Newbie would like to hear success stories, please.

My story isn't one of success yet, but more one of perseverance, which will ultimately bring me to success someday (soon, I hope). I love reading these stories because they tell the real truth of what untreated sleep apnea does to our body and brain.

I experienced several months of generalized functional decline. In 5 months I went from being a productive medical employee to being so weak I was in a wheelchair. I was in and out of the hospital and had several medical tests but no one could find anything wrong. After lots of research on my own, I began to suspect OSA could be a possibility. To expedite my own medical care, I ordered an At-Home Sleep Test through the internet. That's when I found out I had severe OSA. Oddly, most of my apnea events were during REM sleep. I had 69 apnea events per hour during REM sleep. I had a Nadir of 63%, and my oxygen levels were below 88% for 110 minutes during the study. Being honest, I thought I was dying of some undiagnosed disease. I felt that bad.

I started with doctor #1 who had me rent a BIPAP to trial (without success). I then went through a titration study and was unable to be successfully titrated on CPAP, BIPAP, or BIPAP ST. I was then supposed to go for an ASV titration. However, I decided to get a second opinion. This doctor requested I retrial my Airsense 10 (For Her) on a lower pressure using nasal pillow mask. This brought some success in reducing the AHI, and I had further reduction of the AHI with the help of members on this board. I started with the Resmed P10 mask and ended up with terrible nose sores. I switched to the Nuance nasal gel mask. Things initially felt better but then I ended up with a soft tissue nose infection from all of the mask irritation. I can't believe how incredibly raw and sore my whole nose is (inside and out)! So, oral and topical antibiotics it is. I'm not quite sure why my nose is so sensitive to the nasal pillow, but it isn't an option for me unfortunately. Currently I'm using a nasal hub mask (resmed Airfit N20) in order to let the soft tissue heal. I'm not thrilled with this mask but it's necessary for now. I'm still trying to find the best pressure to control the apneas while using the N20.

After things settle, I'm going to try the Bleep Dreamport. I will also need to find a full face mask as an option (I have allergies and intermittent nasal congestion). I'm managing to sleep around 4 hours a night. Not great, but making slow progress. I think once my nose has healed and I find a comfortable mask, the sleep will improve. Even with where I am, my strength has improved enough for me to easily get around the house without any assistance (which is a huge improvement). I'm thankful for the diagnosis, and look forward to getting to a better place with all of this.

If you’re having so many issues with nasal irritation, why not try out a full face mask that goes over your nose like a ResMed F20??

EJW372 wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 06, 2021 7:18 pm

If you’re having so many issues with nasal irritation, why not try out a full face mask that goes over your nose like a ResMed F20??

I'm trialing a full face mask now, but it is driving up my AHI significantly so I'm trying to problem solving why that is happening.

This thread made me feel like registering.

Just wanted to say if you're using some sudden burst of energy as your success metric, you will falsely accuse your cpap of not working.

Keep in mind energy is sought by all, not just people with sleep apnea. Perfectly healthy people are saying "I'm tired". Energy has a lot of factors. Eating right and taking care of your physical and mental health plays a huge role in energy.

Look elsewhere: Regular heart beat, can you walk up the stairs without getting light headed and heart pounding, are your muscles and joints healing after exercise, do you finally get better / stronger when you workout or are you stuck in the same place, do you feel peaceful instead of irritated, can you learn something new or review things you already know without your head feeling fuzzy, can you make a mental map of the road in your head if someone asks you for directions (i.e can you think visually / geometrically), can you follow the plot of a movie

etc. etc. you see where I am going with this.

If you want that youthful burst of energy, cpap is not some magic machine. You will need to be better in all aspects of health.

Hello every one.
I have been reading this forum for a while, but now I register to post something about using CPAP machine.
Back to 2007 or so, I went to a dentist and I was snoring so loud while she worked on my tooth filling. She told me I got sleep apnea. I did not know what was it. I did not even talk to my doctor. Then around 2008-2009 I got knee surgery, ACL reconstruction. then my sleep apnea getting worse. I gained more weight after 2011-2013. I got very bad GERD, acid reflux for those 2 years. My sister said I snored so loud and it sound very ugly. I could not drive my car more than 45min on street. I rear end people at the stop light couple times. I just fall into sleep at the wheel just 30 min driving. My friend told me I snored sometime I was driving, really. Sometime I drove to other lane to the opposite side of the road. I tried to sleep on a recliner to help the GERD, and I tried on diet and lose some weight but the sleep apnea was not going away. It help a little when I lose some weight. But in 2017-2018 I started to go to those buffet restaurants. I again gain weight and my problem got worst. Until late Oct 2019 I got appointment to see pulmonary doctor and got my sleep sturdy test. I told my sleep doctor what I basic told you all here. She told me I may lose my driver license if my condition not get treatment. I remember my doctor told me I got like more than 400 times I stop breathing during the night I took the sleep sturdy. two weeks later I got the dream station (the one now got recalled). The first time I used it in the afternoon I got the machine. I slept for 3-4h afternoon nap, and the first night I used it for 7-8h more. I wake up just like many people said, I was like a new person for a long time I lost in the jungle. My GERD started to heal. My dried cough is slowly heal with out any medicine. The GERD causing the air way got burn when I slept and I cough every minute. I then giving up my losartan, high blood pressure medicine. I found out this forum and I know how to set up my ACPAP machine. After a while,I felt suffocated with the use of the dream station. Possible the filter inside the DreamStation was clogged and now it got recalled. It was good, I decide to buy the ResMed Air-sense 10 and I paid for it. I like the ResMed AirSense 10 so much. I now started to lose more weight on keto diet. I still need the use the cpap machine. Six months ago, I saw one on sale and I bought one AirSense 10 extra for a spare and a car adapter converter, a whole set up for using in my toyota van any time I am going out camping or traveling. I learned a lot from this forum, I now control my cpap machine to get better sleep. Thank you CPAPTALK FORUM.

I have been on CPAP since 2014. I have never had what I would characterize as a burst of energy, but my energy is definitely much improved, my blood pressure is dropped noticeable, and I feel generally more rested.
I've heard many different stories about peoples reaction to CPAP. Some have burst of energy, some report no change, and some say they just generally feel better. Its very organic.
That is a deadly disease you have so keep with the treatment and remember that on the day you were going to die you still won't have gotten that burst of energy, you just ben living your normal life.

I first started using CPAP around 35 years ago. I was in horrible shape at the time. I was tired all the time and kept thinking I wasn't sleeping enough but I would make efforts to sleep more and feel even worse. I was aware of waking frequently, gasping for air, but thought I must have been having nightmares which were leaving me breathless. I kept falling asleep sitting at my desk at work, in front of the TV, etc. Further I was experiencing micro-sleep issues -- I would be in a conversation and realize that I was losing bits and pieces -- apparently blacking out -- but the person I was speaking with didn't appear aware of it. Finally, there were a couple incidents of falling asleep while driving which scared me to death and made me afraid to drive -- I started staying home all the time when possible and when I had to drive I would do things like opening the windows in the middle of winter, or blasting the stereo and forcing myself to sing along -- anything which might keep me awake until I got to my destination.

I didn't know what was happening and didn't have a lot of resources to help -- the internet was still in its infancy and the web was pretty much just an experiment at the time. My savior was a PSA about sleep apnea. Even though I had heard of sleep apnea before, it never occurred to me that it was happening to me, but the PSA listed the symptoms and I ticked off every one of them. (How lucky was I? I think that was the only PSA for sleep apnea I've ever seen!) I made an appointment with my doctor, and he scheduled a sleep study. The sleep study doctor said he wondered that I was able to stay awake at all after seeing my results. The night at the lab doing the CPAP titration study was the first good night's sleep I'd had in what felt like forever -- I knew right then that CPAP was right for me.

That's not to say that it was an unqualified success. First, the CPAP machine the insurance company foisted on me had to be the worst CPAP machine ever made. It sounded like a vacuum cleaner running near my head -- I feared that I was going to lose my hearing. There was no humidifier, I had a nose mask and my mouth kept falling open during the night -- I would wake up with this horrible dry mouth from the CPAP pressure venting through my mouth. Again, without the internet and not having anyone with experience to talk to about it, I had no idea that these problems were solvable. I was doing so much better, however, that I just considered them the price I had to pay.

I was very overweight and some years later I chose to do the Atkins diet and lost 120 pounds. I had been clinically depressed for a number of years and at one point wound up committed to a mental ward against my will. I didn't have my CPAP machine with me and that scared me (it hadn't occurred to me that the hospital might provide one or even that I could somehow get mine). As it turned out, I didn't seem to need the CPAP anymore. I slept just fine in the hospital without it -- apparently, losing the weight resolved my issues. So, for a number of years I stopped using the CPAP. Unfortunately, a few years later I would give up the diet and the weight started slowly returning. Eventually, so did the sleep apnea.

For my second round, I was much better informed. I had the internet to help me do research and I knew what I needed to do, the equipment which interested me, etc., and this time I wasn't going to let the insurance company dictate my treatment -- I was going to pay for everything myself.

I had the sleep study done but I didn't care for the doctor who did it. He tried to dictate the machine and equipment and was even going to sell it to me through his own store. I insisted that he give me a prescription and I would have it filled myself where I chose. I bought the same mask they'd used in the titration study (I really liked it), a full-face mask from Phillips Respironics, and the machine I had researched, a Phillips Respironics, System One with humidifier. It was so much better than my previous machine -- I felt I'd finally arrived.

Despite the humidifier and the full-face mask, I continued to have dry-mouth problems but not like before and even with the discomfort issues of wearing a mask, etc., I love what CPAP has done for my life. Recently, my machine was recalled so I bought an Airsense 10 with humidifier and a new mask, the Amara View mask, just to try something new and to get the mask off the bridge of my nose. The new machine is excellent. The jury is still out on the mask -- I love being able to see, read, etc. with the mask on, but even the large size seems too small and occasionally causes issues. But these are annoyances, not problems. Perhaps someday they will find a solution that liberates us from our hoses, but CPAP is working for me -- the only time I'm tired is when I don't get enough sleep -- but that's something mostly under my control.

Hi Everyone, Glad I found this forum. I guess the internet really does have everything.

In the last 2 years I had felt so tired everyday, that I thought towards the end here in August that I thought I was going to die in my sleep. Only 40. I had a great career but people would describe me as falling asleep in meetings, etc. Finally, I had a sleep study done that I gave myself for my birthday present.

After one nights sleep with a CPAP, I can't believe this is how normal people feel every day after waking up. I actually had dreams. I enjoyed my time awake before work for once. I didn't need 500 mg of caffeine. I'm not sure what kids feel like when they go to disney world, but it must be this. This will be a turning point in my life and I am so happy to have finally had a good nights sleep in at least 10 years or maybe since I was a child. This is the most amazing I've felt in so long I feel like it's a dream.

Yes, my mask didn't fit quite as well as I hoped so I switched it out to something larger tonight, and yes, I'm going to ask to increase initial ramp pressure already. Don't have an issue with the mask or the noise at all. Doesn't even bother me as opposed to feeling like I was dying every night ...I think API was like 98 or something...

Because of this therapy I know I will once again continue my journey to greatness. I can't believe I put it off for 10 years of suffering.

Today was literally the best I've felt in those 10 years and it felt like I took a 2 week vacation to Hawaii and just got back wanting to work. This changed my life in one day.

Can't wait to sleep tonight.

I've read all 743 post in this thread! I am on a "waiting list" for a machine. You folks give me so much hope. Thanks to everyone who posted.

I've only been on CPAP 2.5 months, but I already love it.

Prior to therapy, I was not sleeping well at night and tried (unsuccessfully) to take short naps. I just felt so awful, I really thought I was dying. Now, I sleep well for 8 hours every night. I wake up in the morning ready to get up and go. I make my bed first thing, confident that I won't need it until bedtime. And, get this: When I slide my P10 mask headgear over my head, and position the pillows, I experience this wonderful sense of relief, sort of like I'm snuggling with my favorite pillow or even a teddy bear. Bedtime is wonderful.

I love my CPAP.

For those of you new to CPAP and frustrated, I just want to encourage to hang in there. I use to visit this site often in those early months trying to find hints and tricks to make the CPAP work for me. I was frustrated and tired! I had to try several.masks and threw a few across the room.

Over time, everything finally starting falling into place. I thought I would never get use to having something on my face or a hose to mess with. I wondered if I would ever stop the silly mask from leaking.

Now, I get ready for bed and don't even think about it. I put on my mask, put a little tape on my lips, and lay in about any position and go to sleep. I don't have many leaks and rarely anything that wakes me up. My AHI is rarely above 1. I can't sleep without my CPAP now.

I still don't sleep great a lot of nights, but is isn't because of the CPAP (stupid hormones). So, stick with it and it does get better once you hone in on what works best for you.

I don't know where to put this note but this is probably as good a place as any. I started last August (seven months ago) after my sleep study showed an AHI of 12. I had been feeling tired during the day for about a year.

Started on Resmed 10 but didn't feel better after a few months. During that time my sinus congestion got worse and stopped using CPAP. It had been a minor problem for years but when I saw an ENT doc in the fall I was told I had moderate to severe sinus disease. I suppose if you live with it for years your body adjusts and you don't realize how bad it is. Fast forward to January I had sinus surgery. A few weeks ago another sleep study. My AHI is 1. No apnea. My breathing has improved 100% since the surgery. So I strongly urge those with sinus issues be sure to visit your ENT doc. And while sinus surgery is not pleasant the recovery for me was short and the results tremendous.

My ENT surgeon said he saw tissue structures inside the sinus that would cause difficulty in using a CPAP. So those having difficulty adjusting, consider that possibility if you suffer from significant congestion.....the sinus is a complex structure and inflammation and sinus disease can cause interactions with a CPAP. On the other hand it is normal for most to encounter an adjustment period so don't jump to conclusions. See an ENT if you suspect sinus issues (including a deviated septum). So I bid farewell and wish you all well.

I am new to the forum and new to CPAP.

I started using a CPAP pre-diagnosis at the recommendation by a friend who uses it too. I bought an old Resmed Spirit S8 that was a bit erratic and very noisy . I upgraded to a Resmed S10 Autoset and bought a full face mask. I slept much better with the machine at a low setting and poorly without.

I recently used Resmed OneSleepTest that diagnosed me with mild sleep apnea (at no suprise to me). I have been putting off sleep test as most are expensive and I wasn't eligible for a test to be covered by Medicare Australia. This was due to most of the eligibility criteria questions like 'do you snore' or 'has anyone said you stop breathing' as "I don't know because I live and sleep alone".

The treatment for apnea was the usual most get; CPAP, dental splint, ENT assessment.
Already using CPAP I decided to continue with it. It has reduced 10-16 events per hour to a maximum of three.

I am going in to Resmed tomorrow to have them check the device settings and mask fitment.

I can already say that CPAP has been a success and helped greatly improve my focus and energy levels.

I am still getting used to the settings of pressure and humidity to find a comfortable setting.

I will start looking into travel CPAP Machines or taking my S10 that comes with a padded bag as I'll be travelling to work a bit.

Jman91 wrote: ↑

Tue May 24, 2022 7:01 am

I am new to the forum and new to CPAP.

I started using a CPAP pre-diagnosis at the recommendation by a friend who uses it too. I bought an old Resmed Spirit S8 that was a bit erratic and very noisy . I upgraded to a Resmed S10 Autoset and bought a full face mask. I slept much better with the machine at a low setting and poorly without.

I recently used Resmed OneSleepTest that diagnosed me with mild sleep apnea (at no suprise to me). I have been putting off sleep test as most are expensive and I wasn't eligible for a test to be covered by Medicare Australia. This was due to most of the eligibility criteria questions like 'do you snore' or 'has anyone said you stop breathing' as "I don't know because I live and sleep alone".

The treatment for apnea was the usual most get; CPAP, dental splint, ENT assessment.
Already using CPAP I decided to continue with it. It has reduced 10-16 events per hour to a maximum of three.

I am going in to Resmed tomorrow to have them check the device settings and mask fitment.

I can already say that CPAP has been a success and helped greatly improve my focus and energy levels.

I am still getting used to the settings of pressure and humidity to find a comfortable setting.

I will start looking into travel CPAP Machines or taking my S10 that comes with a padded bag as I'll be travelling to work a bit.

If you are going to be flying on an airplane, always carry your CPAP on with you. A CPAP machine is considered a Medical Device.
NEVER EVER check your CPAP in as luggage.