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+--- Thread: so the journey begins (/Thread-so-the-journey-begins)
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so the journey begins - jeepersheart - 05-15-2013
hey everyone just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself here. I havent officially been diagnosed with any sleep apnea yet but I have my first appointment on Monday with my primary dr. I have had the textbook symptoms for a few years now but in the last two months things have gotten really bad. I havent spent a full night in the same room as my fiance for the last 2 months due to my snoring. I wake up every morning with a splitting headache that lasts all day and I feel like a zombie when Im awake, not to mention ALWAYS being tired. What really scared me was when my fiance told me I stop breathing altogether at night and wake up coughing and choking with no memory of it in the morning. She also said my breathing gets really shallow and fast all night long. Now Im a paramedic so I am very familiar with what all of this means. I never wanted to go get checked out because I know they are going to put me on CPAP and was never comfortable with that, but after reading a ton on here and learning about the mask choices and different machine features Im excited. So is there anything I should keep in mind when I have my first appointment? I know I will most likely be sent for a sleep study and have to wait for the results of that, but I wanna be prepared as best I can. Cant wait to see what my AHI is...
RE: so the journey begins - Tez62 - 05-15-2013
jeepersheart, welcome, I think you know what you have to do, probably should have done it earlier but it is not too late to turn it around. Just try to read up as much as you can on sleep apnea, you probably know as much as us being a paramedic but also the associated illness's sleep apnea can cause like heart attack, stroke etc. The CPAP and mask are really not that bad if it's going to save your life or for you and your finace to have a long happy life, it's a small price to pay.
Good luck with the appointment.
RE: so the journey begins - trish6hundred - 05-15-2013
Hi jeepersheart,
WELCOME! to the forum.
What Tez62 said.
Good luck to you with your appointment.
Hang in there for more responses to your post.
RE: so the journey begins - zonk - 05-15-2013
(05-15-2013, 08:47 PM)jeepersheart Wrote: hey everyone just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself here. I havent officially been diagnosed with any sleep apnea yet but I have my first appointment on Monday with my primary dr. I have had the textbook symptoms for a few years now but in the last two months things have gotten really bad.Certain symptoms can indicate that you may have sleep apnea, sleep study is the most accurate way to determine whether you have sleep apnea and type of sleep apnea or if any other sleep disorder
Preparing for an Overnight Sleep Study: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-Preparing-for-an-Overnight-Sleep-Study
Sleep Study Key Terms : http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-Sleep-Study-Key-Terms
Polysomnography: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-Polysomnography
a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Best of luck on your journey
RE: so the journey begins - skyler - 05-16-2013
For your first appointment it would be helpful to write down your symptoms so you don't forget anything. If you're on any medicines take a list. Try to be a good historian- write down approximately when this all started, any other health problems and some basic family history. This stuff will be helpful when/if you see a sleep doctor. I jumped at the chance for CPAP when I had my first sleep study- I had the same symptoms as you. Good luck, thanks for posting.
RE: so the journey begins - Shastzi - 05-16-2013
Welcome Jeepers!
You have come to the right place.
The folks here will help you get set up right!
Cheers!
RE: so the journey begins - iSnooze - 05-16-2013
I knew something was wrong when I slept 8 hours a night and an additional 4 hour nap 3 to 4 times a week and never felt rested. My symptoms were similar to yours. From my first appointment with my family doctor was in the beginning of August. I had an oximetry test, a sleep study, a triation study, and then a visit to the DME. It took about 5 months. Part of the problem was that the time between the sleep study and the triation was 6 weeks or so because I couldn't get an quicker appointment at the sleep clinic closest to my house. In retrospect, I should have traveled the extra hour and had the appointment sooner. All in all, I was happy with the technicians and even the people at the DME, which seems to be an exception.
Skyler as good advice about writing down all your questions so you don't forget anything.
Good luck with your journey to a better night's sleep.
P.S. I don't care what I look like at night when I sleep. I know how miserable I felt before cpap. I'll gladly be a hosehead so that I don't have to be such a zombie again.
RE: so the journey begins - jeepersheart - 10-09-2013
Well I was finally diagnosed!!! Never thought I would be so happy to get bad news from my Dr. First I had a home sleep study and that said I was fine, I kept pushing and eventually had a traditional sleep study which revealed I have "severe sleep apnea". Haven't seen my numbers yet but I'm already pushing for the s9 autoset. I can't wait to get my machine.
RE: so the journey begins - Shastzi - 10-09-2013
Hang in there Jeepers and keep bashing that doctor. (dont you hate false negatives?)
RE: so the journey begins - jeepersheart - 10-09-2013
Not his fault more his staff then anything after my home study they told me I sleep fine but I should lose weight and stop smoking. I'm working on the weight and cut my smoking in half, that's when my symptoms went through the roof. My thought was if I'm sleeping fine then what are you talking about. Next visit I told my doc I wanted a real sleep study and he said no problem 3 days later I have severe OSA and waiting on the DME to contact me.