Please help, newbie scared

[jazzmynn]

I was diagnosed with osa about two weeks ago. I had 142 events in an hour.

What I would like to know is if it takes awhile to feel better.

I have had my cpap machine for about a week, but I had to change my mask yesterday and I kept waking up thinking it was leaking air last night.

I have feelings like irritability, crying, fatigue, and hear palpitations like my heart misses a beat. I also have been feeling chilly.

My doctor has put me through tons of tests for the above symptoms and they all come out normal.

She finally ordered a sleep study.

Please let me know if my symptoms sound familiar and if I should feel ok by now.

Thanks

[Pad A Cheek]

Hello Newbie,
I can hear your fears and concerns in your post. Tell yourself that adjusting to CPAP therapy will take patience and persistance. The first month was by far the hardest one for me. It took me a while before things began to look up.

Watch for little improvements during the daytime and not getting up as often to use the bathroom at night. There is a thing called sleep debt that you have to pay back over time for all the nights you have not been sleeping well. It takes a while, and CPAP is a bit foreign to sleep with, but you can do it.

Be patient with yourself, and stay around here and ask all the questions that you have. There are loads of people on here with great help and suggestions. We all were newbies once too.

Take care and good luck with everything.

Karen

[Bigburd]

Welcome, sounds like a little anxiety. This will pass. I was fortunate to adjust quickly. Love to be able to breathe at night. Please fill out your profile and equipment. This helps us to help you.

[JoyD.]

Jazzmynn,

Take comfort in the fact that we all have been where you are . . . it will take some time . . . but you WILL be fine if you "keep on keeping on". You have come to a GREAT PLACE to get understanding, concern, help, encouragement, and lots of good tips! I don't know what I would have done without my friends on cpaptalk!! YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Try to relax a little . . . read as much as you can on this site (New Users, Our Wisdom, etc) . . . and as Bigburd suggested, fill out your profile completely listing your equipment, mask, any titration results, etc. so that as time goes on we can better help you. Keep asking questions.

WELCOME!! You are going to do fine!

Joy

[mdbarthe]

I agree with Karen (PadaCheeks). When you first start therapy, We aren't accustomed to sleeping with something strapped to our faces, something hissing on the nightstand next to us, or a gale wind of air gushing into our faces. In fact, it seems like the least likely thing you would want to do in order to get to sleep and stay asleep. Our natural instinct is to rebel.

BUT........after you finally master your fears and anxiety, and you reach a point where you begin to pay off that sleep debt that has built over time, you will become one of the many who find the therapy as a comfort and you won't be able to sleep without it. I know that's hard to imagine at this stage of your treatment but there are plenty of us in this forum that are living proof of it.

Hang in there. The more you read and learn about OSA and XPAP therapy, you will convince yourself to be trusting of the therapy and rely on it for your health and longevity.

Welcome to the forum!

[junie]

Welcome to our group, You said you think your mask was leaking make sure that your mask isn't to tight or not tight
enough, Something that I learned was They say to put your mask on while you are watching tv. or reading doing
the day, that would help you get use to the mask, If you have any kind of question just ask someone will help you.

[daddyof7]

Yep, we have all been there....Don't ever give up. It took me almost 6 months to keep the the mask on all night. I'm thankful for the support of the great people here on CPAPTalk, without their support, tips and encouragement I would have surly quit a long time ago.


Never give up, you'll get there!

GBU

[kteague]

Jazzmynn,
It won't always feel like this! I was not a poster child for early cpap success, but now putting on my mask is my security blanket. Bit by bit you'll get there too. I know you are desperate to feel better NOW, but you have to be sleeping thru the night without fighting the mask too much for recovery to be very noticable. Even when I was getting only a couple good hours a night, though, I began to improve enough to have some hope. I think you will soon find your symptoms resolving and life will look so much better.

Daddyof7,
Look at you! I remember when you were a newbie and having an awful time, and here you are offering words of encouragement to a newbie. Now that does my heart good.

Kathy

[ozij]

Jazzmyn,
All your symptoms sound very familiar - and getting used to the therapy and its results does take time. Don't worry about what you're feeling a week in!

Daddyof7!
I too remember what a hard time you had - I'm so glad to hear you've stuck to the therapy!!!

O.