scared

[greenian]

Hi My name is Linda and i just found out that i have sleep apnea. Before i found out i thought i was really losing my mind. I would wake up all the time trying to get air in me @ least 10-15 times a night. always tired ,moody. My Dr told me about this sight and suggested i look into it. he said there are people i can talk too about how i feel. At first i did not think this was something serious,but iamb learning more everyday,and now all i do is cry. does that go away ,when will i start feeling better do i have to sleep with that mask every night forever. Do people really never wake up?
Please someone talk to me. People on my job think it's funny they make jokes about me sleeping with the mask,and say it's no big deal. i'm always nervous my heart races i feel like i haven't slept in weeks[/b]

[/list][/quote]Hi Linda, I am new to dcpap too, but I am a RN and have helped patients adjust to cpap before, just I wasnt the patient. Yes, you will have to wear it forevever, and as you feel better, you will want to wear it, BECAUSE you will be feeling better. Dont tell other people if they are going to be jerks and tease you, and they sound like jerks for teasing. Sleep apnea IS life threatening and yes, people can and do just not wake up when they are not treated. Aren't we lucky that we are being treated!!! Buy yourself a snuggle hose(look on ther internet under SNUGGLE HOSE) for comfort and feel free to try different masks and oh yes, you may like the cheek pads (internet under cheek pads, not the ones for guns though). This little machine is your new best friend, name it and love it, because it will, with time make you feel like a new person.

[snorin747]

Hi Linda. Welcome to our little world.

I had a nervous breakdown when I was in college. At the start only two people new what had happened. The three of us were in Psychology class together. As we went through the course there were things that hit home, dealt with what I was gong through. The three of us would snicker. At the end of the course I told the teacher what I was going through, my two friends were with me at the time. The teacher had a good laugh about it as well. He always wondered what we had found so funny, in a psychology class.

I learned to treat my mental problems the same way I treat any other ill part of my body. I have long learned how to handle my problems without a need for medication. And when I can't keep things balanced, I see the Dr.

I have told very few people what goes on in my head. Those that are close to me, I share. At work, there is only one person I consider a friend, beyond that I'm there to do a job.

As far as CPAP goes, it is a tool to treat an illness. Same that as a crutch is used to treat a broken leg, aspirin to treat a headache, etc.

Like any task placed before us, the worst part is that first step. Once we start walking down the path to recovery (sleep in this case) the healing begins.

Will the crying stop? Most likely. There are events that happened to me 30 years ago, that still bring tears to my eyes. There have been times when I have just sat down and cried. Oh well.

Part of removing the scare in scary is the research you are doing. Keep looking, there are answers. And above all, remember your are not alone.

-747

[Rachael]

I am also new to hosehead-dom, and I swear the first week after I was diagnosed I cried every day! And my gosh, the stories are so similar, the psychiatric diagnosis, the mystery illness, sleeping half your life away - or more. I have found it very helpful to learn as much as I can, to feel empowered, and to have the support of the really kind and generous people here. You can get used to this, honest. My mood and energy are better after just one month. I have much less dizziness, am more focused. I would encourage you to review your meds with your sleep doctor, some of the meds I was on a year ago are very contraindicated with sleep disorder, and may be making things worse instead of better.

Welcome and good luck.

[Linda3032]

This is an old thread. If Lola/Linda is still on this forum, she has logged in under a new name. I think.

If she's here, she might want to respond to let us know she is still monitoring this thread.

Again, this is an old thread.

[THE HARD TRUTH]

I WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED WITH OSA IN JULY 2008 AND LIKE EVERY ONE ELSE WHO HAS THIS DIAGNOSES,IS WAS TOLD ABOUT THE GOLD STANDARD.EVERY APNEA WEBSITE THAT I GO TO YOU READ THE SAME THING.FIRST OF ALL I AM NOT IN DENIAL,I HAVE APNEA AND IT CAN KILL ME.FOR SOME PEOPLE THEY ARE TOLD OVER AN OVER AGAIN THAT CPAP IS THE ANSWER.APNEA PATIENTS ARE BRAIN WASHED INTO THINKING THAT THERE IS NO THERAPY BUT CPAP.AT TIMES I THINK THAT MOST SLEEP DOCTORS HAVE A LOT OF STOCK IN THE CPAP COMPANIES AND THE DME'S.AND MAY BE GETTING KICK BACKS FROM THOSE COMPANIES.THE DOCTORS AND THE DME REPS TELL YOU JUST GET USED TO HAVING HURRICANE KATRINA STRAPPED ON THEIR FACE.JUST GET USED TO THE OVER PRICED MASKS THAT LEAK AND THE 50 LBS OF TIGHTNESS ON THEIR STRAPS JUST TO HOLD THE THING ON YOUR FACE THEN THEY TELL YOU THAT THE PERFECT MASK IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.IT REMINDS ME OF THE SCENE IN THE FIRST ALIENS MOVIE WHEN THE HALF SQUID AND HALF CRAP CLIMBS ON TO YOUR FACE.FIRST OF ALL CPAP'S ARE OBSOLETE.THEY TELL YOU YOU WILL GET USED TOTHE RESISTANCE OF YOU LABORED BREATHING OUT AGAINST THE INCOMING PRESSURE. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,IT'S LIKE BREATHING INTO A BALLON ALL NIGHT LONG.I AM A AIRCRAFT MECHANIC i KNOW ALL ABOUT OXYGEN MASK REGULATORS. PILOT DO NOT HAVE TO BREATH AGAINST 300 LBS OF PRESSURE.THERE IS ABSOLUTLY NO REASON THAT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT YOU CAN'T EXHALE NORMALLY. THIS IS THE 21ST CENTURY.BIPAS AND CFLEX ARE OPTIONS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE ME,THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE A HUMIDIFIED FISHER AND PAYKIIL AND A HUMIDIFIER IN YOUR BED ROOM.YOUR RINITUS MAKES YOU APNEA THROUGH YOUR NOSE.THEN THEY TELL YOU THAT THEY HAVE TO CUT OUT YOUR SEPTUM AND PACK YOUR NOSE COMPLETELY WITH GAUZE FOR THE NEXT 6 WEEKS SO YOU CAN'T BREATH. THE ONLY REASON THAT I AM WRITING THIS IS TO SAVE YOU FROM WHAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH.I DECIDED TO GO THE ORAL APPLIANCE ROUTE AND I AM SURE GLAD THAT I DID. SINCE I HAVE NO TEETH A TAP WILL NOT WORK FOR ME BECAUSE I CAN NOT MOVE MY JAW FORWARD. AND THEN A DENTIST IN COLUMBUS OHIO FOUND A SOLUTION FOR ME. iT IS CALLED AVEO tsd AND IT IS MADE IN NEW ZEALAND BUT IS APPROVED BY THE FDA. APNEA IS SIMPLE MECHANICS. YOUR TONGUE BLOCKS YOUR AIRWAYS. THE TOUNGE STABILIZING DEVICE THROUGH SUCTION HOLDS YOUR TONGUE OUT.IT REALLY WORKS.100% COMPLIANCE FROM THE FIRST DAY THAT YOU USE IT.iT COST THE SAME AS ONE CPAP MASK $150.YOU JUST HAVE TO GO TO A DENTIST AND YOUR SLEEP DOCTOR CAN FIND A GOOD ONE FOR YOU. BUT IF YOU STILL WANT TO BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT CPAP GO AHEAD AND KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THAT IS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS OUT THERE.kEEP LISTENING TO THE BULL THAT YOU WILL JUST GET OVER IT
FORWARD

[kebsa]

HI Lola

I too am new to all this and i do know how scarey it can be! As for the headaches, i have been waking in the mornings with dreadful headaches for the past few years, my BP has been OK and my family Doctor did not know what was causing them, i also had dreadful fatigue. I have MS and fatigue is one of the more common and very disabling symptoms of MS so me and my family Doc felt that the MS was the culprit. in the past 12 months my MS had been pretty bad and had landed me in hospital over 20 times, each time was at least a week- the nurses picked up that i had periods of apnoea and when they checked my sats they were down in the 70's, this was reported to my neurologist who said that this could be causing both the headaches and at least some of the fatgue.

Thats what led to the test that confirmed that i had sleep disorded breathing, in my case it is a combination of obstructive apneoa and central apneoa (thought to be sue to the MS) and i am in the process of working out the machine that will be needed etc. my prescription is for Bipap but i am still in the trial period. At present my data from the machines shows that i have a long way to go to really good readings but i already feel better! no more morning headaches and at least a reduction in fatigue.


I am having frustrations with my DMEs, they have not been all the willing or able to discuss therapy with me, i have had a lot of support from the people here and it is apparent that there is an awful lot a genuine expertiese here. stick with this community, i intend too and i am sure that this will all seem much better soon

karen