First post..looking for people who share similar symptoms

[mzdawn74]

Hello all!

I am new here to this website. I came here looking for advice and I guess some assurance. I was just recently diagnosed with OSA. My AHI is 10.5, REM AHI 34, and O2 destat 82%. I am 40 years old, female, and about 100 lbs overweight. Over the last few years I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression due to the symptoms I have listed below. I have tried numerous medications, all of which did absolutely nothing for my symptoms. I have all along felt that there was something else medically causing me this distress.

My current symptoms are as follows:
-Memory problems-names, places I've gone, what I've done these things I can't recall at times. Things(routines) I used to do on a normal basis I can't automatically recall how to do it. I literally have to think things out. I have a hard time reading (sometimes I look at words and can't read it. Spelling words is very difficult! Texting and typing is a task in itself due to not remembering where the keys are)
-Concentration is diminished- it is hard to follow movies and television show plots. This also happens during conversations. Reading a page in a book takes numerous attempts and even then I still sometimes don't grasp the concept.
-Word recall- My vocabulary has been reduced to nothing! Sometimes it will take me minutes to think of the word I want to use. So I am mainly using simple words now. While having conversations I will make many mistakes using incorrect grammar and words.
-Constant observation and critique of every little mistake I make.
-Wake up often feeling like I can't breath, heart racing, sweating, and confused.
-Very bizarre and unusual dreams which make no sense.
-Waking up feeling like I haven't even slept
-Low energy
-Lack of motivation
-Frequent wakings through out night
-Hard to fall back asleep at times

I am at my wits end! I have had numerous tests for every possible disease there is to cause the symptoms I'm having, and all the doctors can come up with is depression and anxiety. I have through out these past years always felt that it was something much more than than this.

So, when I finally met with a neurologist who specializes in sleep medicine, and he suggested I be tested for sleep apnea, I was kind of hopeful that someone else saw that there was something else going on. Now that I've been found to have sleep apnea I am hoping that by treating it some of these symptoms will improve.

I just received my cpap machine last Monday 6/29, but have been unable to use it due to issues of nasal congestion. I am exchanging the nasal pillows tomorrow for a full face mask, which I hope helps get me to the road to recovery.

I would really appreciate anyone sharing their symptoms, any advice, or suggestions you might have which could be beneficial to me. Thank you in advance!

[Tez62]

Welcome mzdawn74 all those and more, the good news is mine all started to disappear once I started CPAP, we are all different so what works for one person may or may not work for another but the majority of people on here have positive results. A few things, be positive about CPAP not negative, it's not easy but well worth it and ask as many questions as you want. Could I suggest you not use mauve font it is a bit hard to read

[Hussy]

Hi and Welcome. I am also a newbie having only been using my cpap a couple of months. I have the same set up as you with a pressure of 6. It took me awhile to get used to the pillows but now find it easy to sleep on my side with them on. Although I have padded the sides with old fashioned sponge hairrollers

[mzdawn74]

Welcome mzdawn74 all those and more, the good news is mine all started to disappear once I started CPAP, we are all different so what works for one person may or may not work for another but the majority of people on here have positive results. A few things, be positive about CPAP not negative, it's not easy but well worth it and ask as many questions as you want. Could I suggest you not use mauve font it is a bit hard to read

Thanks for the warm welcome! No problem regarding the mauve font..sorry! I hope I too can share some of your success with cpap!

---

Hi and Welcome. I am also a newbie having only been using my cpap a couple of months. I have the same set up as you with a pressure of 6. It took me awhile to get used to the pillows but now find it easy to sleep on my side with them on. Although I have padded the sides with old fashioned sponge hairrollers

That's great the pillows are working for you. Unfortunately they are not a good match for me..so on to the many other choices! Good luck with your treatment.

[Mosquitobait]

MzDawn, welcome to the board. There is a good chance that cpap may help your issues. However, if it doesn't, the doctor you should be seeing is a neurologist. I had all your symptoms at age 38 (although only 50 pounds overweight). I was written off as a hypochondriac or told to see a shrink. You cannot make this stuff up. See a neurologist and if that one won't help see another. People don't just start having short term memory issues at your age for nothing.

[Ailu]

You sound like you are seriously deficient in B Vitamins, especialy Thiamine. This can esp. happen if you've been taking any heart medication that is a diuretic. Your symptoms are textbook. The reason I know this is because my Mom had the same symptoms as you and within days of taking Bs she was back to her old spit-fire self. Also, this can sometimes be due to a very slow heartrate, so you might want to have that checked out as well.

[nativedancer]

apnea treatment may not resolve your every problem, but it may work some small miracles that will surprise, if not astonish you. You may even lose some weight. Your O2 number is a big caution flag, though, and you may need supplemental O2. Good luck with the therapy.

[trish6hundred]

Hi mzdawn74,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I know CPAP can take some getting used to, and it mey take a while before you notice improvements, but it does get better, so don't give up.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and much success to you with your CPAP therapy.

[eseedhouse]

I'd like to answer you but you posted in a format which I cannot read. Try using the site's default settings and forget about the fancy fonts and ultra low contrast colours.

[quiescence at last]

Welcome, mzdawn74.

even the anger and depression themselves are considered symptoms of apnea. you need to realize that the brain does not function correctly without the proper sleep.

right now, you say you cannot use the pillows because of congestion. So, go ahead and use the full face mask and decongestants etc. In a few days to a week, you'll be breathing through your nose some of the time during sleep. In a few weeks you might find yourself breathing through your nose during the day!

I think I noticed anger, anxiety, waking feeling as if I didn't sleep and confusion all diminished in the first week. Energy and waking feeling truly rested came in the second or third week. Truly coherent thinking popped in about the second week.

right from the start, you should not have to take potty breaks, usually decreases to one or zero breaks. some of us continue to wake multiple times throughout the night - I do still after 8 months.

QAL