imagine that everything is known about apnea yet. It really is only 20 some years into the burn.

I do hope he gets some rest...he is very grumpy

Thanks for the responses.
Suzanne

echo · Post by **echo** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:22 am

If we're looking only on the xPAP side of things, there's also the idea that some people don't do well on APAP, but in fact need a straight pressure the entire night, or vice versa.

Arousals are just as important as the AHI (which of course cause arousals). So maybe he's getting additional arousals from the pressure changes, or leaks, or restless leg as someone else already said, or ... too bad we can't measure arousals at home.

I feel good -

I feel good -

Some feel good some don't

I'm willing to bet....