Yup, you guessed it. I have sleep apnea. I just got my sleep study done last night and for the first time in a long while, I feel rested this morning. At first I thought it didn't go so well seeing as that I have all that contraption on my face and head preventing me from getting actual sleep. I thought I never got a wink last night but as it turns out, the tech confirmed how loud I snored. I went in at 9:30 pm and out by 6 am. Now, just waiting 7-10 days to follow up with my physician regarding results and further intervention.
I'm a registered nurse so I'm pretty in-tuned about health related issues regarding this body of mine. I tend to diagnose myself and tell my doctor I need this referral or that referral. He usually just complies. This time around, I suspected OSA so I asked for the sleep study.
Anyway, I'm expecting a diagnosis of severe OSA. The thought of having to be put on a machine from this day on just to get a good night sleep really depresses me. But not more so than having to tell my girlfriend that she's going to have to tolerate sleeping with a scuba diver next to her from this moment on. How EMBARRASSING! I figure I'd have to eventually deal with this when I'm 65+ years old. But at 34?! Sheesh!
Seriously, I feel bad for her. Instead of rolling over in the middle of the night to kiss her man, she's going to freak out kissing someone who sounds like Darth Vader.
I'm putting myself on a strict diet and see if that helps out with things a little. But suffice is to say...this really REALLY sucks!
actually the thing blows, but what will disapoint your girlfriend is having her own sleep disrupted by your snoring night after night. Not to mention the effect sleep apnea has on a man's libido. You're a nurse, you should know those things. Think of it as a new and improved You. Good luck, Virginia
_________________ Resmed elite , 17, mirage quattro ff . 25 + years of untreated OSA
Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:03 pm
Mrs Rip Van Winkle Moderator
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Posts: 2436
Location: Nature Coast, Florida
Hey...she may have a secret fettish for Darth Baby!
Now to quote you and to comment:
Quote:
This time around, I suspected OSA so I asked for the sleep study.
Can you imagine those of us who do not have a medical background...and had to diagnose ourselves...then fight to get testing....or get phoo phoo'd by our Dr's because we can not pin point our complaint...other than "I am just so tired all the time".
I'm only 29 and my husband doesn't have a problem with it! As long as it makes me feel better, he's happy. I suspect your girlfriend will feel the same way!
_________________ Started CPAP 4/08, pressure 10
nights camping with CPAP: 11!
Yup, you guessed it. I have sleep apnea. I just got my sleep study done last night and for the first time in a long while, I feel rested this morning. At first I thought it didn't go so well seeing as that I have all that contraption on my face and head preventing me from getting actual sleep. I thought I never got a wink last night but as it turns out, the tech confirmed how loud I snored. I went in at 9:30 pm and out by 6 am. Now, just waiting 7-10 days to follow up with my physician regarding results and further intervention.
I'm a registered nurse so I'm pretty in-tuned about health related issues regarding this body of mine. I tend to diagnose myself and tell my doctor I need this referral or that referral. He usually just complies. This time around, I suspected OSA so I asked for the sleep study.
Anyway, I'm expecting a diagnosis of severe OSA. The thought of having to be put on a machine from this day on just to get a good night sleep really depresses me. But not more so than having to tell my girlfriend that she's going to have to tolerate sleeping with a scuba diver next to her from this moment on. How EMBARRASSING! I figure I'd have to eventually deal with this when I'm 65+ years old. But at 34?! Sheesh!
Seriously, I feel bad for her. Instead of rolling over in the middle of the night to kiss her man, she's going to freak out kissing someone who sounds like Darth Vader.
I'm putting myself on a strict diet and see if that helps out with things a little. But suffice is to say...this really REALLY sucks!
Why severe apnoea ? One can have mild or moderate apnoea and be very symptomatic.
Embarrassment is in the eye of the beholder.........I can guarantee you that she will be a lot happier with a quiet darth vader, who has loads of energy, will probably be a lot more interesting and active and doesn't snore at 80/90+ decibels throughout the night........ really no contest.
I was diagnosed at 38........I am so sorry that I wasn't diagnosed at 33/35, because I had OSA then and through lack of treatment therapy with cpap I developed cardiac problems and was probably heading for a stroke, if I didn't become compliant with cpap. OSA is not just about snoring and wearing a mask. It is a silent killer if left untreated.
It does suck, finding out that there is something wrong with you at age 34.............it is great that this early diagnosis, followed by compliant use of cpap will actually extend your life and will certainly improve the quality of it.
Accept your situation, get it treated and enjoy your life.
Best of luck.
Daniel.
_________________ The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!
Hello Snore! - Since you are a nurse, you certainly have had an opportunity to work with patients who have had strokes. I was embarrassed initally too but when my doc told me that my blood pressure of 210/120 was a sign that I was a walking/talking stroke waiting to happen, I lost the embarassment very quickly. I would rather wear a mask each night and keep my nice new blood pressure than not wear it and risk being impaired or dead due to a stroke.
Do some more homework about the long-lasting physical effects that apnea has on your body and then weigh each one against wearing a mask. I'll bet the mask wins every time. It's really a matter of perception.
Plus, once you start feeling the beneficial effects of CPAP, you will fight off anyone who tries to keep you from your mask at night.
Hope all goes well with you and you find a way to accept CPAP into your life.
Tue Jul 08, 2008 7:51 pm
CrohnieToo
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 3661
Location: Michigan
Hey, guess what, Snore? These CPAPs have an On "and" an Off button. Yeah, they do! Wanna snuggle and cuddle and "pitch some woo"? Those masks can come off in a hurry and that Off button is handy. Don't be sweating the small stuff! Just because you're climbing in bed doesn't mean that its time for mask and CPAP. Snuggling, cuddling and "pitching woo" has priority. The CPAP and mask can be donned after "play time". And w/a few nights of some true sleep, restful, restorative sleep, "Peter" is most likely gonna be a lot more interested and willing and playful that he was when you were so tired and dragged out.
_________________ 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.
My girlfriend is so much happier that I use a CPAP now. She couldn't fall asleep before - not because I snored, but because I stopped snoring. That was very disconcerting for her and now that she knows I sleep better, she is happy.
Also, I apparently am not so irritable anymore (didn't realize I was that bad) and I don't bite her head off at the drop of a hat.
I will be honest: It bums me out a little when I can't cuddle up to my girl as easily at night because of my mask. I can't roll over and kiss her while I'm still half asleep. The WORST thing is I can't spray her cats with water as easily when they meow loudly at 3:00 AM. Damn cats.
Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:29 pm
Mrs Rip Van Winkle Moderator
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Posts: 2436
Location: Nature Coast, Florida
I can't believe Crohie said "Pitching Woo", too funny.
You ought to hear me and my bipap, the sound changes making it sound more like Darth Vader. I rather be Darth Vader and live longer. The new improved you will be worth the mask.
_________________ Respironics M Series BiPAP Plus with BiFlex, Heated Humidifier
Resmed Ultra Mirage II Nasal Mask with Headgear
Pressure @ 6/11
I know others have already said to not feel bad about the cpap... But coming from a newly married (2 years - well I guess not newly) 25 year old and a 25 year old husband with recently diagnosed severe apnea I can understand why you'd feel the way you do. He's depressed about the possibility of being hooked to a machine for the rest of his life and I'm sure embarrassed too even though I could care less. Let me explain why I like the cpap...
Unfortunatly for my situation my husband that I have know for 10 years (we're high school sweethearts) had/has turned into the polar opposite of who he used to be. No loving affection, "Pitching Woo" got less and less and has now dwindled down to once a month if I'm lucky, he didn't want to go and do anything and wanted less and less contact with others. Before we found out that he had severe apnea, we were very close to parting because we were fighting all the time. I KNEW something wasn't right and it didn't have to do with our marriage. Once he was diagnosed the dynamics in our marriage changed quite a bit mainly from me because I finally knew what the issue was. I was being blamed for everything and in all reality it was affects of the apnea that were causing a lot of the issues because we didn't know and I didn't understand why he was acting so different... To this day we're still working out the kinks with his machine and having him keep the mask on, thus I am still living with an irritable sometimes irrational man that looks like my husband and my best friend but sure as heck doesn't treat me the way I used to be. (Nor how I should be treated)
I see the cpap as a good thing. I don't have to sleep on the couch, I know that when he has it on he doesn't struggle to breathe so I can get better sleep and that there is a possibility that in the morning I will wake up to a nicer person. His symptoms got really bad though before he finally did something about it. Had he taken care of this sooner like he was supposed to and urged by the Dr I'm sure he'd be farther along by now... But what are ya gonna do right? So yeah for me I welcomed the cpap because it brings hope of returning my husband back to the man I married and the person I fell in love with. I didn't get much cuddling before he got the cpap because he was such a jerk so that is something that hopefully will return along with his libido and once good natured personality. I'd much rather have the mask and machine than a gasping chain saw in bed
Good luck to you and your gf. I think she'll be pretty understanding though. Most of us are.
Snore is it really your girl friend that you feel sorry for, or is it you that is going to miss rolling over and giving her the kisses in the night Come on Fess-Up Who's kidding who! Welcome aboard! It really isn't that bad being a Hose Head! Just tell yourself what you would your patients and then do what you would expect your patients to do and you will be fine with it! ( I know with Doctors and Nurses it is do as I say not as I do! I am with you on that, but not this time, it can't work that way!) Anyway do you work in a hospital setting and do you have a speciality? Glad to see another nurse on board the CPAP adventure! Keep us posted on your progress! Good Luck to You !
_________________ White Beard with a White Beard
Resmed VPAP Adapt SV Enhanced, HumidAire 2i, ResLink with Model 8000 Flex sensor Pulse Oximeter, and ResScan 3.5 software. Respironic EverFlo OPI Oxygen Concentrator 3 lpm
EEP 9.0, min PS 6.0, max PS 16.0
The time now is Thu Jan 08, 2009 10:25 pm | All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
The information provided on this site is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.
You should not use this information on this web site or the information on links from this site to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider.
So yeah for me I welcomed the cpap because it brings hope of returning my husband back to the man I married and the person I fell in love with. I didn't get much cuddling before he got the cpap because he was such a jerk so that is something that hopefully will return along with his libido and once good natured personality. I'd much rather have the mask and machine than a gasping chain saw in bed 