Curable?

JSGarner · Post by **JSGarner** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:30 pm

Hi Folks! Thanks again for all your help here. This is the most helpful and informational site, by far!

I'm a newbie. Was just diagnosed as having a "severe" case of apnea. I'm awaiting a call now from my local "Home Health Agency" to get set up with my equipment. I'm excited AND nervous.

Question: Is apnea a "forever" thing? Will I ever be "cured" and not need equipment assistance, etc?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

amos · Post by **amos** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 4:43 pm

Sleep apnea is a disorder and can not cured like a disease. A very few people do come off cpap after losing a tremendous amount of weight. Such cases are rare, though.

Embrace your cpap and make it your friend.

tooly125 · Post by **tooly125** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:00 pm

Welcome to the hosehead way of life!

Yes it will be a forever thing unless a medical breakthrough is made but I wouldn't hold your breath
(sorry couldn't resist that one)

If you keep a positive attitude I think you will find it just becomes a natural thing to mask up before you sleep no big deal if I have to do it for the rest of my life.

I wish you luck and if you have any problems adjusting just give us a shout.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 5:33 pm

ditto to what amos said.

Welcome to the board, JS.

Dunno if this will help you, but it's helpful to me to think of myself as a cpap user, not as a patient. Like being a contact lens wearer. You use contacts or eyeglasses during waking hours to see better. You use a fan (cpap) blowing air more directly toward your throat during sleep to breathe better. There's just something about the word "patient" that sounds invalid-ish, and I'm sure not that!

We've got sleep disordered breathing, that's all. Like being nearsighted/farsighted. Of course it's a leeetle worse to have our air cut off over and over again when we sleep, than to have to hold a menu at arms length.

We're pretty lucky, though, when you think about it. A simple fan and plain old room air keeps the throat open better when we sleep, then we switch it off and go about our merry way in the daytime.

The health benefits are enormous. Even if you don't feel the benefits for a long time (sometimes it can take quite awhile) you have the reassurance of knowing you've stopped the insidious further damage to your brain, heart, every organ; indeed, to every cell of the body, simply by using that little fan every time you sleep -- including naps.

Sometimes getting used to the equipment (let's face it, putting a mask on at night is not exactly the way any of us were used to going to bed!) can take some tweaking. At first there can be as many sleep disruptions or even more while we get accustomed to this crazy new way of trying to go to bed. Can leave a person more worn out at first and make one think, "This just isn't working...I feel worse!"

Finding a mask that suits you is the real key (imho) to making this kind of treatment work comfortably enough to sleep well.

Then you can really do what Amos said: "Embrace your cpap and make it your friend."

JSGarner · Post by **JSGarner** » Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:32 am

Thanks amos, tooly125, & rested gal! That's great advice. I hadn't really thought of comparing it to glasses, or contacts, etc. I just got glasses the other day, by the way!
I'm not ashamed or embarrased about my disorder (not disease!)...just anxious and a bit nervous about getting started. I can't wait to start feeling better though. I realize it can take a while...but I'm certainly ready to get going. Needless to say, I'm a "lifer" as far as this forum goes...great people and great advice. Thanks again!