so depressed.. do i really have to wear this??

hang in there!! the mask is hard for some people. its been over 2 years, I still dont like it but its much better with it than without it. i love the feeling of dozing off with out the mask but its just worth it. honestly i dont how i could have made it through the last 2 year w/o my bipap

Gerd is a gastric deal. It's when the acid from your stomach come's up.
Sounds more like something respiratory, and hope the inhaler will work.

Also one has to go to a Gastro doc to have this test done, not an ENT,
they just do eye's, nose, and throats.

Godd Luck,
Debbie

Whitneyb404 wrote:Thanks! I hope I get used to the mask. I heard the weight as a lot to do with it. I have joined a weight management clinic and have already lost 3lbs in a week. My main problem with the lack of sleep (apnea) was I woke up a lot during the night, felt so tired and had a head ache every morning, I also woke up several times of the night gasping for air, coughing a lot...
I hope it helps me. . but is it possible for me to cure this with weight loss or surgery?

Weight loss will surely help as you will have less flesh loading down and obstructing. As far as getting used to the mask? It should not take that long if the mask is comfortable and therein lies the 'trick'. You need to get a mask that is comfy for YOU. I use the Mirage Activa LT Large Wide and it works pretty well for me but I am still looking for perfection. The one thing that this mask has that prior masks did not is a forehead brace that keeps the pressure off the bridge of my nose. Wow. What a difference. It is a 'bellows' type mask and needs air flowing to make a good seal and that seal is light as a feather. But having said all of this, it is still a matter of getting used to it. I am reaching the point now after several weeks that I am getting used to it and feel strange going to bed without it. I used to awaken during the night in a cold sweat with my heart pounding. Often awoke with headaches (no more). Never coughing or gasping for air (perhaps 'breathless'). All attributed to reduction in blood oxygen saturation, skyrocketing my blood pressure. No longer have these symptoms thank goodness. Now I find that I am getting used to warmer humidified air getting sucked in.... and in fact, being one that always has a stuffy nose, I generally need a shot of Afrin to get to sleep comfortably but once there, the humidified warm air keeps my nasal passages open and my lungs 'cozy' if that makes sense. Even when I had a cold a few weeks back it was a big help. The humifier is important. I would really think about that surgery because I gather it can be quite drastic... but I am advised that weight loss can make a big difference, or not. Surely good for your health in any event and as a matter of interest I am being told that the CPAP is going to HELP me with my weight loss programme. I have no less than two or three friends that have done it and each is no longer using CPAP. One is using some sort of mouth appliance along with the weight loss but all have benefited from the loss of weight. Good luck to you. You are amongst friends that understand.

Wow! You sound just like me except you got into CPAP therapy sooner than I did.

I've been married 10 years and went from 140 to 195. I had my first sleep study and diagnosis 4 years ago. I cried all the way home because I believe that I have sleep apnea because I am fat (still do). I blew it off after that until the fatigue got so bad that I was miserable. I work up with headaches every day, nearly fell asleep at work, driving and even trailering my horse. I got a second sleep study just over a year ago and was told that I have severe OSA with over 60 episodes per hour and blood oxygen going to 81% (below 90 is bad). Now I feel soooo much better and I have traveled all over the USA and Europe with my setup. It's no big deal now.

Good Luck!

GERD is caused by a problem in the lower esophageal sphincter -- it's gastric in origin.

However. the acid flooding up from your stomach affects your throat and nasal passages -- inflames them in a way ENT's can see clearly, and causes the tissues to react protectively by discharging more mucous. The discharge makes you feel a need to clear you throat, causes nasal congestion and coughing.

An ENT can't heal the cause of GERD, but an ENT can definitely see its symptoms, and suggest therapy that will help the inflammation subside.

Mayo Clinic about GERD signs and symptoms:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/D ... N=symptoms

Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff

GERD signs and symptoms include:

■A burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), sometimes spreading to the throat, along with a sour taste in your mouth
■Chest pain
■Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
■Dry cough
■Hoarseness or sore throat
■Regurgitation of food or sour liquid (acid reflux)
■Sensation of a lump in the throat

Whitney - How long before going to bed is your last meal of the day? I have found that, if I make my last meal around 6pm and go to bed around 9pm, my body has the time to properly begin digesting the food and is not fighting to do it when I lay down to sleep. My GERD has gone away and I have stopped coughing and suffering so much.

Also, my brother has severe apnea and I watched him put his mask on when we would go camping. I would swear that I would never be able to wear one of those to bed. Guess what....when I was diagnosed this past year, I had to eat my words. Instead of being depressed about the diagnosis, I decided to embrace it and make this work. I have had my frustrations for sure, but the trade off has been getting more restful sleep and feeling better during the day. I can actually go for hour long walks without feeling exhausted. I can sit in front of a television and watch an entire show without falling sleep (that has never happened in my life). My skin tone color looks better, I am drinking more water and have a much better attitude about life.

Hang in there....you can do this. Feel the frustrations, recognize them and then work through them. All of us are pulling for you!!

nursedeborah wrote: Also one has to go to a Gastro doc to have this test done, not an ENT,
they just do eye's, nose, and throats.

You are right, nursedeborah, the ENT did the scope, saw the problem and sent me to the gastro doctor for additional scoping and swallowing tests. However, my ENT does not do eyes.

Ozij explained it perfectly.

Bev

ozij wrote:GERD is caused by a problem in the lower esophageal sphincter -- it's gastric in origin.

However. the acid flooding up from your stomach affects your throat and nasal passages -- inflames them in a way ENT's can see clearly, and causes the tissues to react protectively by discharging more mucous. The discharge makes you feel a need to clear you throat, causes nasal congestion and coughing.

An ENT can't heal the cause of GERD, but an ENT can definitely see its symptoms, and suggest therapy that will help the inflammation subside.

Mayo Clinic about GERD signs and symptoms:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/D ... N=symptoms

Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff

GERD signs and symptoms include:

■A burning sensation in your chest (heartburn), sometimes spreading to the throat, along with a sour taste in your mouth
■Chest pain
■Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
■Dry cough
■Hoarseness or sore throat
■Regurgitation of food or sour liquid (acid reflux)
■Sensation of a lump in the throat

This is most definitely true.... when I went for a follow-up for my acid reflux, and my ENT found out that I've been sleeping without using my cpap, he gave me a nice little reminder that I need to be using it! Never really saw the connection between the two...until I've been feeling the coughing and choking over the last couple of weeks and have felt the acid coming up. Ugh.....

Good luck as you travel through the process

Whitney,

Your feelings are normal. You have a right to feel that way...it is a big change after all! At times I still wish I could fall asleep in a hammock outside...or nap on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon...BUT.....for the most part I completely understand CPAP therapy is saving my life. And yours! Give yourself compassion to go thru all your feelings....and to finally get used to it. Fits and starts...3 steps forward, 2 back. But hopefully you will, like Carbonman said, arrive at acceptance. I wish you well...you are in good company...

T.