Panic at thought of CPAP.

Snoopchic wrote:You did say something about that. While you were talking bad to me and saying I havent researched anything though I have been spending roughly 8 hours a day every day for a week since finding out about this. I didn't mean to say it can't cause a stroke, more that there is zero proof it does. Every single thing I read, and my doctor agreed, says it "may" cause them. They have no idea at all because those people are already at high risk. There is nothing that says it caused it. Just the fact that someone has both things. So, I did read where you said we know how to get machines cheap...but you didn't offer the information, so I assumed if you wanted me to know, you would have said it. Not taunting me with that you know something and too bad for me, which is how I took it :/ it's not like I haven't "learned" anything here. I simple haven't gotten anything they can help me. I can't go back to find a new therapist because I can't afford $50 an appointment either. I understand I have panic attacks with this horrible thing. But I've never had them like that before. The only other panic I have is the dentist. I have not ever been able to breath with anything near my face, but I've never had panic at it.

If you deem it a good idea to second guess folks who possess an assload of college degrees & experience on the subjects of OSA and PAP therapy, you've defeated yourself before you've begun. Rants and drama don't really improve sleep, as far as I know. Neither does attempting to place blame IMO. Being civil and playing nice with others on here will be much more effective, Snoop. Give it a try.

I said you could probably get inexpensive equipment, but did assume you'd ask for more info if interested... are you interested or not?

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:

Susie Kay wrote:I don't like to see the time and effort of cpaptalk members squandered on a troll like this.

I've had some forum members speculating (to me) that they've thought that "Snoopchic" is actually "palerider"........

How's THAT for a conspiracy theory???

I figured it was you... you're just the facade that EMS puts on when the chin hairs need shaving. amirite?

Nowhere near the ballpark......or even the city that the ballpark is in.


Den

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Snoopchic wrote:. I didn't mean to say it can't cause a stroke, more that there is zero proof it does. Every single thing I read, and my doctor agreed, says it "may" cause them

high blood pressure greatly increases risk of stroke.

sleep apnea drives your blood pressure through the roof while you're having an apnea event, and often causes residual higher blood pressure during the day.

do the math.

I would love information. Everything I've found makes you pay to join their "program". I'm not paying some random online place and not know what the deal is. I just need to make sure I can return it if I cannot use it. I don't want to take something someone else could use. I simply would try it for the doctor as I told him I would. I can't try something that costs $500 knowing full well there is a 99% I could never use it. My doctor wouldn't even recommend anything else, just the one machine he likes. Which is a another big part of what makes me angry. Because it's super expensive. He won't even think about a cheaper one. And back to the other post...I have read everything people have posted on my question. Obviously I don't know what a post is!?! I have no idea what that comment was supposed to mean because there aren't nearly that many posts here. But I have no idea what most of the mean posts have mean. Stuff about walking 5 blocks? And some word I can't figure out that started with a b!?! I don't know who people think I am, I just came here a few days ago when my online search gave me info to come here. I had never even heard of this place before, and I've never posted on any kind of forum before in my life. I guess I know why now, many people use it as a place to be a bully I do appreciate the ones that have tried to give me information and help me.

Wulfman... wrote:

palerider wrote:I figured it was you... you're just the facade that EMS puts on when the chin hairs need shaving. amirite?

Nowhere near the ballpark......or even the city that the ballpark is in.

yeah, I suppose, on reflection, you're right... you're nowhere the nasty old crone that EMS/lucy/etc is.

besides, you're HELPFUL

I apologize for my foolish thought.

I would happily sell you the PR 460 cpap I purchased from grayghost for $200. I added the $75 kit to switch it to use the heated hose as well.
Seriously, the last thing you want to end up with is a possible stroke. Can you imagine if you ended up with expressive aphasia where you can't even make your needs known, talk about stressful!
All I know, is that I no longer spend each work day worrying that I might fall asleep at my desk, I haven't bumped into the car in front of me at stoplights since I started being able to sleep at night, and it's all due to the cpap. I could have damaged the car in front of me, and it would have cost me way more than my cpap. If you do start having health issues related to the apnea, it is going to cost you a lot more than what you will spend on any machine! None of the alternatives to cpap seem to work nearly as well. Can't imagine you would want to try what the dentists offer, the special mouth guard things, plus they cost a lot and would mean a lot of trips to the dentist. They didn't work for two of my friends. The mouth guards sold online and in stores to stop snoring don't do a dang thing for apnea, I know, I tried a multitude of them. I hated the thought of wearing a mask, and was in denial about my apnea for 15 years before I finally sucked it up and dove in to doing all this. After my titration study I said I would rather have my gallbladder out again! Yes, it sucks....but the end result makes it all worthwhile. I really hope you attempt using a cpap and don't give up.

Thank you for the offer, but I don't have $200. As I told the doctor I can't afford more thank $10-$20. I simply can't come up with money. I have extremely low blood pressure, that is not an issue, a stroke is a non issue as well. I actually have no health issues other than migraine from the time I was 2 years old.

Ok... so what has to happen now is - it would be nice (first) if anyone here had an auto machine that can be used with Sleepyhead (that's software that'll tell you what's happening overnight so you can tweak pressures etc. if needed, and what pressures would be best for you). And SH is free to download from here, but don't do it yet til things are in place. Second, if no one here (who sees this) has a machine, there are members who come on regularly (? every few wks or mos) with machines for sale. Third, Secondwindcpap.com has great stuff, though you may find even their prices too much for you now, but keep it on your list.

As far as masks go, even if you're a mouth breather (which would tend to let so much Cpap air out instead of to your airway) you may still benefit from a mask called 'the Wisp' (you can see it on Cpap.com's site) because all it does is sit on the tip of your nose - doesn't cover your face. And possibly, if you can at least get used to that, you may eventually be able to use something more substantial if needed.

You can try talking to your MD (tho' I suggest switching!) re being able to use e.g. Ambien at the start, to let you get some sleep, whether or not you use it for a longer time (I'm thinking days, wks at most).

You can read some info. on apnea from the lightbulb at the top of main pg, and anything else on the pg or in these 'posts' (notes) so you feel more relaxed - it's quite amazing how having real knowledge can reassure you and put you in control - because you always will be, not us or anyone else.

Things may take a while to get organized, so please don't get upset about that... everyone's trying their best here aside from the jerks, and even someone like Pale Rider who gets impatient too fast at times, is very worth listening to because he's a total tech geek and can help you learn so much. He'll play nice if given the chance . Just ignore the idiots. And if you register as a member, we can then talk to you via PMs so you can avoid the forum at times if you want to. And when you don't understand something (none of us did in the beginning) ASK, don't rant, so we'll want to help rather than fight back. You can take things one step at a time - no one expects you to do more OR to know more than you do at any time... don't let fear defeat you because you're afraid of the answers... each one can be broken down into bits for learning.

The whisp mask is the one I used that was causing my ear pain from the air and a horrible migraine. But. It was the only one I could sort of wear. It was the petite size and it hurt so bad, but the small/med hurt ever more. I thought I registered last week when I came in here. My doctor is one of the only ones in the city, and he is good. I just feel like he has his own agenda. He insists on some s10 model? I don't know what it is. I also can't stand the constant air, that's what was choking me, so I don't know how the one he wanted me to use would work because it is constant from what I can tell? I know it has several settings, but can't tell if that's what they did at the place that allowed me to stop screamed and ripping it off my face? He offered me a cloth mask as well, which I had read about, but it's HUGE I really hoped that would be the one I could stand I'll check on registering, if I can figure it out. It's so hard to post on my phone because I can't see the little letters and numbers I have to type each time at one time, so it takes a long time to get it :/ I do appreciate any help I can get, as I would love to attempt to make it through a trial, I just can't figure how I should pay so much to try something? I am rambling because I'm stating to panic typing about it. :/

Do you only have the phone and no desktop/laptop? Yuck, but take your time, don't have to reply to everything instantly . For instance, I'm way out on the east coast so everyone else seems to be an hour behind and I have to wait in the a.m., but now it's suppertime here so I may not get back for a while... but will asap.

When you say the Wisp 'hurt', do you mean physical pain or panic? There's a difference of course and if it actually 'hurt' vs panicked, then it was the wrong size, badly fitted, etc, and we can help with fitting issues for any mask, so don't discount anything til checking on fixes. And if the Wisp just won't work, there are other similar types. The cloth one is bigger of course, but there are so many others to try... everything in good time. RIght now having a machine matters because without it, a mask won't be much help (duh!).

To register, at the very top of the pg in the middle is a 'New Users' tab and it should give some info, but if not enough, come back and we'll walk you through it.

As far as the air being a problem, not knowing if it was just set too high for you starting out (there's a feature called Ramp that can help) or if you reacted unconsciously to the sensation even if it was low... without knowing your study results, it's hard to say... but in any case, with the help of the ramp, you should be able to get used to some air at an appropriate level quite quickly (not to downplay your 'touch' problems otherwise).

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:

palerider wrote:I figured it was you... you're just the facade that EMS puts on when the chin hairs need shaving. amirite?

Nowhere near the ballpark......or even the city that the ballpark is in.

yeah, I suppose, on reflection, you're right... you're nowhere the nasty old crone that EMS/lucy/etc is.

besides, you're HELPFUL

I apologize for my foolish thought.

Accepted.

But, some "nasty" people need love, too.
And, "nasty" is in the eye of the beholder (or reader in this case).
That word could apply to many of us at any given time.


Den

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There was WAY too much air, but they couldn't turn it down any more than it was. It was like a vacuum on reverse stuffed on my face. And I cannot stand any noise, the air coming out the top kept me up all night. They tried several other masks and they were 100x worse. The wisp hurt, physically because it was pinching my face, but everything else was very much worse. I move constantly and the tube kept going across my throat and choking me as well. (I choke if anything touches my throat at all, I can't wear high shirts or necklaces) I know they tried the ramp, but couldn't because the pressure was too high, but couldn't go any lower that was one of the time I was screamed, a lot :/ on a totally off topic. I did see a different sleep doctor before, and he said I had fibromyalgia. And that was why I couldn't sleep. He gave me nuratin to increase slow wave sleep, and told me to take the melatonin. He said I had no apnea. That was a few months ago...but I did not feel comfortable with him at all, I really feel like he didn't know what he was talking about. When I say I DO think this doctor I'm seeing now is doing the best he can, I do believe that. Because the last guy was so bad. I DO think he is pushing a machine for his own gain (getting money back from the company) and that CBT thing that I would never at all pay for, also for financial gain. SAYING that, (or typing that) I think he is doing what he fully believes is best. I do not think he is out to hurt anyone. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone :/

And no, I don't have a computer

Ok.. just FYI here, so don't think I'm saying you have to do anything, but you should know CBT IS the leading technique these days in psychology... it's NOT a gimmick or anything and is SO effective when used... but it takes someone to give it a chance, to know that it's for THEIR benefit, and not anything else. And it can be essentially free in that you don't have to pay a therapist $100/session to learn what it's about and how to use it. It does require that you sit down and actually look at some info of course, but you obviously got through school at some level so it wouldn't be very hard to get the concept at all. But you have to stop telling yourself it's junk because maybe you didn't like the initial 'presenter' of it or something. You have some big problems, but they're the kind that can usually be helped relatively quickly with a bit of effort, just a bit. And there are different levels to use... not everything has to be hard or complicatd.

ANYhow, I'm wondering about starting another thread here with a different header, something like "Anyone feeling generous? Help needed to get machine", to pull in those people I mentioned who otherwise might not show up for a while. What do you think?

I also had another idea, but tell me if you've tried it. What about e.g. trying to wear a little (kid size) band-aid on your nose for a short time, few minuts, then 1/2 hr, then more, etc... just that, and maybe overnight, to get used to the idea of something there?

PS - I don't have a cellphone, so I guess we're (half?) even .