My One Year Review

Just had my review with the specialist couple weeks ago and to be honest, although I have never gone one day without my cpap machine after being diagnosed with very severe sleep apnea, I'm still having some issues.
I mentioned that:
It takes some time before I fall asleep still due to my mask, (changed 6 months ago)
When I wake up during the night to pee (three times per night) I have a problem getting back to sleep due to my mask being very uncomfortable.
I can't seem to find the right pressure
My wife complains about mask leakage keeping her awake
I've put on 20 pounds in the first three months.

After a 10 minute conversation , he asked if I was feeling better and more relaxed, I said absolutly and his last reply was..." I'll see you in 2 years". I've made a long story short.... but does this mean I'm on my own, to figure out how to correct these issues. I've already taken his advice by changing my mask and setting myself, but I still have issues? He gave me an open prescription to chang my setting from 10 -15 but I do it myself anyway.
Don't mean for this to be a rant but I'm having a love/hate relationship with this frik'in CPAP Machine.

My_Dream wrote:Just had my review with the specialist couple weeks ago and to be honest, although I have never gone one day without my cpap machine after being diagnosed with very severe sleep apnea, I'm still having some issues.
I mentioned that:
It takes some time before I fall asleep still due to my mask, (changed 6 months ago)
When I wake up during the night to pee (three times per night) I have a problem getting back to sleep due to my mask being very uncomfortable.
I can't seem to find the right pressure
My wife complains about mask leakage keeping her awake
I've put on 20 pounds in the first three months.

After a 10 minute conversation , he asked if I was feeling better and more relaxed, I said absolutly and his last reply was..." I'll see you in 2 years". I've made a long story short but does this mean I'm on my own now to figure out how to correct these issues. I've already taken his advice by changing my mask and setting myself and still a have issues? He gave me an open prescription on changing my setting from 10 -15 but I just do it myself anyway.
Don't mean for this to be a rant but I'm having a love/hate relationship with this frik'in CPAP Machine.

Welcome to the party, pal.

In reality, you have probably always been on your own. You're the one who has to sleep with it every night.....not him. He just gave you a little more latitude to tweak your therapy during the last year.

Time for you to make it a love/love relationship......with the machine and your therapy.

Den

Hi All,

I think Wulfman has hit the nail on the head. You are on your own as far as the Sleep Doctor is concerned, and that may not be a bad thing. We need to take full responsibility (if we are able) for our own treatment, with help from professionals if and when needed.

My medical sleep specialist whom I saw after my home pressure sleep study refused to answer my questions (I had a few because of my reading this forum), and threatened to tear up my sleep study if I asked any more. He then gave me a prescription for cpap at pressure 12, and apap at 5 to 15. He then said if I used the cpap prescription not to bother coming back, but if I used the apap prescription he would kindly deign to see me in 12 months.

Dr Ch*n, your'e sacked !

I was amazed that the kind of abuse that was happening in the US was also happening here in Australia. So I am on my own, but in reality, I have the incredible helpers in this forum to hold my hand as I slowly get a handle on my machine and my mask and my therapy.

It is a struggle, but as one of our Prime Ministers said in a more lucid moment - life was not meant to be easy.
Someone else said - it's not meant to be bloody impossible either !

Good luck.

cheers

Mars