RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
Madcat, I think we are slicing and dicing Sleepyhead data here in ways that were never intended. Your AHI is less than 0.5 and normal breathing is not a textbook image of smooth, even respiration. We all have changes in the wave form through the night. I don't subject myself to analyzing wave-forms in the presence of good results, and neither should you. If we start trying to solve problems that are not problems, there will be diminishing returns and unnecessary stress and worry.
Leave it alone. Don't even look at anything but the AHI on your screen for a week, then if something important arises, you can focus on that. None of these bumps and blips are a concern, and if you follow the suggestion to see your doctor on all this nothing, you will be regarded as a hypochondriac. For your own sanity, just stop it.
02-16-2018, 09:08 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-16-2018, 09:13 AM by Madcat207.)
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
(02-16-2018, 08:42 AM)Sleeprider Wrote: Madcat, I think we are slicing and dicing Sleepyhead data here in ways that were never intended. Your AHI is less than 0.5 and normal breathing is not a textbook image of smooth, even respiration. We all have changes in the wave form through the night. I don't subject myself to analyzing wave-forms in the presence of good results, and neither should you. If we start trying to solve problems that are not problems, there will be diminishing returns and unnecessary stress and worry.
Leave it alone. Don't even look at anything but the AHI on your screen for a week, then if something important arises, you can focus on that. None of these bumps and blips are a concern, and if you follow the suggestion to see your doctor on all this nothing, you will be regarded as a hypochondriac. For your own sanity, just stop it. I know what you are saying, and i know your right. And i further appreciate your (and everyone's) continued patience. Sadly, i know am a hypochondriac, and likely suffer from GAD too (which is why i try to control myself running off to someone over every worry i have..). I am skilled at taking a cough and seeing cancer.. a swollen foot and seeing heart disease.. a lower back pain and seeing kidney failure... a few muscle twitches as huntintons/ALS/Etc (and yes, i worry about this at age 34). This is something i have been battling all my life, and my wife and partner of 10 years abandoning me and my daughter has no doubt made it worse, no matter how strong i try to be.
I acknowledge that my worry goes deep, to the point that even a doctor's visit or clean test isn't enough to fix all my worries. I have found myself doubting a dcotors words or tests.. thinking they may have missed something, or i didn't tell them something the right way. I am working on myself, and fighting for myself every day, but like CPAP therapy, this will be a lifelong fight. I wish beyond wish i could kill the anxiety that cripples me some days; i wish i could be like people here and not overthink everything. My logic and smarts knows i am being silly, but sadly, this is not a condition easily beaten by logic.
This forum has been a huge help, and the treatment path everyone has me down has already improved my life. The quality of sleep, the daily improvements in energy and weight loss are literally turning my life around; hopefully before more significant damage is done. Coming out of my divorce, i feel some light at the end of this tunnel, that i might FINALLY get healthier again... and that i might be around long enough to dance at my daughters wedding... every daughter deserves that..
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
Don't take my comment wrong. We are there to support you, but I won't needlessly feed your fears, and neither should anyone else.
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
(02-16-2018, 09:14 AM)Sleeprider Wrote: Don't take my comment wrong. We are there to support you, but I won't needlessly feed your fears, and neither should anyone else.
I didn't take your comment wrong or hurtful at all. 
The best thing anyone can do for me is be straight and honest; if you see something, say something, and if you see nothing.. well, say that too.  I know i am at the worst when there is room left for doubt.. that's when the "what ifs" get me.
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
Your best move is to see a doctor, who will treat you overall, with weight and apnea. Your apnea has always been okay and cpap was working for you fine.
Forums really don't substitute for a doctor. Given you have bought a bpap, it is able to help support your breathing and the doctor will adjust it for you. The titration guide has some info on obesity in patient set up. The doctor will know if this is right for you and adjust it to suit.
https://www.scribd.com/document/35340282...-Titration
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
So, i am happy to announce that i managed to get over a great deal of my fear and worry today, and saw an urgent care doc to make sure i am really all right.
The last week has seen me fighting heartburn, with lots of burping and reflux. But the heartburn was persistent enough (and i have had it drilled into me enough how bad chest pain can be) that i said my life, and my daughter, are worth taking care of... my more hiding and worrying.
Mind you, i had a massive case of white coat syndrome.. my BP was off, and my heart was holding into the 100s. But i sat down with the doc, and really explained my worries and symptoms, and got checked out. And of course, because of the chest pain, they slapped an EKG on me to be sure. That was probably the most nervous i have been since my daughter being born.. i felt like i wanted to crawl out of my skin (and my 101 pulse shows that).
But the good news.. the doc was totally happy with both her exam (breath and heart sounds, and palpation) and the EKG, and told me not to worry. She gave me a copy of the printout for when i do get a GP here, and advise me on how to manage the reflux.
I know most people don't think like this.. but i am a unique case i guess. All i can say, is i am so thankful to have one less worry in life right now. My coworker's wife is an lpn, and he offered to have her give a second look just to be sure, so a bit more peace of mind (i worry over tiny minute things, like a absolutely not perfectly curved line)..
03-01-2018, 07:33 AM
(This post was last modified: 03-01-2018, 07:35 AM by Timur.)
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
Hi there Madcat207,
If at all possible please seek professional help to deal with your health anxiety.
If it continues unabated, health anxiety can truly suck every bit of joy from your life. I know this because for years I battled health anxiety (aka hypochondria as you stated in an earlier post) and it is not easy to overcome, but acknowledging it is a huge first step, as is seeking help.
I wish you all the best.
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
(03-01-2018, 07:33 AM)Timur Wrote: Hi there Madcat207,
If at all possible please seek professional help to deal with your health anxiety.
If it continues unabated, health anxiety can truly suck every bit of joy from your life. I know this because for years I battled health anxiety (aka hypochondria as you stated in an earlier post) and it is not easy to overcome, but acknowledging it is a huge first step, as is seeking help.
I wish you all the best.
I appreciate the support. I am really trying to work on it, and acknowledging the depth of my problem is a big part of it.
Sadly, it didn't take long for me to fall right back into my old habits when i was sitting there with the EKG printout; i was second guessing what the doc said, and trying to figure out if my chart matched the normal charts (oh what a mistake that was). My chart didn't look like so many others, and so i am fighting that idea that the doc is wrong, and maybe i didn't explain my symptoms right.... Its foolish I know, but the nature of my problem. I need to reinforce the idea that if the doc was concerned enough to screen me, she wouldn't let me go if she was concerned about the results.
I have been stressed like hell for the last two months (well, really probably more than that) with the worry i have given myself. I have random muscle twitches, and I am sure the stress is a direct cause of the reflux.
The irony (especially as it relates to this board)? While i still look at my data, i am not stressing over it like before. I am fighting mouth leaking (yay chin straps... ugh), but even than my AHI has been under 1.5 for the most part. I guess if its not one thing its another though.. sigh..
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
I don't believe I'm doing this.
I see similar issues in beer, yes I said beer. I teach a Beer Studies class for a hobby. Many in the class go on to become Beer Judges (I know, but someone has to do it) and we concentrate on beer styles (I serve about 200 different beers in class). The hardest thing to understand is that Beer Style Guidelines (compare to the reference EKG that you are referring too) are just that, guidelines. Variance is expected and not adhering precisely to the guidelines does not make it a bad beer, or out of style for that matter. What it does is make it an individual, a unique beer, just like each of us are individuals each being unique. Rarely is it that any of us exactly match the template that is the Medical Center Line of typical. There is no cookie cutter that we all fit into.
This is why we at the Apnea Forum treat everyone as individuals, each with their own variances, and help to solve issues and problems especially when you fall into the cookie cutter of modern medicine.
In my hobby we have a saying, "Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew"
it really applies to all things in life.
Fred
RE: Is this CSR? How much should i panic?
Madcat,
I am so familiar with what you describe, and think it might be a type of obsessive compulsive behaviour caused by anxiety.
I compare it to being infected with a virus that never quite goes away, but flares up intermittently. Unless someone has experienced health anxiety it is hard to understand how utterly overwhelming it can be, and as you say no amount of logic seems to help counter the irrational fear and anxiety.
You are still young (34) and I hope that you can treat it so that you enjoy many years ahead, and really live life to the full.
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