Hi everyone! I am a newbie and feel blessed to have found this forum. I have had my sleep study and find I have severe apnea, not sure what kind. I stopped breathing 18 times and partially stopped 107 in three hours. I think I have had it for years since I never feel rested and have no energy.
I go tonight for my fitting. I am a bit anxious about it. I read where most people who have apnea are claustrophbic. Yep, that is me to a degree. I have had panic attacks and am on meds for them.
I read some on the forum last evening before I was approved to post. What I have read is most discouraging. Can anyone, in fact several of you, give me some good news about this procedure and tell me the benefits of doing this? I SOOO want to feel better, have energy, get rid of this brain fog, be able to concentrate, etc. I want to be able to WALK and exercise. I am 64 and obese. I need to drop at least 75#. I was told those with apnea find it almost impossible to lose weight due to poor metabolism.
thanks...I await your repsonses! :D
My neighbor died about 14 years ago, his widow said that sleep apnea was listed as the cause. I understand that he had strokes and heart problems, and I don't know what else. My wife had told me that I would stop breathing and of course the snoring. It was getting to where I napped in the afternoons and was tired most of the time. Was tested in the summer of 96 and haven't slept a night since without CPAP therapy. My first masks were thoture to wear, but I kept thinking that without the therapy my vital organs were NOT getting the oxygen that they need. I guess that thought is what kept me going.
As with anything else, YOU have to make it work, YOU have to fine-tune the interfaces (masks - nasel pillows) so that they will work for you. It is YOUR health and don't count of someone else to take over and make it better.
It in not an imopssible task. DON'T GIVE UP
Hi! Thanks for the response. I have good news! I had a wonderful evening last night. I went into it with a positive attitude as I KNOW I need this and I WANT to feel better so, i had a very easy night. I chose the mask that comes down over the nose rather than than the one with the two rubber things that are invsive to the nostrils. I got along fine. The only problem I see is I am a bed-reader and my glasses do not fit over the mask. I wll adjust!
thanks for the encouragment!!
"sleepy"
and now for a reply to my own post. I just spoke with the tech who will score my night at the sleep center. I found out I need a "12" pressure and that I tolerated the CPAP machine rather than bipap. She is going to issue me a machine that ramps from a lower amount of pressure up to what I need to sleep with. Now I understand the comments from some other posts on here.
My best wishes to everyone. :)