I have heard a few things such as long-term therapy can help with high blood pressure and help to lower cholesterol and has other beneficial side effects besides improved sleep.

Has anyone experienced beneficial side effects from the CPAP therapy?

How long before you noticed a change?

I just revisted my old sleep specialist . He said my sleep apnea was worse than
13 years ago (no surprise there). I said that i had been trying CPAPs and full-face masks, etc., but
was still exhausted, so what was the point (trying to be polite)?

He admitted that some people never resolved the exhaustion and sleepiness, but that the constant
awakenings are very hard on the heart, etc., and that EVERYONE with apnea will be healthier just
by using a machine.

Well, he's an expert in the field, and i know he doesn't get kickbacks, of course, so i am trying to resign myself to a life with a monkey on my face all night. And, so far, absolute exhaustion every morning.

I know you didn't want to hear this, but if we can avoid some of the damage apnea causes, it may be something to think about, even though these benefits would be evident only in lab studies
and EKG's, etc.

Best Regards,
janet, sleepless in Wisconsin :unsure:

I guess I consider myself fortunate, as I have never noticed any sleep problems - I only found out about apnea b/c I did a paid study and they told me~

I don't have high cholesterol, but do have high blood pressure and was hoping that would help too.

I am also going off from my effexor (antidepressant) - the withdrawl symptoms are horrendous - beware! - so maybe the combination of going off the extra medication and the sleep apnea would help the blood pressure and the ability to get weight off.

If I can keep this lousy mask on all night long...

Still staying hopeful~!