I called to schedule my stress test today, because my cardiologist thinks my heart is causing my centrals. They put me in for tomorrow morning! Now I'm scared to death! All the what ifs keep popping into my head. What if I have some real damage from all those years of being untreated? What if they say, "Don't bother with cpap, your heart is too gone"? What if I just feel too !@#! to do the test? I mean, I'm so tired now I can barely walk from point A to point B without getting woozy. What if I pass out on the treadmill? I mentally argue against all these thoughts when they pop up, but I'm still scared!

I kinow you're scared.  They will be watching you very carefully during the test.  They will stop it if they see something indicating urgency.  Tell them how you are feeling at the time and ask if it is safe for you to do the test...I'm sure they have been asked that before.  Ask about doing an ecfhocardiagram.  Ask whether they will be using an oxometer to measure for desats.

I think it is exciting that you get to find some answers.  I have been reading and have found that cpap is actually recommended to treat heard disease when there is also apnea present, because improving the apnea improves the heart.  They just might want to add some meds if they find a problem.

Don't you dare cancel the appt!! You go girl, and you will be glad you are on your way to getting some help....one step at a time.  Don't forget, they may actually rule OUT  heart problems, you never know till you check it out.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy & peace as you trust in Him."  Rom. 15:13
Take a nice bath and try to get some sleep.

I won't cancel, believe me. I've had to do scarier things recently, like standing up to my boss! I think I read somewhere that heart disease makes SA worse and vice versa. So if I get them both treated I should be good to go! I'm going to tell them right up front that I'm scared. I'm sure that's common. Besides, if there is something wrong, they can treat just about anything now, right?

MrsBaddawg,

When you have your stress test you will be in the best place you can possibly be if there ever were to be any problems.  The test isn't as bad, or as big a deal, as you think.  I've had stress tests and they don't make you go until you drop.  They are not going to have you pass out on the treadmill.  You are not going to be expected to do more than you are capable of doing.  Really, it is just walking on a treadmill, your sleep study was probably more traumatic.

They will never tell you your heart is too far gone a CPAP would not be helpful.  Read Harley's story and it should make you feel better.  You may not even have heart problems.  I have heart arrhythmias (Harley's were life threatening, mine aren't) when I am not using my CPAP and it keeps them from happening.

Relax and just walk and let the medical folks do all of the hard work.  Vicki

Personal Stories


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That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

THEY cancelled it! Something about their computers. I'm trying to reschedule soon. I read all of the personal stories, and I can't believe how much they sound like mine! I have chest pains periodically, especially when I'm trying to be really active. Headaches, accompanying "swimming" of my head and dizziness. I can really relate to Vicki's "magnet". No matter how much I want and try to stay up, my head gets pulled down. I feel like I'm going to crazy (my PCP sure thinks so). I'm afraid to go to sleep, yet I feel so lousy when I'm awake I can't wait to get to sleep. Tick-tock, tick-tock, how soon's the 30th? LOL

Bummer, MrsBD. Sorry to hear that. How come the further past 30 you get the FASTER time flies - UNTIL - you have a test or a surgery or some such scheduled - then time crawls slower than molasses in January? *sigh*


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Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.