New guy with questions...

[Huntsman]

Hey folks,

Obviously I'm new to this whole cpap thing, so new in fact I haven't even gotten my machine yet...grrrr. I got refered for a sleep study about a month ago, after my 6th MI. Docs got back to me within a few days of the study and said I had severe apnea, I believe 62 episodes an hour(I believe thats what they said) and I needed to come in for another study with a machine. Did that almost 3 weeks ago. I have to say, after a night with being able to sleep the full night with what the tech said were no episodes, I woke up and felt better than I have felt in years! I did have a bit of trouble falling asleep and it was a bit odd having to breath against the air pressure but once I fell asleep I was out and slept like a rock!

Now my questions...

1) Is that a normal reaction to cpap therapy? I mean is getting decent sleep really this good? Or is this just in my head? I know I felt great for a couple of days after that.

2) Is it normal for it to take a few weeks before you get a machine or is that something I need to pursue on my own? I know the sleep center where I did the study has a roving doctor who travels to quite a few centers.
It just kind of bugs me that they got back to me so quick to come in for the second study, and now it seems to be taking forever.

Oh, and for those who may have caught it,,,yes 6MIs...you do not want to know how old I am! Just call me an overachiever.

[Guest]

Huntsman, some people DO feel great on their first night with CPAP. Some people take a little longer to adjust. The numbers from your study were pretty bad. That means you were (on average) waking yourself up more than once a minute. No wonder you were feeling so sleepy, eh?

If I were you, I'd call my primary care doc, explain that the sleep lab said you have severe apnea, but somebody's dragging their feet getting your machine to you. Primary care doc can either prescribe you an auto-titrating machine, or pressure sleep doc to get your machine to you.

With 6 MI's, I'd want my machine YESTERDAY!!

[weebles]

Welcome Huntsman!
You will find lots of great information and help on this board! I have been a hosehead for 4 months now. I had that great feeling after my sleep study - it is your body getting the first decent sleep it has had in a long time usually. Now I just notice how crappy I feel if I don't have a successful night with the machine.

I was diagnosed two years after my 1st (hopefully only) MI. and I was the youngest in my cardiac rehab class by at least 20 years. I remember being asked how my sleep was and I said fine! I could sleep anywhere and often did!

I am lucky and have a great DME and had my machine before the ink was dry on the sleep study report. Hopefully someone else can provide suggestions on that.

Weebles

[LavenderMist]

Welcome Hunstman! Isn't it amazing what one night of getting enough oxygen and uninterrupted sleep can do? I would definitely be a squeaky wheel about getting your machine. You needed it long before now and with severe apnea, you definitely shouldn't be without it. I hope you are able to get it soon and your body can start recovering from all those restless nights without enough oxygen.

This group is awesome and has a wealth of information to get you headed in the right direction. If you have any hurdles you can't figure out, just post a message and the response time is great. While you are waiting for your machine, you may want to look at the yellow light bulb at the top and the red question mark and read. There is lots of good info there for newbies. The best thing to do is read, read , read the board.

Cpap has made a difference in my life. My chronic pain hasn't been as bad, my blood pressure has come down, and I've lost some weight. I have been on cpap for 21 months. As my pressure gets tweaked, I look forward to even more benefits.

The main thing is to stick with it and let your body adjust and make sure you get a comfortable mask that fits you properly without leakage.

I'd stay on them until they got that machine to you. If the doctor wrote the prescription after your titration, there is no reason that it hasn't been filled by the DME unless somebody dropped the ball.

[TerryB]

Huntsman,
Isn't it so aggravating that they make a big deal about how important the diagnosis of apnea is and then they can't manage to get you equipped to take care of it. The second most aggravating aspect will probably be that they can't understand that the mask they provide is THE most critical part of you getting good treatment. If you can recall the mask they put on you in the lab that you slept well with, go to the lab if you can and try to determine EXACTLY what mask that was and get them to order that mask for your first mask. Most everybody here will vouch for the fact that finding the mask that suits your sleep position, face, etc. is hugely important to you getting good treatment right away.

Good Luck,
TerryB

[kteague]

Welcome. Ditto on the squeaky wheel concept. Maybe tell the DME you want a loaner till they are ready to provide your machine (which, by the way, tell them up front you want a data capable machine, and not just compliance data. If they have to order it, that can be in process). Tell them that your medical history should merit immediate therapy, and if they are unable to address your needs, you will need to check out other options. And yes, your doctor should be able to light a fire under them. They will want his referrals later. Sorry to hear it took 6 MIs to get to this point. Hopefully this will be your turnaround.
Kathy

[Cancun9]

I know how you feel. I am new as well and only had a machine one week. Last night was my first full night sleep (received new mask yesterday), and I felt so good this morning, much different than the norm. So I think you do feel initial results, and maybe they taper off a bit as one continues. Not sure if that is the case, but I like what it does for me.
C9

[floppysleeper]

i did a split night study and had to wake up and move around a couple of times because the bed was making my back ache so bad, and I still woke up feeling great, even only having the machine for about 4 hours. I even had a dream which was a totally new thing for me. Now 4 months later I still am feeling pretty darn good. I have had some bad nights for one reason or another (had a hysterectomy, hospitalized for pneumonia while on vacation, and still feel like it was the best thing to happen to me for a long time.

[Huntsman]

Thanks for the replies guys! I'm going to give them until Friday to tell me they have things ready, if not then Monday morning I'll be on the phone. It's just frustrating that after the initial study they called me back within a couple of days to get me back in to try again with the machine and now it hurry up and wait, almost feel like I'm back in the military!

And Weebles, I know how you feel about the cardiac rehab...I'm doing it this time...figured might as well give it a shot. I'm the youngest in the class by at least 3 decades! Everyone looked at me funny the first day, lol.