My bro gave up

[KFhunter]

I didn't know about sleep apnea until my bro went in for a sleep study, and ended up with a CPAP machine. He told me about it and I'm like "dang I got that too",
He was going thru a divorce and had much stress, said he had RLS and got meds for that. He couldn't "shut his brain off" at night.

Now his stress is mostly gone, and along with it the CPAP machine.

Now I'm just getting started in my treatment, but I can see why he quit..who'd want to have a new girlfriend and the "honeymoon" period that follows with a new girlfriend get messed up by a CPAP machine?? lol

I know I'll have good success, I have too. Mine wasn't stress induced, I just don't breathe. My blood pressure was upwards of 240/140 before I was diagnosed with SA. Cardioligist gave me massive amounts of meds, told me he could not give me any higher dosages but my BP was still 170/100 average with a high pulse rate. Sleep apnea was going to kill me if I ignored it.

[Wulfman]

I suspect that at some point your brother will regret his decision to quit treatment......or will pay dearly for it.
"Vanity" and CPAP machines don't seem to make a good combination.

Who got his machine?

Den

[OutaSync]

KFHunter,

I'm so glad that you found CPAP and this forum.. You were a walking heart attack waiting to happen. You are right when you say that you have to make this work for you. Stick with it and watch your blood pressure come down and your meds lowered. Lots of people have reported that, here. Let us know how you do. When your brother sees how it is changing your life, maybe he will come around. Health is more important than how you look when you sleep.

Bev

[builta]

KFHunter,

I'm so glad that you found CPAP and this forum.. You were a walking heart attack waiting to happen. You are right when you say that you have to make this work for you. Stick with it and watch your blood pressure come down and your meds lowered. Lots of people have reported that, here. Let us know how you do. When your brother sees how it is changing your life, maybe he will come around. Health is more important than how you look when you sleep.

Bev

totally agree--well said!

[kteague]

Sounds like you got the "smarts" in the family. Hope he doesn't believe sleep apnea can be stress induced, maybe the mind not shutting off, but not the apnea. Treatment would make him better able to enjoy a new relationship, but he has to believe that for himself.

By the way, don't know what dose of med he is on for the RLS, but if it is a dopamine agonist, let him know to be mindful of the possible side effects, especially at higher doses. Many take them with no problem, but some can develop addictive behaviors, generally exhibited in gambling, eating, sex, or spending. Just a "heads up".

Wishing you many health improvements with your cpap treatment.

Kathy

[ozij]

Now I'm just getting started in my treatment, but I can see why he quit..who'd want to have a new girlfriend and the "honeymoon" period that follows with a new girlfriend get messed up by a CPAP machine?? lol

Bro thinks snoring and gasping are alluring?

O.

[roster]

........ Mine wasn't stress induced, I just don't breathe. ........

I would like to suggest the possibility that your brother would have handled the stress well and avoided the divorce had it not been for untreated sleep apnea. Sleep apnea can put a tremendous stress on both physical and mental health.

In my own circle of friends and acquaintances, I know stories of divorce and job loss where untreated sleep apnea was the underlying cause. I am counseling one friend now (on how to make CPAP effective) who has lost his job due to sleep apnea and now his family life is falling apart. This guy is so fatigued and sleep deprived that the least thing stresses him badly.

KF, I like your attitude and hope you have speedy success with CPAP.

[LoQ]

Bro thinks snoring and gasping are alluring?

O.

That's hilarious!

[Catnapper]

My son, a hosehead like me and like his sister, met a new woman and then met her for a casual date of sorts to see if they were more interested in each other. Guess what? She is a hosehead too, for more years than he has been. Other factors made them interested, but they got that cpap thing out of the way in the first hour, and the rest is history.

It can happen. Who knows? Your brother could meet someone who understands cpap at a personal level, or is grown up enough to accept it for what it is.

I think everyone has something they would rather others not know about themselves. I am glad that cpap is not the worst thing on the list. Just think, it could be .......! You fill in the blank.

Catnapper - Joanie

[nate fry]

Sometimes serious problems need serious solutions. Ask him what he wants to be buried in, this is a killer. Depression might go away a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure won't. My brother said the same thing. I just told him, hey you don't wanna end up like dad. I think he got the point.This is one of those tough love times.

[SharkBait]

Sometimes serious problems need serious solutions. Ask him what he wants to be buried in, this is a killer. Depression might go away a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure won't. My brother said the same thing. I just told him, hey you don't wanna end up like dad. I think he got the point.This is one of those tough love times.

Denial is a very strong human emotion. The effects aren't immediate so it makes it pretty simple to think "it won't hurt me...". I've got a friend with "gifted" to "genius" intelligence. He used his equipment for a couple of weeks and that was it. Denial can make even the smartest person act like an idiot.

[roster]

.............
Denial is a very strong human emotion. .......

SB, Now that you mention it, I remember seeing a doctor on a network TV news show last week who quipped, "Denial is the number one health problem."

[SaltLakeJan]

Hello KFHunter

Glad you found this forum when you did. The first BP you listed was downright ugly. Even with the BP meds you are still high at 170/100. I assume that was a 10 day to two week span, so your body had started responding, that is encouraging for you. You said you brother was under stress - and he was. But something caused your BP to cimb up into the stratosphere.

You have found this forum and the longtimers here will be able to guide you and answer questions you have regarding your equipment. That will help the Sleep Apnea portion of your problems. Do what you can to determine what caused your high BP. If you can't find the problem, you might want to consider your salt intake. My Dr. says most people in USA consume at least 70% to much sodium, which can lead to kidney, BP and Heart problems.

Best wishes to you
Jan