Something extremely strange happened the other day

[Gerryk]

I woke up out of a sound sleep dreaming. I haven't had a dream in over 25 years. I actually woke up remembered my dream vividly. I sat on the edge of my bed confused wondering what was going on. I went used the washroom and sat back on my bed. I soon realized what had happened. My Cpap therapy is working and I am finally able to dream again. I put my mask back on layed back down to go back to sleep.
The next morning my wife asked me what I was up to when I went back to bed that I had such a smile on my face. I just said I had a dream, closed my eyes and tried to go back for another.

[GumbyCT]

Its working <Smile> that IS a good thing. Before you know it, you will be waking up with a never mind <evil grin> with a BIG smile on your smile.

[Debjax]

Congratulations! Isn't it grand?

I have been on CPAP now for about 2.5 months. Since then I have noticed the following changes:

I no longer have to get up twice a night to go to the bathroom

I wake up in the morning and actually feel like I slept the night before

I have had only one arrythmia/palpitation in the last 1.5 months (down from about 3-5 a day minimum)

I have had minimal angina since starting CPAP, and have been able to reduce my IMDUR from 90 mg / day to 30. (I am withholding judgment on this though, this time of year is normally mild for me..next month will be the true test of the tale on this one.)

My chronic sinus drainage problem is no longer a problem, my sinuses have cleared up for the most part.

The dark circles under my eyes that have been there for over a decade are gone.

One migraine in the last 2.5 months, down from 5-8 / month.

For as long as I can remember, I have never "wanted" to go to bed. Matter of fact, I very much did NOT want to go to bed. Never knew why, it was just that way. I now look forward to going to bed. I suspect that subconsciously, my brain knew that going to bed was going to be a series of suffocation events and wanted to avoid that.

I am now noticing that I am no longer chronically dehydrated now that I'm not losing a quart of fluid each night.

Every one gets a different set of responses.....I know my cardiologist is getting a huge hug when I see him next month for sending me for the sleep study.

[gasp]

Yeah! Dreaming is such a wonderful thing!

[sleeplessinaz]

I have noticed that I do dream more now too --it was wierd when I first started to dream! I had not been dreaming in so long --it was kind of creepy at first. Now --I no longer have to get up at all during the night to go to the bathroom, I wake up in the morning and actually feel like I slept the night before, I have not had ONE MIGRAINE since I started CPAP therapy!!! In fact--My migraine meds have expired!!! I also have lost 22 pounds. I can stay focused at work now and am more productive too. So I am so thankful that I got this diagnosed when I did. I bet went over 2 years untreated. Sad but true!!
Carrie

[TheDreamer]

I want to have a good dream!

So far the only time I've dreamt since starting CPAP, they have been scary or disturbing...and its either because of a mask issue (leaking or blocking the exhale ports) or because fell asleep with out my CPAP (like I did on a day trip, by bus, last month).

And, I could do with out those bad dreams.

The Dreamer.

[kteague]

I am having a ball with the dreams I remember, now that they are no longer frightening. Usually I can see a that a hodge-podge of influences came together in a nonsensical way.

Stop reading here unless you're either into dreams or really bored.

Couple nights ago... Family loading into an RV to move away. (Had earlier been discussing the what-ifs of winning the HGTV home giveaway in Sonoma.) I got out of RV and said I wasn't going because there was no electricity and I couldn't sacrifice my sleep for that long (self explanatory), and 7 is too many for any bed. (Daughter's family was earlier piled on their bed for a movie.) Stepped out of RV onto the driveway - a pink tiled driveway (too much HGTV) - and expressed my concern it might crack. (Daughter's new plaster job is cracking.) Ran into neighbor who was our cause of moving (we have neighbor issues), and he was waving a clipboard with a petition and wanting signatures. (Talked with a friend earlier who is gathering support for her nominee for a playwrite award.) Neighbor's petition was to force the pickup of apples fallen in our back yard. (Friend nominating playwrite won an award for sculpture titled Applicious and I'd looked at it online, and high winds had blown garbage across our back yard the night before.) I woke up and just shook my head, self entertained.

Now I'm gonna go try to catch another one of those dreams.

[junie]

I'm so happy for you fantastic

[Nekalbustriusis]

I had my first vivid dream in years during my second sleep test. It was my first time with cpap. I couldn't sleep for most of the night. Sometime during the night I got the right pressure and suddenly there was a baby elephant in the room, walking around the bed, making a whoosh whoosh sound with it's trunk. I woke up with quite a start when it tried to climb up onto the bed .

[Gerryk]

It has been a while since I really dreamed. I have been putting things together to try and figure out when the sleep apnea started. I look back and the dark circles under my eyes and being tired and all it looks like this probably started in my late teens.

[Georgio]

CPAP......The stuff Dreams are made of! May you have many, many more!

Georgio

I just had to edit this post when it occurred to me that, this would be such a good product ad,
"Resperonics, The Stuff Dreams are Made Of!"

[luvsbutv]

When I read this I started to cry. A few months ago my 15-yr old daughter was telling me some of her wacky dreams. She asked if I ever had any weird dreams. When I told her I don't dream her words were, "Mom, everyone dreams. Maybe you just don't remember them." After reading this thread the other day I started thinking. (Dangerous thing) It's probably been about 10 years since I have had a dream. I'm so looking forward to dreams again. I'm even ready to take on nightmares.

[vaderboi]

I'm finally getting to have nice or weird dreams. I used to have what I called ghost dreams. Somehow or another, a ghost would be attacking me or coming at me (I could never see it or just a haze). I suspect that it was my mind's way of dealing with the apnea. I would wake up trying to scream and not being able to. Last week or so, I had a dream where I was helping other people get rid of ghosts. I had no fear of them. Just a few days ago, I had one with a dog protecting me from a ghost. The ghost eventually made it's way to me to put a skateboard under me, which made me laugh and then I woke up thinking that was weird and not like my other ghost dreams at all. I have had a few other dreams recently, most I can't remember now, but I'm happy to be having pleasant or weird dreams now instead of nightmares.

I also understand not wanting to go to bed too. I just always thought I was a night owl and an insomniac, but now, I'm ready to go to bed early and get some sleep. I've only been on cpap a month now, but it's made a huge difference for me. I can't wait for more therapy and benefits down the road.

[SaltLakeJan]

Hi Garryk, It seems amazing when someone reaches a significant place in their recovery. That is an experience that will always have meaning for you. Hope you have many more.

At some point in my life, I started sleeping so lightly I was barely asleep. In my titration conclusions, they noted, "Patient had increased percentages of deep restorative sleep, suggesting she was suffering from chronic sleep deprivation."

I've been on Cpap for a month and a half, and I am sleeping so deep, that my husband has to nudge me if the sleep apnea alarm sounds. After hearing your experience, I"ll look forward to that milestone in my recovery.

Jan

[Gerryk]

Salt lake, I have had problems along the way. Nothing like the first time I was on cpap four years ago. Most of my problems this time are machine related but I am determined to keep going, especially after I have noticed results myself.