The end of all my problems

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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oscarfer30
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:04 pm
Location: Santiago, Chile

The end of all my problems

Post by oscarfer30 » Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:54 pm

For several years i feel like somebody just suck my energy all the time. I´m starting to believe the "curses" and magic can be true .... just joke.
One time i just "black out" when i´m driving my car heading home, hopefully nobody is near my car and i just not hit the road barriers or something. Just move from first to third ramp on the highway ..... between ramps is just blackout in my mind.
I´ve worked on a place with low salary and never even think to go to see a Doctor because i just realize i had not enough money for this.
Recently i´ve changed my work and after a family member pass through 3 months of intestinal cancer all finally ends for me. I´ve decided to care a bit about myself.
When i decide to see the doctor ? , well , some times i work at night, so i´m sleeping this day ( literally) and a friend comes to see me, somehow he see me "sleeping" and later tell me that i just "jumping on the bed" y he had fell terrible for me.
Since this, and advised many many times by my wife, i decided to see a Doctor. Did the test with a resmed tinny blue device in my chest ( at home ) and after a week i came to see the doctor again.
He is very concern and tell me i have 76 Apnea episodes during a hour .... i just don´t get it ..... but Dr. hit the point .... that´s the reason ... poor sleep ..... snoring ....
I just feel like the answer is there, the answer for all my problems. Next week i have to try "The machine" ... at this point i just imagine ( doctor just explain me everything ) a device like a vacuum cleaner at my bed side.
When i went to the Clinic to do a "machine test" i just receive a notebook sized bag ?????? what happen to "the machine" ..... I was instructed how to used, how put the mask and later go home.
"the machine" looks so tinny, "but probably is loud as hell" is my first think .... just leaved there with none interest.
Later at night i´ve put the mask on, and start "the machine" for the first time .... at the beginning it feels a little bit "strange" but after some inspirations it feels way better.
Try to sleep ... and suddenly i fell slept ... 9:45 AM next day i´ve opened my eyes and feel like somebody just give my life back ( sorry for this but .... i have to type it ) IS JUST AMAZING !!!!!
I´ve write this for all of the "newcommers" as myself , who are worried about looking like Darth Vader at night .... my advice .... /$/$&%$&%#%$ everybody .... get your life back ....
Thanks everybody for this forum, now, i´ll recover my life, with "the machine" at my side nothing can go wrong .....
Hope ... is the last thing you need to loose .... keep going ....

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xenablue
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Location: Aussie living in balmy Wisconsin

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by xenablue » Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:59 pm

oscarfer - what a great story! It's so great to see people who feel instant results once their OSA is being treated..... I'm so jealous and I hate you!!!

Actually, I know my therapy is working by the data I see every day, but I want that WOW!!!! feeling too LOL. My sleep study showed 96 episodes per hour and perhaps I've had it a very long time so that "wow" moment will take longer to show itself.

I love reading stories like yours because I hope it makes those who aren't as diligent with using their equipment will start doing so - for their own health and wellbeing.

Cheers,
xena

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oscarfer30
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:04 pm
Location: Santiago, Chile

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by oscarfer30 » Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:13 pm

Xena, i´m not a doctor but the only thing i can tell you is ..... wear it !!!!! wear it !!!!! wear it !!!!!
WOW moment ..... i think it depend on how much you expect .... i was not expecting a change .... but true run over me like a train .... i´ve never slept well .....
Keep going .... the WOW moment comes to you some day .... never loose hope ...
My very best regards for you .... and for all those "Darth Vaders" around this forum.

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Additional Comments: IAH = 78 before S9 autoset , now IAH = 1.8

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chunkyfrog
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Location: Nebraska--I am sworn to keep the secret of this paradise.

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri Nov 18, 2011 4:16 pm

Frog feels much better too.
Welcome to our little group.

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oscarfer30
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:04 pm
Location: Santiago, Chile

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by oscarfer30 » Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:15 pm

Thanks a lot chunkyfrog ... i´m glad to hear you feel better too.

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Additional Comments: IAH = 78 before S9 autoset , now IAH = 1.8

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wmcanally
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 8:35 am
Location: Jacksonville Texas

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by wmcanally » Fri Nov 18, 2011 5:16 pm

Im very happy for you. I too am a newbie. My initial test my AHI was 62. So thats severe too. I feel the same after wearing my Dark Vador mask at night. Feel better everyday. More energy than ive had in along time. The good people here have helped me understand my readings and their knowledge of Sleep apnea and treatments are amazing. I have had so many other users on here help me understand so much. Again im very happy your doing well.

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DoriC
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Re: The end of all my problems

Post by DoriC » Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:39 pm

Welcome Oscar, your story will be inspiring to many others here. Hope you'll keep us updated on your progress or if you have any questions.

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RandyJ
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Location: Connecticut, USA

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by RandyJ » Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:47 pm

Oscar - Wow! What passion! I enjoyed reading your story and am happy that your therapy produced an immediate and dramatic result.

I'm very happy for you

All best,


RandyJ

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SMenasco
Posts: 313
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2010 1:38 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by SMenasco » Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:39 pm

Oscar, I experienced the WOW when I first started using cpap 16 years ago. I am happy you are having a good experience. By the way, Chile is great and the people are super! I spent some time in Valpraiso in the early 60s. Good Luck and welcome to the forum!

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Hose Head by Night
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Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:16 pm
Location: Upstate New York

Re: The end of all my problems

Post by Hose Head by Night » Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:51 pm

I went from waking every hour on the hour to get up to pee to being able to sleep A WHOLE STRAIGHT 5 HOURS at a clip.

I haven't slept 5 hours at a clip in over 20 years but after the CPAP therapy, I was amazed at how long I COULD sleep.

Still get tired during the late afternoon and have to take a 1/2 hour nap, but what a change of life for the better.

I love my CPAP machine!!!!!!!!

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Sleep therapy changed my life for the better, never knew how bad it was before I got hooked to "the machine".

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sleepysmurf
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Re: The end of all my problems

Post by sleepysmurf » Fri Nov 18, 2011 11:31 pm

welcome Oscar. Getting your life back since using cpap is definitely an accurate description.

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rested gal
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Re: The end of all my problems

Post by rested gal » Sat Nov 19, 2011 12:41 am

Oscar, that was a wonderful post. So happy to hear you were an instant cpap success!

I didn't have it anyyyywhere near as severe as you. My OSA is very mild except in REM. I felt the same overnight, "WOW" though, that you experienced after the first night on CPAP.

I hope others reading who are not experiencing "feeling better" despite religious cpap use don't get discouraged. It can take finding the right mask, and sometimes a lot of lab-rat fixes to masks, and judicious tweaking of a machine, or even a different machine entirely before a person gets the "wow" kind of therapy from cpap. And...there's always the possibility that "cpap" can be doing what it's supposed to do perfectly (keeping the airway open so the person can breathe during the relaxation of sleep) yet the person can still feel awful due to other health problems (diagnosed or undiagnosed), med side effects, or poor sleep hygiene reasons. Sleep hygiene issues can include just about anything under the sun (or the moon!) and could be as simple as a mattress that is uncomfortable or a neighbor's dog barking. CPAP isn't the magic bullet to "feel WOW" for some people even if CPAP is doing its part of the job like a champ.

This didn't happen to you, or to me, but for some people using CPAP can leave them feeling even worse, or sleepier, or more worn out than they did "before CPAP." They're trading off the disruptions to their sleep that apneas were causing, but they "slept" through those disruptions, for disruptions to their sleep caused by machine/mask issues. Equipment (mainly the $%^$&! MASK) disruptions are more likely to wake them up to be aware of, or make it harder to fall asleep in the first place.

Often people have to be their own detectives if CPAP doesn't seem to be "working" for them, the way it worked right off the bat for you. This forum is a great place for the people who are not taking to it well to find ways to make "doing CPAP" better, easier, more comfortable, and easier to actually "sleep" with.
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