symptoms

Hi all, this is my first post nice to meet all you fellow sufferers.

Just checking my login has worked okay.

Welcome aboard! I USED to "suffer"...now I sleep. You will too. And coming here was an important first step!

Now that your login works, the next step is to fill in your profile--including equipment list. You may also want to click in the Lightbulb above (Our Wisdom) and read there at your leisure. Have fun.

I was diagnosed with osa about two years ago. Eventually I was given a full face Quatro mask with a humidifier but after the usual fitting problems and trying a Swift LT I gave up and stopped using the cpap all together.

I have to say, my life has been lived in a complete fog. I feel my personality has been distorted, I am exhausted both mentally and physically, my memory is almost non existent and as for my concentration... I sit down to do something and ten minutes later I realize I have been staring out the window in a dream. I have lost interest in almost everything and I just want to sit quiet. I have no enthusiasm and just can't be bothered anymore, I just feel worn out.

Some years ago I was diagnosed with mild depression and with light medication and some counseling I improved considerably, some said a new man.

I just wonder if the mystery of never having really felt that great, all my life, and the depression diagnosis could really be all symptomatic of osa.

I have always been renowned for my snoring, my mother says that even as a young child, I would shake the house. I have only ever visited my doctor for one problem, conking out and feeling suddenly exhausted. Could it be that osa has been plaguing me that long, undetected.

I was fortunate enough to be re-contacted by my sleep disorder clinic (who I had not bothered with) and earlier this month had a consultation with a technician who re-assessed me and issued me with a different mask emphasizing that I really did need to persevere with cpap as it really is the only treatment for my condition. He explained that I actually wake up 30 times per minute (a fact I had not known before) and that the effect of this on my blood pressure and heart was significant. I have already had one heart attack and in fact had a stent fitted a year ago.

So, here I am again trying to get used to cpap, but this time with determination based on what I have been told and by my own curiosity as to whether osa could be to blame for my poor enjoyment of life up to date.

What I am asking is, does the above ring any bells with any of you and do you have any encouraging stories I can learn from.

At the moment I have a ResMed S8 Escape with a Humidaire 3i. and I am trying to get used to a Mirage Quatro full face mask that is making the bridge of my nose very sore.

In fact it was whilst looking at an alternative face mask,a Fisher & Paykel Flexifit, thatI found this fantastic site.

Any advice and feedback will be most welcome

Steve.

LinkC wrote:Welcome aboard! I USED to "suffer"...now I sleep. You will too. And coming here was an important first step!

Now that your login works, the next step is to fill in your profile--including equipment list. You may also want to click in the Lightbulb above (Our Wisdom) and read there at your leisure. Have fun.

Ah yes, should have had a good look around befoere I just posted my life story

Thanks for the welcome, I'm off to explore...

Welcome to the forum, lot's of good people here. Yes, read the Our Wisdom posts. Also Popular Tags has alot of good info, organized by topic.

And I have found the Search function to be very good.

Hang in there, it's worth it.

Welcome, you've come to the right place. The experts here will probably want to know more about your sleep study results and certainly what your titrated pressure was (if you know) and what pressure setting you're using now. Go into User Control Panel and list your equipment and any additional comments in text format. Keep us posted. Dori

Welcome, you've come to the right place. The experts here will probably want to know more about your sleep study results and certainly what your titrated pressure was (if you know) and what pressure setting you're using now. Go into User Control Panel and list your equipment and any additional comments in text format. Keep us posted. Dori

Welcome, Steve. You asked if any of your story sounded familar. Check out the topic at the top of the website...third one down called Newbie wants to hear success stories. Reading thru a few of those will let you know you are not alone! Ditto what the others said about the 'Our Wisdom' button.

Good luck on your journey!

Thank you all for the welcome. I really should have had a good look around before I posted the above. I have spent all afternoon (I am in Kent in the UK) reading all your posts. What a relief (at last) to be among people who have actually been there and will know what I am on about. I have spent my whole life, it seems, wondering what is wrong with me and to be perfectly honest, I really do think the answer to that is right here on this forum. I have made more sense of my symptoms today than I have ever been able to via visits to doctors.

A major illustration of the good things the internet can do

At last...I can't believe how many things I have read that apply precisely to my own experiences and frustrations.

I am definitely going to persevere and control my apnea, with the right knowledge and tools I shall have 'me' back.

I just hope I like him


I cannot for the life of me find where to add my details, can someone explain please.

I suffer from apnea you know...

steveasaurous wrote:Thank you all for the welcome. I really should have had a good look around before I posted the above. I have spent all afternoon (I am in Kent in the UK) reading all your posts. What a relief (at last) to be among people who have actually been there and will know what I am on about. I have spent my whole life, it seems, wondering what is wrong with me and to be perfectly honest, I really do think the answer to that is right here on this forum. I have made more sense of my symptoms today than I have ever been able to via visits to doctors.

A major illustration of the good things the internet can do

At last...I can't believe how many things I have read that apply precisely to my own experiences and frustrations.

I am definitely going to persevere and control my apnea, with the right knowledge and tools I shall have 'me' back.

I just hope I like him


I cannot for the life of me find where to add my details, can someone explain please.

I suffer from apnea you know...

Steve...at the top of the website page...on the left...it says User Control Panel. Click there...and then go to User Profile...then to edit equipment, edit signature...etc.

I'm glad you found this place. You'll be fine. Just don't let any bumps in the road sway you from the journey!

I still don't see that anywhere on my screen???

This always happens to me

steveasaurous wrote:I still don't see that anywhere on my screen???

This always happens to me

Ok, no problem...it's just under the search window...top left of the page...says User Control Panel...in the pale blue area...does that help?

steveasaurous wrote:I still don't see that anywhere on my screen???

If you still can't see the user account control thing in the upper left, look over to the upper right side and see if it says Login or Logout. If it says Login then that is what you need to do. A person has to be registered and logged in to have access to the user account profile stuff.

If still no luck tell us what operating system you are using and what browser you are using? There have been some issues with IE 8 lately as well as some stored cookies that created a problem.

steveasaurous wrote:I still don't see that anywhere on my screen???

This always happens to me

Yes it's the OSA fog...you have to register as a member 1st. Then the fog will begin to lift.

OSA also severely impacts our memories.
Listing the wrong equipment is very common.
I always prefer the poster also enter their equipment and pressure in the post because equipment is OFTEN changed and not changed in the posters profile.

To be clear equipment includes mask and machine plus software, if used.

The machine make and model will be clearly written across the top of the machine. Pencil and paper can be helpful in getting this correct.

The mask will have a label on the back of headgear indicating make and model. Included with the mask is a brochure that will have a graph showing the leak rate at several pressures.

Always list your pressure AND leak rate with the name of your mask.
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While you are at it -
make sure you are logged in - go up to top left side of page
select Control Panel
Profile tab
Edit equipment
change How would you like your equipment displayed from Image to Text
Select Submit
All those pictures look alike

Double check to be sure it matches exactly what is written across the top of your machine and you select the correct equipment and mask. The make & model of the mask are on a tag on the back of the Headgear and in the included brochures.

Indicating your pressure and leak rate is also very useful.

Welcome,
GumbyCT