CPAPtalk.com

Hey Araminta,
What a great post: Arminta said[quote="]I've never joined an on-line forum before this one. AFter I was diagnosed with sleep apnea a few months ago, and freaked out at the sight of a cpap machine and masks... I immediately went searching for information. Luckily, I found this website, and somehow it seemed infused with such authenticity and integrity and collective knowledge and empowerment.

Since I joined, i find myself eager to check in and see what new issues have come up. I'm so often impressed with the respect and care given to even the most naive of questions. It's helped me accept my new situation with a greater sense of humor (love some of those avatars), and ease the day to day struggle with equipment. [/quote]

Araminta, You mirror the feelings I had when I began cpap. When I tried on my apnea "chapeau" for the first time, I thought it was the very worst. Now, when I slip it on at night I am grateful for the comfort it gives me - I know I will breathe fully through the night.

The best to you, Jan

I too am one of the ones who searched out (googled) and found this site due to dissatisfaction in general with the medical industry.

After the initial appointment, I never went back to the sleep specialist, and in fact it will be a cold day in hell before I do again. Same with the medical company who sold me the machine - after the 3 months trial, I never went back there either. Both as useless as an ash tray on carbonman's bike.

I'm eternally grateful to the season guys and gals on this site. They've enabled me to take ownership of my therapy, and move forward in complete control of my own outcome. So many I've found don't realise they can be in control, not controlled. And whilst I'm not particularly of a technical bent and therefore not able to so much give advice as accept it, I still hang around!

I too check this site out at least once almost every day (I'm more of a 'lurker'). Always find something either interesting, educational, or amusing (such as your monkey thread, kiralynx, DSM's banana thread. A hoot!).

Merci, Jan.

Mornin' Raylo.

What an interesting thought. Our sleep doctors and DME's should be required to check out Cpaptalk.com. They could earn an advanced degree from our veterans. Perhaps, that is why they usually don't come - the standards here are too high.

I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to continue with cpap if I had not found this forum. It was that hard trying to get goin'
You said you had received help, what a wonderful welcome for you.

Glad to have you with the forum.

Jan

Hello Michele1234,

You haven't even been here a month and you are finding you way around and getting the answers you were looking for. Good for you, and Congratulations on finding the best/most imformative/most supportive sleep apnea forum ever. I have looked at a few other sites, but they did not have the people who have so much experience to guide the beginners.

I agree with you on the sleeping better bit - I have had insomnia forever, but using cpap each and every night has changed something - I don't know what, but I'm doing much better with my sleep. You said you are sleeping better than you have for years. Must be all that air.

I'm glad to have a chance to have a "chat" with you.

Jan

Hi SeaPappy,
Thanks for sharing what this forum means to you. I totally agree with your analgy that you learned more here in seven minutes, that you have in your seven years using Cpap. You said "My eyes opened and my life changed" I think 99 and 9/10th % of the newcomers echo your comment. Perhaps, most of us don't phrase it that well, but we feel it.

With your experience, you will be handing out advice and help to the real newcomers, the ones just beginning cpap.

The best to you.

Jan

Captain_Midnight wrote: writes on the forum: I learned how to make my treatment more effective, by stopping leaks and adjusting my pressure to what's best for me, not by the guess of the sleep lab, based on a number out of the hat, and three hours of bad sleep..

I have learned much; and, using this info, I've optimized my therapy (gradually, over time) to an AHI so low that OSA researchers would be highly interested. (And, I want everyone on this forum to enjoy the same success as do I.)

Thus, this site and the super folks who hang out here daily helped me make correct analyses which led to major changes to my therapeutic setup, and that means much to me. Now, if I can give someone a hand, I'm happy to do so, as it is returning a favor so to speak..

Hi Captain Midnight. I frequently read your posts and consider you one of "The good guys who have gained a good understanding of what makes CPAP tick and what does not. Thanks to you for the information I have gained just reading your posts.

Jan

Greetings Marietjie:

Marietjie joined the forum last May, she is a frequent poster. I loved her statement about how important CpapTalk had become to her.

[quote="Marietjie]....... Significantly ] ]Mentally........ and Physically ........ I don't take nonsense from no-one anymore ! !
[/quote]

Marietjie, you are a great example of the International Aspect of CpapTalk.com. She lives in Port Elizabeth, So. Africa.

Best of everything to you.

from Jan

Greetings slapmeawake,

I noticed you joined in November of 2008, just a couple of months before I did. Slapmeawake said she checks this site numerous times a day - just like I do. It has become important to her, and like me appreciates all the wonderful people who post here and teach us new and wondeerful tricks to help make our journey easier. Again, slapmeawake, I share your feelings.

slapmeawake wrote: My DME has suffered though because now I am not the uninformed patsy I was before this site came into my life. But I must say, you all helping me has helped them. Sometimes they actually want some information from me that I have seen posted on here. Awesome!! I still have to watch them like hawks though lol!!I will keep coming everyday as long as this site is here. Thanks again to all the "experts" who help us everyday.

It isn't often an cpap user gets to educate her DME. Congratulations.


Jan

Bearcut42

Something happened on my way to "wind-Up this thread. What you said about CPAP is in a way all our stories

Bearcat42 wrote:I too am glad that I stumbled upon this forum one day, just as Jan did, by typing in Sleep Apnea. Fortunately I found it before I went on cpap and was able to do ALOT of reading to educate myself on a subject that I apparently knew very little about.
.
Making this forum a part of my support structure has been vital in starting cpap therapy and seeing good results after 1 month.
And as Goofproof said, staying here to pay it forward is just one good reason to hang around. Maybe one day I will get the opportunity to do the same for someone else.

I for one, have doubts I would have been able to continue CPAP therapy had I not found CPAP, and the members who were, and are so willing to help a newcomer. I have heard the statement Goofproof said about staying here to pay forward, the help we have received, is reason enough to continue with the forum.

Jan

SaltLakeJan wrote: I have heard the statement Goofproof said about staying here to pay forward, the help we have received, is reason enough to continue with the forum.

Jan

As much as I enjoy your posts, Jan, I personally cherish your can-do, can-win, can-conquer (adversity) attitude even more.

You are an inspiration to me, and I hope you stay forever!

Not only has CpapTalk.com helped me learn through the wisdom and humor of hte many gereous folks that have chosen to share their experiences, I have "met" some really nice folks in the chat room. I know we may tend to get off-topic, and even at times off-color (or at least I do), but we do all have at least one thing in common that helps us appreciate one another and the situation we have all found ourselves in. The levity and commraderie are in many ways as important to me as the helpful information that I also get.

Having said all of that, this site has become very important in my life - for help for the body, and help for the mind.

So, a big thanks to all!

Hi Jerry, You answered this thread almost a month ago. I had another thread going at the same time, and it the help I was getting, was something I really needed and it took until today to get back to finish this thread.

You explained what CPAP meant to you, and how it helped you, and I liked your answer so well, I kept thinking of it while I was occupied with other matters. Jerry wrote:[

quote="6PtStar"]This has been a wonderful site. I never talked to my sleep Doc. [/img] I got a copy of my sleep study but had no idea what it meant. I wandered through the maze for almost 8 months before I found this site, It and the great people on this board made all the difference in my life. I still can't believe how the information from the caring people here made such a difference so quickly. I still come here every day and still find something I did not know after almost 3 years. I also try to stay around and help others the way I was helped when I came. Thank You to all the fine folks here, I appreciate all your help!! Thank you Johnny for making this possible.Jerry[/quote]

I was stuck by the fact that your PCP didn't have your tested for CPAP and that one of the possible complications of uncared for sleep apnea, is a heart attack. Oh my Gosh, your PCP missed the boat, and eventually you wound up with a heart attack. What a shame. No wonder you value this Forum as you do. I join you in that thought.

Jerry: I hope your health is improved now. My DH had a 3 by pass in about 2001, and he is doing well, and I hope you are.
Since you answered this post, whenever I see one of your posts, I check it out. They are always worth reading.

And I join you in Thanking Johnny Goodman for making CPAP a reality.

Jan

Goofproof wrote: It's easy to tire, trying to drive the same nail in the same hole, over and over. .

Finding this forum was the only reason we were able to fight through this obstacle course. We would have given up early on, #1 because as the prime caretaker of hubby's therapy, I was completely overwhelmed, resentful, and uneducated on this subject, and #2, hubby was terrified of the whole process and didn't want any part of it. I can truthfully say that my friends here have given us back our lives and we are so grateful. Goof, your comment reminded me of the kindness and patience shown that made to feel so welcomed here with all my beginner questions as though they were the first time ever asked. I'm still asking and receiving. Jan, great topic! Can we say "addicted"!

I CANNOT imagine where I would be today had I not found this forum. I'd probably be wearing the absolute WRONG mask and still using a straight cpap machine set WAY TOO HIGH for me, still suffering with horrible aerophagia and GERD!!! I would have never found the information so vital to finally getting closer to feeling rested(for the first time in 15 yrs or more) and I would be paying doctors who really know very little about how to help patients that don't "fit the mold" of the typical apnea patient. In other words I would STILL BE SO MISERABLE AND DEPRESSED that I would not be enjoying the wonderful things this life has to offer. Thank GOD I found this forum!!!! Forever grateful- Grumpygirl