Joining the CPAP ranks... time to hose up!

[Lurch]

Well it wasn't a big surprise to me, being diagnosed with sleep apnea. Even though I am only 40 years old, spend 10 to 12 hours a week at the gym, walk at least 30 minutes during my work days, it looks like my 6' 4" frame and solid, toned build of 300 pounds, is putting too much weight on my air ways at night. My partner of 2 years has complained bitterly that I snore so loud that she can hear me across the other side of the house, and tells me that I stop breathing many times a night, so all in all my diagnosis was not a big shock, if anything it confirmed what I thought all along.

While I was not happy about having to wear a mask, when I had my second sleep CPAP study, I was surprised at how I could sleep with one on. Even with all the wires, I managed to hit REM sleep 3 times that I can recall, which for me is a miracle. Most nights I don't hit REM cycles at all, and maybe have 1 to two nights of REM sleep a week, so I got a massive sleep debt to pay off.

Also, when I awoke from that second test, I felt better than I have in ages, so I know it's a necessary "evil" for me, if I want to get a better quality of life, and not nod off at work at 3:30pm like I usually do. Working in IT as a software developer, it's a real pain when you go brain dead mid-afternoon, due to feeling tired.

Besides as a kid, I used to like to burrow under the covers when I sleep, pillows, blankets and all. It's a habit I've had all my life, as I like to cocoon when I sleep. Now with a mask, I can go blanket diving without fear of suffocating under the bed sheets.

[Emilia]

Well, now you have even more in common with Shaq! He was recently diagnosed with OSA, too..... and it was his lady partner who figured out what was wrong. Watch the video he made with Harvard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JkiWvWn2aU

[LSAT]

Well it wasn't a big surprise to me, being diagnosed with sleep apnea. Even though I am only 40 years old, spend 10 to 12 hours a week at the gym, walk at least 30 minutes during my work days, it looks like my 6' 4" frame and solid, toned build of 300 pounds, is putting too much weight on my air ways at night. My partner of 2 years has complained bitterly that I snore so loud that she can hear me across the other side of the house, and tells me that I stop breathing many times a night, so all in all my diagnosis was not a big shock, if anything it confirmed what I thought all along.

While I was not happy about having to wear a mask, when I had my second sleep CPAP study, I was surprised at how I could sleep with one on. Even with all the wires, I managed to hit REM sleep 3 times that I can recall, which for me is a miracle. Most nights I don't hit REM cycles at all, and maybe have 1 to two nights of REM sleep a week, so I got a massive sleep debt to pay off.

Also, when I awoke from that second test, I felt better than I have in ages, so I know it's a necessary "evil" for me, if I want to get a better quality of life, and not nod off at work at 3:30pm like I usually do. Working in IT as a software developer, it's a real pain when you go brain dead mid-afternoon, due to feeling tired.

Besides as a kid, I used to like to burrow under the covers when I sleep, pillows, blankets and all. It's a habit I've had all my life, as I like to cocoon when I sleep. Now with a mask, I can go blanket diving without fear of suffocating under the bed sheets.

Be careful of the exhaust ports on your mask. If they get covered you could still suffocate.

[Dojers]

Besides as a kid, I used to like to burrow under the covers when I sleep, pillows, blankets and all. It's a habit I've had all my life, as I like to cocoon when I sleep. Now with a mask, I can go blanket diving without fear of suffocating under the bed sheets.

Be careful of the exhaust ports on your mask. If they get covered you could still suffocate.

And even if you don't suffocate you could start waking up with headaches because it doesn't let the co2 exhale and you start breathing it - had that happen to me a few times because I like my pillow over my head or a sheet (separate from the one I cover up with it) and I started waking up with massive headaches and found out it was because my exhaust was covered up. So you gotta be careful of that!

[Dojers]

Oh yeah, welcome to the wonderful world of us hoseheads