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Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Glad things are working out for you.  I have been on CPAP since 1998 and have had very few problems and get good sleep.  The other benefit is it stopped the obnoxious snoring and now the wife gets to sleep also. Smile
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I'm still sleeping on the sofa....
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Barbara, as far as I know you have never let us work on a solution with OSCAR charts. Your last therapy thread beck in April discussed that you had the program installed. Maybe it's time to take your therapy to the next level. Start a new thread or use your last one and let's go!
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

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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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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Just starting my journey, looking forward to finally getting some restful sleep!
I started treatment last week. Still not able to sleep through the night, but progress is being made I think!
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
I am a 72 year old male in good health, and I thought, good shape.  I always discounted the idea that for my height and build, I should weigh 178 lbs.  I have basically weighed 189 to 194 for a couple decades, during which I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I used a CPAP machine for about 10 years.  I adjusted well to it’s use.  It was great and served its purpose, but always a big inconvenience to haul around on trips and clean and wear every night, etc.  In any case, about three years ago I had a colonoscopy, the preparation for which caused me to partially fast.  I continued to partially fast for about two months and reduced my weight to 174, at which point the sleep apnea went away!!  Both at my initial diagnosis and when I thought I may no longer have sleep apnea, I was properly examined with a sleep study.  Had I known that “simply“ losing 15-20 pounds would cure my apnea, believe me, I would have done that much earlier!!  More over, knowing that it may well come back, if the weight comes back, it is an incredible incentive to keep that weight off!
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
aromas, glad losing weight worked for you!   It works for some folks who have sleep apnea, but not everyone.  But in any case, losing the weight is definitely a good thing and I'm glad it helped your sleep apnea as a bonus!

You did it correctly and got a second sleep study to confirm that the apneas were gone before you got off the CPAP machine.  Some people falsely assume that they no longer need a CPAP once they lose weight, which may (or may not) be the case.  Many times after losing weight, the machine is still needed, but perhaps at lower pressure settings.

Thanks for posting!

Coffee
SuperSleeper
Apnea Board Administrator
www.ApneaBoard.com


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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Cool 
CPAP Free!
CPAP Free!

It was a long journey!

I remember back, when my journey 1st started.


I had broken my nose when I was in STD 1 / Grade 3. My nose had developed a very bad deviated septum, and it was block on both sides, one at the top left, the other the bottom right. 
Even thought I had my nose fixed in theatre, when I grew up, the inside grew skew.
So, I was a mouth breather. And I could never do any crazy physical activity, and ended up with asma.

At the age of 30, I was always tired. I had sleep apnea, and always snored. (not good for a newly married couple, my wife used to get scared when I stopped breathing for long periods at night.)
I had no energy, and always had naps during the day.
And then the scary thing happened.
I started dozing off while driving, even in the morning, after waking up not 20 minutes before.
This is when I realised there was something very wrong.

I ended up going to my doc, and being referred to a sleep clinic, that tested me while I slept over that night.
I was shocked to find my results.
My O2 saturation dropped to 40% at night, and I would stop breathing every 2 or so minutes for up to a minute at a time, sometimes longer.
The ENT was surprised and said I was one of the worst cases he had ever seen... This scared me.

My doc ended up operating on me, and did a rhinoplasty, to straighten my nose, and then I went onto my CPAP.
It was life changing, I could breath at night, I woke up refreshed, and I wasn't tired anymore!

I spent about 4 years on my CPAP, and then ended up moving from JHB to CT.
(even forgot it on the plane the one time, that is another story)
A year after being in CT, I went to another ENT, as I wanted to get my tonsils out, yes I still had my tonsils.
After a long talk to the new ENT, and a very expensive CT scan, he had some good news for me.
He thought he could help my sleep apnea. 

The operation ended up being the removal of my tonsils, my uvula, and the trimming of the turbinates in my nose. 
And I have not been on my CPAP for over a year!

A little advice to everyone:
Don't give up!
There is a solution that may help you. 
And if you do have your uvula removed, it is the most painful post opp pain ever!
but 2 weeks later, and the pain is gone.
also, learning to swallow again without the water / food going up your nose is fun for the 1st few weeks. lol.
Also, the cleaner air in CT does help a lot. My allergies are almost completely gone.

I know your pain, and your suffering. 
Both for you and your spouse.
Don't give up. 
There is always a solution.
I hope my story can give you hope.

I must say, without being on my CPAP for those few years, I wouldn't be here today. 
It saved my life.
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RE: CPAP Free!
(09-05-2020, 02:42 PM)Azrael Wrote: CPAP Free!
...
What's JHB and CT?
sm
There is no one more concerned about your health than you.
 Banana
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
Hello all!  Very happy to find this forum.

I've had sleep apnea since I was in high school.  Really appreciate my first sleep doctor here in Seattle, who told me (someone with a high BMI and who often gets profiled by doctors because of it) "they say that sleep apnea gets better if you lose weight, but I've seen a lot of people have severe sleep apnea even after they lose a lot of weight."

And I did (do) have severe sleep apnea!  AHI of 125 when I did my sleep study - yowch!  Very very happy that I finally decided (at age 30) to get a study and get a CPAP.  I've been lucky in that regard.  My Resmed Airsense 10 is wonderful, and my life is completely different.  No more 11+ hour nights of "sleep" - I'm good at 7.5 hours most nights now.  I've barely had to replace any of my equipment as well, but for a while my insurance was sending me replacements regularly, so I have a little stockpile of equipment.  Oh, and my AHI is now at an average of 0.7!  I'm thrilled!

Since receiving treatment, I've been able to begin my career as a high school teacher, and build a wonderful relationship with a person who I love immensely.  Though when we started dating, before my treatment, I fell asleep whenever we tried to watch a movie together!

Now we're trying to get into camping, and I'm looking for an affordable battery for my CPAP.  Check out a new thread a started if you'd like to help me in that part of my journey!

Much thanks and well wishes to everyone here.
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RE: Your Personal CPAP Success Story - Post Here
(09-06-2020, 12:23 AM)wordsandsigns Wrote: And I did (do) have severe sleep apnea!  AHI of 125 when I did my sleep study - yowch!

Oooook, so I exaggerated.  looking back at my sleep report my AHI was 103.2.  Still quite high though!
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