Is there anyone here who doesn't care?

[nightflight]

I mean, the threat of dying from sleep apnea. I read, people tell me that its a dangerous condition, you can die from it, yada, yada.

Is dying from it really better than living with it?

[zonk]

Is dying from it really better than living with it?

Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes
I have to die from something but don,t think sleep apnea is high on the list
I do not spend time thinking about dying. When time is due, he knows where to find me

[DeepBreathing]

Yeah you can die from it, but you've got to die from something. I think it's all the associated conditions that are of real concern - including the possibility of falling asleep at the wheel and killing innocent others. In my case it's been much better to get apnea under control and my quality of life has improved. It's worth the effort for me - YMMV.

[justMongo]

Living as a "hosehead" really isn't that great a problem.
It's a manageable condition.
There are people much worse off than OSA.
Even on this forum there are people dealing with multiple health issues that get up every day and deal with them.

Count your blessings... you live in a quasi free society because men and women of Honor have given their young lives to keep you free.
You could be living in an oppressive dictatorship; or in a region of the the world where life expectancy due to disease is very short.

It is the Soldier, not the press, that has given us
freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet, who has given us
freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us
the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us
the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

[JimZZZ]

IIs dying from it really better than living with it?

Living with apnea is easy. With the technology and support available to us, we have only minor discomfort in living a normal life. There are a myriad of painful, debilitating medical conditions that have no such remedy. To those this question could be seriously addressed. Hopefully, anyone who really believes apnea is a death sentence, will reconsider this belief by comparing their plight to other less fortunate folks.

[Moriarty]

Is dying from it really better than living with it?

I am somewhat cynical about the industry that has grown up around sleep apnea but.......

...understanding the condition, learning to manage my own machine, and embracing the treatment has given me a much, much, better life...

I am spending less time asleep but sleeping better.
I am not falling asleep whole working, reading, watching TV or - and more importantly - while driving.

[surferdude2]

I was very cynical when I first considered accepting treatment for my apnea. I have since found that I am extremely fortunate to live in a time when there is a device that can treat this terrible condition that steals my energy and takes away one of the important parts of a healthy life, a good night's sleep.

I am further amazed that a machine that is only connected to me via an air hose can glean so much data about me as to prove that I can and am being helped by using it. In my parents and grandparents day, they had to tough it out by either sleeping in a chair or just getting by with less nightly sleep and taking a nap in the afternoon. I think that is why my grandpa was so grouchy most of the time.

We are luck to have this treatment available and should not hesitate to give it every chance to help us even though it does impose a burden of its own. The trade-off is well worth it in my opinion.

Sleep apnea isn't a terminal condition but it can accelerate other conditions that you have a propensity for. I suffer from the early stage of emphysema and CPAP is helping me breathe better at night and it may be my imagination but I think it has made a difference in my day time lung efficiency.

[eviltim]

Much like people who smoke or eat too much or whatever, I doubt they are not afraid of death, simply not ready to take the steps to ensure that they can keep living, and -- this is extremely underrated -- keep living well. With the wonders of modern medicine, you can probably live to 65+ no matter what you do. The question is whether you'll want to or not.

[surferdude2]

With the wonders of modern medicine, you can probably live to 65+ no matter what you do. The question is whether you'll want to or not.

Those who are 64 would most likely want to. :grin:

That reminds me of what my cardiologist told me once. He said the biggest problem with the health industry was that "People are trying to live too long."

[Terry]

I mean, the threat of dying from sleep apnea. I read, people tell me that its a dangerous condition, you can die from it, yada, yada.

Is dying from it really better than living with it?

Dying from it is quite a bit worse than living with it.

Once you get everything all figured out, "living with it" just means that you stick a hose on your face when you sleep, in exchange for a long life and feeling pretty good in the morning.

It's not really a big deal.