CPAPtalk.com

chunkyfrog wrote:At this point, I feel weird if I lie down without my "sleep gear".

+1 and, I don't (lie down without being attached to my equipment).


Den

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When I started CPAP I was very upset, furious even. I tried to be positive but deep down I was very disappointed in my body for "letting me down". Not to be too dramatic here, I felt like I mourned the old me for a few months. I couldn't imagine sleeping with this on my face night after night. Always having to check my AHI.

But here is what is so interesting .. over time I discovered that adjusting to CPAP has had a significant impact on how I view myself.

It made me realize that when I put my mind to something really difficult I can do it, and that this challenge has made me stronger, and more confident in facing future health issues.

I wish they would have had machines like we have today twenty years ago. I would have started treatment then. But the machines back then were much larger than what we have today and mask selection was very limited then. My job required a lot of traveling by air and I was already carrying a nebulizer when I traveled due to severe asthma and I didn't want to pack around another machine when traveling. I opted for surgery which alleviated my symptoms for several years, but I am now using a BIPAP machine.

So you all might get a kick out of this. Sometimes when I wake up at night to pay my nightly visit to the loo, I disconnect the hose but keep on the mask. I had a dream the other day that I was at a business conference and had forgotten to take off my mask. I couldn't figure out why people were avoiding me until I saw my image in a mirror. I remember feeling bummed because I was missing out on important networking opportunities for my future consulting business.

mc

Just starting, but right now the feeling is that I can die in 5 years from the effects of sleep apnea or next month from lack of sleep.