Sporadic use

I guess I am not getting from my doctor the information I need. I went to my family dr., told him i was having trouble sleeping. He sent me for a sleep test. I never met with a dr. at the sleep center, I met with techs. Then I got a call about a week later that I had moderate to severe apnea and I needed a machine. The medical equipment company dropped it off, spent about 10 minutes with me and left. So now I wear it maybe once a week, not even. I feel weird in front of my husband so I dont feel really committed to it. Also, can anyone tell me does it ever get better? What happens if you only wear it once in a while? Since the condition never gets better, what are the differences in how I would feel? I know you all say you feel better but what are the differences.

You should definetely follow up with your doctor or the place that gave you the machine - your only using the cpap equipment once a week is like taking blood pressure medication -prescribed daily - only once a week - which doesn't really help - but any use is better than no use for apnea
Can you talk to your husband about this? I would hope that your health and feeling better would outway the way you may look with the equipment on.
the difference with treatment is huge - I don't feel like a zombie anymore, and I had always thought I was just lazy, but have found out that I was never lazy, just sleep deprived beyond reason - good luck and keep asking questions here - it's a good place to get support

Im sorry im not paying attention to what I am writing. Im thinking faster than I am writing. I am the husband. LOL, sorry my wife doesnt like it.Not a good typer

First...you need to fill out your profile so we know what equipment you have. Second...everyone is different! I took to this whole thing right away with few
problems. Others have more trouble finding the right combination of
equipment.
Third...You MUST wear it every time you sleep! NOT breathing is NOT a good
thing! If it bothers your husband, he will have to learn to deal with it. If it
bothers you, you will have to learn to deal with it.

Is it easy??? NO! But it is something you MUST do.

I am no longer tired during the day, I sleep through the whole night instead of 2 hour periods, I have more patience, My aches and pains are gone, No a.m. headaches, improved concentration. But as I said everyone is different.

MOST IMPORTANT...Keep checking in here and asking questions. Everyone here is wonderful, and ALWAYS willing to help.

Brenda

ok, gotcha - so the wife doesn't like it - but are you snoring real loud? do you stop breathing during the night? I can't imagine that being preferable to her?
You should do some research on the effects of apnea - if you don't treat it, you are 3 times more likely to suffer a stroke - and I have read about a few posters here who have had strokes or heart attacks and are now very compliant - it is pretty serious - it does take some getting used to but really, the benefits do outweigh the time and effort of the treatment

everytime I get frustrated or depressed or whatever about the trials and tribulations of treatment, I always remind myself that it's better than having some nurse strap this crap on me in the hospital after a stroke or something - and then I wouldn't likley have much say so on how anything fits etc.
don't give up

Reading on here has helped me be committed to keep trying to be more compliant. I have not "arrived" yet, but even so, I am better off than I was a few months ago. I am not a total zombie or a slug. I am starting to resemble who I used to be in regards to personality and having an interest in normal things in life. There is yet much damage to be undone, as my sleep disorders had so severely depleted me. Even now I am convicted that it would be a shame to begin to get my life back and end up with a stroke or heart attack.

It sounds to me like you don't have enough information to motivate you. The words moderate to severe say a lot to someone familiar with the disorder, but seeing your individual data could make a difference for you - at least leave you without excuse to deny the seriousness of the disorder. Do you have a copy of your study results? How low did your oxygen level go? How long did your apnea spells last? How many arousals interrupt your sleep?

Don't you feel like the dickens or has it been going on so long you think this is normal? One of our regulars on this board lost his wife a year ago when she fell asleep at the wheel. When I first came here he admonished me about my danger to myself and others, and I needed that reality check. I was in denial, driving around sleepy like I could control it.

Keep reading this forum. Some tidbit someone says might be your "light coming on" moment. Oh, please talk to your wife. It's commendable that you are being considerate of her, but give her the chance to say for herself what's important to her.

Best wishes on this journey. We all had to start somewhere.

Kathy

Sporadic use doesn't help much. How about getting everything set up for CPAP long before bedtime. There just have a very low intensity light on so when you are ready to go to sleep you just put on the mask,pull up the covers and go to sleep.
Difference in how I feel?? Rested, a lot more energy to do things, read without falling asleep, get more done, less irritable
Timeline is different for different people. It does take some time to form new sleep habits and you may or may not have equipment problems to work out. (usually mask). You can get help here.

The reason your wife doesn't like it might be that it reminds her you are "mortal," and susceptible to health problems. Remind her that if you do not wear it, you could end up having a stroke and she could end up taking care of you. Remind her how serious untreated apnea is (and that *is* what you have if you are not using CPAP *every* night. You're still damaging your heart and your brain and all the other major organs in your body every time you have an apnea and deprive your body of oxygen) and that it is dangerous and deadly and not to be taken lightly.

Then remind her that if you use your CPAP, you will get your life and your energy back, as well as - ahem- your "friskiness." Maybe that will help convince her.

And if she's still not convinced, that would worry me - it would seem she is more interested in how you look than in you being around years longer to love her and spend your life with her. That would be very sad.

OOPs better watch out with the increased "friskiness" reasoning. There have been polls of wives of viagra users who resent the artificial increasing of "friskiness" in their husbands. May not be a selling point for some women!!

hello,
sporadic use of cpap is not good enough.......you deserve the quality of life a good nights sleep can give you. has your wife ever seen the face and body of a stroke victim.......does she or would she take care of one.......this journey is not an easy one.......but with the help of the folks here it can be very positive... i am still struggling with this after eight months...but this was a total surprise to me as i was being tested for ms..........you could have knocked me and my doctors over with a puff of air........i don't have the spousal problem you have.......i guess because my husband has always been a star trek fan.........and that's a good thing........but i am dealing with the unique side effect of a badly swollen face. this is not a normal reaction and it gets me depressed sometimes to the point that i want to quit........vanity is a woman's curse..
maybe you could light candles.......create romance ..........then blow out the candles and hose up it's for your life..........good luck.....ellen

Others have answered, but I would like to only add to their comments that using once a week will do NO GOOD, Apnea does not "get better". It must be treated nightly. In that respect, it is like diabetes. A diabetic cannot take their insulin one a week and expect to "get better". They must always take it, and an apnea patient must always use their machine. Apnea doesn't go away any more than diabetes does.

Obviously, it is not what we would like for ourselves. BUT, it makes a world of difference. A brief reading of the posts here should give both of you an idea of the dangers involved in not treating apnea as well as the benefits from treating it. Wrok together on this....mutual support is a good thing!

Spousal support is very valuable There are also many good, caring people here who will be happy to lend an ear and offer suggestions and tips for getting used to the therapy. I would suggest INSISTING on seeing the doc involved...simply cutting a patient loose with only 10 min. of orientation and no information from the doc to the patient is inexcusable. At the bare minimum, get a hard copy of the prescription for the machine and mask, and an hard copy of the sleep study the diagnosis and prescription was based on from the doctor. Insist on knowing how the treatment will be monitored. If the machine provided to you does not record and save data from each night, do your best to get the doc to prescribe a specifi machine that will, so your treatment can be monitored by your doctor (and by YOU... this forum is very big on patients taking responsibility for their therapy).

Finally, if this is financially possible for you, and you get little help from your doctor, use your prescription and buy an auto-cpap machine from one of the internet providers. You will get a much better price than from a local medical equipment supplier, and people here will be happy to tell you of their experiences with specific machines.

Good luck!

I am newly diagnosed, however, I mentioned to my wife that she may need this treatment as well. She snores loudly. Wakes up 2/3 times a night actually has a harder time sleeping than I do. I sleep, just am tired all day long. She doesnt sleep and is tired all day long. She seemed a little hesitent to that. Are there any other husbnds/wifes that both get the treatment. I just seems that you notice it more once you have been diagnosed with the problem.

OK--I've read the first post several time and read through the responses a couple times. If my reading comprehension is up to grade level-It is the wife that is using CPAP-The husband doesn't seem to mind and says he is sorry she feels funny wearing the mask in front of him. He obviously does't like to type and may not have said it exactly that way-but I got that he was supportive.

So guest I've only been on this forum for about 7 months-but I don't remember anyone's spouse coming on the forum in the same thread and expressing support for the CPAP using spouse. So I think you got two keepers-Hubby and the CPAP mask-start using the mask every night so YOU can get used to it and get over your embarrassment. I think your Husband will like having you around for a lot longer-because it seems like he thinks you're a keeper too.

krousseau,

The second response to the original post was the OP again (but guested), saying "Im sorry im not paying attention to what I am writing. Im thinking faster than I am writing. I am the husband. LOL, sorry my wife doesnt like it.Not a good typer"

It's the husband that was the original poster, and it's his wife that doesn't like the treatment. The wife has not posted.