What does Untreated Sleep Apnea do to you?

Truth be known, had I not had the good fortune to find this group I would probably relegate my APAP to the closet as it is a royal pain in the rear trying to get it all together; but having said that, the benefits of using it are quite apparent and I am getting used to it now. My first masks were horrific and I had no idea that there was a reason to get a better machine with data and so on.

BUT, most importantly, I have found a group of friends (not that I don't have plenty of friends here at home and about!). I have found a group of friends with a common bond who have experienced what I am going through right now. And it helps. It helps a whole lot. Little did I know that having blisters and cuts on the bridge of my nose was not normal. Little did I know that a comfortable mask fit was out there and that it was almost taken for granted that you would have grief in finding the 'perfect' mask for yourself. I am getting there and the mask I am now using is so far and above the original mask that I was charged over $300 for (89 online) it is frightening.

We band of brothers........

Untreated sleep apnea kills. Probably slowly but it definitely kills. The complications and ramifications of not treating the condition are huge and are so unrelated as to be bizarre (diabetes? weight gain? Etc. Etc.). But I now make no mistake.... it does indeed kill you dead. Slowly most of the time but in my case it likely would have been sooner than later.

I thank each and every one of my forum friends and associates for their ongoing support, encouragement, patience, knwoledge, and so on. I will never be able to repay the debt owed. You have given me back my life. And you have given my children their father back. I intend to be around for a long time yet. I just wish I could get this ResMed blowing hard enough to clean up the leaves in my yard (see avatar).

Read the book Deadly Sleep by Dr Mack Jones - I think it will tell you everything you need to know.

torontoCPAPguy wrote: Undiagnosed sleep apnea is one of the major contributors to various ailments and is often never diagnosed... the other ailments eclipse the sleep apnea issues. Diagnosed and ignored sleep apnea is also one of the largest contributors to other medical issues and the scientific community is only touching the tip of the iceberg in learning all of the other issues it has an effect on... there is a whole plethora of them.

In short, untreated sleep apnea or low blood oxygen saturation contributes to illness and death. End of story.

I am almost in tears here as we had friends over the other night who have a 33 year old son with two beautiful toddlers and he snores like a fiend and drops off to sleep ANYWHERE as soon as he sits down. I was there when he was born. His father was my best man. I stayed at their home on the eve of my wedding. You take it from there. They will not believe that he has anything wrong as his GP says he is fine. Idiot.

You have touched the point about modern medicine/big pharma/money. They don't make money curing the problem, they make the money treating the symptoms. Sleep apnea is the cause of many symptoms (diabetes II, blood pressure, GERD, etc), it is not the only one causing those symptoms but it is a good start. We don't have the cure, we are treating the apnea problem but it is not cure, but at this point is good enough.

Watch this video about the Allopath town, it is about symptoms vs. cause. Enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t29aFSACbnA

How is possible that my GERD specialist performed a procedure and diagnose with chronic gastritis, He told me I have to take omeprazole all my life to have relief. After 3 months of CPAP no more need of omeprazole. That is a good example of what the video is saying.

Enjoy.