How's it going with your snoring thing?

[not jogging enough]

... and other questions that are starting to drive me crazy!

Hope you all don't mind me looking for a bit of moral support, I'm really struggling with this sometimes.

About 6 months ago I was fired from my job. I was tired all the time when I was there, I was irritable, depressed, I fell asleep in meetings sometimes, I was having difficulty thinking clearly and especially struggling to think quickly. So I went to my doctor. I felt awful and I'd been told I snore really loud and often gasp for air in my sleep (actually, I was told that 15 - 20 years ago but I'd never heard of sleep apnea then). He sent me to an ENT specialist who gave me a home sleep study which found I had severe sleep apnea, AHI about 70. He then performed a sleep endoscopy to see if surgery would help but told me the best possible outcome from that would be reduce my AHI by about half. So he referred me to a pulmonologist to try cpap. I expect this story is very familiar to many of you here.

So now I'm on cpap, have been for about 3 months. I'm getting used to wearing the mask. I know many people feel better straight away but I didn't. I've found it quite difficult getting used to it. I've had problems with the mask which is much better now and the pressure is still not quite right but I've found that needs to be adjusted slowly up because as the pressure gets higher my sleep gets disturbed by that. I think i'm on the right track but it's quite a slow process. I'm still tired all the time and some days I'm just as tired as before I started with the cpap. I think I should wait a little longer before going back to work because if I go now, I'll still be having a lot of really bad days and an employer is not going to like that.

So, for now, my wife is supporting us both (which makes me feel guilty anyway) we're just getting by and I'm feeling like everyone thinks I'm just lazy.

Whenever I'm asked about my sleep apnea I explain it as best I can then the next time I see the same people I get asked stuff like...

How's it going with your snoring thing?
Have you tried those nose strips?
Have you tried sleeping with a tennis ball in the back of your pyjamas?
Have you tried that nose spray?
Have you tried putting a pillow next to you so you won't roll over?
That's caused by being fat isn't it?

or comments like...

You should go jogging.
You should exercise more.
You should sleep sitting up.

I just wondered how others here deal with the feeling that nobody believes sleep apnea is a "real" illness?

Also if you have any examples of funny things that have been said to you, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it's far too long but the situation is getting me down.

[Wulfman...]

... and other questions that are starting to drive me crazy!

Hope you all don't mind me looking for a bit of moral support, I'm really struggling with this sometimes.

About 6 months ago I was fired from my job. I was tired all the time when I was there, I was irritable, depressed, I fell asleep in meetings sometimes, I was having difficulty thinking clearly and especially struggling to think quickly. So I went to my doctor. I felt awful and I'd been told I snore really loud and often gasp for air in my sleep (actually, I was told that 15 - 20 years ago but I'd never heard of sleep apnea then). He sent me to an ENT specialist who gave me a home sleep study which found I had severe sleep apnea, AHI about 70. He then performed a sleep endoscopy to see if surgery would help but told me the best possible outcome from that would be reduce my AHI by about half. So he referred me to a pulmonologist to try cpap. I expect this story is very familiar to many of you here.

So now I'm on cpap, have been for about 3 months. I'm getting used to wearing the mask. I know many people feel better straight away but I didn't. I've found it quite difficult getting used to it. I've had problems with the mask which is much better now and the pressure is still not quite right but I've found that needs to be adjusted slowly up because as the pressure gets higher my sleep gets disturbed by that. I think i'm on the right track but it's quite a slow process. I'm still tired all the time and some days I'm just as tired as before I started with the cpap. I think I should wait a little longer before going back to work because if I go now, I'll still be having a lot of really bad days and an employer is not going to like that.

So, for now, my wife is supporting us both (which makes me feel guilty anyway) we're just getting by and I'm feeling like everyone thinks I'm just lazy.

Whenever I'm asked about my sleep apnea I explain it as best I can then the next time I see the same people I get asked stuff like...

How's it going with your snoring thing?
Have you tried those nose strips?
Have you tried sleeping with a tennis ball in the back of your pyjamas?
Have you tried that nose spray?
Have you tried putting a pillow next to you so you won't roll over?
That's caused by being fat isn't it?

or comments like...

You should go jogging.
You should exercise more.
You should sleep sitting up.

I just wondered how others here deal with the feeling that nobody believes sleep apnea is a "real" illness?

Also if you have any examples of funny things that have been said to you, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it's far too long but the situation is getting me down.

I don't have any friends, relatives or acquaintances who are stupid enough to ask or suggest things like that to me.
And, if they did, they would get their "attitudes adjusted" in short order.......or they wouldn't be included in those categories anymore. All the folks who know I use this therapy also know how seriously I feel about it.


Den

.

[Bill44133]

... and other questions that are starting to drive me crazy!

Hope you all don't mind me looking for a bit of moral support, I'm really struggling with this sometimes.

About 6 months ago I was fired from my job. I was tired all the time when I was there, I was irritable, depressed, I fell asleep in meetings sometimes, I was having difficulty thinking clearly and especially struggling to think quickly. So I went to my doctor. I felt awful and I'd been told I snore really loud and often gasp for air in my sleep (actually, I was told that 15 - 20 years ago but I'd never heard of sleep apnea then). He sent me to an ENT specialist who gave me a home sleep study which found I had severe sleep apnea, AHI about 70. He then performed a sleep endoscopy to see if surgery would help but told me the best possible outcome from that would be reduce my AHI by about half. So he referred me to a pulmonologist to try cpap. I expect this story is very familiar to many of you here.

So now I'm on cpap, have been for about 3 months. I'm getting used to wearing the mask. I know many people feel better straight away but I didn't. I've found it quite difficult getting used to it. I've had problems with the mask which is much better now and the pressure is still not quite right but I've found that needs to be adjusted slowly up because as the pressure gets higher my sleep gets disturbed by that. I think i'm on the right track but it's quite a slow process. I'm still tired all the time and some days I'm just as tired as before I started with the cpap. I think I should wait a little longer before going back to work because if I go now, I'll still be having a lot of really bad days and an employer is not going to like that.

So, for now, my wife is supporting us both (which makes me feel guilty anyway) we're just getting by and I'm feeling like everyone thinks I'm just lazy.

Whenever I'm asked about my sleep apnea I explain it as best I can then the next time I see the same people I get asked stuff like...

How's it going with your snoring thing?
Have you tried those nose strips?
Have you tried sleeping with a tennis ball in the back of your pyjamas?
Have you tried that nose spray?
Have you tried putting a pillow next to you so you won't roll over?
That's caused by being fat isn't it?

or comments like...

You should go jogging.
You should exercise more.
You should sleep sitting up.

I just wondered how others here deal with the feeling that nobody believes sleep apnea is a "real" illness?

Also if you have any examples of funny things that have been said to you, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it's far too long but the situation is getting me down.

Take 15 minutes and review this youtube video it will help you understand what is going on with snoring, etc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gie2dhqP2c

This video put the whole thing in perspective for me. I was able to show it to my family so they could understand what was
happening.


I wish you well...

[LSAT]

I don't go around telling the world that I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP. It's no ones business but your own. I don't know how it would come up in a conversation.

[palerider]

I don't go around telling the world that I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP. It's no ones business but your own. I don't know how it would come up in a conversation.

well, maybe if more people talked about it, there wouldn't be so much ignorance about the subject, and more people would get helped.

[Wulfman...]

well, maybe if more people talked about it, there wouldn't be so much ignorance about the subject, and more people would get helped.

My philosophy, too.
I don't make a point of bringing it into conversations (unless the opportunity presents itself), but I don't try to hide it either.


Den

.

[Goofproof]

Unless it's mis-informed XPAP patients, that don't have a clue about their treatment.
Just having and using a XPAP machine doesn't mean you are being correctly treated. You need a machine that collects full data, and the software to read it's data, and knowing what that at data means. Snoring is one of many symptoms.

Treatment is best when it's optimized. Jim

[woodworkerjunkie]

I don't go around telling the world that I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP. It's no ones business but your own. I don't know how it would come up in a conversation.

"About 6 months ago I was fired from my job. I was tired all the time when I was there, I was irritable, depressed, I fell asleep in meetings sometimes, I was having difficulty thinking clearly and especially struggling to think quickly."

If someone knows he lost his job, they may just ask him, "what happened?" Could be he was trying to explain why he lost his job!

[zoocrewphoto]

I don't go around telling the world that I have sleep apnea and use a CPAP. It's no ones business but your own. I don't know how it would come up in a conversation.

well, maybe if more people talked about it, there wouldn't be so much ignorance about the subject, and more people would get helped.

This is what I believe too. I wish I had understood sleep apnea 10 years before I got diagnosed and treated. I knew I had it, but I didn't understand what it meant. Had I been treated 10 years earlier, I probably would have stayed more fit and active, not developed high blood pressure, not be on multiple medications, perhaps doing better at my small business, more active in my hobbies, etc. Life would be a lot different.

I know what a change it has made for me. I can only hope that others who need treatment can get it and be successful. I have already helped my mom get back on track. She had quit using hers, and once I got treatment, she got a new mask like mine. Then, once I was past my 6 week check, I let her use my full data machine for two partial nights. We discovered how unsuccessful her settings were. My doctor reviewed the reports and her last sleep study and prescribed a new full data machine with better settings. She is doing much better.

I also learned at that time that my brother had been diagnosed, but refused to use his machine. I tried to encourage him. My sister raved about how quiet I was now during sleep. Now, over 2 years later, my brother was convinced by his wife to get serious about it. And they asked for my help. We had a data review and mini lesson on Christmas day, and I don't kno who was happier. He was happier as he was starting to have success and could see more improvement to come. His wife was happy. I was thrilled to see him finally getting treatment. And the rest of my family was happy too. I was so glad his machine had full data, so I could show him what was going on and make a positive change for him that helped.

I will gladly help anybody who wants help. I would even loan out my backup machine if that would help somebody give it a try to see if it will help them.

My coworkers all know about my sleep apnea. They have seen me go from being tired all the time, to be more cheerful and while not exuberant with energy: I'm not exhausted anymore.

[ChicagoGranny]

I get asked stuff like

Sorry, but life is full of them. Best to ignore the morons.

[Nick Danger]

I'm sorry that the people you are dealing with aren't more understanding and less judgmental. Just keep in mind that unsolicited advice is never worth what you pay for it!