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CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
#1
CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
180 days in, untreated 55.7, treated 1.8.

I had SA probably all of my life and didn't know because I did not have symptoms that were recognizable to me, so I got therapy late. Others seem to key in on how they feel after therapy, but I never felt bad so I never expected to feel better. There is some of that for me, but you can't fix what's not broken, so I mostly ignore that.

Once in therapy I researched and understood the amazing long list of surprising sinister effects of SA and the equally long and surprising list of essential cures for almost all of them, simply from undergoing xPAP therapy.

Most were unexpected. I just had no idea. But the most surprising positive effect is what finally having restorative sleep has done. I spent decades being continually strangled all night long and never realized it, so I never really got sleep of any quality for most of my life. I didn't feel bad, i was not sleepy nor tired, I did not have insomnia or waking issues, so for me whatever I was experiencing seemed normal.

But among the other terrible things SA can do to you, having SA for me was the equivalent of being given a "stupid pill" every night before bed. I was getting the rest, but I was not getting quality sleep.

Quality sleep allows you to clear the cobwebs. It allows you to index and categorize new information from the previous day. It makes actual new synaptic connections, building pathways that allow you to learn from what happened that day. It allows you to move short-term memory to long-term memory, and to make cognitive associations that you are unable to make when awake. It reinforces what you have experienced that day and associates it with what you already know.

There is a lot of heavy mental construction going on when you get quality sleep. If the sleep is interrupted every minute by trying to survive being strangled, the quality of the sleep is lowered significantly and all of those processes are impaired.

So now, with a low AHI, I seem to have an unexpected new level of awareness that has been like having a veil removed from my eyes. I see things with much more clarity. I understand my own motivations much better, and even the motivations of others. I feel much more clear-headed and almost even smarter, like as if now instead of the "stupid pill" at bedtime, I get a "smart pill" when I wake up.

I can't understate the significance of this. It is like I am a different person, a better person. I feel like my mental processes are finally being allowed to flourish. I make better choices and decisions; I understand things better. It has literally changed my life, and is probably one of the most significant things to ever happen to me.

If you saw Bradley Cooper in the movie Limitless, that is sort of how I feel. Certainly not as dramatic a change and not a superhuman change (and I unfortunately look nothing like him) but a significant change none the less.

I could go on and on about this, maybe I already have, and there are also things being revealed to me in this new state of mind that are not all positive so it is not all roses and some of this is difficult, but I will spare you the details of both sides of this coin, except to say that it has not really changed my mood or level of happiness or contentment, which was mostly OK to start with. It is a bit of a double-edged sword that I am dealing with.

But I am different now, hopefully better in most ways, because of xPAP therapy. And I am actually seeing a therapist to examine what is going on here and to find the best way to take advantage of it and deal with it, so I could not be more serious about what I am experiencing.

Which leads me to my question, which is has this sort of change been apparent to you in your life as well due to xPAP therapy?
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#2
RE: CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
I'm 6 months into sleep therapy, coming from an untreated 86.2 down to a 4.32 average. I'm still waiting for my moment as you described. I think impatience is going to get the better of me.
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#3
RE: CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
(02-12-2015, 11:23 AM)TyroneShoes Wrote: Which leads me to my question, which is has this sort of change been apparent to you in your life as well due to xPAP therapy?

Yep. I feel gooder.
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#4
RE: CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
Like you, I had apnea all my life and had no idea. I am only 3 months into therapy and I am making *major* adjustments. Used to dream half awake - had a "filing system" that was working - so instead of making me clearer, I am actually struggling with building a different "filing system." Endocrine system -- snafu - normally all u-know-what -- everything is finding a new balance and is now out of whack. having major issues with water retention, hope it resolves soon!!! I do wake rested - never have before. I do sleep thru the night - haven't done that since I stopped wetting the bed! I *usually* don't wake with a headache. I don't wake in pain like I did before. All of these signs give me hope that it is going to be great!

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
Tongue Suck Technique for prevention of mouth breathing:
  • Place your tongue behind your front teeth on the roof of your mouth
  • let your tongue fill the space between the upper molars
  • gently suck to form a light vacuum

Practising during the day can help you to keep it at night

هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه هههههه  هههههه
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#5
RE: CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
Yep same here. now 9 years in. I can remember being unable to keep awake at times, didn't matter where I was or what I was doing. I found it hard to get referred for a study as my BMI was around 23 and most of the guys at the sleep centre were much larger than that. I think I share some kind of airway anomaly with my late father who was also and olympian snorer.

Still got the diagnosis and enjoy the absence of blinding headaches when I wake up.

My wife enjoys the quiet too.Wink[/b]
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#6
RE: CPAP therapy has significantly changed who I am
I'm pretty sure I've had apnea for at least 10 years without knowing. It's almost 4 months since I started therapy. It hasn't been easy, a lot of ups and downs. The first night, I had to literally talk myself into keeping that mask on.
I do sleep through most nights now, sometimes waking only once.
Like Daria, I no longer wake with headaches. I still get tired during the day, but nothing like before CPAP. I look at my life now and count my blessings. Definitely have more energy to play with granddaughter. It's all about having the right attitude. A good day is waking up!
:grin:
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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE.  ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA.  INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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