(12-15-2015, 12:05 PM)Mark Douglas Wrote: Mark I can relate.
I retired early at 55 at considerable loss of income. I was 62 when I started cpap. I was later fifties when I was diagnosed but I was malignant-stubborn and wouldn't accept that I needed it. Boy do I feel dumb! I know in retrospect I deteriorated a lot in the last few years but slowly getting better. I have no experience with Ambien but it's well known as we age our ability to make melatonin decreases so I use liquid melatonin when I am not sleepy at bed time. I swish it around hoping I will absorb some of it sub-lingually and I generally go right to sleep. I also will be getting the blue filtering glasses and I turn all electronics off well before bed time which helps a great deal. I also after about 8 mos still struggle with mouth leaks. Chipmunk cheeks and motorboat mouth.
I self pay and self manage with the help of the good people here and because of all the DME/sleep doc horror stories. I can set it anyway I choose and don't need no stinkin compliance badge. I have more money in useless masks than my machine so currently I am taping my mouth shut and using a chinstrap with a nasal mask. PITA but it is what works. I don't use the top of the chinstrap just velcro it to my Wisp nasal mask. One less PITA that way. I will try a RespCare Hybrid Full Face on recommendation after Christmas. Eventually if nothing else I will figure out how to make my own blankety blank mask/gasket and no doubt sleep better.
Just do not give up. My mind is getting noticeably better and I have lost a lot of weight ta boot. Currently I have my machine set on fixed bilevel and doing quite well just sick of the PITA mask routine. I did try a sleepdoc to see if he had an answer to the mouth leak problem and his answer was lower the pressure. Well duh! Set it at zero and it won't leak at all. I did out of respect for his years try it his way. I do not see him anymore

(12-15-2015, 01:05 PM)Sleeprider Wrote: Mark, your leak rate is improving a lot. It's just a matter of time until your sleep becomes more restful. Lots of RERA events still, and it's hard to know what those are all about, but I know when mine are over 1.0, it's been a bad night.

As long as you're doing bloodwork, have you checked your T?

(12-15-2015, 12:30 PM)GTOdude Wrote: ...................I think I have had this condition for over 20 years at least. ..............

(12-12-2015, 02:32 PM)GTOdude Wrote: Have had OSA for many years I would recollect. Now I got all sorts of medical issues and Im realizing OSA is the cause. I feel like a zombie and canst sleep, remember anything, short of breath, zero energy heart condition.. Im finally getting serious about dealing with it but am worried it may be too late for me to turn it around (I'm 66). I had a sleep study which showed my AHI of 36 and O2 desats to 84%. It really wasnt a good study cuz I was on CPAP there for a total of 22 minuted before they booted me out. Got a script for a machine and a DME messed around with me till I blew them off and went to another and got the machine I have now. I did fall asleep with the thing last nite but slept exactly like I did without it, waking every two hours and feeling like crap in the AM. My AHI was 5.71, but that included a few hours wearing it while watching TV so I could get used to it. I feel like im on death's door. Is there any hope for me? Thanks all.