Newbie is failing -- PLEASE HELP!!!

jules · Post by **jules** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:05 am

Yes I know O but is it working yet? If you go to page 1 you see I had asked about it.

san_fran_gal · Post by **san_fran_gal** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:15 am

We're giving it a month or so to see about the iron working. Apparently it can take more than a year for iron stores to increase to a good level, but we're looking for at least some trend here. Ironically, I thought my husband was the horrible kicker in the family. He has very obvious PLMs that don't need any sleep study to confirm them. His iron stores are fine. He swears I don't kick, but he sleeps through anything. So between him kicking and keeping me awake, and me kicking 300+ times a night and apparently disturbing my sleep architecture, it's been interesting... I'm hoping if I can get this xpap stuff right one of these days that it can help with the PLMs. (I guess I should call it PLMD with that amt of kicking...) I've read posts here that indicate that's a possibility.

gasp · Post by **gasp** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:06 pm

san_fran_gal wrote:Hi Gasp,

Yes, I try to do all the right sleep hygiene. I've even trying to avoid my morning cup of green tea for a while in case I'm super sensitive to caffeine. My PSG showed that I have tons of random awakenings not related to legs or breathing every night, so I don't know what's going on with that. Some of it is probably an artifact of being in the lab environment with wires and tubes everywhere and knowing that I'm even being videotaped!

But when I go to sleep with the CPAP at home I am ever hopeful. I'm pretty relaxed, I don't mind the mask that much (I scuba dive, so I'm used to my face being tucked into masks and hoses!), and I don't feel anxious. That's what's so disappointing and weird -- that I feel my body relaxing and drifting into sleep, and moments (or maybe a minute or two?) later, I'm choking and gasping. When I had the machine on Auto, I thought maybe it was blasting on the air too fast and freaking out my breathing, but now that it's a steady 8, I can't figure it out. My doc thought maybe it has to do with the idea that I might be more of a UARS person, but after we got off the phone I didn't really understand how that would affect things.

Thanks for any thoughts!

Scuba diver - well then the thought of starting out being anxious because of the mask is out : )

I need to read the rest of the threads and catch up, but had to comment on this. I used to snorkel and was always just a little bit freaked about putting on a tank. Now look at me, on air every night : )))

gasp · Post by **gasp** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:12 pm

san_fran_gal wrote:Snoredog, I realize you are very knowledgeable about all this, but a little less pit bull and a little more Muttley (isn't that your Avatar's name?) would go a long way.

I do appreciate some of your advice. But actually, I'm not just a little uncomfortable when using CPAP -- it is suffocating me upon sleep onset every night. I "wake up" feeling like someone is trying to explode my lungs. This is beyond "a little uncomfortable." I look forward to the day when I can care about adjusting my treatment so I have the right mask and the right humidity, etc. Right now I just want to avoid the horrible sensation of suffocation.

I think that's a legitimate reason to post to this site. I could have chosen not to "complain" about my problem on this site, but then, I might have given up by now because I wouldn't have had the helpful input from so many others.

And FYI, I did have a sleep-center-based full-night PSG, and then when treatment wasn't working for me, I had a titration study. And my doctor isn't a "dumb ass."

Oh my, I laughed myself silly - I loved your Muttley response.

san_fran_gal · Post by **san_fran_gal** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:19 pm

Gasp, You should try scuba! To me it's a lot easier than snorkeling, because you're not between two environments; you're immersed one calm one. I wish I had as much success with CPAP as I've had with scuba! Well, am trying again tonight (CPAP, not scuba, although I love night diving in warm water), with a few changes from my previous attempts. Fingers are crossed that it will go swimmingly...

nonono · Post by **nonono** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 12:16 am

Look , just put the mask on,it isn't that bad really, and it isn't like being under water so get that idea out of your head because your not sleeping when your diving. I too had a prob with the massive flow of
air. It's like this, you must relax and go to sleep. don't put the mask on until you are really ready to go to sleep.
say a prayer, kiss your mate, put the mask on, that's it. The air will not kill you nor will it choke you. You're the one that keeps that in your mind. (stop!)
Think of being under water and all the beautiful things you see and feel. go to sleep. you might try to drink
a glass of warm water. put some chap stick around your lips. You also might try putting your legs up with
a pillow under your knees. try cleaning your mask everyday! and or make sure you wash your face before
putting on the mask! This will help remove the oils on your face, which will help the mask from leaking.
well, good luck and God bless.

SleepGuy · Post by **SleepGuy** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:04 am

Just a few thoughts:

1. If you can stick with this long enough, your brain will (honestly) normalize the pressure so that it doesn't feel like pressure at all. Trust me. That transition is a wonderful feeling. Exhaling with the machine will begin to feel like exhaling without the machine (effortless). It's a little trick our brain plays on us once it realizes that the therapy is normal and not threatening. The first time it happens you might panic because it will feel like the machine is not working. But you can't consciously control this transition; it takes time and patience but everyone gets there.

2. Don't fool yourself into thinking that "I need sleep tonight" so I'll skip my equipment. I did that to myself for a while and it's a lie. You have been diagnosed with apnea. Untreated, you are getting exactly ZERO clinical sleep AND even more important you are SUFFOCATING all night. There is no stronger signal to the brain than low blood oxygen. Desaturation causes all kinds of bad things to happen that are much worse than the lack of clinical sleep.

HANG IN THERE! DON'T GIVE UP!

san_fran_gal · Post by **san_fran_gal** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 9:54 pm

I very much look forward to my brain making that transition! Thank you for the insight into that, SleepGuy, and for the good wishes. I persevere! I think i'll put my next question in a new thread, since it's more specific than the above topic.

Newbie is failing -- PLEASE HELP!!!

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Re: Newbie is failing -- PLEASE HELP!!!

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