OT -- Need job related advice

[socknitster]

Yes, you are young and should be seeing results by now, I should think, from the cpap. I would go to the docs and demand a complete and total workup including blood testing for vitamin deficiencies including D and B vitamins, both of which can contribute to fatigue and depressive symtoms, in addition to the iron Odawa suggested.

Also, take a look at your diet. If you are a sugar addict, that could contribute to feelings of exhaustion.

Also, I recently had a breakthrough with my own depressive symptoms by adding an omega 3 supplement to my daily diet. Here is a direct link to my description of the issue in another thread:

viewtopic.php?p=237571#237571

I feel for you, you seem like such a sweet girl. You shouldn't feel like such a failure. Sleep shouldn't rule your life. Don't go on feeling this way. What if it is as simple as taking a vitamin or supplement. Don't ignore this. You have been on cpap about 6 months now, right? It seems like you were diagnosed just a few months after me. Keep us informed!

Jen

[amandalee]

Yes, I have been doing this since the end of July, '07. Six months sounds about right. I think I should be seeing results by now too. It is very frustrating.

I try my best to eat a healthy diet: I'm doing Weight Watchers, which emphasizes eating at least 5 servings of fruits & vegetables per day, drinking enough water, etc.

I have some fish oil capsules that I try to remember to take, but lately I have been forgetting. In the past I have taken about 1 capsule per day (it doesn't give any kind of measurement (mg or g) on the bottle). How many did you take to get positive results?

I have been tested for B12 deficiency, and it wasn't that. I guess I will plan a trip to the doctor's office as soon as I can get an appointment. I'm expecting that they will blow off my concerns as "It takes time to start feeling better once your OSA is being treated."

What I wouldn't give for a doctor to actually listen and be helpful.

[socknitster]

I'm taking 2 of the natrol omega complex that I mentioned (I take them at two different meals). It has fish oil and plant based omega 3's as well as gamma linoleic acid which is an essential fatty acid that is hard to come by in a typical diet. Sounds like you are on the right track with diet, but good fats are hard to come by in the typical western diet. Hope you find a solution! Walk into that doctor's office and tell him, you are tired and you aren't taking it anymore!

Jen

[RosemaryB]

I agree with everyone who said that you should focus on getting your tiredness taken care of. Also, if you give up your current insurance will you have trouble getting more insurance.

I, too, have to work since I have no one else supporting me. It's really difficult when it's hard to function at work. One thing that has helped me has been to do aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes every morning. I just drag myself out of bed and make myself do it whether I feel up to it or not. If you listen to a good story like books on tape from your library it can help your mood, too. It's a real mood lifter, believe it or not. If you are utterly exhausted you should start slow and work up to it. If there's something major medically, going on, this may not work, but if it's depression or the winter blahs, it could help a lot. When you talk to your doctor you might ask if they think an exercise program would work for you.

Most of my life I shunned the idea of vigorous exercise, so it's not like I'm a natural athlete or anything. I did like yoga and gardening, but they don't have the same effect as aerobic, which gets your endorphins flowing.

I hope you can find a good doctor who will listen. They are rare, but they exist.

[amandalee]

I checked my numbers, starting with the beginning of January through last night. Here are the averages:

Mean pressure: 9.2
Peak average pressure: 9.6
90% pressure: 9.9
Time in apnea per day: 13.3 seconds
AHI: 1.4
Max leak: 58.5
Average leak: 37.2
Average flow limitation index: 0.9

Numbers for last night:
Average pressure: 9.2
90% pressure: 10
AHI: 0.3
Average leak: 36.71

With regard to changing jobs, the thought of switching insurance worries me.

I exercise after work, for about an hour a day, despite feeling like crap. I don't know if I'd be able to do it in the morning...

[IndyJudy]

Amandalee, I also feel guilty about missing work due to not sleeping well and feeling like crap. What about going into work on Saturday or Sunday for a few hours to "make up" some time? Hopefully, your current boss will see it as a gesture of good faith. Be sure to "catch up" on your e-mails. On Monday, if your boss asks why you worked on the weekend, you can just explain since you had a couple of doctor appointments last week, you needed to wrap up a few tasks before a new week started. I know, it stinks because I have to do it frequently! The things we do to stay employeed in corporate America!

[kteague]

Amandalee,

I just want to add my support of you not giving up on finding answers for why you feel so bad.

For years before I was diagnosed with PLMD (then later OSA) I had all kinds of neurogical problems. I accepted the occasional obligatory test my doctor would order when I would complain about how bad I felt. At some point my desperation made me say after every non-answer, "Then what's next, cause I don't want you to stop until there are answers." When he said I could go back to the neurologist I'd seen twice before over 2 years, I declined and chose to see a different neurologist. This one ran a different scan that pinpointed 2 bulging disks and partial blockage of an artery.

I can "hear" the utter discouragement in your posts. Of all people, for you I hope your answers are soon found. Till then, be kind to yourself. You are persevering under difficult circumstances, and that is commendable. I understand the feelings of failure, I lived with it every day when I was working. Only on the other side of it could I appreciate the strength that took. Give yourself some credit.

Kathy

[amandalee]

Coming in on the weekends is a good idea, but in my case it would probably get me in trouble.

There are people in my department who are designated to work on the weekend, so there really wouldn't be anything for me to do. Plus, there is a weekend differential, and I don't think the company would be too thrilled about paying me more for showing up on Saturday or Sunday when I'm not scheduled.

[ozij]

Amandalee,
Jen's Omega 3 info is right on the button - http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/medic ... gia-mangia

Get your hands on "The Omega 3 Connection" by Andrew L. Stoll.

One of the reasons we probably need omega 3 supplements is that processed food contains far more omega 6 oils than natural food, especially in corn syrup, and it keeps our system from absorbing the omega 3 it nees from the small amount we have in our other foods.

Back to cpap treatment:

I'm also wondering at your pressure range. Could pressure changes be waking you up? How about trying to fix the pressure at the 90% level? Or trying a range as narrow as 1 or even .5?

Some people are disturbed by the pressure change, and sleep far better when their pressure is fixed.
O.

[socknitster]

[quote="ozij"]Amandalee,
Jen's Omega 3 info is right on the button - http://harvardscience.harvard.edu/medic ... gia-mangia

Get your hands on "The Omega 3 Connection" by Andrew L. Stoll.

One of the reasons we probably need omega 3 supplements is that processed food contains far more omega 6 oils than natural food, especially in corn syrup, and it keeps our system from absorbing the omega 3 it nees from the small amount we have in our other foods.

Back to cpap treatment:

I'm also wondering at your pressure range. Could pressure changes be waking you up? How about trying to fix the pressure at the 90% level? Or trying a range as narrow as 1 or even .5?

Some people are disturbed by the pressure change, and sleep far better when their pressure is fixed.
O.

[amandalee]

A few weeks ago, I tried changing my machine to straight CPAP mode with the pressure at 9.5, and I felt just as bad as always. I'll try setting it at a smaller range of pressure and see if that helps.

I set up the job interview for Friday. I thought about trying to reschedule it for next week, but I just want to get it over with. I am totally dreading it. I don't know what I'm going to tell my boss to explain why I need to be gone for 2 hours in the middle of the day (especially after I took time off yesterday for a dentist appointment), and it all just seems like a bad idea.

I want to go home and go back to sleep.

[activensleepy]

Amandalee- Sounds like you are optimizing your CPAP well. It's possible CPAP is not addressing your EDS which is somewhat common, especially if there are other sleep disorders or just lousy sleep fragmenting that may affect you. Have you pursued a MSLT study as well?

If your sleep architecture is somewhat abnormal and CPAP has not put your sleep in a better phase then typically a med like Provigil could provide relief with alertness and perhaps motivation and a better mood.

[amandalee]

I'll have to look at my sleep study when I get home, but I do remember it said that I have abnormal sleep architecture.

Forgive my ignorance, but what are EDS and MSLT?

[sleepycarol]

When I first started treatment I felt better. Then it seemed that I was at a stand still and not getting any better and finally started back sliding. I haven't felt good or rested for awhile now.

I have been back to the doctor with no answers. I did switch my reflux medicine last Friday. I was taking 2 Prilosec a day -- one in the am and one in the pm. I was still experiencing severe heartburn, even with the Prilosec, Reglan, and Mylanta on top of it. If I didn't take my meds it would be very very bad -- lots of pain, gas, bloating, heartburn, etc. to the point I couldn't function.

She switched me to Nexium but my insurance wouldn't cover it so we are trying Prevacid. She prescribed 2 a day -- one in the morning and one in the evening but the insurance has a limit on the number I can receive and of course the limit is 30. I have been taking it since Saturday morning and it seems to be helping. This week-end I plan on raising the head of my bed on 4 x 4's.

Have you tried something for reflux? You can have silent GERD and not know it.

[cflame1]

I'll have to look at my sleep study when I get home, but I do remember it said that I have abnormal sleep architecture.

Forgive my ignorance, but what are EDS and MSLT?

EDS = extreme daytime sleepiness
MSLT = Multiple sleep latency test (usually a daytime nap test)