Another Curiosity Poll: Referred, Recommended or Researched

I had done some google searches after my sleep study (December 1st). But, then I heard nothing...so I went on with...things.

Then I got my results on December 27th, so I did more research...cpaptalk.com comes up on the first page on most searches. I joined on December 28th and got my CPAP on December 29th.

The Dreamer.

I found it on Google, and the crew here has done more for my sleep than all of the people getting paid to help me sleep, combined.

There are some shockingly knowledgeable folks posting here, and I salute those in particular who regularly post research results, detailed results of their own learning and experience, and, overall, clearly invest time to help others. I'd list their names, but I have OSA and can't remember my own half the time.

They are great humanitarians, in my book.

It looks like the professionals (I am one) don't say much about cpaptalk.com to new patients. I wonder of Product Challenges will change anything.

DME Daddy wrote:It looks like the professionals (I am one) don't say much about cpaptalk.com to new patients. I wonder of Product Challenges will change anything.

sleep-professionals.php

Ironically, I came here looking for help for my CPAPer brother-in-law during an unexpected power outage from Hurricane Ike. (Who expects a power outage from a hurricane when you live in Ohio?!) I found the information I needed here. And then, a couple weeks later, when I, myself, was diagnosed with apnea, I came back. Thanks to the help I received here, things have gone much smoother than they might have.

An friend of mine in the SCD community calls it "Paying forward..." As you've received help, help other newcomers. In this way, we keep the chain of information moving, and keep the valuable experiences we each have alive, sharing them as we go.

Researching sleep apnea and XPAP myself...I'm a research nerd
mar

NORM!!!!!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheers_(TV_series)

Hi Kathy,
I posted when this went around a while ago.This site never gets "Old" for me, and new information is revealed here through the inventive minds of creative people. Kathy, you were one of the first to greet me, and you have helped me out of a "jam" several times. Thanks to you, and the incredible people who continue to "Play it back for the help they originally received." I want to know as much as I can about CPAP - I have received so much help, It will take me years to "Pay it back", I will be hanging around here a long time.
Jan

I found this site after two weeks of dissatisfaction with my bare bones cheap Bi-PAP machine. The RT tried to help, but since he is not a user of the equipment, it was like reading from a script. He was sincere, but did not have what it takes to solve my problems. There are two kinds of people, those that take control of their problems and those that leave it to someone else. I have told my son, his boss, my general manager, and others about this site. Printed out some of the discussions to show them how helpful this site is. Well, you can lead a horse to water.....you know the saying. I visit this site every day and it has allowed me to take control. The help here is sincere, freely given, it is sound advice from people that use the equipment and have the problems. I thank all of you and a special thanks to RG.
Bill

The medical supply house gave me a folder with info in it and there was a list of helpful web sites and here I am. Sorry, don't want to sound like a doornob but alot of the "terms" here are confusing for a newbie. I visit this site several times a day trying to learn as much as I can. It's life or death after all. I don't understand the different types of machines discussed, or referrences to settings, etc. I was diagnosed & given the equipment. Here you are, go home and suffer thru trying to figure it all out. Whats a titration? a bpap? settings discussed? is my equipment ok?
This site is great and there is alot of info given by the generous people who visit it. Thanks

I was diagnosed, handed a machine and mask and left alone to deal with it. I went out and googled sleep apnea, found this site and have been here ever since. I love all the information that is so freely given. Thanks everyone

I found this forum through a Google search not too long ago. Wish I'd found it a lot sooner.

Like many others, I was handed a very basic machine and a mask about 18 months ago and was pretty much on my own. It seems fairly common among us users that the sleep medicine community is sorely lacking in patient support, which probably accounts for the high failure rate of PAP users. Thank goodness a site like this exists, so we can help each other.

Thanks to all for the advice and support I've received here.

Google.

As an info junky and searching using mostly Google (or other search methods) is literally something that I do all day long.

Pretty much every topic that interests me is cause for a new FORUM or MAILING list search. For years, I participated daily on "UseNet" and ran my own mailing lists and a forum for various topics (mostly computer related), though now it is mostly forums.

My main hobby and past time (right now) is practicing and teaching self-defense, so I am very active on http://CombativesTrainingGroup.com and a couple of other self-defense forums. My work is computers so belonging to PowerShell, and other programming language lists is also my norm.

As soon as it became clear that my diagnosis would likely be positive for sleep apnea, my first search was:

apnea | cpap ~forum | community

The vertical bar "|" means "or", and the tilde "~" means approximately or synonyms.

First forum I visited was very nice, some of the people who visit here had recognizable user names over there, however it was all but inactive so after a day or so, I repeated the search and found this forum.

Links for manuals and such sent me over to the apneaboard which has excellent help but somehow I just "want" to read and post here more. (And of course many from here are active there as well.)

Herb; you replied to a 5 year old thread.