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Crazy & hair loss??
#1
Crazy & hair loss??
Not trying to get too detailed here... but my hair is sooo thin now... and I feel crazy irrability at times... then at other times I am fine. Is this just because of the apnea? If I ever get this mask thing right, will I be better? Or are my symptoms not typical of OSA?

I'm 33 and began having extreme tiredness around 19 (same time I became a snorer...) Over the years I had constant issues with being tired. Even crashed my car from falling asleep. I would fall asleep at family gatherings and could sleep all day. My doctors (I would switch to find someone who would help) said not to worry and one tested me and said I had chronic mono... just accept it.

Then, about 2 years ago, I insisted my doc. refer me to a Neurologist because I had extreme mood issues, random muscle spasms, and mixing up words in my speech. I was convinced I had a family disease (Huntington's: HD). My symptoms appeared similar to my family members who have this disease. Turns out I just have OSA, but I don't feel that I am getting better and am still losing my hair. I am too young to be feeling this old. I, sometimes, can't think of the word 'pencil' and say 'pen' instead.... I feel crazy, I know I was tested for HD and don't have the gene, but this apnea thing is messing with my mind. Is this normal?

I should be happy that I have something that can be managed and is not a death sentence, but I can't seem to get it right. All that air rushing up my nose plugs my nose up and I take it off in my sleep. I can't take my mask off every 5 minutes to clear my nose. I just want to be able to sleep. No one, outside of here, understands. They just say 'yeah, I don't sleep good either.' I feel crazy. I would give anything right now for a nights rest.
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#2
RE: Crazy & hair loss??
(10-26-2013, 08:47 PM)bluederby Wrote: Or are my symptoms not typical of OSA?

You know, I think that OSA could be responsible for your symptoms. It can cause crippling stress and anxiety.

How long have you been on CPAP therapy, and have you been monitoring your progress by checking your leak rate, hours used, and AHI?

The thing is, if you don't wear your mask the machine can't help you. I would recommend that you call your doctor and equipment provider and explain that you're unable to use the machine because of the high pressure. Your doctor can prescribe a different machine for you, or lower your pressure.

Do you have the EPR feature on its highest setting of "3"?
Sleepster

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#3
RE: Crazy & hair loss??
Have you tried other types of masks? If your nose blocks easily, you might benefit from a full face mask. I tried a nasal mask but it just didn't work for me for the same reason - the full face is a lot better. But everybody is different, and we have faces of all different shapes and sizes, so talk to your provider about trying a range of masks to see what suits you best. Until you have a mask which is comfortable and doesn't leak, the rest of the therapy is wasted. And as Sleepster said, try lowering the pressure until your body adapts, then see if it needs to be raised again to provide the optimum therapy.

If you're not already doing it, use the ramp facility on your machine. That will gradually increase the pressure over a period of 30 to 45 minutes (more or less depending on the setting) which again helps your body adapt to therapy each night.
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#4
RE: Crazy & hair loss??
If you have a heated humidifier, turning it up *should* help with your nose getting stuffy.

If your O2 level is dropping at night, either/and low enough/long enough that could cause all sorts of havoc with your memory.
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional.  My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
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#5
RE: Crazy & hair loss??
bluederby, I agree I would try a FFM, the other thing and it may be too late but would have gone with the Resmed Autoset as there is more comfort in having high and low pressures so you only have the maximum pressure when you need it, rather than all the time.
Also as Sleepster suggested have your EPR setting at 3.
Your using Sleepyhead, what are your AHI and leaks like? Either post the screens of let us know the figures.

To your question on crazy and hair loss, sleep apnea effects us all in different ways because we are all different, for me, I had depression, weight loss, hair loss especially on my legs, aches and pains throughout my body, the tiredness etc, etc, etc. Unfortunately I wasn't diagnosed till I was 48, I have had to live with this my whole 48 years without knowing what was going on. It may not sound good to you but at least you know a lot earlier than I did and are doing something about it. Eventually it will work if you have patience, can stay positive and try to relax as much as possible. Sleep Apnea has many symptoms similar to other illness's so sometimes get misdiagnosed unless a sleep study is conducted.

We are not Drs so just giving you my general opinion from my experience, the thinking that you are going crazy is due to the long term effects of undiagnosed sleep apnea, when we have an apnea (stop breathing for 10 secs or more) our bodies go into the flight or fight response mode, our blood rushes from our extremities, our hands and feet, our legs and arms to our two vital organs, our heart and brain. Each time this happens we wake up either conciously or sub conciously. Can you imagine what stress this puts on our body little own that our bodies and brains are not getting the vital oxygen and blood we need. This effects our thoughts as well, we panic. For some of us it effects us more than others, that depends on how many times we stop breathing per hour and for how long as well as how many years we have been undiagnosed. When our treatment starts, our bodies have to heal like we would with a cut or any other disease or illness. This can take time again depending on the serverity of our sleep apnea.

Just know you are not alone, most of us have been through what you are going through some more some less.
On a positive, I have been off antidepressants for nearly two years, my hair is growing back on my legs, I no longer have aches and pains, my eyesight is improving and my skin is getting better , if I can do it you can too, just keep at it and let us help you with your stats.


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#6
RE: Crazy & hair loss??
I think Tez62 hit the nail on the head with that post above. I can agree completely with everything he wrote, as in the dozen odd years I've been on xPAP, combined with good periods and bad periods (right now), I see these changes happening.
*I* am not a DOCTOR or any type of Health Care Professional.  My thoughts/suggestions/ideas are strictly only my opinions.

"Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you. Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom."
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#7
RE: Crazy & hair loss??
OP - Have you ever had your thyroid level checked?
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