Success Stories

[blondie]

Hey everyone I want to hear positive stories about how the CPAP has changed your life for the better. How long did it take before you felt any difference?? Thanks and positive only.

[islandboy5150]

Hi Blondie, welcome! I've been on PAP for about four years now. I have a Fisher-Paykel SleepSmart 604, which is really just a brick with a good humidifier. It's my original machine, and I didn't take to CPAP very well for a whole year when I started. In fact, I tried for two or three months to get used to it, trying everything I could think of to make it more comfy, and tolerable. I started out with nasal pillows, as recommended by my sleep doc, but between them rubbing my nares raw and the air going right out of my mouth, I finally insisted on a full face mask and got it. Still, had a lot of frustration and anger over not being able to sleep because of all the CPAP crap like the hose bothering me, the mask irritating me, headgear adn chinstrap making me sweat, and much more. Finally, I quit using it alltogether for about six months. Then, I decided since I had gone through all the doc visits, sleep tests, money on the machine, that it would just be a total waste if I just quit so I strapped up again. Glad I did, too. I gave it another shot. Although I felt like I was left out with no support, no advice, no help from anyone at the sleep center. I started to figure out that if I didn't like the hose laying across me, or hanging, draping across form my mask to the machine that I would just tie it up high over the headboard. Wala! No more hose problem. Then, since I was tired of the mask irritating my face, I cut out a piece of pillow case material to use as a mask liner. WHoa! It felt great. Then, I decided to poke around on the internet and found several products made just for the purposes I needed, and I bought them all in one shot. Hose management system, remzz mask liners, padacheek mask liners, strap liners, nose bridge protectors, and I even got a PAPCAP with a chinstrap, and a pillow. After a few nights experimenting around, and really getting to like the set-up, I've been sleeping like a baby most nights. When I dont sleep good, it's not because of apnea, it's some other reason. I look forward to every night putting on my CAP and mask, and turning on the windmaker. It's like a binkie for me, a security blankie even. When I wake up most mornings, I awaken from a deep sleep right into a fully alert state with clear mind and the energy of a 20 year old, and no headaches, no groggyness, no feeling like I got ran over by a truck anymore. All thanks to CPAP, and help from everyone on the board here too.

[ameriken]

I'm no overnight sensation as I had hoped to be, but I must say that it's definitely working. I can think more clearly, remember better, concentrate and focus better, and I can even hold down a conversation. More importantly is what my wife says: she tells me "It's good to have you back". I was really out of it and not myself before, and I felt it. Well, and so could she. But I can tell instead of feeling like I'm not going to make it, instead of that dragging feeling day after day after day, I am feeling way way better.

I still have a ways to go when it comes to energy, and I still take a while to wake up and get moving, and I find myself needing one or two afternoon catnaps. But overall, I am doing so much better and am grateful to have sleep apnea instead of something more serious, and I'm grateful it's something that can be treated easily as I have no problems at all sleeping with a mask.

When I break that energy barrier, I'll post again.

[Captain_Midnight]

Hi Blondie - - You ask for success stories, so Just off the top, in 5 and a half years of 100% compliant xpappery…

Greater cognition, better at multi-tasking, able to think more deeply and concentrate more fully and to focus for greater lengths of time.

Improved immune function, fewer colds, no influenza, more rapid healing, etc

Improved mood (and I’ve always been a “bright sider” any way)

Better physical conditioning (just ran my third half-marathon in 5 years)

Before, I was perhaps a bit on the quiet side, now I find myself to be truly gregarious. I never expected this.

I literally accomplish twice as much (work, hobbies, you name it.) I write faster, type faster, I read faster, and comprehend more.

Interestingly, I need less sleep. Usually, I sleep 6 or 6.5 hrs per night. (And, of course, no naps).

I feel like a teenager in some respects (but I won’t elaborate in order to keep this “G” rated.

Many, many more positive changes, mostly unexpected.

My keys to success?

1. Positive outlook
2. Optimized therapy

I kept a sense of humor throughout the various challenges in the beginning phases of therapy, and never permitted myself a mere moment of self-pity. Ranting and whining and blaming when things go a bit awry will only work against you. Working to identify what works best, and following through assiduously are your best allies for success. This is a long term project, and “issues” will naturally occur.

My first machine was a straight cpap with no data capability, After 2 years not knowing to what degree my success in cpap therapy might be, I changed to an apap machine with data capability, and (patiently and cautiously) made a few modifications to optimize my therapy (my pulmonologist thought these mods were just fine, be aware that not all docs agree with this and yours might not). My AHI is now less than 0.4.

Some of the changes occurred right away (an unexpected burst of energy that lasted a couple of months) and others took more time. The apap with daily data feedback was a big help.

BTW, there is a longish permanent thread on success stories under "announcements" that contains some excellent posts. The topic comes up from time to time, and it's always worth a reply.

Good luck on your therapy.

.

[lebowski8]

i felt a difference my first night with cpap at the sleep lab. my tested ahi was 45.8 -- of course, i imagine it was higher when under stress or with a cold. the first morning after cpap, i felt Alive. i could feel the blood pumping in my veins. that afternoon, i noticed i stopped yawning and dozing off constantly. for me, this was the only confirmation i needed that i had both the correct diagnosis and correct treatment.

it took about a month to get to all-night use at home. I regularly took my mask off around 5 am and slept without it until 7 am. but after a bit of trying, i started using it all night (7.4 hours has been my constant sleep average for over 2 years now).
i went from good to great after i stopped fussing with mouth taping and got a full face mask. i upped my pressure slowly from 8.0 to 10.5, where have been for over a year.

after the first 3 months, i started noticing other effects besides the elimination of daytime sleepiness. these included:
- drop in average BP from 142/97 to 119/79
- big increase in productivity and activity
- big reduction in mysterious muscular & joint pains
- increase in short term memory
- 90% reduction in headache frequency and 50% reduction in headache severity -- i used to suffer from morning headaches 4-5 times a week and 1-2 migraines monthly (so bad i had to miss work). i haven't had a morning headache in over a year, and probably 6 months since the last migraine.
- much better long term memory recall (sometime after month 6, long forgotten memories began vividly flooding back)
- 95% reduction in nightmares and night terror (started after month 1). for years before cpap, when i did dream, it was usually terrifying.

good luck

[blondie]

Thanks Thanks!!!!! I am also a positive person and I will be damned if I talk myself out of this working!. So far it has been great and I am so glad that I found out about mask liners. I was just saying that somone should invent that cause it rubs my face raw. After years of doctors telling me I was depressed or not eating right or had Fibro so glad that I now know whats wrong. Thanks guys. Its sad that after diagnosis your left to your own devices but I trust myself much more than most doctors these days.

[BlackSpinner]

Try this thread viewtopic/t14494/Newbie-would-like-to-h ... lease.html

It will keep you reading for days