just diagnosed- which symptoms are from sleep apnea?

[amandat]

Hi Everyone!

I was just diagnosed a few weeks ago and finally got my CPAP cleared through insurance two days ago. I go in for set up on monday. I have a lot of symptoms and I would love to know what are from sleep apnea and what aren't. I've been told everything will get better after using the CPAP and Ive been told all that will change is I'll be a bit less tired. Any input as to what should get better with regular CPAP use would be great. I'm absolutely miserable and I keep clinging to the hope that this will fix everything since I have no other medical diagnoses.

Here's what I can remember of my fun list, including things I know are not from the sleep apnea but might be worsened from it:
severe depression
PTSD
anxiety disorder
inability to lose weight/stop gaining weight even when I was severely bulimic for almost a decade, I was never below overweight
incredible fatigue and exhaustion. some mornings i wake up so tired I'm sobbing before I ever get out of bed because I know how hard it's going to be
poor concentration and memory
dizziness
I'm either starving feeling or don't get hungry at all all day and forget to eat, there's never an in between
joint pains, muscle pains
allergies
prone to getting sick/sinus infections
no drive to do anything at all. it's the weirdest feeling that I can only explain as "I dont want to do anything, but i want to want to do things"
mood swings/quick to anger
no patience- and i work with kids with special needs so i just havent been working. not a good field to be in with no patience.
get overwhelmed incredibly easily





I think that's it for now. I'll add more as I think of it.


Also, if anyone can give me a brief idea of what to expect monday for in office CPAP set up and if theres anything specific I should ask or ask for, please let me know.


Thank you so much!

[BlackSpinner]

All or none or some. It depends on your body/mind/genetics/ environment.

Start a journal you write in every morning detailing how you feel and how the day before went. That is the only way to look back later and see what changed and what didn't. Don't expect miracles the first month. Also be aware that you have developed lots of "bad" habits that are coping skills which you will have to evaluate as you go along.

[Pugsy]

Suggested reading material...Forewarned is forearmed.
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

Any of your issues "could" be related to sleep apnea...or poor sleep in general. They also could be from other problems that the machine can't fix. Remember the cpap/apap machine is designed to fix sleep apnea problems. It doesn't do such a good job if the problem isn't caused by sleep apnea..

Example FWIW....I used to have bad hot flashes and night sweats...while they could be related to apnea episodes...they were instead related to menopause. Not everything that we have going wrong with us is caused sleep apnea.
Since you have to use the machine anyway....do the best you can to optimize the therapy and sleep and see what's left over that is still a problem area.

There's so much more to getting good sleep than a cpap therapy AHI number but gotta start somewhere.
Make sure you get a full efficacy data machine...talked about in the above links.
If you don't have anything to measure you won't know if any unwanted symptoms left over are from less than optimal cpap therapy which might be fixable or something else. If you don't have data to even start measuring or evaluation you will be flying blind.

[Julie]

Also, it is now thought by some scientists that the weight problem may be caused by apnea, not the other way around, so once you get treated, you may be able to deal with it better... and depression is par for the course here (as are many other things on your list). Read this link and it should help with practical issues as well.

http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/taming ... e-quattro/

[archangle]

Welcome to the board. Sorry you had to join us.

Consider yourself lucky. There's a good chance you'll get screwed by the DME (CPAP salesman) if you aren't forewarned. Check the links in my signature line about how to get started and not get screwed.

Be SURE to get a good fully data capable CPAP machine. Check your insurance and see if there is more than one "in-network" DME you can get your equipment from. Don't be afraid to walk out of one DME and look for another if the first one won't give you a good machine. The insurance usually has a list of in-network providers on their web page.

You do NOT have to go to the DME chosen by your doctor or to the sleep lab you used.

Many of your symptoms might be due to apnea, at least in part, but non-apneacs can have those problems too.

For many people, CPAP is like a miracle cure for their apnea problems, although recovery is sometimes gradual for some symptoms.

Some have to fight with adjusting to having the mask attached for a while. Some have to fight with finding the right pressure settings or fix other problems, and often the doctors aren't much help. That's why you need a good fully data capable machine so you can monitor and do it yourself. Note any specific problems you have and ask here. A lot of times, you'll find someone here who has dealt with the same problems and found a fix.

For some people, even if the CPAP is fixing your apnea, there's a certain amount of "apnea hangover" until your body gets used to not being strangled over and over every night. The "apnea hangover" eventually goes over for many people

What was the AHI numbers for your sleep study? If you didn't get a copy, ask for a copy of your sleep study. The HIPAA law requires them to give you a copy if you ask.

Get a paper copy of your prescription. It will help if you ever have to get supplies or service in the future.

What's the name of your DME you're meeting with on Monday? If it's Apria or Lincare, be very careful.

Once again, do NOT let them give you a brick (a CPAP without full data capability.) You can't trust the DME. They'll show you the data card and tell you it records data, but if it's not the right machine, it only records very limited data. These days, many machines have a wireless modem, but that will only report whatever data the machine records. Many of the machines with a wireless modem only report "compliance" data, i.e. when you turn it on and off, not how your therapy is working.

If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check for yourself.

[CPAPER Paul]

Archangel is correct!

I got lucky as my physician specified which machine I should get and he was spot on..... I too suggest you read his well written article about DME's (Stands for "Do More Evil" ) to be sure you get what you really need and really want. I wish I had joined this forum BEFORE I got my machine. Most physicians don't do as mine did. Be smart - read up on this before you commit to taking that machine.

The experienced people on this forum are your friends and are knowledgeable.... take advantage of their experience.

Welcome to the forum

Paul

[amandat]

Fortunately, I have no out of pocket expenses thanks to my health coverage. The downside is that limits my available DMEs. The DME I'm currently seeing is supercare. The test I did was an in home one and all ive been told so far was by my ENT and he said that the in home is inaccurate and usually underrates apnea but because of my anxiety he was more comfortable administering an at home test. His plan was to do a lab rest if the home test was negative, but it wasnt. The home test said I had mild sleep apnea so hes interpreting that to mean its moderate to severe.

I cant tell you how much I appreciate the information. Ill check out the links once I get back on my computer later. Are there specific models I should avoid? Or specific ones I should ask for?

Oh and it sounds like my ENT ordered the specific machine as we talked on the phone about whether I would prefer a nasal or full face mask. He suggested nasal to start since its more comfortable and leaks less.

[archangle]

Fortunately, I have no out of pocket expenses thanks to my health coverage. The downside is that limits my available DMEs. The DME I'm currently seeing is supercare. The test I did was an in home one and all ive been told so far was by my ENT and he said that the in home is inaccurate and usually underrates apnea but because of my anxiety he was more comfortable administering an at home test. His plan was to do a lab rest if the home test was negative, but it wasnt. The home test said I had mild sleep apnea so hes interpreting that to mean its moderate to severe.

I cant tell you how much I appreciate the information. Ill check out the links once I get back on my computer later. Are there specific models I should avoid? Or specific ones I should ask for?

Oh and it sounds like my ENT ordered the specific machine as we talked on the phone about whether I would prefer a nasal or full face mask. He suggested nasal to start since its more comfortable and leaks less.

I haven't heard about supercare, so they may be good or bad.

Do you know what machine the ENT ordered? Many doctors are badly ignorant about what machines are fully data capable and rely too much on the DME to read the data.

If you had a home sleep test, it's DOUBLY important to have a fully data capable machine to find the right pressure and fix problems. Check my list of recommended CPAP machines.

[amandat]

Got my CPAP! Here's what they gave me:

small fisher and paykel flexifit 431 did FF mask instead of nasal pillow because I have a tiny baby nose and they hadn't grabbed a ped mask for me. also, i'm convinced i'm a mouth breather even though I've never actually caught myself breathing through my mouth.

philips respironics remstar auto a-flex with humidifier

the RT who set me up ended up being someone I had worked with at a different company so I think I did okay...

any input on the system?

[archangle]

Got my CPAP! Here's what they gave me:

small fisher and paykel flexifit 431 did FF mask instead of nasal pillow because I have a tiny baby nose and they hadn't grabbed a ped mask for me. also, i'm convinced i'm a mouth breather even though I've never actually caught myself breathing through my mouth.

philips respironics remstar auto a-flex with humidifier

the RT who set me up ended up being someone I had worked with at a different company so I think I did okay...

any input on the system?

Excellent machine. Download SleepyHead and use it to track your therapy.