Has your quality of life improved much after using CPAP machines?

[kisangoli57]

I am about to be tested, I know I have it. it runs in the family, my previous partners have filmed me sleeping because they were concerned that I stopped breathing and would suddenly gasp for air yet not wake up.

I get so tired during the day at times. What major things did you find changed after using CPAP? higher energy levels? less tired? anything else? or nothing changed much?

[jimbud]

Read these.

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

JPB

[ABoatNerd]

I have been using a cpap for 10 years now, I would say not really.

I do try some tests from time to time - like sleeping on my side with pillows. I do that for 2 weeks and I have noticed no difference in how I feel.

What I do know is that I have begun to feel better using estrogen and testosterone bio identical hormones - so I am going to cease the CPAP for a while.

Those with obstructive sleep apnea may benefit from both hormones as it strengthens the muscles generally (including the throat) and also both hormones help regulate breathing.

Also - I just started Synthroid for lowish thyroid, and low and behold after 1 week I now have 0 instances for an entire week, when I use my cpap it would be closer to 1 incident per hour.

The thyroid impacts your throat and breathing messaging from the brain and weight etc. Since un managed thyroid is about the #1 mismanaged medical condition in North America, I am not surprised regarding the amount of sleep apnea out there. I suspect there are many men (in particular due to the fact doctors think thyroid is a female problem) - who would benefit from having their thyroid checked - there are many studies out there linking low thyroid to sleep apnea.

Do your research, but do not assume a cpap is the only option.

[zonker]

I am about to be tested, I know I have it. it runs in the family, my previous partners have filmed me sleeping because they were concerned that I stopped breathing and would suddenly gasp for air yet not wake up.

I get so tired during the day at times. What major things did you find changed after using CPAP? higher energy levels? less tired? anything else? or nothing changed much?

yes, less tired. yes, more energy, though not by a tremendous amount.

no morning headaches.

no getting up in the middle of the night multiple times to pee.

it's not the dramatic change i thought it would be. but that was my unrealistic expectations. the change has been moderate to good and i can feel the difference.

however, i was never a morning person and i'm not one now.

i say try it. come here for advice on how to fine tune your machine so it works for you.

please pay no attention to what the ten year cpap user has said. i don't think they have tried to adjust their settings, certainly not with anything they have posted here.

good luck!

[dreamingofdreaming]

Yes. I use to be so tired and crabby every morning. Once I got my treatment dialed in, via help from this forum, I sleep soundly all night.

[Pugsy]

Improvements for me
1...no more killer morning headaches from lack of oxygen
2...no more getting up every hour or so to pee
3...some increase in energy but didn't make me a morning person...but then I have never ever been a morning person anyway.

Improvements for my husband
1...he sleeps a lot better without me rattling the windows with my snoring and his worrying about my lack of breathing so he doesn't have to keep poking me to get me to start breathing again

[ChicagoGranny]

What major things did you find changed after using CPAP? higher energy levels? less tired? anything else? or nothing changed much?

Please pay no attention to NewBoatBumHead. She's a new member and might be a troll.

Just do this ---->

Read these.

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

JPB

[loggerhead12]

Hell yes. I sleep when I'm supposed to and not on the floor of my office or while I'm driving.

And I'm not dead, which my regular doc said I would have been within two years if I didn't treat my OSA.

[ChicagoGranny]

And I'm not dead

And, neither are your passengers.

[Janknitz]

I can watch a tv show all the way through, or a movie without falling asleep.
My thinking is clearer.
I have fewer panic attacks. I wake up peaceful and calm instead of stressed and angry.
I don't have to worry about falling asleep at the wheel.
I was able to lose weight successfully without bathing my body in stress hormones all night long.
I get sick less often with upper respiratory infections, and when I do, I can sleep comfortably with filtered, humidified air.
My husband can sleep in the same bed without being kept awake all night with my snoring.

And . . .

I'm still alive. Without CPAP I don't think I would be.

Yes, the quality of my life improved!

[zonker]

I get sick less often with upper respiratory infections, and when I do, I can sleep comfortably with filtered, humidified air.

oh! thanks for pointing that one out. i've never been "super sick" with colds and what have you. but what little i used to have is GONE!

thanks cpap and thank you janknitz for reminding me of that.

[Jeanne Ellen]

Definitely improved. First off, I no longer feel like the walking dead. I don’t wake up wide eyed with an adrenaline rush three or four times a night. No more morning headaches and my allergic rhinitis has all but disappeared. It hasn’t been easy for me to get comfortable with cpap, but I have no doubt that it helps.

[babydinosnoreless]

Yes

[zonker]

Yes

for one thing, it's made you succinct.

[babydinosnoreless]

Yes

for one thing, it's made you succinct.

A morning working on making xmas presents followed by a 9 hr shift did that.