YAY -- I'm doing it -- Look friends no hands! I'm sleeping!

Hi everyone -- I've not been posting much because I'm back to work AND picking up my life again......doing a lot of stuff, maybe overdoing it even some. Have been trying to keep up with website from my phone.

I LOVE this website and everyone here who has helped me so much. I ADORE Emilia -- she held my hand almost literally when I was NOT sleeping hardly at all and walked me through my early days on the hose. SAINT Emilia in my book : )

I am now sleeping. My AHI is down to 2.7 and I'm SLEEPING through the night (versus getting up 4-5 times a night). I have little clusters of those hyponea green dots.....so heard on another thread to probably ignore those that they mean I'm in REM sleep. For autopap my doc suggested I start with 8-15. That got me to an AHI around 5, 6, or 7. I've narrowed my autopap pressure to 8.5 to 13.0 so far, and I'm thinking of going to 12.5 tonight to see if it will catch anymore events. My maximum pressure used last night was 9.4.

Also, my sleep doc is FANATICAL about nothing to eat 3 hours before bed and nothing to drink 2 hours before bed....and I think that has helped.

I have climbed DOWN from pillow mountain. I started out with a wedge and about SIX pillowS!!!!!! YEAH!!!.....and last night I slept NO wedge, and slept with two rather flatsy type pillows. I'm working on sleeping on my side.

I have learned to keep my MOUTH shut and breathe through my nose. And DANGED I love humidified air -- wow -- what a difference that makes!

I learned that wiping down the mask isn't enough...that mask needs a morning little bath with Johnson's baby shampoo and then a rinse water with some vinegar to be squeaky perfect enough to not have leaks.

Oh....and my stuff nose and sinus problems GONE!!!!

And my GERD......GONE!!!!

And have lost 15 pounds.....GONE!!!!!

AND....and this is the kicker all these wonderful things would NOT have happened except for this wonderful website -- and the fine people and all the great information.

I would have been one of those who gave up. It was just so hard in the beginning. If not for this website I would have put that thing in the closet during the first HARD weeks. I know I would have...because everything I've learned to be successful EXCEPT for the no food/no drink rules I have learned on this fine website. EVERYthing. Without this website I would not have made it.

So......(raising glass to you).....Here's to you -- I owe my good sleep and happiness to you fine people! Thank you so much.

Oh, one thing I did take up myself -- this is a positive outlook thing I do every night. When that mask goes on, and I hook up that hose, as I'm taking my first couple breaths as the air is coming in I say, "Hello, old friend." and I will ALWAYS do that for every time I put on that mask. When you see that mask as BREATH giving, LIFE giving, HEALTH giving, it quickly does become your Old Dear Friend.

Again, thank you for all your kind assistance and support from the bottom of my heart! God bless you!

What great news! I am so happy for you to be getting your life back. What a dramatic difference a few weeks can make! Do consider posting your story at the top of the forum with the other success stories to encourage others to "keep their eyes on the prize" too.

Junebug you are such an inspiration!

I am so happy you are doing so well!

thank you teague and elena -- I can tell you I'm ONE happy camper. I did go post to the "success" page...and was so happy to do so it just put a little tear in my eye. I can remember reading those WAY back....6-8-10 weeks ago? I remember the first time I read the newbie stuff I considered hanging myself with my shoelaces.... I could not figure out WHAT all that stuff was about...and now I can trade terms like I was born knowing this stuff......well not exactly....but

OH it feels good to sleep. What is sad though....I've been VERY open about this. As I've been back to work and activities I have shared that I was off work because of sleep deprivation, and tell people about CPAP....and SO many people tell me how they have one of those machines in the closet! They just gave up. They didn't have enough information to work out the kinks and just gave up. It makes me so sad.

You see, my Godmother's dad DIED from a heart attack they think might have been caused by OSA. See he lived in a two-story house and was a big man and snored and would stop breathing and then would gasp awake. And twice he woke up gasping so hard he threw open a window and was gasping so hard he fell through the window and landed on the porch roof below the window!!! And then he had the heart attack...and the autopsy showed he had probably had very many heart attacks....this happened before cpap technology was known about in his area. Soooooooo it has been sad to learn who I know who have a "machine in the closet"....and most of the problem I think is just lack of training, lack of proper education that would help people get over the hump to the point where their machine and mask is their friend instead of their enemy...and then it ends up in the closet...

Oh well, I've preached enough for one night.....

Thanks again...GOOD NIGHT!

wow Junebug, that is one heck of a story about your godmother's dad...

That is such a shame back then they didnt know what to do.. and so many people still go undiagnosed..

IM so glad YOU are not one of them!

it is true, I have even discovered my nephew's wife has a cpap in her closet! someone in my own family, I knew nothing about this..

sometimes it seems to be some dirty little secret people are keeping.. "shhhh i have a cpap in the closet, dont tell anyone!"

I wasnt going to tell anyone i had this either, and mine would have ended up in the closet or under the bed most likely as we have no storage!

My husband said, "OH, how are you planning to keep this a secret, its like a wart on your nose!"

I didnt think so, but he was right, our house is a revolving door day and night!

Anyway, I try to explain to people how important it is to get their data, but in a lot of cases they dont even know if they have mild, moderate,
or severe apnea? They have no clue of what an ahi is... all they know is they hate thier machine..

YOu and I would be one of those closet keepers, if it werent for this forum and the great folks on it!

hooray for cpap.com for hosting this great site, and all the wonderful people who have helped us!

Junebug I am so very happy for you that finally your treatment is working.

I'm one of the very lucky few who have had success from day 1 - the difference this machine has made to my life is amazing. I tell EVERYONE I know about my CPAP machine and this forum. I keep reading to educate myself because although I have had instant success, somewhere down the track I may have problems or someone I know may tell me about their own problems and I might be able to help them!!!

I love my CPAP so much I would actually be quite willing to put a neon flashing sign outside my house advertising the fact LOL

Great to hear how well you are doing! There is no reason to limit the upper pressure on the machine. If you don't need higher pressure the machine just won't go there. Some have issues with runaway pressure or the machine chasing snores, but if that isn't happening I see no reason to limit it. The lower pressure is what you need to watch. To further limit events you need to raise the lower pressure. You are doing really well right now so I would move the pressure .5 at a time until you figured out what was best for you.Remember to give it at least a few nights between changes, a week is better.

Brenda

Congratulations!
I love your mask attitude!

junebug,

Congratulations on your adjustment. May you have many happy years with your new friend.

And here's hoping that it won't be too much longer before I can make a similar post.

Awwwww, thanks for the shout out, Junebug! We really helped each other!! We pretty much started about the same time, we both have the same machine, and while, our situations were different in terms of pressure, masks, and problems, we were able to communicate easily and help each other. Nice to have a cpap buddy with whom you can commiserate and share openly.

I am so happy to read about your success and positive attitude. I had a bit easier time adjusting than you did, but you persevered with each and every issue that came up. What I love about your attitude is that you weren't afraid to try anything suggested to see if it helped. You found your way through it all...... and now you are successful and well rested!

Glad you are back to work and can perform your duties with focus and full attention to detail..... important in your line of work!

This forum is, indeed, a major contributor to success. I am so grateful I found it before I started so I could be prepared and ready. It is heartbreaking to read so many stories of those who ignore, failed, were not given proper information, mis-diagnosed, treated horribly by 'the system,' and the folks who just gave up. It is a travesty that the standards used by the medical/insurance/dme industries are so archaic in terms of patient empowerment and support. The power of social networking and web based discussion groups, like cpaptalk, are a godsend for those of us who tap into its knowledge base and wonderful mentors.

Continued good sleep, my friend..... may we all have sweet dreams and long lives!

Wow, Junebug, Congratulations! Your words are jumping right off the page! You will be an inspiration to all the newbies that come after you. And to me too! Just one thought, if you're trying to catch those few events I'd try raising the minimum a bit and leave the max where it is. If you don't need the extra pressure on top it won't reach there and it's a good range.

thanks for posting Junebug - I am heartened by your post - still in adjustment mode here but you are SO encouraging. I am one of those wake-up/gaspers and I had no idea about all this until my memory started failing me - they even worked me up for early onset Alzheimer's it was so bad. I am starting to sleep better - have been switched over to Auto now and that is a bit different but I know we will get there eventually. Thank you and HUGE CONGRATS!!

Good for you!
I'm so happy when someone makes it through the tough part.
Isn't it wonderful!

CONGRATULATIONS
You are truly a blessing and encouragement to other struggling Cpapers.
I wish you luck and great sleeping for the rest of your Long Life.

Whoo Hoo, Junebug! I know you struggled, but you always kept a positive spin on things and had a great attitude. It shows in your success.

Here's to many good nights ahead!