The Big CPAP Success Thread - Must Read for Newbies!

[mkwebman]

At last - goodbye to snoring!!

Welcome! Do keep reading, both here and elsewhere - let us all know how your sleep test goes!

It seemed ages before I got to see the Professor at Oxford to get the results, and there they were -lots of zig zags to show I had OSA. Did I want to try a machine? Definitely - the wife would have killed me if I'd said no. Another long wait until Thursday this week (it seemed) to collect the machine. So I've had 2 nights on it and the wife hasn't heard a thing all night - not even the machine!! We always have a fan on low in the bedroom so that probably helps. I didn't spring out of bed fully recharged yesterday, but I knew better than to feel disappointed, having been warned it can take a while. I got a brand new ResMed Escape S9 with a Mirage FX mask, and it all seems good the way it was fitted and set up for me. Today when I woke up my wife said I looked pink - apparently she said I had always woken up white as a sheet until now - though she never mentioned it!! Today I feel definitely less sleepy - just mowed the lawn and before I would have just taken 30 minutes out to recover before tackling anything else, but today I just went on to the next thing (writing this) without the slightest tendency to fall off my computer chair. Brilliant machine. Thank you Oxford.

Is there a thread relevant to taking it on a flight to Prague in May ?

[Fredxx]

Is there a thread relevant to taking it on a flight to Prague in May ?

Welcome to the realm of the hosehead...as You have already worked out, it isn't an instant thing, but from what you have said you seem to be on the fast track

As for taking the machine on holiday, discussed regularly , and recently here http://forums.cpap.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1856

[Berneta]

ON Your Way!

Hi Webman, sounds like you are off to a good start. You may not be bursting with energy--but you are doing better, and certainly your wife sounds happier too. I noticed that you mentioned the change in your facial tones--good sign--my hubby noticed it first on me too. Then my Dr noticed it-- and kept telling me "how good I looked". and how much better my color was. That oxygen makes a difference. Hope you continue to improve til you reach the point when you just can't wait to get up. I used to lay there hours snoozing, and not wanting to get up before I got my CPAP. Now I just can't lay there anymore! Good Luck. Berneta

[olchon]

agree!

People always say how life changing CPAP and treatment for OSA is. At the start of treatment, I remember how hard to believe this was. BUT, as well as having more energy, being able to get out of bed in the morning, and drive in the afternoon, there are other benefits... tackling longer term issues such as being overweight, drinking (slightly) too much and smoking become much easier to deal with. After some rest I can have a real perspective on life, rather than the sleepy depressive state I used to adopt. As for some advice for newcomers, try to be delighted you have a diagnosis and some therapy (there are many poor sufferers out there who don't), embrace the treatment, use the forums and your sleep clinic for any problems you're having and get ready to feel good again!!

[mintra]

Yacss

Yet Another CPAP Success story

After the first two hours on a machine, I was overcome with anger.

"so if this is what life is like for everyone else why did they not do something with their lives, with all the energy they had"

Next day the world became colorful tasty and every day is longer, so I have more time to sort things out.

Now after three years this is all just normal, and I am beginning to do something with my life.

I suppose the only down side was that I regret loosing all those extra hours before i got my machine, but then I did not even know I had a problem.

[Sparticus]

Smoking

Due to my success, I dont smoke anymore, thanks to my APAP!

[QuietMan]

Just started CPAP - Story so far!

Hi all,

I have had my machine for 6 nights now. I have written up my story. It is long and repeats a lot of what people here have said much more succinctly but I set it out here anyway.

The snoring always was a problem. The wife has complained about it since day one, 25 years ago. But it was just the snoring that bothered her and she quickly adopted strategies to avoid the disruption. This usually involved making sure she was asleep by the time I came to bed (not conducive to romance) or digging me in the back, kicking me in the legs and eventually a sternly delivered “Turn OVER!” This went on for over 20 years. Then, she noticed that I would stop breathing during sleep. Apparently, this was worse than the snoring – some people are never happy – as she went from wishing I would die in my sleep to fearing that I had actually obliged. I mentioned this casually to my doctor a few years ago and he was very keen to get it sorted out. So, I didn’t mention it to him again for years, as I felt that Sleep Apnoea is (1) an old person’s condition, (2) a fat person’s condition (and I was perpetually about to embark on new regime of diet and exercise to lose stones!) and (3) certainly was not sexy or cool, in fact was very uncool. What self esteem I had baulked at the idea that people would know that I slept in a mask at night - not attractive - and as I approached 50 the few remnants that remained of the idea of ever being attractive to the opposite sex, I knew, would evaporate like morning mist if it was known I had to wear that sort of apparatus at night – real passion killer! Hannibal Lecter would seem more appealing! Anyway, I am not really that vain but I did not really want to do anything about it. It was listening to radio programme that spurred me into dealing with it.

By this time, I had all the symptoms. My ability to fall asleep anywhere was legendary amongst my kids, although I did not always believe that I had drifted off. The problem was that I did not hear myself snoring so I might drift into a daydream only to get a dig in the ribs. On a cross channel ferry, neighbours in cabins each side were banging on the wall all night. On aFrench campsite, my kids could hear me snoring from 100m away. I was finding it hard to stay awake at seminars, conferences and when driving for more than an hour. As we had enjoyed a couple of European motorhome holidays in recent years, I realised I was not now fit to drive any long distances. I was also capable of falling asleep while sitting talking (or was it listening) to my mother-in-law or wife, to be fair it was usually when I was interrupted from a nap to be regaled with a story about the sales or suchlike. I even feel asleep at work, mouse in hand. There was noticeable habit now of falling asleep on the couch after work and napping on and off for the rest of the evening. I rarely stayed awake through the 6 o'clock news and then might nap during a programme or two until our favourite programme came on about 11.00, Family Guy. I rarely stayed awake through the first episode let alone the second. I went to bed then and resumed the Sleep Apnoea for the rest of the night.

One of the most annoying symptoms, for me at least since I couldn’t hear the snoring, was getting up to the toilet as many as 5 times a night. I had always believed myself to have a ‘peanut bladder’ but it had gotten worse. I had frequent PSA tests (for prostate trouble) but nothing was indicated.

I had now become a couch potato and my ability and interest in doing small jobs around the house had disappeared. Believe it or not, I had been relatively enthusiastic in some aspects of DIY. We moved into a new house in 1999 and I did make some efforts to do some DIY. This stopped a few years ago and simply hanging a picture or putting up a shelf slipped beyond my area of competency and energy. In addition to all of this, I was on medication for hypertension and cholesterol for years and my weight had gone from about 15st to 22st, most of the gain being in the last 10 – 15 years.

Finally, in late 2010, I asked my GP to refer me to a Sleep consultant, via an ENT consultant of course. I was referred by the ENT consultant sleep clinic for 3rd February, 2011. I have cut out a lot of stuff here about the health insurance system in Ireland. Suffice to say, you need to check your policy!

The test itself was interesting. Mostly, it’s breathing through my nose that I found difficult. I found the rig quite restrictive and uncomfortable but that’s to be expected. In due course, the consultant, arrived and went over my results. Well, there was no doubt! I have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea – note my use of the present tense, it never goes away. Apparently, I stopped breathing as many as 93 times an hour on average. There were graphs and readings galore that showed what a lousy night’s sleep I was having. When I rang the wife, she asked how I had gotten on. “Great” I replied, “I snore!” “Very funny, now what did the doctor say?”

As soon as I got home, I went on the internet and soon came across the Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust. The site www.isat.ie is very useful and has loads of relevant information.

At the hospital fitting of the CPAP machine, not only had I slept relatively well for about 7 hrs, but my oxygen levels were good, no snoring was detected and my average incidence of actually stopping breathing had reduced from 93 per hour to 9. So, I was good to go and could only expect improvement over the following weeks. A little later the rep arrived and we fitted masks and went over the operation of the machine. She explained the advantages of renting the machine and reclaiming the cost under the Drug Refunds Scheme (RoI only). Incidentaly, my initial enquiries indicate that in Ireland we are being charged double what we cold get the machines for on this site.

I do not know whether or not it was excitement, enthusiasm, novelty, confidence, placebo effect or a combination of these but I drove home 150 miles without a hint of fatigue. Then I cleaned out the corner of the bedroom where my bedside locker was submerged in a mess of coins, pens, books, leaflets, receipts and various other invaluable items which should never be discarded not to mention the dust. I even hoovered the area – not the room remember - I am a man!

Since then the improvements have been significant. At first the sleep quality was unbelievable compared to what I had endured. My nighttime visits to the loo had stopped. Last few nights have been more broken sleep although the mask is quite conmfortable and the machine is quiet. I woke up twice to go to the loo last night. This is a big improvement on 5 times and I think I woke up because the mask was getting uncomfortable.

I will persevere and I intend to make this work and I know there is no failure option here. Anyway, the wife won't tolerate going back to the thunderous snoring. I wish I had discovered this site before I got fitted but anyway I will be an avid reader from now on.

By the way, my username is a tribute to my now peaceful sleeping.

All the best, QM

[whisperer]

Accentuating The Positive

Dear Quietman

Really enjoyed reading your experiences leading up to and starting to use a CPAP machine, you don't realise how 'dozy' and not quite a fully functioning being you are until you start using the machine.

I knew I had a real problem when I couldn't drive for more than twenty minutes and falling asleep in the afternoon at my computer. Before I got the sack I went to the sleep clinic in Edinburgh many years ago. I once had to stay with my daughter overnight (without my sleep machine) and it brought it all back, you just about wake up, talk about the undead! My mouth and throat was dry and I had a strinking headache, and yes I had been up to the toilet many times, worse than a hangover and not the joy of at least having had a really good time the night before!

Like you my snoring was epic, I was shocked when I told it was worse than the noise of a motorbike.

I too have problems with the asthetics of the mask, not a good look is it?

However, I love driving and have no problems now. Have driven from Scotland to London on my own, and I no longer fall asleep all over the place.

Don't get me wrong there are times when I would cheerfully throw the mask and machine out of the window, but I have probably just had a bad day - what I would give to have a good night's sleep without all the CPAP "substitute R for the first P" stuff, no air leakage or a red mark over my nose because I have had the mask on too tight - but its a no brainer, there is no alternative.

Keep going.

[dravidio]

Good to hear all the success stories.

BUT - do not imagine it is always this simple. I am coming up to two years of this therapy and am still struggling. There are alternatives - dental splints. losing weight , surgery. learning to play the didgeridoo ( I kid you not) and forgetting all about this crap and realizing that the extra years you might be earning are at the end of your life when you will be abused in a "care" home.

[dravidio]

Due to my success, I dont smoke anymore, thanks to my APAP!

You do not smoke anymore because you decided not to. It is nothing to do with APAP.

[Fredxx]

Good to hear all the success stories.

BUT - do not imagine it is always this simple. I am coming up to two years of this therapy and am still struggling. There are alternatives - dental splints. losing weight , surgery. learning to play the didgeridoo ( I kid you not) and forgetting all about this crap and realizing that the extra years you might be earning are at the end of your life when you will be abused in a "care" home.

But this is "The Big CPAP Success Thread" Dravido... read the first message in the thread.

The forum is full of threads about how hard it can be, alternatives and problems people are having. This thread is here specifically for the good stuff about successful CPAP and to give some encouragement to those starting out or struggling. CPAP does work well for many people

[whisperer]

Be positive

Good to hear all the success stories.

BUT - do not imagine it is always this simple. I am coming up to two years of this therapy and am still struggling. There are alternatives - dental splints. losing weight , surgery. learning to play the didgeridoo ( I kid you not) and forgetting all about this crap and realizing that the extra years you might be earning are at the end of your life when you will be abused in a "care" home.

I had surgery privately - they did a Rhinoplasty - the pain was something else, and when I recovered sufficiently to see the surgeon again the good news was that my snoring was even louder, and he just laughed. Haven't heard of anything that can 'cure' sleep apnea - so try and keep going as there won't be any care homes to be abused in - they will have all closed down because of lack of money, and at least you will be awake enough to walk round on your zimmer frame.

[QuietMan]

I am just back from a sun holiday. I was a little concerned about passing through airport security with the CPAP machine but they were less than interested, both here and abroad. Main difference was I was not falling asleep whenever I lay on a sun lounger. Wife was amazed. I could stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning if I wanted. Never napped during the day despite the heat.

One unforeseen benefit is that my wife has found her quality of sleep much improved. I have become used to the mask. Skin irritation is minimal and I am sleeping more and more comfortably now after 6 weeks on the machine. While cleaning the mask I figured out how the adjuster worked and found a much snugger fit which has eliminated the sensation of leakage into the eyes.

No looking back now. Onwards and upwards. Thanks for the advice and stories on here.

QuietMan

[ElleCee]

Losing weight isn't always the answer, I have lost over 8 stone and am still having to use CPAP.
I have now given up smoking to see it they will make the difference between having OSA and not having it.
There must be a cure somewhere, I am just not finding it yet.
Still, in the meantime, it keeps me healthy and to be honest the benefits far out weigh the bad times.

Lorraine

[Berneta]

Stop Smoking

Hi Lorraine, glad to hear you are giving up the cigs--maybe that will make the difference for you, And congrats on losing so much weight. Even though it didn't cure your OSA-- I am sure you are a lot healthier and more active because of it, Bet you've been doing some hot PINK shopping trips too. LOL . I hope you will find that cure for yourself--and let us all know how you are doing from time to time. Hang in there. xox Berneta