What other ailments do we have, an informal poll

Wow, Iorek,

Compared to you I am not so bad off! Goes to show you that anybody who gives in and feels depressed only has to look around and find someone else that has it worse. And yes, the really sickly ones seem to have the best attitiude and outlook and appreciate the good days while the healthy let life pass them by.

Keep posting sir, would like to know how you do. Welcome to the list

I have so many other issues it is almost embarrassing to post them! But in case it helps someone else, here goes:

RLS
PLMD and PLMDWA (while awake)
Artificial aortic heart valve
Leaking mitral heart valve
hypertension
high cholesterol
diabetes (type 2)
carotid artery disease
one by pass when they did the valve replacement
pulmonary hypertension
history of congestive heart failure
history of atrial fibrillation
pacemaker due to A-fib
possible stroke last fall
various aches and pains

And the worst of it is that I belive many of these ailments are directly related to the sleep apnea which has only been diagnosed and under treatment for about 6 months. And although I am compliant, I am still having trouble. My blood pressure when I go to sleep might be 120/60 and when I wake up after CPAP it can be in the 150's of 70's which means to me that there is something off.

I have had an overnight oximetry (don't yet know the results) and am waiting for an apap unit to rent for a month to get a better picture of what is going on.

So, bottom line, it is really, really important to treat that sleep apnea!!!!

I am new to this OSA thing, never realized all my ailments could be related. I just thought I was falling apart as I was getting older. I am about 50 pound over-weight, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and depression. I have IBS and acid reflux. To make matters worse I suffer from a terrible case of ED and I am not even 45 yet! I am always tired and fall asleep at the most inopportune times (driving home from work, church, talking to my wife and kids, even in meetings that I am leading, how embarrassing!)

If CPAP therapy will help me regain some energy, I will be glad to go through all the hassels. I am waiting for my first machine; supposed to get it in a couple of weeks.

It is good to know that I am not alone in this ordeal. Thanks for being willing to share your experiences. I know where I can go to get encouragement when treatment doesn't go as well as I hope.

Hi Iorek, your outlook on life is so positive! Thanks for sharing with us.

I think that epstein barr virus (epv) is another name for chronic fatigue syndrome which it sure sounds like you have.

With your attitude, you can beat anything! And yes, it is a pain in the neck when healthy people don't understand your situation! Very frustrating.

Take care

Besides my SA, I suffer from:

Hypothyroidism
High Blood Pressure
Acid Reflux
Depression
Asthma
Morbid Obesity that causes severe back, leg and knee pain.

Hmmm, I really hate my list there....

I guess I've been blessed. 50 years old and besides OSA am only overweight and am working on that. Oh I forgot, terminal stupidity, finally stopping smoking after 30 years. Air is just to precious for me now to waste it anymore. Guess with diagnosis comes some sanity at last.

I'm noticing a common thread with us and type 2 diabetes.

Is this common with apnea? I'm hoping this will get under control when i have more energy to exercise. I don't know much about this because i have so many other things that require my focus, but its gotten where drinking a pepsi is enough to put me in bed for a half hour. is that common with type 2? I suppose its time to educate myself on this issue too.

Graduation day for friends kids. Were we ever that young and nieve?

The common thread here is we all tend to be overweight and that leads to type II diabetes.

Thought I better add my two aches....

I'll be 38 in August. I have GERD, Hyperlipidemia (familial), OSA, mild depression/anxiety (if you had live my life you would know why) and on 5/13/05 I had brain surgery to remove a benign Meningioma (brain tumor).

I am 70 lbs overweight and before the rest of me falls apart or I end up diabetic, I'm going to see a nutritionist and get a plan and support to lose this weight.

Heidi

I'm 46
150 lbs overweight
arthritis of knees, hips, back, neck
gall bladder disease (removed 2001)
total knee replacement 2002
breast cancer (lumpectomy/radiation) (2003)
OSA
GERD
Depression (big surprise there!)

Here goes...

I'm 53
Need to loose about 75 pounds (I've lost 30 low carbing but have stalled for months now.)
Hypertensive (on meds for that and hoping the cpap will improve my numbers so I can get off meds!)
Allergies...dust, wheat, seasonal, nickel, fragrances
High cholesterol (290 last time I looked and waiting for the results of a recent blood test)
I've been discouraged over short term memory problems which I hope are due to the exhaustion of not sleeping! I hope this will pass once I've gotten set up w/a cpap and get some consistent rest.
Feeling weak and tired on and off during the day lately as I've had a tough few months healthwise (lingering pneumonia and seasonal allergies).

Even so, I'm usually happy ....enjoying the moment. I like to work in the garden and tend our home and dogs. I love to read the bible and spend time w/God and the people He's given me to love. When I'm more rested I like hiking in the metroparks and using the rebounder.

That last post was "me" not "guest"....still can't figure out how to log on w/my username. That can be in my list of ailments! LOL

Oh and I love playing scrabble!

Hi,
I was diagnosed with severe OSA a year ago and doing well with CPAP.
I, too, have restless leg syndrome, very high blood pressure (take three meds for this), cholesterol problems, about 50 pounds overweight, osteoarthritis, chronic sinusitis and allergies, bad eyesight, and mild hearing loss. I take seven meds every day and am only 53.

I always try to get my patient's to laugh a little with me when it comes to the CPAP mask, I've given them all my own personal names after trying them, but I really think I'd rather use you, UNCLEBOB, in my CPAP setups to help my patients, I don't suppose you'd consider making a short CPAP film to help all of our patient's smile. It would have to be clean of course.

I'm sure you've all read that laughter is the best medicine. Well UNCLEBOB, you have it mastered! thanks a million!! you really should consider volunteering this routine at some of your local cpap support groups. We had a woman come into one of our support meetings as a guest, and the topic was laughter and healing. The response was amazing. I really think you have something there!!!

So no joke, at this point in my thoughts, I had to go back and reread the topic to remember what the questions was.....which reminds me of one of my ailments. In addition to sleep apnea I had a long list of compalints. The only one that hasn't improved 100% is my memory. Or maybe I just expect too much of my brain.

My Case & Complaints:
37yr/old female with mile/moderate sleep apnea:

* Experienced clinical depression off and on for 3 years - NOW, No more, completely gone.
* Could not stay awak to read since childhood - NOW, I've read 10 books in last year - the bible for the first time in my life.
* Couldn't remember what i read, so would always have to start over - NOW, I never had to reread or rewatch parts of a movie.
* Couldn't stay awake at my desk, always had to get up and down to keep myself awake, thought I had ADD because I couldn't focus - NOW - can sit for hours and focus and accomplish tasks at work.
* MOODY, MOODY, MOODY, MOODY and UNPREDICTABLE - NOW, husband says he has "nice Joyce" all of the time" This is of course one of my personal favorites.
* Eye sight is now 20/20. I kept going to the eye doctor telling him that I had vision problems. He'd test me evey 6 months and say, no, perfect vision. He said I must have "eye strain". I now feel like I have the 20/20 vision that he says I have. No more eye strain, and strangely enough colors are more vivid. And by the way, my oxygen level was above 90% (normal) throughout my sleep study and my blood pressure was normal.
I use to wake up with huge water filled bags around my eyes, and they would throb in the morning, now eyes are normal looking when I wake up.
* I did have PLM, went away with CPAP treatment
* I did wake up feeling hung over every morning, especially if I'd try to sleep more than 7 or 8 hours. Now I wake up feeling normal.
* My endurance for running/biking doubled, no joke.

So I guess my quality of life has improved drastically. My every day life has changed and I'm so grateful that I work in a sleep center and because of my job and my wonderful patient's, I figured out I have sleep apnea too and my life have been changed!
Joyce

JanetP wrote: thanks for the chuckles unclebob!
It is certainly interesting to see how many sleep apnea peeps have so many other ailments too
Can I join the clan?
Severe allergies, chronic sinusitis, depression, asthma, obesity, osteo-arthritis, ankylosing spondilitis, costochondritis(inflamed breastbone), excema, IBS, acid stomach - reflux, that's all for now, but as I am a very curious (nosy?) kind of person, I am sure I shall try out some more!
I am sure that old saying 'curiosity killed the cat' is very true, 'cos I think my curiosity will eventually kill this cat!

I wish I hadn't tempted fate with the above jokey comments!
I tripped and broke a toe this weekend! my first broken toe! told you I keep trying new things! Ho Boy