Will be starting in February

[nwyant]

I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea...during the test I stopped breathing 78 times, and 8 of those times I stopped for over 35 seconds and struggled for air. My oxygen was down to about 41%...I feel like all the time..sleepy, my legs ache, I can't concentrate, I feel like I'm in a fog most of the time. I'm actually looking forward to this. I feel like I never sleep, I'm ready to go back to bed after an hour of getting up in the morning. My only reservation is sleeping with a face mask. I'm so claustrophic..

[cosmo]

I hope that 41% was a type-o...Yikes. The rewards of a nights rest with proper oxygen levels out weighs the negative of masking up. There isn't much.

You'll find mainly horror stories and weenies sharing their sob stories on the internet. Don't bite in the hysteria. Masking up is easy peasy. Get your life back.

[nwyant]

No, not a typo....I feel crappy...I can tell that I don't sleep...i wake up with headaches and just feel like s*(&^ all the time. The sofa is as far as I get most days and I've never been like this. We recently got a dog and I thank her everyday for getting me out and walking around the block a couple of times each with shorter walks in between. Somebody also told me that losing weight is harder with sleep apnea, because the metabolism slows down to compensate for the loss of energy...that would be a bonus!!!!

[chunkyfrog]

Actually the link between apnea and obesity is chemical.
(edited) too much ghrelin hormone is very bad. Your body/brain makes it when you are under stress,
insufficient sleep, oxygen, frequent wakening; and then the jackpot: ghrelin makes you hungry;
---all day is not good, especially when you don't need to eat. You know what happens then.
In the first 9 months on Cpap I lost 8 pounds--no other changes.

[jweeks]

No, not a typo....I feel crappy...I can tell that I don't sleep...i wake up with headaches and just feel like s*

Hi,

41%...yikes!!! Waking up with a headache is just the tip of the iceberg. You are lucky to wake up at all. In the mean time, if this were me, I would not attempt to sleep at all until getting a CPAP machine. At least try to sleep in a recliner chair so you can stay upright--that might help you breathe a bit. You medical team should have gotten you a CPAP machine that same day because the effects from your OSA are so dramatic. Consider calling them again to see if there is any way they can move your date forward.

-john-

[Denial Dave]

I too am claustrophobic and use a full face mask

The biggest hurdle is getting accustomed to the mask on your face and finding a mask that works for you.

Some folks get accustomed to CPAP very fast... others take a while...


For the 2 weeks, each night I wore the mask while watching TV for 5-10 minute periods to get accustomed to it. Comedy shows worked best for me...

Prior to going to bed, I sat on the edge of the bed every night for 5-10 minutes calming myself to remind myself it was going to be okay.

I'm at the 4 month mark for use now... I still have days here & there that I have to calm myself to overcome the sudden claustrophobia.

when you can, let us know what your CPAP pressures are

The level of prescribed CPAP pressure can have an effect on how fast you get used to it too.

Dealing with a CPAP pressure of 5-6 is entirely different than getting accustomed to pressures over 15... Controlling mask leaks at those higher pressure is a different world as well.

good luck !!

Dave

[Guest]

I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea...during the test I stopped breathing 78 times, and 8 of those times I stopped for over 35 seconds and struggled for air. My oxygen was down to about 41%...I feel like all the time..sleepy, my legs ache, I can't concentrate, I feel like I'm in a fog most of the time. I'm actually looking forward to this. I feel like I never sleep, I'm ready to go back to bed after an hour of getting up in the morning. My only reservation is sleeping with a face mask. I'm so claustrophic..

I too am claustrophobic and also use to wake up in a fog. From the beginning of using CPAP, I woke up clear-headed and fresh, as though I'd been breathing oxygen all night. For the first week, I took anti-anxiety meds, but now can go to sleep without the need for any kind of special medication. I use the nasal pillows and love them because they are not intrusive. I also used to have trouble with stuffed up nasal passages - not anymore.

[chunkyfrog]

I certainly hope they are not dragging this out to get you to accept the first,
no-data, no-feature BRICK they try to foist on you!
If you haven't already, read this!
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

[Denial Dave]

+1 on what ChunkyFrog says go check out that info!!

CF is really a princess stuck in a frog's body



AND if they give you a Mirage Quattro mask, the information there will prepare you for using that mask.

Masking up is not easy....

[MagsterMile]

Finally! I slept for 5.5 hrs last night with no waking up in between. I hope I'm not counting my chickens, etc.etc. and perhaps the planets were lined up properly The FFmask fit like a dream. Feeling like a new woman today.

[cosmo]

Finally! I slept for 5.5 hrs last night with no waking up in between.

The FFmask fit like a dream. Feeling like a new woman today.

Now do it again and again, night after night

Not so difficult once you've seen it could be done and have dialed it in.

[chunkyfrog]

Magstermile; getting in the groove, you are. Milk and cookies on the house.
The Quattro is a great mask; sad they're not aware of all the other sizes they could sell
--if they would only make them.

[Not Fade]

Ghrelin is a bad hormone.

Ghrelin is necessary for good health. Only in excess is it "bad".

Just a small correction. Your posts are generally very good and often fun to read!

[beatlesfan]

I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea...during the test I stopped breathing 78 times, and 8 of those times I stopped for over 35 seconds and struggled for air. My oxygen was down to about 41%...I feel like all the time..sleepy, my legs ache, I can't concentrate, I feel like I'm in a fog most of the time. I'm actually looking forward to this. I feel like I never sleep, I'm ready to go back to bed after an hour of getting up in the morning. My only reservation is sleeping with a face mask. I'm so claustrophic..

Hey, I just started too although my case is in the moderate range. I have the RESmed Quattro FX which is a full face mask (im a mouth breather) and the nice t hing is it doesn't have the forehead support like the other full face masks do. I find it pretty comfortable and non-claustrophobia inducing although at first it does feel weird/different but once you relax and realize that you are NOT suffocating it actually feels good to be able to breath in your sleep and not snore or stop breathing. Get a machine that has a ramp feature that will let you exhale easily. It makes a big difference. good luck and let us all know what happens.!