Doing whatever you can to relax yourself before trying to go to sleep is a great idea. However, if at all possible, try to avoid taking alcohol of any type or medications that contain a muscle-relaxant property (any benzodiazapine such as Valium, Serax, etc., and things like Robaxin) as alcohol and/or these drugs contribute to reduced muscle tone. Reduced muscle tone = floppy airway = worsened OSA.Do you take anything to calm you down? If you do, take it!
If not, get something to calm you down. Relaxation tapes, a purring cat, St. John's Wart, small glass of wine before bed, glass of warm milk, drugs etc
Newbie really needs help and encouragement....
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WillSucceed
- Posts: 1031
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:52 am
- Location: Toronto, Ontario
Buy a new hat, drink a good wine, treat yourself, and someone you love, to a new bauble, live while you are alive... you never know when the mid-town bus is going to have your name written across its front bumper!
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Sleepless on LI
- Posts: 3997
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 6:46 pm
- Location: Long Island, New York
Deb,
You defend yourself all you want. You have every right. You seem to have overcome obstacles that not everyone in your position can do. You should feel very good about yourself. I hope you realized that I understand how your disorder can affect things and wasn't in any way suggesting that it would be easy to just change your way of looking at it. I was just hoping that maybe it could help you try to take a deep breath and sort it all out in the way you best know how to. I give you a lot of credit, believe me.
You are so right about what you said, that you went into this without the benefit of knowing that there are so many pitfalls to this therapy, especially in the beginning. I was fortunate in that I found this site before I got my equipment and knew what to expect. I went into it knowing I probably wouldn't sleep well the first night and that it would take some time before I would get used to sleeping at all with a mask hooked up to a machine. I think doctors shouldn't lessen the emotional impact that starting therapy has for the sake of not trying to worry you. We all go through most of the same things when we begin and it's better to know up front what can happen than to expect it to be a walk in the park and get the you know what shocked out of you on night 1.
I will repeat, we are ALL behind you for support. This site is just so wonderful. I keep saying that to so many people, but it bears repeating. It was my Godsend when I started and it can be yours, too. Hang in there and it will get better. And keep being as strong as you are. You are going to get past the hard part and start reaping some of the rewards real soon.
You defend yourself all you want. You have every right. You seem to have overcome obstacles that not everyone in your position can do. You should feel very good about yourself. I hope you realized that I understand how your disorder can affect things and wasn't in any way suggesting that it would be easy to just change your way of looking at it. I was just hoping that maybe it could help you try to take a deep breath and sort it all out in the way you best know how to. I give you a lot of credit, believe me.
You are so right about what you said, that you went into this without the benefit of knowing that there are so many pitfalls to this therapy, especially in the beginning. I was fortunate in that I found this site before I got my equipment and knew what to expect. I went into it knowing I probably wouldn't sleep well the first night and that it would take some time before I would get used to sleeping at all with a mask hooked up to a machine. I think doctors shouldn't lessen the emotional impact that starting therapy has for the sake of not trying to worry you. We all go through most of the same things when we begin and it's better to know up front what can happen than to expect it to be a walk in the park and get the you know what shocked out of you on night 1.
I will repeat, we are ALL behind you for support. This site is just so wonderful. I keep saying that to so many people, but it bears repeating. It was my Godsend when I started and it can be yours, too. Hang in there and it will get better. And keep being as strong as you are. You are going to get past the hard part and start reaping some of the rewards real soon.
L o R i
