new thread from I QUIT THREAD

alnhwrd · Post by **alnhwrd** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:08 pm

Yes Cpap is not easy to comply with. However, if you consider that the most effective treatment prior to CPAP was to give someone a stoma (permanent tracheotomy), wearing a mask while you sleep suddenly doesn't seem so bad. Yes, the medical community is still behind the curve on this disease, and yes there are petty, small people in the world who have and do talk badly about others. But if you really do have OSA and need CPAP therapy, and you allow these obstacles to keep you from treatment, what have you gained? Does your not getting therapy "prove" something, to youself or others? Does your quitting better your life or make it worse? If you really have OSA, you may be experiancing irritability and "brain fog" from being constantly tired. Recognize this and move foward. Get a mask that works for you, or learn how to make what you have work. Even a few nights of improved sleep will help you cope better. Stick with it, and you will prove the gossips at the DME wrong. Quit and you prove them right.

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:09 pm

This is what frustrates me about posts like this. We all post on and on (yes I know that I'm adding to this one), giving reasons and answers and it appears that even before we give our posts, the person has already made up their mind to give up.

I know that we could be helping somebody else that's not posting, but if you've already decided to give up, why are you posting in a CPAP forum?

If you haven't totally decided to give up, why not take one or more of our suggestions and do something? And let us know how it went for you.

If you'd give us a concrete question about a specific mask and specific equipment we could be even more helpful. Would be even better if you'd register and fill in a profile. You don't have to tell us your actual name... just something that we can call you.

After all, what we are and what we have in common which each other is the machines that we get hooked up to every night. We aren't sleep professionals (though there are some on here), we're just regular ordinary people.

Complaining about a DME on here... well lots of us have had dud's for DME's... some of us got new ones... some get their stuff online... and some fight with the old ones Oh and it's rare... but some of us get good ones the first time around (or second or third... etc).

Same goes for docs as for DMEs... some are good and some are not. If you need one and yours is a dud... find a new one or decide to fight with the old one.

You have to decide that you are important and worth fighting for... nobody else can do that for you.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:36 pm

I am a real person, with real feelings, and the situation that I started this thread with really did happen. Sorry to those who don't think I'm real. Sorry to those that thought I quit.

Truth of the matter is... I did get mad. I took the cpap...MY CPAP out of the closet and put it back on my night stand. I found the mask and cleaned it. It's ready to be used tonight and it WILL BE USED TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I AM BOUND AND DETERMINED TO MAKE THIS WORK!!!!!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO MADE ME SEE THAT I WAS BEING A BABY!!!

I talked to the DME and they apologized for what was said. They admitted that they were wrong.

I just decided that all this aggravation and drama is for the birds. I can do this. Is it okay with all of you if I come back as a seasoned cpap user?

Thank You All Again !!!!!!!

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:50 pm

OK......then stop all the self pity......register on the forum, list all of your equipment, pressure and go to work on your therapy.

We have empathy for those who REALLY want to try to make this thing work, but as you've discovered......virtually no tolerance for whiners.

Git er done!

Den

lifeartist59 · Post by **lifeartist59** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:54 pm

I am sorry to hear that the original poster has decided to quit, but I commiserate with the frustration on the DME and sleep center. I wonder does he live in an area where his choices are limited? I live is a very small town, and had to travel about 35 minutes to have my tests done, and that was at a small hospital. I have considered driving further, my husband wants me to do this since we are only about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs from Cleveland. I would not drive myself, but he would probably do that for me. I just hate to put him through that since he is a shift worker and has little free to for sleep as it is. We will see if I can work out the cpap issues on my own or if I need the help of an actual sleep center/specialist. But that does make it harder to deal with, and if I live much further I would be hard pressed not to feel like he does. Especially with the dme workers, which I encourage him to report to their supervisor or the company's higher ups and if he has insurance, the insurance company. You know the old saying " the squeeky wheel gets greased"

Barks1 · Post by **Barks1** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:17 pm

Guest nothing worth while is easy.

There is a fix use it!

Tens of thosands use CPAP can't be wrong.

It's good to read that you have grown up.

We all have problems to start with it's not easy. You can always ask us here for advice. There are wonderful people here that are only to happy to help.

But if you quit there's no need to tell us. Just move on and try something else.

Captain_Midnight · Post by **Captain_Midnight** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:37 pm

Guest

And for any sleep apnea patient considering quitting PAP therapy

Now, it doesn't matter to me whether the Guest post is genuine or not. Many apneics quit PAP therapy, and I believe that most might make it if properly motivated.

Please allow me to echo what poster Den says above.

Self pity is destructive (and unfortunately, it's easy for an unsuccessfully treated apneic patient to fall into a bout of feeling sorry for one's self)

In my previous post on this topic, I mentioned Positive Mental Attitude.

That means actively giving the broom to self pity.

A sense of humor is a part of this. Anyone can work to cultivate a sense of humor.

And finally, if one wants to see what a positive attitude can do, look no farther than Sir Winston Churchill. My favorite Churchill quote is...

...never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.

http://winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/i ... pageid=423

Hope this is useful to any OSA patient considering abandoning therapy.

Regards all -- Tom

KAZ · Post by **KAZ** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:48 am

alnhwrd nailed it with the fact that"if you consider that the most effective treatment prior to CPAP was to give someone a stoma (permanent tracheotomy), wearing a mask while you sleep suddenly doesn't seem so bad." As my regular pals on here know I came from hospital with a tracheotomy which is a several times a day must clean or risk infection ordeal. The CPAP was welcome with all of it's thorns after that. The other thing is that uncapping the trachea tube prior to sleep will keep you from suffocation,but still does not allow the deep rem sleep of CPAP. Guest, sounds like you have turned a corner,sign in with a full profile. You are among friends. Regards

deglorious · Post by **deglorious** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:15 am

Well Guest, it's Thursday, did you use your cpap last night?

Deglorious

Sundown · Post by **Sundown** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:41 am

I have overhead conversations before and sure... it hurt my feelings, but really when it comes down to it.. they are just idiotic strangers that couldn't care less about their customers.

For a couple of months, I was a frequent visitor in the ER (heart palps.. thinking I was having a heart attack) and I remember overhearing one nurse say "she's a re-do, a frequent flyer." I felt like sh*t and really got offended..but you know what? I didn't give a damn about these people.. it's my life and I want to live. Do you think I quit going to the ER to avoid the same nurse...? NOPE.

Think of the final scene of "Scrooge" when all the people were talking about what an ass he was... when it boils down to it.. you are the one choosing your life over death.

Also, I really don't think you would be a fake poster.. it *is* coincidental that you overheard them talking about you.. at that exact moment.. that would be really crappy if you were just playing all of us because we really do care about you/your outcome. We want to help.

What is the worse they can say about you? That you are a pain in the ass? So what. Be a pain in the ass and live.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:58 am

Original poster here. It is Thursday morning.
I did use the cpap, and the mask and the whole nine yards last night.
It went okay. It's the first night, among many tries and failures, and I have chosen to understand that this will sometimes be easy and it will have it's difficult moments as well.
I'm glad that I came to this board and that the good people here set me straight, and made me realize that there is help and that the catalyst of change has to be within myself, ultimately it has to be me.
I can do this, I just have to take it day by day and when I fall down, I have to get up, put the mask back on, and get back into bed and just do what I have to do.

I just want to say again THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!!

Sundown · Post by **Sundown** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:11 am

When you feel more comfortable, register on the forum and put the type of mask, your machine and your pressure... we are here to help!!!

Good to hear from you again.. YOU ARE ALIVE!!!

goose · Post by **goose** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 1:59 pm

Good for you guest!!!!
Keep it up!!!!! To quit is to die more quickly!!!

Please register and become a full participant. With your trials and tribulations you have something to offer to others that are having problems!!! You can become another success story for a newbie to lean on.......it's how we all started. Taking the help that is offered, and giving back to the community.....Karma......

The only loser is a quitter -- glad to hear you're giving it the old college try. Keep at it and before you know it, you'll feel better -- but don't expect miracles. I always say, "I didn't get here overnight".....the doc that referred me to the neurologist told my wife, "He has over 25 years of sleep debt to sleep off -- he may sleep a lot the rest of his life"........

I don't feel great yet, but I sure feel better!!! Blood pressure is better, weight is dropping, and diabetes is not deteriorating!!!! On the mend!!!!

Take care
cheers
goose

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 2:10 pm

Fantastic! It is hard to get your head around things sometimes, and if it seems the people who you expect to help make it worse, then it's even harder to stay focused and 'mature' , but as long as you stay on the side of "I'm going to save my life and not let a-holes get in the way" you'll make it... with a few bumps like the rest of us, but it does get smoother as it goes along, and the more you at least appear to be trying, the more everyone will try to help.

new thread from I QUIT THREAD

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