POLL: Sleep apnea symptoms that CPAP solved for you

[user from Singapore]

Dear Forum members,
After a few weeks here I observe that we have basically 3 categories of visitors on this forum.

The first ones are the newly diagnosed (or those who finally decided to do the move even if they were aware of their pathology for some time… I know what I am talking about since I have been there…)
In the second category are those who started using CPAP and are still struggling to get satisfactory results.
And, in the third group, all the others who live happily with their machine and enjoy the beauty of proper and sound sleep. I am lucky enough to be there.

I am well aware that sometimes it takes time to jump from one group to another. Like probably many of you, for years, I had many reasons for not using a machine. Until I finally tried and found out (after the necessary adjustments) that it does wonders! There are also so many reasons why people quit using the machine or give up on it before things work out.

In an attempt to encourage those who are still in phases 1 or 2 to be persistent… I would like to propose a poll… Hopefully the results will convince you
To those who are already enjoying the wonders of CPAP… What are the symptoms related to sleep apnea that you did experience before your treatment, and that you don’t experience anymore? Please share!

[sylvie]

Bottom line: I don't feel this side of dead anymore. No more feeling like a total zombie, no more brain fog, and no more not wanting to do absolutely nothing but sit in a chair.

[emeraude]

Agree with sylvie 100 percent to all of the above....

[Suzjohnson]

I've been doing CPAP for just over a month now and am extremely happy that the blinding morning headaches are gone. It was wishful thinking that zombiehood would also disappear but I am a bit more energetic and my mood has definitely improved so it's important to focus on the good rather than the missing. I'm not the world's most patient person so this is also a means to help me "grow up" a bit more.

Suz

[kteague]

For some of us there are residual symptoms, even though significantly improved. Just don't want to give the impression that everything is "fixed" though some line items of the poll certainly have been resolved with CPAP use.

[ems]

I didn't check any because I still can't say CPAP has "solved" anything completely.

Some things are better. I'm less fatigued during the day, I don't wake as often to go to the bathroom, and sometimes I think I get less headaches.

I envy those who say their headaches totally went away.

I would love to say that CPAP totally solved the above problems, but that isn't the case.

[DreamStalker]

We all get to the point of CPAP use at different stages of our degenerative health. Therefore we will each have a unique list of symptoms that CPAP may or may not address.

The bottom line to maintaining persistence to optimize our CPAP treatment is that it is as close as you will ever get to finding the fountain of youth ... indeed it is a fountain of air that gives aerobic organisms their life vigor.

[49er]

In the second category are those who started using CPAP and are still struggling to get satisfactory results.

In an attempt to encourage those who are still in phases 1 or 2 to be persistent… I would like to propose a poll… Hopefully the results will convince you

I am another one of those folks who is not a CPAP success story.

As an FYI, I don't need a poll to convince me to be persistent. But then there is reality.

When I don't use the machine, my sleep is not great but I can function. When I do use it, it is even worse and I am non functional. Yes, the settings are fine.

I just believe that people on this board think it if everyone just persists, they will be a success story and live happily ever after. But it just doesn't work that way.

You can do everything possible to succeed and still not be a CPAP success story. There is a reason why the failure rate is so high and it isn't because people didn't try hard enough.

[DreamStalker]

I am another one of those folks who is not a CPAP success story.

As an FYI, I don't need a poll to convince me to be persistent. But then there is reality.

When I don't use the machine, my sleep is not great but I can function. When I do use it, it is even worse and I am non functional. Yes, the settings are fine.

I just believe that people on this board think it if everyone just persists, they will be a success story and live happily ever after. But it just doesn't work that way.

You can do everything possible to succeed and still not be a CPAP success story.

Sorry to learn about your frustration with CPAP failure.

There is a reason why the failure rate is so high and it isn't because people didn't try hard enough.

Just curious to know what your view or reason is for the high failure rate -- would you mind elaborating?

[49er]

Just curious to know what your view or reason is for the high failure rate -- would you mind elaborating?

Sorry, I wasn't very clear.

Since there are a "million" issues regarding being able to use cpap successfully, it is going to be different for each person. Unfortunately, since sleep medicine is a new field, it is not equipped to deal with these problems even when professionals have great intentions. And add the time pressures that these folks face, it would make sense that people aren't getting the help that they need which leads to the high cpap failure rate.

49er

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

I am always sorry to hear about those who are struggling with PAP therapy, whether they are new to it or long time users who for some reason still struggle! My hope for you is that there will someday be some sort of positive change for you that will be undeniable, that will encourage you that your sleep and overall health are better due to using a machine, mask, and hose, rather than without it.

For me, the turn around has been almost immediate, totaly profound. If no change comes in my lifetime to how the treatment for OSA is done, if no cure is ever discovered, I will gladly continue using PAP therapy each and every night as it has completely changed my life!

John

[DreamStalker]

Just curious to know what your view or reason is for the high failure rate -- would you mind elaborating?

Sorry, I wasn't very clear.

Since there are a "million" issues regarding being able to use cpap successfully, it is going to be different for each person. Unfortunately, since sleep medicine is a new field, it is not equipped to deal with these problems even when professionals have great intentions. And add the time pressures that these folks face, it would make sense that people aren't getting the help that they need which leads to the high cpap failure rate.

49er

You're absolutely correct that successful CPAP treatment is not the one size fits all approach that most sleep medical clinicians use for their patients. That is why it is critical that the CPAP patient take complete initiative and control of their own therapy as no other has as much vested interest in success as the patient.

I don't know your history or why your CPAP therapy has failed, but for most patients who end up here on this forum, the success rate is much higher than for those who never find their way here. I've not done a search on your previous posts, but I trust that if you have really done everything possible to make it work, then you should seek an alternative solution though I know of none other.

It is certainly not an easy therapy to master. I happened to get lucky as it only took me about 6 months to get my AHI of 102 down to less than 1. I really think I would have ended up as a failed statistic had it not been for this forum. It changed my life completely and I would likely not be alive today without the success of this therapy. As you may have already discovered with your tenure here on the forum ... the correct mask is the primary key, not so much the machine or it's settings for they are completely irrelevant without the right mask interface.

I do wish you the best.

[HoseCrusher]

My situation is a little different. I was chatting with my cardiologist and he brought up sleeping habits. My wife has told me for years that I stop breathing while sleeping, but I didn't know that was abnormal. I thought is was just a pause to "smell the flowers..."

At any rate I picked up a recording pulse oximeter and found that I was spending 3 - 4 minutes each night with an oxygen saturation below 90%. I am a "jump out of bed and dive into the day" type, so other than snoring and my wife's reports of my stopping breathing I didn't really have any other side effects or symptoms.

I am pleased to report that since using xPAP therapy, I no longer hear reports of me snoring, my wife hasn't observed me stopping breathing, and when I check my oxygen saturation I no longer spend any time below 90%.

I should add that I see a cardiologist because I am "developing a history of sinus rhythm" after having an episode or two of atrial fibrillation. My cardiologist believes I am preventing cardiovascular damage by eliminating obstructive sleep apnea. Time will tell...

[DreamStalker]

...

I should add that I see a cardiologist because I am "developing a history of sinus rhythm" after having an episode or two of atrial fibrillation. My cardiologist believes I am preventing cardiovascular damage by eliminating obstructive sleep apnea. Time will tell...

Apnea often causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle) in response to chronic hypertension associated with untreated apnea. That may or may not be the cause of your A-fib. Nonetheless, it is one more reason to persist with your CPAP treatment.

If you are also experiencing any muscle twitching, spasms, or cramps ... your A-fib may be caused by magnesium deficiency. Supplement w/ magnesium citrate or increase consumption of magnesium rich foods like sunflower/pumkin seeds, leafy greens, etc. Acupuncture therapy may also help ... don't ask me how or why but it can help some.

If your A-fib persists or becomes more frequent, try and get your cardiologist (plumber) to refer you to an electrophysiologist (electrician) as soon as possible. There is a catheter albation procedure that may cure you if your A-fib is caused by abnormal nerve growth around your pulmonary vein. Problem is that insurance will make you suffer for a year or more (with both the A-fib and money wasting medical best practice guidelines) before they are willing to pay for the procedure. The sooner you get in line with the electrician, the sooner and better the chance for the albation procedure.

They will try to put you on rat poison therapy (warfarin) or the newer anti-coagulant death drug, pradaxa. Unless you have been in A-fib continuously for longer than a day or two, I would decline this treatment and take daily some enteric coated aspirin instead. And if you were in A-fib for an extended period, I would wean off those anti-coagulants as soon as possible after recovering back to sinus rhythm and substitute with aspirin (anti-platelet) therapy.

If you can, avoid going into the hospital to get zapped back into sinus rhythm (electrocardioversion) as they will give you heparin shots ... evil drug given with evil and painful shots and lots of them too. The hospital makes lots and lots of money off you and 10 times more from your insurance with this method. Try and convince your plumber doc to let you do chemical cardioversion with a combo of metoprolol and propafenone it takes about 8 to 24 hours to work but by the time they give you all the heparin shots for the electrocardioversion you still end up back in sinus rhythm quicker and a whole heck of a lot cheaper and less painful. Just don't get me started on the corrupt western medical industry ... you have to educate yourself and fend for yourself against this corrupt system we have no matter what your illness.

Sorry for the wordy OT comment but I suspect you are not alone here on the forum with this condition.

[Kitatonic]

On the first night with CPAP, my feet were not freezing cold despite multiple socks, my liver no longer is sore and my weight is stable ( was looking anorexic).