Good Bye

medic117 wrote:For those who wish to know here is a little back ground, I have severe PTSD from a career as a paramedic,

I understand exactly where you are coming from... I have PTSD myself. Folks who don't have it have no idea.

This isn't a PTSD board but stick around man.

Jay, if you're still here...some avenues you might want to investigate.

PTSD & trauma reactions in general; two things I've read intriguing research abstracts on:
1. EFT (emotional freedom technique) involves certain memory setup and then tapping on certain Chinese meridian points which appears to be an effective therapy for Viet Nam vets with PTSD, a "60 Minutes" broadcast a few years ago details it more specifically than I can recall (it's that durned memory thing that occurs with apnea *sigh*.
2. There is ongoing research into the success of having victims of trauma play video games (even the Tetris-like games) as it seems the moving images disrupt the laydown of memory. The study had/has victims play these games within 1 hr of the event if possible. As I recall (can't rely on it 100%) there was an implication that it might also work for events in the past such that vividly recalling the incident(s) and then playing these games would somehow interrupt the re-activation of the memory. Might be worth investigating.

My mom (late 70s) is having insomnia issues, so I've been researching alternative treatments, here's some that you might not have tried that have been studied and proven effective for some: cherries, the tart kind, the real fruit or their juice before bed or during wakeups, blue light in the room (there's even a blue light eye mask out there), darken the sleeping area (really dark, like cover all LEDs, block light from windows & under the door) -- this helps me now when I get in my dreading sleep-CPAP-apnea events modes.

Then, there's always the omega 3 essential fatty acids to restore the proper permeability of brain cells to ensure optimal cell to cell communication -- it works for all sorts of activities that are moderated by the brain like memory and the re-activation of memory. I take Coromega packettes and extra DHA to offset the damage I'm sure has occurred. Plus it ameliorates the inflammation of the microglial cells in the brain from stress whether mental or physical.

Good luck on finding resolutions!

Jay, I hope you're still around.
I read you "Confusion" post.
I did not see one question mark in it, and I saw a lot of DME / insurance info.
My response was: Well, I don't know enough about that, let someone else answer.
Less than 6 hours later, I was surprised to see your "Goodbye" post.
No way was it a "simple, plain" goodbye. It was saying, loud and clear: "You - forum people as group - have not helped enough so I'm leaving, and I'm somewhat insulted."

After 6 hours????

That's no way to ask for help Jay - and believe me, I mean that kindly - not hurtfully.
If you want hep with a leaking mask, post a thread with the subject "Mask leak -- need help".
And then just describe the kind of leak, the mask problem, and give info about your mask: its name, the length of time you've been using it, the modifications you've made, how ofter you wash the seal.

I promise you that thread would have gotten you many responses on this forum - and will get you good ones on others too.

Writing that post the way you did, and waiting all of 6 hours for a response before saying goodbye that way was almost setting yourself up for failure, frustration, and loss of good will from people.

And when we're unhappy, we're pretty efficient at setting ourselves up for that.
I do hope your severe PTSD is being helped by someone other that a sleep doc. and a PCP.

Fare-well, Jay. I'm sure you became a medic because you wanted to help others -- I assume part of your PTSD is a result of facing the sad fact that there are times we can't do anything to help another person.

I sincerely hope you will find an environment -- here or elsewhere - in which you will let people help when its possible.
Sometimes things are horrible and we can only watch them in anguish. Sometimes we can help. Give yourself another chance.
If you don't want to try again here, try:

http://www.talkabousleep.com
or
http://www.apneasupport.org.

O.

Oh my goodness, Please don't leave. There is so much helpful information here in this forum. I still do not understand most of it. The more I read the more clear things become. It takes time. Even after nearly a year I have no idea how to read my card. I send it to the DME and they send me an email written in terms I can understand. I would not dare to try to reset my machine. I just strap it on every night and make sure there are no leaks. I ask very few questions but find that if I look I will find someone else has asked that same thing. Too many people expect that as soon as they get the c-pap they are going to get a miracle recovery. That is not so. I have been nearly a year and slowly over time I was able to recognise that I am feeling better, more rested. Just last month I woke up one morning with the realization that I actually had a dream. A dream that had nothing to do with being unable to catch my breath. Small baby steps but forward steps never the less. Patience is the key and I know how hard that is. Stay and learn and be patient. We care.

Laura

Damn, you people are patient.

To the OP I have been on forums where you would have been ripped to shreds by now so you really should stick around this community. I have never witnessed so many people willing to give time to reach out and help. I myself have been ripped for sloppy thinking on other forums but here I am alway pleasantly surprised at the helpful attitudes here.

Hopefully you will reconsider.