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NEWBIE Introduction! - OldGoat58 - 09-07-2020
I should state that I'm NEW to Apnea Board, but I am NOT new to sleep study, diagnosis and treatment. I had my first sleep study in 2005 and yielded an apnea score too low to treat according to the pulmonologist I went to. During a hospitalization in 2009 it was determined, via overnight oximetry, that 52% of the time my pulse oximetry was below 60, with occasional dips to below 50. Say hello to Mr. Oxygen Concentrator to be used at night to treat nocturnal hypoxia.
2011 brought a new pulmonologist that was in LOVE with a local hospital's Sleep Center, and HIMSELF. They presented me with a copy of the report that listed hypopnea as the main issue with my sleep. The Love Doctor took away my oxygen concentrator and hooked me up with a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, "CPAP" machine. After 6 months of fitful sleep, and a Durable Medical Equipment "DME" that was not interested in whether or not my mask was comfortable or not, I canned the LOVE doctor AND the DME and bought my own CPAP and mask that I liked. Sleep was better, but still fitful. 2013 was productive! I worked with a new pulmonologist and finally got them to take arterial blood gasses and that netted me an arterial oxygen of 58%. Hello supplemental oxygen, my old friend, it's good to have you again!
Fast forward to 2020. All new doctors, all new diagnoses and a new "DME". Besides emphysema and chronic bronchitis, I'm blessed with Atrial Fibrillation, "A-Fib", Congestive Heart Failure, "CHF", and you already knew about Obstructive Sleep Apnea, "OSA", but lets round out this alphabet soup with Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Neuropathy and Osteoarthritis in all major joints, some minor ones too and the hams that are pounding out this introduction. I also figured out that I have had dyslexia all my life so if you read something that I wrote and it seems to be missing key words, or some words are spelled backwards, they probably are.
I'm not here for sympathy, nor am I here as an authority on anything medically related. I have spent the past 15 years educating myself about MY diseases and learning the options that work for ME. I use CPAP therapy, with oxygen enrichment, at night and supplemental oxygen whenever I'm not sleeping. I will NOT post anything using acronyms unless I spell them out first, nor will I promote any manufacturer of any DME goods in an open forum. I, like everyone else, have opinions, and I have learned that everyone else has opinions, and sometimes opinions become reiterated as fact and that is when everyone looses.
OldGoat58 is my persona online but you can call me Mike. I would have said you can call me Al, but Paul Simon beat to the punch on that one. If you want my OPINION please send me a private message and I will be an open book that you'll wish you could close. I will be respectful to everyone because ALL LIVES MATTER and HATE is NOT A FAMILY VALUE!
Peace!
RE: NEWBIE Introduction! - OpalRose - 09-07-2020
Welcome to Apnea Board, OldGoat58!
RE: NEWBIE Introduction! - jaswilliams - 09-07-2020
Hi Mike welcome to AB hope you enjoy your time here