Third anniversary of CPAP use

September 2006
• Diagnosed with mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnea.
• DME provided bare bones CPAP machine and ill-fitting nasal mask.
• I called the DME repeatedly for 3 weeks before they provided another mask that was only a slight improvement. Funny, they hounded me with calls when they wanted to schedule me for the sleep study, but generally would not return my calls afterwards. Yes, yes all they wanted was to get me in bed (and submit a big insurance claim) and provide me a cheap machine (and submit a big insurance claim).

October 2006 through January 2007
• Therapy did not go well. I was more exhausted than I had ever been. I could hardly sleep with the uncomfortable mask and noisy machine.

February 2007
• I found cpaptalk.com and my life began to change. I absorbed as much information as I could and spent some enjoyable time in the chat room. Wow -- I wasn't alone anymore!
• Feeling slightly more in control, I made an appointment with the DME manager to request a mask that would work for me. He forgot our appointment, showed up 30 minutes late and was anxious to get me out of his office. He had no advice to offer, but handed me a ComfortLite-2 saying it was an extra I could have for free and hurried me out the door without a fitting or instructions. Actually he did me a big favor as the CL2 worked better for me. That was the last time I did business with that DME.
• I learned about data capable machines and APAPs. I asked my physician for a referral to a sleep doc. At the sleep doc's office, I saw the Physician Assistant, told her I was not adjusting well to CPAP and asked her for a prescription for a data-capable APAP. She prescribed it, and in follow up visits she reviewed data reports with me.

August 2007
• I remember realizing that for the first time, the headgear and mask were beginning to feel like they belonged on my head at night!
• I got an Aura Headrest nasal pillow that was an improvement over the CL-2 (thanks, Rested Gal).

Today
• I still have an occasional bad night, but mostly I put on my mask and sleep reasonably well. My AHI is always below 2.
• No, I don’t feel 20 again (did I ever?), but I have had some fairly dramatic results. No more naps every Saturday and Sunday or falling asleep in my recliner before 10pm. I can do a full weekend of errands and projects around the house without getting irritable and sleepy. I began studying Spanish. I began making bookmarks.

Was it worth it? The exhaustion and discouragement I had in those early months? The DME hassles? ABSOLUTELY! For all of you newbies, for all of you going through a rough patch, hang in there – it is absolutely worth it.

I know I would not have stayed compliant, would not have succeeded without cpaptalk.com, and am extraordinarily thankful for this forum and its members who provided me education, support, guidance and encouragement. To Johnny Goodman and cpap.com -- thanks for this forum and thanks for the good customer service you have provided me.

Fellow CPAPers – live long and prosper.

Janna

Thanks for sharing your very inspirational success story. You found bumps in the road and you flattened them. Way to go.

JZ wrote

I know I would not have stayed compliant, would not have succeeded without cpaptalk.com, and am extraordinarily thankful for this forum and its members who provided me education, support, guidance and encouragement.

I share the same sentiments - CPAPTalk is one awesome place for CPAP users to congregate.

Janna, congrats on your third anniversary on CPAP!

Time flies, doesn't it? Good to "see" you again.

What a good message you've written!

As cinco said, thanks for sharing your inspirational story.

That's really good of you to take the time to give encouragement to others who are just now starting CPAP therapy, or who are still struggling with mask and comfort issues.

Hope everything continues to go well for you, Janna!

Where does the time go?! Congrats on keeping your eyes on the prize.
Kathy

Impressive, thanks for sharing, be well. elg5cats

Congrats Janna!!!! I wish you continued success!

Brenda

Wow, this is a week of great anniversaries!! Congrats on three years, and many snore free ones to come.

Thanks for sharing JZ. I'm sitting here with red, bloodshot eyes, a dent in my forehead, the bridge of my nose is swollen and red all from an ill-fitting mask and I'm wondering if I can do this but seeing stories like yours, it reminds me that this is a process and I'm just not totally there yet! Hopefully I'll get a new mask this Friday and all will be better. Thanks again for sharing and congrats on your 3rd year of success!

Congrats JZ!

Congrats Janna! Isn't it great when cpap therapy finally starts to work?

Congratulations on your anniversary and your perseverance with your therapy.

Best wishes for many more.


Den

I remember you too, Janna. Congratulations on 3 years and many more to come! I keep hoping that after 3 more years, or maybe even 3 more years after that, progress will be made in sleep therapy and it will be easier in the beginning for newbies and way easier for for those of us who have made it that far. Let's go there together! The cpaptalk pioneers will be heroes for sure! The inventive people here will be in the lead. Maybe our children will be the scientists who find a solution for us, inspired by the members here who would not give up because it was tough in the beginning.

Here's to your continued success!

Catnapper - Joanie