New guy with old problems sleeping
For the longest time I have had problems sleeping more than 6 hours every night. I'm tired during the day. And unless I'm engaged at work doing something. I get really sleepy. I drive truck for a living. I just got screened for a driving job and was told I need a sleep study because of my neck size and BMI. I'm a bit afraid. But the more I look into this, the more I'm thinking if I do have sleep apnea....maybe this machine will help me get the rest I need. I take ambien from time to time but I don't like it. It leaves me with a headache in the morning and if I take one pill, I will wake up at exactly 5 hours from the time I take it and go to bed. So I'm better off not taking it. The wife says I do snore. After years of being a Pepsi Delivery man. I would wake up at 3 am to be at work at 4 in order to be at my first grocery store at 5 am sharp. And after picking up my kids I would take a nap when I got home for about 2 hours and this is how my life was for the better part of 16 years. I slept in two shifts. 6 hours at night and 2 hours in the afternoon. Its rare I get a good nights sleep. Do I have anything to fear using this CPAP machine? I know I have to have one with a storage card so that my future employer sees that I am using it one I have been diagnosed . I have yet to have my sleep test. So I'm curious how that will play out. I have 30 years driving trucks with no accidents and no tickets on my MVR. So if I do have sleep apnea.....maybe its not too bad? I don't know. Can some of you tell me how having CPAP has impacted your life? Any truck drivers here in the same boat? I still have about 10 more years before hanging it up for good. I know the DOT means well but dang! No wonder why nobody wants to do trucking anymore.
RE: New guy with old problems sleeping
Welcome. And good job finding this forum as well as tacking active steps to better your own health! There is lots of good information if you poke about and do some reading. I recommend you do as much reading to educate yourself on this topic as you can. There is a ton of good information on this forum and in my opinion, after searching around I have found that it is the best forum for Sleep Apnea. For all the right reasons.
But let me re-assure you. Getting checked out for sleep apnea with the symptoms you are describing is a good thing. Many people here will tell you how much this small machine has improved their lives and their health. Read some of the testimonials. Sleep Apnea causes havoc to your body and for many will cause an early death.
I know speaking for myself, it made a drastic difference in my life and now I would not sleep without my CPAP machine. I even have a backup battery system for power outages or camping trips. It really wasn't all that hard to get used to and with the help of the kind people here on this forum you will get the assistance you need for your treatment to be effective AND comfortable.
Make sure the machine they give you is data capable. Again, I can't re-iterate this enough. Do as much reading as you can to educate yourself. If you don't look after yourself, then who will?
RE: New guy with old problems sleeping
Hi Hardcorediver44,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I know this can be scary but, there’s nothing to be scared of. Sure, there will be some adjusting, but just keep checking back here on the forum, and we’ll help you through it.
Hang in there for more responses to your post and good luck to you as you start your CPAP journey.
trish6hundred
RE: New guy with old problems sleeping
Welcome Hardcorediver44,
I am a fairly new member to this board myself (3 months) and am still struggling with my own sleep / cpap therapy. It has been a tough road for me. That being said, I would strongly reiterate what Trish above said. I struggled for about a month on my own and was feeling pretty bummed about my prospects with getting decent sleep ever again. Then I found this board. There are a lot of great people here who will help you find solutions and will help you tweak your own therapy.
I would specifically suggest that you read a few of the success stories on the success story thread. There are some great inspirations there. I would also encourage you to use this forum and not be shy to post questions. There are some very knowledgeable folks here who most likely can help you out.
Good Luck with the sleep study.
RE: New guy with old problems sleeping
Welcome Hardcorediver44,
Congratulations on finding this forum when you did. I was many years using CPAP before finding the forum. Believe me it has made a big difference with my treatment. I say ditto to the replies you already have received. A couple of reminders, when you have your sleep study be sure and get a copy of the complete report. You will most likely need to request it, they usually do not offer. Also, if and when CPAP/XPAP is prescribed be sure and get a copy of the RX. Hang on to both of these documents.
As said in the earlier replies; read, read and read, research, research and research. Spend lots of time on this forum and some time with other on-line resources. Ask questions and post your progress on the forum. It will pay off. I wish you good luck but luck usually does not get you very far with something like this. Be persistent and proactive, it's important to you and your family.
Stan
RE: New guy with old problems sleeping
RE: New guy with old problems sleeping
hardcorediver44,
In your reading and research, especially on this forum, think in terms of soaking up as much information as you can about the CPAP/XPAP machine you will ultimately be using. Hopefully you will end up with either a Resmed or a Phillips Resporonics that is fully data capable whether it be CPAP, APAP or other as prescribed after a sleep study. You should steer away from other brands, I ended up with a brick of a machine by another manufacturer. I ultimately purchased, out of pocket, my current machine, an expense I probably could have avoided had I been armed with enough knowledge. Hang in there and keep us posted.
Stan
