Recently started APAP, best decision for my health I've ever made.
I'm 45 and looking back I estimate I've had sleep apnea for close to 20 years. I knew I snored and always woke up tired but I just blew it off as normal aging and no big deal.
In the last couple years my blood pressure was going up. (165/112) I blew it off for a while but decided it wasn't going to go back down on its own so I went to see my Dr. and he suggested blood pressure medicine. In the days leading up to the appointment I read about how sleep apnea could be a cause for hypertension so I asked if I should get a sleep study first to see if that was a possible cause.
I had the sleep study, 2 of them actually because I literally didn't sleep a wink during the first one. The 2nd sleep study I managed to sleep enough to get a diagnosis of 47 AHI with O2 level dropping down to 79% at times. I was also told I didn't achieve REM sleep during the study so my numbers were likely to be worse than 47.
Now that I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, it had my attention. I realized it was like someone was holding a pillow over my face and suffocating me hundreds of times a night, depriving my brain of oxygen and restorative sleep.
So, I decided to do all of the research I could before my DME got ahold of me. I was surprised to learn about the wide range of health issues sleep apnea could possibly affect/cause. I realized a lot of them I had. High blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, memory loss, brain fog, lack of focus, anxiety, irritability, and always tired.
I was excited to start therapy to see if CPAP would help some of the symptoms I was having so I did my homework by searching forums like this one. I learned that I should insist from my DME to give me a data capable APAP rather than a brick CPAP machine. I learned all I could about clinical menus & preferred ranges to set it around my titrated pressure. I learned about the different types of apneas, ramps, EPR, humidity, masks, and how to use Sleepyhead software.
I think because I was so well informed on what to do and what to expect, I had immediate results that I can only describe as AMAZING!!It's been around one month since I started using my APAP & my AHI averages around 1! My blood pressure is down to around 118/82 regularly! I literally feel 20 years younger. I wake up on most days raring to go! I've noticed my brain fog has lifted, my focus is sharper, and I'm remembering things a lot better. My patience is better too. The world just seems brighter. My golf game is getting better too but that may or may not be related.
I had forgotten what it felt like to get restorative sleep. It makes everything else easier.
Knowing what I know now and how great I feel it upsets me that I didn't fix this years ago. I made life harder on myself for years, needlessly. Oh well better late than never right?
Anyways, I just wanted to thank the forum for helping me take right to this and for helping me get immediate results.
In the last couple years my blood pressure was going up. (165/112) I blew it off for a while but decided it wasn't going to go back down on its own so I went to see my Dr. and he suggested blood pressure medicine. In the days leading up to the appointment I read about how sleep apnea could be a cause for hypertension so I asked if I should get a sleep study first to see if that was a possible cause.
I had the sleep study, 2 of them actually because I literally didn't sleep a wink during the first one. The 2nd sleep study I managed to sleep enough to get a diagnosis of 47 AHI with O2 level dropping down to 79% at times. I was also told I didn't achieve REM sleep during the study so my numbers were likely to be worse than 47.
Now that I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, it had my attention. I realized it was like someone was holding a pillow over my face and suffocating me hundreds of times a night, depriving my brain of oxygen and restorative sleep.
So, I decided to do all of the research I could before my DME got ahold of me. I was surprised to learn about the wide range of health issues sleep apnea could possibly affect/cause. I realized a lot of them I had. High blood pressure, heart arrhythmias, memory loss, brain fog, lack of focus, anxiety, irritability, and always tired.
I was excited to start therapy to see if CPAP would help some of the symptoms I was having so I did my homework by searching forums like this one. I learned that I should insist from my DME to give me a data capable APAP rather than a brick CPAP machine. I learned all I could about clinical menus & preferred ranges to set it around my titrated pressure. I learned about the different types of apneas, ramps, EPR, humidity, masks, and how to use Sleepyhead software.
I think because I was so well informed on what to do and what to expect, I had immediate results that I can only describe as AMAZING!!It's been around one month since I started using my APAP & my AHI averages around 1! My blood pressure is down to around 118/82 regularly! I literally feel 20 years younger. I wake up on most days raring to go! I've noticed my brain fog has lifted, my focus is sharper, and I'm remembering things a lot better. My patience is better too. The world just seems brighter. My golf game is getting better too but that may or may not be related.
I had forgotten what it felt like to get restorative sleep. It makes everything else easier.
Knowing what I know now and how great I feel it upsets me that I didn't fix this years ago. I made life harder on myself for years, needlessly. Oh well better late than never right?
Anyways, I just wanted to thank the forum for helping me take right to this and for helping me get immediate results.
