Newbie here.

[Perragrande]

This saga started over forty years ago. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was eleven years old.
I came home from school every day and slept for three hours. This also happened when I started working. I would come home from work and sleep for several hours.

The current episode started on Good Friday. It was not a good Friday for me, though. I was at the dentist and she gave me a Halcion for "conscious sedation". I was hooked up to pulse oximeter, BP &pulse monitor.
I stopped breathing four times and they had to holler at me to wake up and breathe.

Eventually I got a referral for a sleep study,done on June 21st. They put a CPAP machine on me after several hours. I have not received my report yet but I was told that I have both kinds of SA.

I am getting a machine on Monday. I am looking forward to having more energy. I saw the article about how "my illness is not a moral failing".Ihad several bosses and others act like any illness is a moral failing; further, that if you are sick you must be "faking it" and "bribing the doctor to put you in the hospital" and are doing it "to get attention".

You're never supposed to get sick, according to these workaholics who are control freaks and expect everyone else to ignore any physical needs such as bathroom breaks, food, or sleep.

For years I was told I was lazy and slow although I was put in school a year early because I was already reading books at the age of three. I scored 3 SDs above normal on an IQ test when I was five years old. (Not that I have any sense LOL!)

I can really relate to the "walking dead" stage. Getting a Respironics System One with heated humidifier and Mirage FX mask size small. I am looking forward to getting better sleep and enough air. I have not felt good since 1965!!!

[DreamDiver]

Welcome Perragrande,
It sounds like you're on your way to better sleep. Good luck on getting your machine. Be sure to get a fully-data capable one!

[NeedHelp2]

You are not alone! Your story is similar to mine. We are now on a good path.

[caffeinatedcfo]

WELCOME

[mystydragonfly]

Welcome,

I am pretty new here as well. I have learned so many things already from this wonderful group of people, as I am sure you will too. Good luck on your journey!

[BlackSpinner]

I have not received my report yet but I was told that I have both kinds of SA.

Read every thing possible on that. There are special machines for your type of sleep apnea, HOWEVER, often the insurance company requires you to fail in using the cheap version before you get the machine you need. Which means weeks of discomfort before you get the right kind of machine.

You should not be getting a rock bottom type of brick machine.

Edited to add:
see this thread and maybe pm NateS

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90674&start=45

This is the way I too would describe the benefits I received and continue to receive from cpaptalk.

After a terrible night in my cpap titration sleep study and horrible headaches the next day, I got repeated calls from the office manager and others "to come in and get set up with your machine." Because of what I learned here, I refused until I could get a copy of my report, which they claimed wouldn't be typed up for six weeks, but they got the report to me in two days when I refused to come in to get my machine. After studying the report and learning I had a serious case of central apnea and learning here about the machines to treat it, which I learned about on cpaptalk, I called back and asked if the machine I was supposed to pick up was a VPAP Adapt. "Oh no" said the person on the phone at the clinic, "You have to be on a regular CPAP machine first for at least ______ weeks and then we will see." I asked for an appointment to talk to the doctor and was told I couldn't see him until I had been on the machine for six weeks! But, based on what I learned here about how that would have seriously aggravated my central apneas and would have probably been intolerable for me, I escalated the conversation to my sleep doctor by letter, since the staff wouldn't give me an appointment with him, making the points by letter that I had learned on cpaptalk. He called and complimented me on the knowledge I had acquired here, and had me re-tested and approved for the VPAP Adapt. That never would have happened if it hadn't been for cpaptalk. I would have instead suffered on a machine that would have made me worse and which I probably would have refused to use and would have quickly become non-compliant.

Instead, thanks to cpaptalk, I have been compliant and had wonderful therapy for a year and a half, and my doctor and everyone at the sleep study clinic now treats me with kindness, patience and respect.

Best wishes, Nate

[jweeks]

I had several bosses and others act like any illness is a moral failing; further, that if you are sick you must be "faking it" and "bribing the doctor to put you in the hospital" and are doing it "to get attention".

You're never supposed to get sick, according to these workaholics who are control freaks and expect everyone else to ignore any physical needs such as bathroom breaks, food, or sleep.

Hi,

You need to ditch these people and hang around people that are a little smarter and a lot more positive. There isn't a person alive that isn't dealing with something, and everyone on this planet has either hit a rough spot in life, or will before they pass on. Anyone that isn't offering you compassion and support is someone that you don't need in your life. Get rid of these rattlesnakes.

What I found amazing is that when I started my treatment, nearly everyone where I worked had a story about how either them, a family member, or someone that they knew was using CPAP. When I started my 2nd journey, losing weight (I was 330 lbs when I started CPAP), the people where I worked were amazing in the amount of support they offered. Only one person pooh-pooh'ed me, and even he came up to me and gave me a really nice compliment when I recently finished a sub-4 hour marathon.

There are good places to work out there, and good people to work with. Don't give up hope. Seek them out.

-john-

[Perragrande]

Hi Jweeks,

I am retired. I worked around attorneys & judges my whole life and it was often horrible. My father was a poor but honest lawyer. My mom typed for him. Later I typed for him. Then I got a BA in biology (never worked in it--parents made me major in science), a court reporting degree, and worked at the courthouse as a court stenographer and went to law school at night for five years. I thought a law degree would increase my employment chances. I was wrong. I was doing temp office work for a while after 20 years of court reporting, but got so burned out and angry at the idiots I worked with I just stopped working. Now I live in a small town of 1,400 people and have no friends other than my husband.

I lived in Houston most of my life so a rural town is a real culture shock. I live here b/c I inherited the family home from my mother. We moved after we were out of power for 2 weeks following Hurricane Ike in 2008. You literally have to drive to Houston or Dallas for an over night visit to buy things. Just to buy groceries I have to drive 20 miles to Wallyworld b/c they've killed small towns and family owned businesses. I like my very old house (Gothic bungalow) with character. I like having two acres for the cats to run around on and to grow my flowers on. But socially we are very isolated. I have different interests than the people here. They are very angry and fearful.

[stage0]

Also welcome from a sleep tech....i suggest that you also get a generator for your emergency usage...once you get used to the cpap a power outage will be ...well...devastating to your sleep.

Sleep well, get well and become more energetic with you new found normal sleep

[Perragrande]

Thanks, Stage0!!! I have a generator. In Texas you pretty much can't make it unless you have central air, due to the humidity.

[Perragrande]

Got my machine on Monday the 15th. I have been sleeping 9 - 12 hours but feeling more rested & alert. My BP has gone down due to higher oxygenation.

Report says my AHI is 14.5, which is not too bad. However the no. of interruptions is ridiculous.

Sleep latency was 60 minutes.

Sleep efficiency was 40.3% (NO WONDER I'M NOT GETTING ANY REST ^%$#@!!)

Sleep efficiency with CPAP was 51.5%.

Arousal index 53.7.

RERAs 88 times. This Is during four hours of Dx monitoring.

9 apneas, (6 obstructive, 2 mixed and 1 central) and 15 hypopneas.

Resp Disturbance Index 67.5

Desat index 15.2 episodes/hour

Lowest O2 sat during diagnostic monitoring was 89%.

Am using a Respironics Formula One AutoPAP w/humidifier. Pressure is 7 to 8. C-Flex Plus 1 to 2.
Mirage FX Small nasal mask with pink straps.

The main problem I have with obstruction is with swollen turbinates in my nose. I have to take antihistamine/decongestants before I hit the sack to keep my airways completely open, or it's uncomfortable.

Thanks for all your kind words and advice!!!

[pootsie]

Good on you for taking to this with a good attitude. It sounds like you are on your path to better rest--and better health

Keep it up!

As to the understanding thing: I was talking to my DW last and joked that she has not asked lately about my machine and sleep etc. and is not being supportive (I'm pretty new to this.) She jokingly told me that's why I have my CPeeps! (That's what I call you all.)

[Perragrande]

Thanks!! Dear Hubby is very understanding. He snores too, and I think he will go in for a sleep study next week. The only problem I've had is that I have to take a decongestant/antihistamine pill before I sleep so that I will have no sinus obstructions. I don't think my obstruction is in my throat, it's in my stuffy nose.

I'm still sleeping a lot, and haven't had that huge burst of energy to start cleaning house like a demon but I am definitely far more rested and alert.

[DreamDiver]

... I'm still sleeping a lot, and haven't had that huge burst of energy to start cleaning house like a demon but I am definitely far more rested and alert. ...

It's great to hear that you're adjusting. Congratulations! It will help us to help you as questions arise if you could fill out your equipment profile. It's pretty easy. (See the image below.)
From the "User Control Panel" when you're logged in, go to the "Profile" tab and click the "Edit Equipment" tab. You will see some pull-down menus where you can pick your equipment. Feel free to use the "Additional Comments" to put in your pressure settings.

I hope your husband's study suggests he won't need CPAP. Not all snorers do!
Here's to better sleep.

[Perragrande]

Thanks DreamDiver!!
That blue house is my funky and very old Gothic Bungalow that I live in. Definitely has character. Inhabited by me, Dear Hubby and four mostly-outside watch cats: Figaro and his three nephews Arabella, Tosca and Faust, collectively known as The Punklets. (we're actually dog people...uh...)