New hose head, new board member

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:01 am

I came into cpap the hard way after complete respiratory failure due to undiagnosed SA. After 21 days intensive care(a very close call) plus 4 weeks recovery dealing with trachea tube and learning to talk,walk,etc all over again I was released from the hospital and had a sleep study that confirmed severe(pressure 20) SA. I now get the deep sleep that is required to have a quality of life. This is a great board, filled with knowledgeable,caring people who have answered many questions that only someone with SA personal experience can. Perhaps in time I will be able to pay back with my own adventure/misadventure in the SA world. Thanks and regards

Kattitude · Post by **Kattitude** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:59 am

Wow KAZ, sounds like you had a lot to deal with! Welcome to the forum and I'm glad you're still with us!

Connie

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:31 am

Whew! A h*ll of a learning experience! Welcome to the forum. Darn glad you could make it!

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:48 am

Welcome. You have already contributed by telling your story. Anyone reading it and not taking their diagnosis seriously has had a wake-up call. Guess the old "better late than never" saying fits here. Keep us informed of how you progress.

Kathy

jabberwock · Post by **jabberwock** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:56 am

Thank you for joining and for relating what happened to you. You are one very lucky person to have survived to tell your story. As Kathy said, it should serve as a wake up call to those who think they can "take it or leave it" when it comes to their therapy.

Please do come back here when you are ready and share some of the other details, such as any symptoms or issues leading up to your respiratory failure, and how you feel on cpap vs how you felt before. I think it would be a great learning tool for all of us here. Glad to hear you are now on the mend and getting the help you need.

Bonnie

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:34 am

YOU ARE A VERY FORTUNATE PERSON. A friends neighbor died in his sleep and it was death was attributed to SA. He had a machine and wouldn't use it.
A story that I have posted here before, my doctor threatened to "fire" me if I didn't go on CPAP. He said that he couldn't stick around and see me "die in my sleep".
Good on you for sharing your experience with us.

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 9:37 am

Since you asked, I could not get enough sleep and had no energy or interest in things I used to do. I put on a lot of weight (406 lbs) and my lack of exercise combined with onset type 2 diabetes and unknown thyroid in balance made attempts at weight loss unsuccessful. My wife(life saver) and I were on a trip and she noticed that I was not breathing and got me to a nearby Doc In The Box where I fell on the lobby floor, they put me on O2. I was transfered to what turned out to be an excellent hospital/doctors. Now, better news in that no lasting brain damage, and I'm down over 100 lbs(loosing 2lbs/week) and walk 2 miles every morning(came home from hospital on walker) and have great energy. Thyroid is being treated and no signs of diabetes. Regards

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:11 am

Now, better news in that no lasting brain damage, and I'm down over 100 lbs(loosing 2lbs/week) and walk 2 miles every morning(came home from hospital on walker) and have great energy. Thyroid is being treated and no signs of diabetes

.

That really made me smile.
Isn't it amazing what this therapy can do? I'm glad you're doing so much better -- welcome aboard, KAZ.

O.

Patrick A · Post by **Patrick A** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:35 am

Welcome to the forum....sounds like you had a rough go of it.
Glad that you have been able to recover. OSA is a silent killer, that should not be taken lightly. If not treated the correct way if you go to sleep and never wake up again....they just say natural causes or morbid obesity. Or he died from complications of diabetes.

There is a lot of people here that are here to help, there is a wealth of information here that is Free for the asking.

Again Welcome to Cpaptalk.com

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 11:31 am

Welcome to our forum!!!

I have come to live by the saying "PAY IT FORWARD". When I was a newbie I would have been lost without the apnea/CPAP forums. Now I feel very satisfied when even 1 person says that my advice has helped them in some way. The other reason that I continue to frequent the forums is I still learn things every day.

roster · Post by **roster** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 12:31 pm

Welcome KAZ,

That part about going undiagnosed is horrible but not unusual. The medical profession has been very slow to "wake up" to this medical problem and it has caused many of us to suffer for years undiagnosed.

The second part of your story is wonderful:

KAZ wrote:... Now, better news in that no lasting brain damage, and I'm down over 100 lbs(loosing 2lbs/week) and walk 2 miles every morning(came home from hospital on walker) and have great energy. Thyroid is being treated and no signs of diabetes. ........

I hope you will become a regular contributer here to inspire others (and maybe get some tips for your own cpap therapy).

With admiration,

Rooster

Bonnie · Post by **Bonnie** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:20 pm

Kaz,
You are to be congratulated twice: 1 for your determination in doing Cpap therapy and 1 for your incredible determination to loose weight and the first 100 lb. loss!!!
So....
Congratulations, Kaz
Congratulations, Kaz...........and welcome!

wkosturko · Post by **wkosturko** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 2:39 pm

Welcome to the family!!!

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:03 pm

Thanks to all for the kind words and encouragement. I will for sure try to "Pay It Forward". Regards

TXKajun · Post by **TXKajun** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:09 pm

KAZ, welcome to the forum and thank you so very much for sharing BOTH parts of your story.....pre and post. You're a very fortunate man and it sounds like you are a very determined man, what with the walking and weight management! Well done, keep it up and please keep us informed!

You're the latest CPAP success story!!!

Congratulations,
Kajun

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